Don't Let the Sun Fool You

Had a rather large punch out list to do today and was quite successful minus the painting. I have some outside paint to touch up which is a little hard to do when it is 20 degrees. Don't let the sun in the photos fool you...it is freezing. We got the furniture moved in and all the miscellaneous boxes and bags stuffed with things unpacked inside and put in the proper spots. I spent most of the day building the set of stairs off the side of the deck. I was just going to build a temporary gate to pass inspection but I figured I might as well finish. That was not so bad in the cold but the front door however...different story. I had to nail up a moving blanket on the barn wood trim inside so you would not notice the holes. Then I leaned up two scaffold walk boards and put a space heater between them so that I could make that area warm enough to paint. I thought it was warm enough but the first couple brush strokes with out the rig froze immediately. I got a couple coats on the front door (red of course) and got everything put back together.

Roots

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It is still a little premature for the "D" word, but for all intensive purposes we are pretty much done. The floors are finished and look really good and I got the shoe mold put down yesterday. I finally figured out how to transition the gaps in the floors between the laundry/bathroom/and main house. The floors sloped left to right and were different elevations so making a threshold proved to be quite a challenge. After a few failed attempts I bought a bag of flex grout and grouted the whole gap. I am sure a 2" grout joint is not preferred but neither is a house where every floor is a different level. Anyway, a fix... and that is the point. The last big interior project is the handrail for the stairs. I have tossed around so many ideas and landed on what you see for lack of patience and available materials. I just planed down some old yellow pine 2 x 8's and made the parts...and while doing it I realized they were old ceiling joists and a rafter from the family room remodel in the house on Center Grove. For those of you who don't know, this is the home where my roots are planted...and I can't think of a more fitting place to run my hands every day, remembering where my construction days began.

Almost Ready for Furniture

Well..it is snowing here and quite nasty. The first coat of poly is on the floor and dry so we are able to be inside for a couple days this weekend instead of crashing at the Sheffey's. The floors look great and they are going to second coat on Monday. I was able to shuffle some things in the shop yesterday and make room for a little repair and refinish project. I got this old cabinet which will go in the living room. One of the sides was pretty busted up but no problem for the Kreg jig. Most of the doors and drawers were all warped and did not close properly and the thing was covered in cob webs and dirt. I used a few planes and fixed the working parts and put a new plywood back on it..leftovers from the kitchen. I also fixed a couple drawer slides and gave her a fresh coat of oil and I think it is all that is needed. I was going to sand it all up but it takes some of the character out of it. We were able to get our re-fi paperwork done at the bank so the appraisal should be soon and this baby will be done.

12.01.09

I can't believe how the months fly by. I was getting depressed about missing the mortgage rates at the end of the summer but I called today and they are lower now... so I have to kick it in gear for the next week or so to finish. Floor guys got the rough out done and the corners pulled so all they have to do is buff sand and put the sealer on in the morning. I went and got some rough sawed pine for the back porch ceiling because I was tired of looking at it and finally had time to finish it. I used more cedar from the old living room beam to trim the ceiling and some old pieces of Douglas Fir as well. At this point I am trying to use anything I have up to get rid of it. I was unseasonably warm today so I was able to get the first coat of paint on all the siding that hasn't been done yet...at least it looks like it is done...second coat to come. I got the outside of the back door 2nd coated with the red paint so it is done.

I See Sparks

Nothing but flying dust and sparks today. The floor finishers ran into a few too many fasteners for their taste but are making good progress. They got most of the rough out done today and should be able to finish sand and apply sealer by the end of tomorrow. I painted outside for awhile until it started raining...not a good combination. I got pretty much all of the first coat done on the siding that was bare and the first coat on the backside of the back door. Should finish tomorrow and be ready for the punch list outside.

