Sounds better than it is in reality. YOU are the one with the energy, with your work.
Enter At Your Own Risk
- Thread starter GoodEnuff
- Start date
Of course, we ran into some strange issues on this wall. Sigh. The drywall guy was late arriving so I started on it by removing a section of the wall panel. Turns out there are two layers of plywood, one on top of the other. Why that was done is beyond me. Both layers have water damage on the bottom few inches, although the outside layer facing the room is worse. The 1/4" ply that I had purchased is too thick; it would be "proud" at the seams where it will meet with wall panels at each end.
After much discussion, we decided to return the 1/4" ply and use 1/8" masonite applied on top of that inside layer, just like it was before. The local hardware store doesn't carry 1/8" ply. So I have treated the bottom of that inside layer, which will be left in place, with hydrogen peroxide. Is that mold? Some is obviously dirt. IDK, but it is easily wiped off and the peroxide will kill any mold. When we had the outside of the wall opened last summer, there was no water damage inside this wall and there is no smell of mold now so this is obviously old damage.
The major impediment is that this wall butts up to underneath large windows. If we remove that inside 3/8" layer, it may impede into the bottom of the window frame. These windows will be removed this summer, with trim being replaced, etc. and I don't want to do anything that would create a problem now in the middle of winter.
When this was my mother's house, she had that cabinet built on this south facing wall with huge windows to use for growing plants. I know my mother -- I was ready to bet money that the water damage at the bottom was a result of her careless watering. Sure enough, I spoke with my younger sister who grew up in this house and that is exactly what happened. She said when the water would spill over the top of the cabinet (because Mom didn't always use a plate under the pots), they would just mop up the floor around it. The side against the wall just stayed wet, obviously. This makes sense because the water damage was only behind the cabinet and is a perfect match to the cabinet frame. Really, Mom???
After much discussion, we decided to return the 1/4" ply and use 1/8" masonite applied on top of that inside layer, just like it was before. The local hardware store doesn't carry 1/8" ply. So I have treated the bottom of that inside layer, which will be left in place, with hydrogen peroxide. Is that mold? Some is obviously dirt. IDK, but it is easily wiped off and the peroxide will kill any mold. When we had the outside of the wall opened last summer, there was no water damage inside this wall and there is no smell of mold now so this is obviously old damage.
The major impediment is that this wall butts up to underneath large windows. If we remove that inside 3/8" layer, it may impede into the bottom of the window frame. These windows will be removed this summer, with trim being replaced, etc. and I don't want to do anything that would create a problem now in the middle of winter.
When this was my mother's house, she had that cabinet built on this south facing wall with huge windows to use for growing plants. I know my mother -- I was ready to bet money that the water damage at the bottom was a result of her careless watering. Sure enough, I spoke with my younger sister who grew up in this house and that is exactly what happened. She said when the water would spill over the top of the cabinet (because Mom didn't always use a plate under the pots), they would just mop up the floor around it. The side against the wall just stayed wet, obviously. This makes sense because the water damage was only behind the cabinet and is a perfect match to the cabinet frame. Really, Mom???
The wall board has been replaced, not easy because of the windows but it is done. Nailed areas are spackled. This morning, I will lightly sand those areas, prime and apply the first coat of paint. Tomorrow the second coat. Electrician is scheduled to come Tuesday and will reinstall the baseboard heaters on those two walls and do some other things electrical that I want done.
Once painted, I will try installing the baseboards myself. The style on most of the house is one that is no longer manufactured. I have enough pieces that came off of somewhere ?? and will reuse them. Layers of old paint on them so they will need sanding and repainting. It shouldn't be too difficult, right? Maybe I can get the other guy to come do it. He has done other rooms and did a really fine job with it.
There is another wall in this living area where almost the entire length of the lower two feet of wall has access panels to the plumbing inside. This wall is common with the bathroom on the other side. The access panels are not very attractive. Am trying to come up with ideas of how to make them look better or even "disappear". It is imperative to have access to that plumbing; we have had work done in that wall more than a few times. Those panels are held on with a few screws and if there is ever a big leak, it takes a few minutes to get them off. I want something hinged that can just be pulled open on a moments notice. So...thinking about this.
