Re-Building.com
April, 2006
| April 6 |
Well I've been making a mad dash toward the end of this job -- and this journal/blog. but I'll bet, to Marie, things just seem to be moving forward too slowly and just taking forever!
I'll try to put in a nutshell what has been done since the last entry. First of all, the original windows are all restored.
Here's the Reader's Digest version: First, all the sashes had to be removed and the aluminum weather stripping from the 1950s had to be removed without damage so that I could re-install it. All the top sashes were painted shut and took a little effort (and skilled experience) to remove without damage.
Then all the paint was removed from the exteriors with a heat gun. (n.b. always do any work with a heat gun BEFORE any work is done with solvents. Any residue, such as methylene chloride - could release toxic gases, even several days after solvents are used.)
I then used the heat gun, and then solvent, to remove paint and shellac from the interior sides of the sashes. Finally, I removed the paint from any interior or exterior parts of the jambs.
Whenever using a heat gun, or flammable solvents - like denatured alcohol (which I use as a "wash" after the paint remover) - always have one of these nearby.
And I always seal all electrical openings with duct tape. Any dripping solvent coming in contact with exposed wiring could ignite spontaneously. I know. It happened on a job a couple of years ago to someone while he was working with me. Very scary. He panicked and did not remember the location of the fire extinguisher which was in the other room.
Anyhow, he started beating an alcohol fire with his a rag, fanning the flames, while I (almost) calmly tossed the flaming pail of solvent (which also ignited) out the window into the snow, and grabbed the extinguisher and put out the almost invisible alcohol flames. I was calm on the outside, but on the inside -- I couldn't believe how much adrenaline was pumping and how fast my heart was beating for about a half hour after! A few scary moments!
Anyhow back to Marie's windows. The next step was to replace any pieces of broken glass and putty them in. I also had to replace any missing or damaged old putty. I had a few pieces of antique glass in storage that I used for this job. There was a lot of missing putty on these windows! There must have been lots of cold drafts blowing in in the winter-time.
Fortunately, no repairs were needed because all the sashes were in good condition. Then all the windows had to be re-hung with new sash chain, and re-installed with the old weather-stripping. The parting stops were sacrificed when the sashes were removed, and were easily replaced. The interior stops were also replaced because so many of them were damaged and split from years of screws and nails to hold window coverings and shades.
I then also primed the sash exteriors, and any parts of the jambs that will receive exterior paint later.
I may have missed describing one or two steps here, but I'm kind of tired. Maybe I'll remember later. This whole job - just seven windows, took me about ten full work days.
I also got the trim in the bath repainted. Marie didn't like the dark green, so I painted it all white.
On the exterior, I was going to wait until the weather warmed up to do the trim, but birds were starting to build their nests in the openings under the exposed eaves, so I thought it would be a good idea to seal them up before they were done and started laying eggs up there. I'm just too much of a pathetic bleeding heart to kick nesting animals out of their temporary homes.
Did I mention, that we decided to install a linen cabinet in the hall? I got the cabinet made and then installed the face frame the next week. Still have to make the door.
I also cleaned up all the woodwork, and then applied the first coat of varnish.
In the kitchen and porch, I installed the rest of the casing and most of the fill-in panels for the porch cabinet.
Got in all the toe kicks and base boards.
Painted the kitchen and porch. Marie liked it, but mentioned that she wanted it in an eggshell finish rather than flat, so I have to second-coat it and do all the cutting-in again. Oh well, I'll do that next week.
She also decided not to do tile backsplashes and just paint the walls down to the countertops. Behind the stove she wanted one of those stainless steel things. Definitely not my design ideas...but it's her kitchen. She can always put in tile later when she's tired of cleaning the walls behind the countertops.
Let's see, what else. Oh yeah, I had Tristan to help me again for a day. He spent most of it picking away at paint residue on the fireplace. It looks a lot better. The whitish haze in the mortar should be significantly diminished when I apply a sealer to the whole thing.
Then I had to do A LOT of prep on the walls. Stripping woodwork causes a lot of damage of the plaster along the edges. As to the rest of the walls, there were many years of bad patching and painting on these walls. After the first coat of varnish, all the edges needed some plastering. When that was all dry and sanded, all the edges had to be caulked carefully with a brown caulk. Then everything gets primed
Today and tomorrow are priming and painting days. No pictures, but I primed over the blue/violet walls today, and we'll see no more of those ugly hues!
| April 7 |
Got the painting done in the living and dining rooms. there is still some touch-up to do, but I wanted to get most of it done and the floor uncovered by the weekend. I also installed the wall sconces, which Marie picked up last week. They were shiny, chrome colored and Marie did a great job spray painting them in an antique brass finish. It looks just as if they were made that way in the factory.
For the wood trim, I still have to putty all the nail holes, do some touchup and put on the second coat of varnish. I also still have to install all the quarter rounds.
It's easy to forget what these rooms looked like when this project was started. So here are a couple of before-and-after photos. Wow!
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