Cover charge

When we bought the house, the floors in the living room and dining room were laminate hardwoods.  These were obviously not original and were beginning to buckle in several areas.  When we removed the laminate we found quarter inch plywood.  Under that was the original hardwoods, or should I say, what was left of the original hardwoods.  They had been completely destroyed by termites.  Ugh.  In fact, they were still feasting on them when we began to pull them up.  They had eaten the hardwoods, the subfloor and the floor supports that the subfloor was attached to. 

Laminate floor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subfloor destroyed by termites

 

 

Under the subfloor were 2x4s laid on end on the ground. The termites then made their way into the 2x4s, the subfloor and then the hardwoods. 

Channels in the dirt where 2x4s were laid.

We decided to remove all the wood that was touching ground and pour a new concrete slab in the living room and dining room.  This is the best way to prevent the termites from feasting on the new flooring.  I decided to pay a professional concrete finisher to handle this job.  It was nice to watch other people work...

New concrete slab just after pouring.

 We are going to put engineered hardwood floors on the concrete.  The new concrete and an active termite bond should help prevent these little creatures from causing more damage.