Or...just place furniture in front of it, lol.
Once painted, I will try installing the baseboards myself. The style on most of the house is one that is no longer manufactured. I have enough pieces that came off of somewhere ?? and will reuse them. Layers of old paint on them so they will need sanding and repainting. It shouldn't be too difficult, right? Maybe I can get the other guy to come do it. He has done other rooms and did a really fine job with it.
There is another wall in this living area where almost the entire length of the lower two feet of wall has access panels to the plumbing inside. This wall is common with the bathroom on the other side. The access panels are not very attractive. Am trying to come up with ideas of how to make them look better or even "disappear". It is imperative to have access to that plumbing; we have had work done in that wall more than a few times. Those panels are held on with a few screws and if there is ever a big leak, it takes a few minutes to get them off. I want something hinged that can just be pulled open on a moments notice. So...thinking about this.
Or...just place furniture in front of it, lol.
Yesterday was a Good Day. Caulked the bottoms of those windows, sanded, primed and painted that area. It looks sooo much better! It does need a second coat of paint today. No big deal. Have sat around the past couple of months doing nothing myself and now that I am back up and running again, it feels really good to be doing this. Last night, I didn't fall asleep in the chair at 7 pm, was awake and feeling good. Stayed up watching TV until 11:30 pm! Slept through until after 5:30 am this morning. Up and raring to go but have to wait until daylight.
Window condensation is a problem, especially when the outside temp goes below freezing. This is part of the reason for the damage on the lower trim of those windows. An internet search displays a product that you apply to windows that supposedly prevents that. I will order some today.
The humidity inside is between 37 and 43%, not real high. If this stuff doesn't work, I may get a dehumidifier. Also, once the baseboard heaters are reinstalled tomorrow, I will use the electric heat instead of the propane, which probably creates more humidity, although past residents of this house had the same condensation problem and they used electric heat so who knows?
Meanwhile, waiting for daylight to get started.
Window condensation is a problem, especially when the outside temp goes below freezing. This is part of the reason for the damage on the lower trim of those windows. An internet search displays a product that you apply to windows that supposedly prevents that. I will order some today.
The humidity inside is between 37 and 43%, not real high. If this stuff doesn't work, I may get a dehumidifier. Also, once the baseboard heaters are reinstalled tomorrow, I will use the electric heat instead of the propane, which probably creates more humidity, although past residents of this house had the same condensation problem and they used electric heat so who knows?
Meanwhile, waiting for daylight to get started.
jj*
New Member
I am 73 and I took a puff in my teen years and almost choked to death so I never tried. Plus I questioned myself how can anyone want to breathe smoke into their beautiful healthy lungs? All my life though I have had dairy problems, asthma, bronchitis so thank God I was smart enough not too.
A lot of my friends are all gone now and my immediate family. And this point I am trying to cope with lower back pain and GERD problems. I am trying to eat just gerd friendly foods because I cant take the ppi’s. They make everything worse for me. I also have had panic and anxiety attacks most of my life thinking they were heart attacks. Between anxiety and gerd both can make you feel like a heart attack. Best thing I find is walking, just staying active. Never had diabetes because I never cared for sugar that much. Plus I always was a very active person.
I hope you can find relief for your anxiety. I have several meditation apps which really help. I wish you well.
A lot of my friends are all gone now and my immediate family. And this point I am trying to cope with lower back pain and GERD problems. I am trying to eat just gerd friendly foods because I cant take the ppi’s. They make everything worse for me. I also have had panic and anxiety attacks most of my life thinking they were heart attacks. Between anxiety and gerd both can make you feel like a heart attack. Best thing I find is walking, just staying active. Never had diabetes because I never cared for sugar that much. Plus I always was a very active person.
I hope you can find relief for your anxiety. I have several meditation apps which really help. I wish you well.
All is well once I got past all of that. Thank you! I find the answer for me is to just keep busy. This fixer-upper house certainly does that. Now, I can kinda see some light at the end of that tunnel. Two and a half years of this has taught me a LOT not to mention the cost.
Welcome to SF!
