Yearly Archives: 2017
Another Wet Look Bar Top Counter
For the second counter top I scaled back the sanding and left the original finish mostly intact, and I decided most of the damming of the sides was unnecessary. So I only taped the edges and let the first seal … Continue reading
Decorative Cracks in the Concrete
The steamer works great to get the blobs of paint and dried compound off the floor. There were some unprotected areas like in this closet that really needed work. I used one of the small bristle brush attachments to scrub … Continue reading
Kitchen Sink Sound Proofing Decor
I’m going to start spending more time on decorative touches and less on large building projects. We have all the finish work to complete now that the drywall is installed. The kitchen sink bottom is visible under the open cabinet … Continue reading
Wet Look Counter Top
The kitchen counter next to the sink was starting to turn grey and rot. Despite the silicone coating under the sink rim, water was collecting in a low spot on the pine counter. I read about finishing the wood with … Continue reading
List for my month of recovery
I’m working on a list of low energy tasks for post-surgery progress on the house. Once we are sure the drywall and painting is completed there are several tasks that are pretty easy and should not take much effort. Shopping … Continue reading
Cleaning the Concrete Floor
The drywall and paint process made a big mess on the concrete. Although they vacuumed and swept, and they put paper on the floor before sanding and painting, the whole floor has ground in drywall dust on it. I contacted … Continue reading
From Primer to Paint with Detour to Hospital
I didn’t go to the hospital because of the painting, but because I developed scar tissue from the August surgery and had to be cut open again to alleviate a blockage in my intestine. Another Friday night emergency, although Dave … Continue reading
From Drywall to Primer
The drywall is finally done. I think Hector feels good about the job being done too. It was a long hard battle to get the drywall around all the odd shapes of our house. It took more sheets of drywall … Continue reading
Safety for the Birdies
Covering the chimney opening with barrier wire has been on the to do list for some time. Luckily some square wire mesh was accessible in the full garage so I cut some and installed it on the chimney. Every spring … Continue reading
A Week’s Worth of Drywalling
Our drywall contractor had a problem with his subcontractors. Basically, they didn’t show on the date he set for the job. They probably would have showed eventually, they did send two guys for a short time at the end of … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Empty House and Beginning Drywall
It makes the house look big to have it completely empty with no drywall to separate the rooms. My friend sent me a panorama shot and I thought it would be a good technique to capture the feeling of the … Continue reading
A Hole for the Minisplit AC Lines
I bought a used minisplit air conditioner for the compressor, thinking it would chill water for the radiant cooling system. But I have decided after lots of experiments with radiant cooling to just install it as an air conditioner this … Continue reading
Fixing the ERV
I broke the ERV by trying to install an automated control system with the Nest to the Boost control and with Lutron devices to the 0-10 variable control system. The support for the Recouperator was very helpful and sent a … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Moving Stuff
Tools, furniture, kitchen–moving it all out to the garage, which is of course not large enough so quickly ordered two storage units from MyWay to hold more stuff! We packed the garage as tight as we could. And all the … Continue reading
More Drywall Prep Items
As we worked to prep for drywall several other items were added to our list. Little stuff that had to be done before the walls were no longer accessible or where we needed a wall we had not yet built! … Continue reading
Boxing in the Radon Vent
Another pre-drywall project that I forgot to list was to box in the radon vent that entered the attic shelf over the storage closet. The vent has a slant to it that meant the lower part was uneven with the … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Membrane Installed
The membrane on the rest of the walls has been installed, the seams taped, and the edges caulked to the studs. The caulk is super rubbery and stays flexible. It is recommended for the edges of the membrane. I put … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Ensure Denshield in Bathrooms
I signed the drywall contract and the work is to begin April 24th. Included in the contract is Denshield in the bathrooms. We decided to have the walls match the existing knockdown texture but have the ceilings be smooth which … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Install the nailers for drywall.
These are all finished now. Unless the drywallers find they need another one somewhere. There are some tricky areas where the house orientation changes direction to catch the sun. The rafters come together at an angle and the nailers had … Continue reading
Drywall Prep: Reinforce Ventilation Shaft with Corner Braces
The ventilation shaft is constructed of metal studs. It is long and hangs from only one side. The idea is that the drywall will reinforce the structure and keep it from sagging. Right now it flexes when pulled down. Our … Continue reading