11.27.09

Thaksgiving has come and gone with so much to be thankful for. On Friday the ultimate paint squad was assembled for the last minute indoor touch ups...including the back door(Maranda's color), back splash, dining room, and all the little spackled spots that have accumulated for the last few months. Uncle Loren was here today and was a great help at troubleshooting quite a few last minute things as well. Dad scraped the driveway and unloaded the last of our possesions that were produced during their move last week. I got the area under the stairs covered temporarily until we put another heat and air system in...that will be a cold air return. The flooring guys will be here Monday and the inside will be about done after that.

11.20.09

We are getting by with some unusually decent weather in November which has allowed for some progress outside. I got the hand rail finished on the deck as well as the staircase in front. The original stairs were not square to the house so at the bottom you can see the discrepancy...who is looking right? I also got the varnish work downstairs done which was a second coat on all the T & G as well as a few doors. I got the Cherry bar top planed and finished which really looks nice and sets off the kitchen well. I have a little touch up paint to do in the kitchen and it is done. Things are wrapping up nicely so far.

11.15.09

Pecking away at more little projects but they are really aking this place feel good. I got the bathroom bright work all completed woth the help of a sunny day. The window was so small that it was easier to varnish if removed. I got the one access panel under the bar hinged and operating. I was able to put a catch magnet and knob to match the cabinetry. I also put on the last 5 door handles downstairs so every door functions properly now. After our day we had a little fire in the stove and the pups got their attention too.

Four More Checks

I am checking off lots of little aggravating tasks that are keeping us from being finished inside. I got the last section of the stairway trimmed out leading into the wood stove area as well as around the chimney in the laundry room. I cold have done this months ago but as I always say...why do it now when I can take care of it in a few months. Kids...don't procrastinate! I got the closet repainted from the puppy birthing project and a spankin' set of shelves made. I painted them red for Maranda and used some more recycled ash flooring for the trim and border pieces. I had to use an old sign to cover teh upstairs water shut-off valves but you would never know once they get filled with junk. I got the varnish work done in the downstairs bath and made a set of shelves in the cubby out of leftover stair treads. . . they were left over because I screwed them up and had to tear them off. I knew I stored them for a year for some reason. It is starting to feel close now... we will keep plugging away.

I Might Do Dishes Now

My buddy Jason came by last night to hook up the range wire and outlet because I am too much of a weenie to do it. Out with the old, hello convection. We can't believe the kitchen has an oven. The plumbers came early this morning so the fridge and dishwasher would be done by the time I leave town today. I had to epoxy a wood strip to the bottom of the granite in order to fasten the Dishwasher, buy hey, if it went right in it would not be our house. I also had to notch one of the drawers so it would go by the handle. Yes it has caused a little stress in the last 24 hours but it is all good now and Maranda has my kitchen...I mean her kitchen.

Are You Serious

So we went to Charlotte because we found such a good deal on a fridge and I went through all the specs with the salesman....sure everyone has heard that before. For some reason this fridge had some goofy electrical box on top of it so it was 1/2" short of fitting in the hole. We spent so much time on the cabinets I was not going to modify them. In my furry and impatience, I cut out the hardwood floor under the fridge and what do you know...a perfect fit. We have been doing some lst minute things to get ready for the hardwood floors to be refinished but I am traveling some so it could take awhile.

Almost a Kitchen

Well...we got plumbing and sinks and hose bibs and all that other normal stuff now...well most of it. Maranda is in hog heaven having a sink to do things in other thatn that laundry sink that is so low. I got the Chestnut trim run downstairs as the back splash and window over the sink. I ran all the base board in the living room and prepped the rest of it for next time. Mom was up and she did all the brush work while I cut and sanded. We are using white pine for the trim mostly which is not available in trim sizes so I have to mill and sand everything. I was able to use the bi-fold doors from Center Grove Baptist Church, where us kids grew up, as the surround for the bar. They worked out perfectly and it is so cool to have another historical piece in the house. These doors witnessed my baptism and things like that so they are special. I roughed out one of my cherry slabs for the bar top with a live edge facing the dining room. I have to do some planing on it to flatten the bottom and sand until my heart is content and then the kitchen will be ready for floor refinishing and appliances! Thins are really coming together.