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
Finished painting. Ended up doing more than planned. The previous owners had painted most of the interior and left a can of that paint behind for me (Thank You!) but even so, it didn't exactly match. Aging, I suppose. Anyway, painted the rest of that same wall to a corner so it doesn't stand out. Also, I went ahead and washed all the walls in this same room; looks pretty good now.
The fireplace mantle shelf is a solid walnut board, 2" x 6", 5' long, and I decided to refinish it. I started by sanding the bottom surface in case it didn't turn out the way I want and laid on a coat of Minwax stain/poly. It is exactly what I wanted. Waiting for that coat to dry so I can do the remaining three sides today, I hope. Trying to decide if I want to do a surround on the sides. Not sure...
Discovered that the baseboard material that I have isn't an exact match to what is on the rest of the walls in this room. It is very close to the same. I was a bit upset when I discovered that yesterday because this style isn't made anymore.
No way I will replace all the rest and redo all of the baseboards in this part of the house. There is a break between where this will go and the rest of it so I think it will be okay. It will need to have all of the old paint sanded off and repainted first since it is repurposed. Maybe tomorrow. Have to wait till the heaters are installed, (today! Hooray!). One of my favorite tools is the random orbit sander. God bless the person who invented it!
The projects done the past 2.5 years have been pretty major -- roof, siding, plumbing, electrical, bathrooms, kitchen, floors, the list is long. Now it is down to the interior details and this is the fun (-ish) part. Well, except windows which have to wait until summer. Mom used to say that every dwelling should have a "mistake" to let out the evil spirits. Supposedly that was a Native American thing, i.e., a hole in a teepee , etc. So no evil spirits here, lol!
The fireplace mantle shelf is a solid walnut board, 2" x 6", 5' long, and I decided to refinish it. I started by sanding the bottom surface in case it didn't turn out the way I want and laid on a coat of Minwax stain/poly. It is exactly what I wanted. Waiting for that coat to dry so I can do the remaining three sides today, I hope. Trying to decide if I want to do a surround on the sides. Not sure...
Discovered that the baseboard material that I have isn't an exact match to what is on the rest of the walls in this room. It is very close to the same. I was a bit upset when I discovered that yesterday because this style isn't made anymore.
No way I will replace all the rest and redo all of the baseboards in this part of the house. There is a break between where this will go and the rest of it so I think it will be okay. It will need to have all of the old paint sanded off and repainted first since it is repurposed. Maybe tomorrow. Have to wait till the heaters are installed, (today! Hooray!). One of my favorite tools is the random orbit sander. God bless the person who invented it!
The projects done the past 2.5 years have been pretty major -- roof, siding, plumbing, electrical, bathrooms, kitchen, floors, the list is long. Now it is down to the interior details and this is the fun (-ish) part. Well, except windows which have to wait until summer. Mom used to say that every dwelling should have a "mistake" to let out the evil spirits. Supposedly that was a Native American thing, i.e., a hole in a teepee , etc. So no evil spirits here, lol!
MarciKS
SF VIP
- Location
- Great Plains
How do you know how to do all this stuff?
I don't, lol. Most of the time, when it is a replacement, I do what was done before or copy it. It is anxiety producing but if I screw it up, then I will hire an expert. Sometimes I just have to try to think it through. I don't even attempt plumbing or electrical. Sometimes I just get lucky. A couple of times I went to YT but that can be "iffy". And when I do hire somebody, I watch them very closely. Learn a lot that way.
Sometimes, I think, "If so-and-so can do this, so can I. How hard can it be?" LOLOLOL!
Electrical work is done; however, last night, there was a strange odor that was like something maybe burning? Hot rubber? In the hallway where a new fixture was installed. I turned it off and the smell went away. Today, in the light of day, I will turn it back on and see if that odor returns. If it does, will call the electrician back. I watched him install that fixture, it was a replacement so the lines were already there. No problem so maybe it was coming in from outside or ??? Maybe because it is new? IDK.
The new ceiling fixtures are remote controlled. They are really cool! I love them! But they didn't come with any sort of holder for the remotes so I will see what I can do about that. The way it will work is the light switch is kept on, then use the remote to turn them off and on. The switches are in such awkward places that the remote will make it much easier to control those lights. I need some kind of wall bracket to hold those remotes where I want them, on the wall. Next stop -- Amazon.
