kitchen redo after fire
Finding Friday,  Life,  Projects

Finding Friday- A Great Restoration Update!

I’m trying to find my way to Friday again today and ready to give you a great home restoration update! All the restoration tips, tricks and hardware happening for the week. Are you ready?!

Let’s GO!

Inside Restoration

Here goes!

Last Monday the set up crew arrived to remove the last of the heavy pieces of furniture and boxes of new flooring from the dining room and begin the ceiling redo.

The hutch and new flooring were simply too much to move and were covered in plastic.

Can I tell you how long I have longed for a new smooth ceiling without the really poorly done textured one?

My thoughts were…if I pay very close attention to HOW they do that process…maybe I could give it a try in the bathroom…or bedroom…or foyer…or office…or family room. I can live in hope, right?

Fire restoration of that ceiling began in full swing.

Plastic was hung and taped to seal the doorways and cabinets and appliances.

Then the ceiling man arrived and he began.

Spraying and scraping destroyed a huge piece of sheetrock. That didn’t work.

Sheetrock repair required.

Next came out the sander.

Goodness! The shrill sound made me realize that leaving soon might be next on the agenda.

But, the sander wasn’t long lived. Two layers of painting the ceiling made that impossible.

I knew what that meant. Been there and done that with the bathroom remodel.

The process would now take longer adding mud and sanding the ceiling smooth.

So…here’s your progress report…

I’m not sure why I felt the need to apologize since I wasn’t the culprit to paint that ceiling; but, I find myself apologizing a lot to those who work on repairs.

Day 2 of Ceiling Restoration Began

A second opinion helper was brought in and the discussion continued on how best to handle the problem ceiling. Poor guy.

Out came a roller to roll the mud on with instructions given to us to turn up the heat and the fans to dry the mud before day number 3.

Dehumidifier required now to get it dry.

Then, the nicely sealed paint tape released at the top of the plastic sheeting…more workers arrived on the scene to tape AGAIN.

Day 3, 4, 5 and 6 – Ceiling continued..

Tarps became the new coverings option.

And after plastic falling down with blue tape, Frog tape, black duct tape, the REAL Duct Tape became the answer.

Seriously, there is a lot of mud slinging going on here!

Resurfacing of ceilings is messy work…Praying my cabinets, hutch and new flooring survive.

In case you are interested, the huge amount of ceilings that need this resurfacing and restoring may require a different covering.

Just saying!

Sanding proved to be a winner today.
Light is on the horizon. More mudding and the day was done.

So was the room…

Can I tell you?

Tips for Resurfacing Ceilings:

  • Do not paint stippled ceilings. Makes them unable to spray and scrape.
  • If you have unpainted popcorn ceilings, you can use a sprayer with water, wet and scrape to remove to resurface. (I’m told!)
  • Seal every doorway with a tarp and plastic to help with the sheetrock dust and mud mess.
  • Actual duct tape may be required to keep tarps and plastic adhered to protect walls, cabinets, and surfaces, depending on your paint.
  • For me, the last tip is hire a professional!

My aspirations to DIY the rest of the ceilings myself are growing dimmer…

And while those subcontractors worked on ceiling and siding?

You guessed right if you guessed we painted in the master bedroom.

My job was to place Frog Tape an eighth of an inch above all of the trim after the walls were painted.

I’ll be sharing all of that in another post.

And that sweet husband…he could be found repainting all of the shutters to be put back up after the siding is completed.

How are we navigating?

Well, the “moved” kitchen area with a microwave, coffee pot and tea pot doesn’t seem to work as well as in their true homes.

The 12″ path through boxes and stacks through the house is making me think of unboxing and tossing and becoming a “minimalist”.

Truly.

Reminder…replacing ceilings and floors are not for the faint of heart.

Outside Restoration Continued.

The challenges of inches of slush and ice and snow added an olympic type sport to the siding activities!

Although an attempt had been made with a tarp to cover some of the materials, there were soggy boxes and siding still iced together all over the lawn.

My teacher heart hurt.

My thoughts turned to: “Please don’t try mudding through the yard on a four wheeler with materials” which had already proven to remove grasses in muddy paths around the house. Oh, dear.

Patience required.

But, they knew that the ice and slushy yard needed a break from that. Problem averted.

The weather gloriously cooperated for more wrap and siding.

Last Friday’s update came with no internet availability.

I met with a friend in a sustainability area of Tennessee enjoying laughter, life and great food. A wonderful meeting of a sweet friend I have prayed with, and Zoom called, and had hours of deep phone conversation with for over a year was a true blessing to meet in person.

Last Friday, while the restoration with my dear husband at the helm continued, I was at the Nashville Antique and Garden show with this sweet friend.

A break from the hammers, sanders, sheetrock dust and tight constraints were a blessing.

THIS WEEK?

Tuesday the ceiling was sanded and painted! Woo Hoo!

Whew! So grateful.

Flooring Restoration Began

This week has been a whirlwind. Monday came with a crew to remove the old flooring. What a magnificent job they did!

Wow, that was a lot of staples.

The flooring guy has been scheduled to lay that new luxury vinyl flooring soon. I can’t tell you how happy my heart is to see it begin.

Light is at the end of the tunnel, friends.

Soon paint will be on the walls and trim restored. Clean up will begin so that returning this area to our home will happen.

So close to the delivery of a new buffet and a clean slate for a new dining room.

Soon that table will return to its rightful place to entertain more feet under it.

I’m sure it will be as happy as I am.

Until I can share that final view of the finished restoration…

Enjoy your day, friends! So thankful that you are sharing life here on Fridays with me.

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