France could also be an option.
Thanks
Does anyone know if there are shops or companies in Switzerland that rent tools to remove wallpapers and parquet? I would also need tools/machinery to lay parquet if that's available as well?
I think most people just use a chemical product to remove wallpaper that is available in the do-it stores (Migros, Coop, Obi and Jumbo). Then you just need to buy a brush to paint it on and a couple of scrapers.
For the floor you should just need a hammer and some sort of scraper to get the baseboards off. Then it should just be a job of prying up the parquet (unless it is glued down). If so, you can buy a special long handled scraper (or use an ice scraper) to scrape them up.
Here is a link on how to lay parquet . Not much needed in the way of tools. Probably best to just buy them.
Wallpaper depending on the type, you can get a thing which looks like a paint roller but has spikes on it, roll the walls piercing the paper, soak with water using a sponge, have a beer while the water works it majic on the glue and peel off with a scraper.
If the parquet is well glued down you can lay straight over the top and just cut the door so it clears. Otherwise a big Hilti jackhammer with a wide spade bit works well, hire a large powerful one with an adjustable stting and use on low setting, bigger is better. Sometimes it helps to cut the parquet before removing, set your saw to 1mm less than the parquet thickness, cut across the grain and remove in strips.
Thank you for the answers, the parquet is glued I assume, it's old parqued I guess that's how they laid it down. It needs to go out as there is glue from carpet on top of it and it is already quite high so it will need to be taken out. I guess one can just bang with the crowbar or some cleaning of the residue glue on the bottom will be needed?
I'm not that handy at laying it down but a friend can certainly do it for me but he said he will need some equipment.
Thanks
Why not just get a floor board sanding machine instead of laying new?
+1
If it is good quality parket (i.e. real vs. the clip-in DIY stuff) it will have several cycles of sand and revarnish left in it.
COOP Bau & Hobby rent stuff, as do Obi. The challenge with renting here though is the cost. When renting I've had to be really careful to only rent when I need, and then it is a bind to get the materials back to the shop in time to avoid additional charges. Nevermind hiring stuff and then not being able to use if for whatever reason so it is sitting there costing you money but not being used.
More often than not, it has been cheaper to buy what I need rather than rent. Especially as I have a Hornbacher and Bauhaus on my doorstep in Germany.
In fact, my last "big tool" hire was a earth borer - cost me €180 (gross), used it for a couple of weeks (one day's hire was 80 CHF for equivalent machine) and sold it for ~230 CHF on Ricardo...
Obi here rents Tools, should think you have one in Geneve
I removed wallpaper without the spikey tool as I didn't want to damage the walls underneath.
You need a thick sponge or brush and a pail of warm water. Various sizes of scrapers will be useful along with big trash bags. Basically you need to soak the paper and work from the top or bottom starting at a corner seam.
If the wallpaper is really stuck you will need to use a steamer.
Watch the humidity level in the room.
I hired a steamer for the wallpaper. Tried the special wallpaper removing stuff and warm water etc...none of which worked on our wallpaper but the steamer worked a treat and the job was done in no time!
As for the parquet sorry I can't help you on that one...
Steamer the best way to remove wallpaper,parquet better NOT to remove.Especially old.Sand it and it will look like new.
Trouble with the parquet is that there are some new openings and surfaces which doesn't have (one whole room won't have it) so it will difficult to make a whole nice floor out of it as there will be differences. I can't put another one on top as that will increase the height and won't look nice compared to the tiles doors etc.
I like the current floor but I think I'd be better off with some brazilian cherry jatoba or something like that.
I read somewhere on internet that I will need to check if the glue of the parquet is asbestos based, which is the first time I ever heard that. I talked to few architects and they are certain that parquet glue won't contain asbestos, while in the tiling there is.
So if you are serious about using a machine to take up the parquet, you might try this one (you can rent it) from Loxam . It is normally for taking up carpet that is glued to the floor. It should work (but no guarantee on my part).
http://loxam.ch/fr/location/Batiment...s-de-moquette/
They have a store in Geneva.
For the wallpaper, Hornbach rents a steamer unit you can use (as has been mentioned). In French it is called Décolleuse a tapisserie Wagner W14. It costs CHF 20 for the first day and CHF 15 after. It would be best to reserve it.
Here is a link to what the steamer looks like.
Thank you for that, I might as well buy the steamer and just sell it after, no point on renting and waiting etc.
I don't know if that machine for the carpet would work for the parquet, but I will check.
If the parquet is glued down, that machine won't do the job, I have used the Festo equivalent and good on glue removal but not too get the boards out. With a big Hilti jackhammer on a low setting they will fall out. The secret is too not break the boards (it is the same with tile removal) what you are trying to do is jar them loose so they come out in almost one piece, rather than smash them are have to break out a lot of pieces per board, this takes power, hence my suggestion to go for a large one. Rental prices are not much different and will save you a lot of time.
I wonder if you can just match the old wood. Do you know what sort it is? Once you sand back the old wood and re-seal it, it should be possible to match it to get am reasonable consistency. There is some value in having reliable, matured woode floor, than replacing it and taking the risk of problems with the new?
I really love the aesthetic of old timber floors.....
At least it would be a more environmentally conscious choice - you do realise Brazilian jatoba is a rainforest timber ?
I second what swisspea said, if you at what is coming onto the market and trends, Jotoba, Merbau and Walnut (Nussbaum) are being phased out in favour of oak in a variety of colour, treatments and (natural/rustic/earthy)finishes. If your floor is oak you can sand it back and pretty much match it to anything on the market with the stains and oils available.
Photos of the parquet!!!
I have seen beautiful inlayed parquet flooring ripped up because it wouldn't sell (even for free) as a "remove and take away". It was absolutely beautiful - and around 100 years old!!
If you have "aged" parquet it is well worth exploring renovating and matching it rather than replacing - good quality flooring should last a very long time. The carpet glue should be removed using solvents and then sanding.
I had no idea the Jatoba came from rainforest timber, I thought the "brazilian cherry" (which isn't cherry and not only brazilian) was everywhere in South America and other continents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenaea_courbaril
Wiki doesn't say anything about the Rainforest, but to be honest I like the look of the Jatoba so anything close or similar will be the same for me.
I like oak as well, will look into that. I would like large, solid pieces that will feel and look nice, not like cheap laminate etc
I'll make some photos but to be honest the parquet is small size and perhaps 40-50 year old and I would imagine cheap stuff back than, nothing fancy. Hence the need to replace, as the previous owner put carpet on top of it.
Thanks for the advice, I might need a bit of help from a professional on this one than.
Oh, and if someone can recommend nice, big, solid, whether dark red, burgundy or dark/light brown floor (Jatoba or not) I would be happy to hear opinions.
I think my only preference is that I want big and thick boards, rather than small ones