Today, I will work on the refinish of the mantle shelf. That'll be easy. It will take hours to dry so won't put it up until tomorrow. And then put up the outside flood light, which is just a plug in to an existing outlet. Couple of screws in the wall. Should be easy, right? Right. It means getting up on the ladder. Careful careful.
Last night I realized that I can't put on the baseboards until the floor is repaired where that cabinet was. So another month when they come to do that along with the new carpet in other areas. I may go ahead and get them ready to install before then.
Onward through the fog!
The new ceiling fixtures are remote controlled. They are really cool! I love them! But they didn't come with any sort of holder for the remotes so I will see what I can do about that. The way it will work is the light switch is kept on, then use the remote to turn them off and on. The switches are in such awkward places that the remote will make it much easier to control those lights. I need some kind of wall bracket to hold those remotes where I want them, on the wall. Next stop -- Amazon.
Today, I will work on the refinish of the mantle shelf. That'll be easy. It will take hours to dry so won't put it up until tomorrow. And then put up the outside flood light, which is just a plug in to an existing outlet. Couple of screws in the wall. Should be easy, right? Right. It means getting up on the ladder. Careful careful.
Last night I realized that I can't put on the baseboards until the floor is repaired where that cabinet was. So another month when they come to do that along with the new carpet in other areas. I may go ahead and get them ready to install before then.
Onward through the fog!
Yesterday, managed to get a few small things done. Sanded and finished the first coat of stain/poly on the mantle shelf. Put up the new flood light on the back of the house. That was a bit tricky but it's up there and WOAH! is it bright! Changed out a light bulb on another flood light, which I'm not crazy about because it is controlled by an inside light switch for another room. May need to have the electrician back to put it on its own switch. Did four loads of laundry. Put away tools and such.
Maybe today I will work on those baseboards. Cut, sand and paint so they will be ready when the floor guys finish in another month. OR if Home Depot is open today, maybe make that 60 mile trip. The local Ace is closed for the holiday. And get out for a while; need to do that now and then. If I do go, I will need to measure for the baseboards in the old hot tub room and hallway. I don't have enough material for that and it isn't sold anywhere locally. Get it while there.
I have a childhood friend, decades with no contact, called her last New Years (it's her birthday) and she has moved to a Honduran island, living the good life. She has invited me to come visit. I would love to go but what to do with the two doggies? Get a house/dog sitter to come stay? Last time I did that worked out fine but cost $400 for a few days. Hmmm....
Maybe today I will work on those baseboards. Cut, sand and paint so they will be ready when the floor guys finish in another month. OR if Home Depot is open today, maybe make that 60 mile trip. The local Ace is closed for the holiday. And get out for a while; need to do that now and then. If I do go, I will need to measure for the baseboards in the old hot tub room and hallway. I don't have enough material for that and it isn't sold anywhere locally. Get it while there.
I have a childhood friend, decades with no contact, called her last New Years (it's her birthday) and she has moved to a Honduran island, living the good life. She has invited me to come visit. I would love to go but what to do with the two doggies? Get a house/dog sitter to come stay? Last time I did that worked out fine but cost $400 for a few days. Hmmm....
The only thing I did yesterday was wash dishes. It had snowed a little during the night, barely enough to cover the ground. And it has been raining ever since. Dull gray and drizzly.
This has been a strange winter so far. By now, it should be well below freezing with a foot of snow on the ground. Nope.
I wonder how this will effect the water level in the creek this summer, which is snow melt from up above. I heard the ski area is closed. I keep thinking any day now we will get real winter.
This has been a strange winter so far. By now, it should be well below freezing with a foot of snow on the ground. Nope.
I wonder how this will effect the water level in the creek this summer, which is snow melt from up above. I heard the ski area is closed. I keep thinking any day now we will get real winter.
JustDave
Well-known Member
A doctor ran our no smoking seminar in college. He informed us that smoking deadens the sensors that cause coughing, and when you stop, you lungs spend a couple of weeks coughing up the junk left from smoking. I smoked heavily, but I didn't experience coughing, even though I was waiting for it.
