A few steps forward and a big one backwards...

Hello Everyone!!

Yes, we're still alive and kicking. Sorry about not keeping up with the blog as much, but things have been very busy and hectic of late. I have been working on some 'little' projects around the house and the yard, so it's not like I've been sitting on my lazy butt all day.

Anyway, I can finally say that all the plaster work is done in the kitchen!!

It has been a slow, and painful, ordeal that has taken a lot longer than imagined - but it's done!! I guess a big part of the problem with it taking so much time is that I'm a bit of a perfectionist. A perfectionist SHOULD NOT do plaster work in an old house - it will drive you nuts!!!

Well, here are the pics! Sorry about the quality, but for some reason some of them seem a bit fuzzy.

The divider wall.

You might notice a few 'splotches'. Those are not divots, or imperfections. I used a new batch of mud to do the fill in work and for some reason it is a different shade of white.

These two wall are virtually laser straight!





Remember how bad the ceiling was where the this light attached? Turned out better than I thought it would (I hate mudding - especially ceilings!!).

When I went to prep the spot I had chunks of the old plaster board ceiling fall out. The original plaster ceiling could be seen about three inches up.

Unfortunately you can see the spots from the original work that was done sometime in the 50s (?).

Just a view of the other light and back corner.











The chimney chase.

Hopefully, the next time I show a picture of this area it will be highlighting a new cabinet!





The big nasty spot on the ceiling.

No matter what I do I know it is going to crack again.









For some reason the support the old drywall is attached to seems not to be very effective in this spot.

I guess I wont worry too much about it though since we plan to install a tin ceiling at some point.

The spot above the door leading into the dinning room.

It's a shame you guys can't see how flat and smooth these walls are now. Maybe I'll get a laser level on it and get a picture!

I did forget to get a couple of other pictures though, so I'll have to remember them for next time. I got the top cap (the part the trim and finish top will be attached to) on that half wall by the sink. Don't even get me started on that wall! I had to do it over more times than I care to remember. It seems that each time I got a coat of plaster mud up a cat would jump on top of it. When they would jump down they put their front paws on the wall surface and leave prints and scratches!!!

I finally had to rig up some tin foil to keep them away.

The other pic would have been the two new electrical outlets by the cabinets. I'll tell THAT story when I show a pic or two. Let's just say it wasn't fun.

Now for the bad part.

I had a nice amount of mud left over and didn't want to waste it, so, in my infinite wisdom I decided to patch those two spots in the upstairs landing.

Remember these?

Before Pics

Well, up the ladder I went to clean the edges and get them ready for the plaster mud.

Have you ever had those times when you knew what was about to happen, but there was nothing you could do about it. Well, this was one of those times.

For some reason I could tell a big chunk of the plaster was about to go - WOOOSH - down it came, on top of me.

I guess I should have gotten a 'before' pic, but I was so filthy I decided to just go ahead and cut the plaster back to the solid areas. Think of it like dead skin...you have to cut it back to live skin to get the graph to work.

Anyway, here is a pic of the ceiling now.

Nice ain't it?













I'm glad I was thinking on my feet though. Below is a pic of what was under part of that ceiling.

Like I said, I just knew it was going to give, so I threw myself across the ladder to protect the secretary.

The plaster was so fragile that it harmlessly deflected off my back and head; it just covered me in a heavy coat of plaster dust, dust and grime. At least the 100+ year old secretary was unharmed!!

Well, so now I need to make a trip to the big city to get some 1/4" drywall. I have a piece but it just isn't big enough. So tomorrow I will patch the new 'hole' and start finishing it.

I guess Percy just didn't like me messing in his area!

While at the lumberyard I will be picking up the wood for the new plumbing chase in the kitchen - WOOWHO!!!

Next week I will trim out the chase and get started on the floor. Wish me luck.

I will leave you with the following picture.

I've been trying to find this picture for quite a while now and came across it last night.



Wouldn't something like this be cool in the attic!!!

Till next time....

Cheers!
Larry ~