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
It's an interesting topic --I also didn't cough when I quit. And I was a heavy smoker. Started at age 11 and quit at about 60 or 62.
When I first started this thread, I was quitting or trying to quit and was so angry. It has morphed into this daily life, which has been renovating this house. My parents bought this place as a two room (if you count the bathroom as a room) mountain cabin back in 1965. It was built in 1963. I was 14 years old that summer. We lived in Texas at the time and came here in the summers. In 1972, my father sold his business and they moved here with my four younger siblings, the youngest was 3 years old. They added on to the house a couple of times, did most of the work themselves on a shoestring budget.
Mom moved in with my sister around 2010, when she could no longer live here alone. (Dad died in 1988.) For years, the place was not occupied except in summers. I would come here (from Texas, 1200 miles away), spend a week cleaning up the place which rodents had taken over, then get her from my sister's another 300 miles away, and bring her here. She loved this place.
In 2021, my mother died and the house was sold. The husband contracted covid and while in the hospital had a massive heart attack. As a result, at this higher elevation (7200 ft), he had to use oxygen to live here. I was looking for a house in this area; In 2023, they called me and asked if I would be interested in buying it. (They ended up moving to Florida.) Knowing full well it needed work, had been neglected for years, I bought it.
I did not know the extent of the damage to the structure from snow, ice, time. If I were to sell it, I would not get out of it what I now have in it. There is more work to be done, mostly outside stuff like fencing and the gazebo next to the creek; the house itself is close to being finished.
There are days when I think getting into this was a big mistake. I miss Texas where I was born, raised and lived most of my adult life, raised my two daughters, had a great career. But the summers here are glorious. And I think Mom and Dad (and I know my siblings) would finally approve of me, after being the Bad Kid my whole life. I wonder if I did this to get that approval? IDK. Maybe I should write a book about the history of this place. LOL, maybe that's what this thread is.
Mom moved in with my sister around 2010, when she could no longer live here alone. (Dad died in 1988.) For years, the place was not occupied except in summers. I would come here (from Texas, 1200 miles away), spend a week cleaning up the place which rodents had taken over, then get her from my sister's another 300 miles away, and bring her here. She loved this place.
In 2021, my mother died and the house was sold. The husband contracted covid and while in the hospital had a massive heart attack. As a result, at this higher elevation (7200 ft), he had to use oxygen to live here. I was looking for a house in this area; In 2023, they called me and asked if I would be interested in buying it. (They ended up moving to Florida.) Knowing full well it needed work, had been neglected for years, I bought it.
I did not know the extent of the damage to the structure from snow, ice, time. If I were to sell it, I would not get out of it what I now have in it. There is more work to be done, mostly outside stuff like fencing and the gazebo next to the creek; the house itself is close to being finished.
There are days when I think getting into this was a big mistake. I miss Texas where I was born, raised and lived most of my adult life, raised my two daughters, had a great career. But the summers here are glorious. And I think Mom and Dad (and I know my siblings) would finally approve of me, after being the Bad Kid my whole life. I wonder if I did this to get that approval? IDK. Maybe I should write a book about the history of this place. LOL, maybe that's what this thread is.
Yesterday was another do-nothing-day. Still gray and drizzly. Was so sleepy in the early evening, went to bed at 7:45 pm and woke up around midnight. Here I sit. I will go back to bed soon.
The weather is supposed to clear today so maybe I will take some measurements and go to Home Depot for baseboard materials needed for the upstairs area. Will see how I feel in the morning.
The weather is supposed to clear today so maybe I will take some measurements and go to Home Depot for baseboard materials needed for the upstairs area. Will see how I feel in the morning.
Went to Home Depot yesterday, bought all the baseboard materials needed for the ex-hot tub room and hallway. Also picked up some flood light bulbs and a heat lamp bulb for the main bath. After returning home, I looked more closely and realized the heat lamp bulb is not approved for damp areas. Didn't think to check that at the store. Rats. It's not worth the 120 mile round trip drive to return it.
Stopped for gas and the price (for E-85) was $2.25/gallon. Lowest price in several years! Usually all of the gas stations around here are within a few cents of each other. Not now. There was a wide gap yesterday, with the others being over $2.50/gal. Seemed a little strange but I won't complain.
Today, I need to clean house. Mostly the floors. Maybe start touch up painting here and there. Oh! And paint those baseboards before they are installed. They will need touching up after installation but will still save time and work to do it beforehand. And...I can do it inside (heated space) where there is no carpet now and not worry about dripping paint on new flooring later.
Stopped for gas and the price (for E-85) was $2.25/gallon. Lowest price in several years! Usually all of the gas stations around here are within a few cents of each other. Not now. There was a wide gap yesterday, with the others being over $2.50/gal. Seemed a little strange but I won't complain.
Today, I need to clean house. Mostly the floors. Maybe start touch up painting here and there. Oh! And paint those baseboards before they are installed. They will need touching up after installation but will still save time and work to do it beforehand. And...I can do it inside (heated space) where there is no carpet now and not worry about dripping paint on new flooring later.
Weather forecasts say low of 9F later this week. Real winter is finally arriving, although still very little snow. A little rain mixed with snow yesterday, not enough to stick. It appears, from a distance, that higher up this mountain has received snow. It has been fairly warm, however, and the creek is running more than its winter usual.
The lazies has a grip on me. Didn't do much yesterday, either, so today I WILL clean the floors and paint those boards.
Went to bed last night at 7:30 pm so, of course, woke up at 12:45 am and here I am. May go back to bed in a bit.
The lazies has a grip on me. Didn't do much yesterday, either, so today I WILL clean the floors and paint those boards.
Went to bed last night at 7:30 pm so, of course, woke up at 12:45 am and here I am. May go back to bed in a bit.
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
I don't agree with that. My x husband virtually chain smoked.. and every single morning he would cough until I thought he was going to have a heart attack, There definitely was no cough suppressant there..
OTOH.. when he stopped using cigarettes and changed to Vaping... he completely lost the cough!
JustDave
Well-known Member
Yeah, not everyone reacts exactly like everyone else. Even that doctor I quoted (from memory), may have inserted a "sometimes" in that prediction, just so those that do react as alerted would know what was going on.
I chickened out on testing for freezing water pipes, lol. I have had the water lines in the upper added-on part of this house drained in winters past. Didn't heat that part to save $$$. This winter, we have had to heat that area due to the ongoing work being done so didn't have the water lines drained. With the forecast of 9F tomorrow night, I imagined the lines freezing and what it would take to repair them. Nope. Called a handy man yesterday; he is coming today to drain those lines. I will learn how to do it so in the future, I can DIY. One less thing to worry about.
Yesterday, I painted three of the seven baseboards. Then hit the ground running and did a deep clean of the living/kitchen areas. When that was finished, went back to paint more boards and realized I had used the wrong paint on the first three. Damn! Right color, wrong gloss. I have about 20 cans of different paints so not surprising I grabbed the wrong one. However, it seems I don't have the one I want to use so that work has been halted until I can get to the hardware store to get more paint. Argh!
I love it when the house is clean! Or at least the main areas where we (me and doggies) spend 99% of our time. Today I will clean the bathroom. That will be easy -- no furniture to move, very small room. Maybe wash windows on the outside. Hmmm...
Yesterday, I painted three of the seven baseboards. Then hit the ground running and did a deep clean of the living/kitchen areas. When that was finished, went back to paint more boards and realized I had used the wrong paint on the first three. Damn! Right color, wrong gloss. I have about 20 cans of different paints so not surprising I grabbed the wrong one. However, it seems I don't have the one I want to use so that work has been halted until I can get to the hardware store to get more paint. Argh!
I love it when the house is clean! Or at least the main areas where we (me and doggies) spend 99% of our time. Today I will clean the bathroom. That will be easy -- no furniture to move, very small room. Maybe wash windows on the outside. Hmmm...
gruntlabor
Well-known Member
- Location
- Last Frontier, Age 83
I just place small electric heaters turned on low in closed areas where the pipes might freeze (at anywhere below about 15 degrees F).