new digs with brother

posted by Scott in Washington at 2:40 PM | 0 comment(s) |

See, we do actually read to the boys...

I promised all you non-readers out there in non-blog-reading-land that the next post I made about the project room would show it in completed project, in-use status. Today I am in the happy position to oblige. I still have a little bit of quarter-round to put up, but other than that 30 minute task, we are done. Finito! Move it on down the road. My oldest son has moved in completely, even putting himself to bed in there – strange freak occurrence that that is. Last night on the baby monitor we heard the following repeatedly, (Bump), “Ow, sorry…”

posted by Scott in Washington at 2:37 PM | 0 comment(s) |

Around-the-room

These five pictures run from left to right. You are seeing the same doorway in the first and last photos. I uploaded the five pictures one-by-one to Flickr as well.

How many more entries will I post to this blog, declaring the current project to be almost complete? This time it really is, I swear! All the finish work that had to be done before sealing is done. The final coat is on the floor. All that remains is a little molding, paint touch up, and to nail sealed ¾ round to the joint between the pine board wall and the beginning of the sheetrock – all told about an hour’s work left to go.

I have learned in remodeling the upstairs of my house that some projects can only be measured in the segment of your life they consume. When we first decided to rip up the carpets and break out the sledge hammer I had just finished college and we had a new little baby that we were still adjusting our life to welcome. Now I’m just about finished with my graduate degree and we have two son who really, really need their own rooms.

Tonight we will start moving in the beds, the dresser, and the desk. Stuff banished from the basement will return after years of wandering in the wasteland. My next post will be when the upstairs room is abso-fabo-utely DONE!

Next, I’m thinking about replacement decks and doctoral programs, probably in that order.

posted by Scott in Washington at 3:03 PM | 0 comment(s) |

DSCN2525

Another shot of the "distressed" look of the restored pine flooring

posted by Scott in Washington at 2:42 PM | 0 comment(s) |

DSCN2527

I put the camera down just above the floor in an attempt to get a shot of the degree of gloss in the Gymcoat surface. This is two coats of satin and one heavy coat of gloss. The pine boards got one thin coat of the gloss while I had it out. It appears that the extra cost was warranted and this floor looks like it will cure to be much tougher than the polyeurothane I put down in the first bedroom upstairs.

posted by Scott in Washington at 2:41 PM | 0 comment(s) |

Mmmmm, Smell that pine

Firewood on the porch - thanks to uncle Todd for helping me lug it up the stairs.

posted by Scott in Washington at 4:37 PM | 0 comment(s) |

Ship's Log, January 2007

Times on Clark Creek are currently busy but a good kind of busy. It has been cold and icy the past week or so and we have kept snow on the ground, which is unusual.

Update on the project that will never end: I finished sanding the floor and sealed it. I got a more expensive sealant this time designed for gym floors, sports bars, etc. that hardened up very nicely. It has a more matt surface than what I used in the first upstairs floor I refinished and I think will probably be much more resistant to scratches, fogging, etc. This weekend I finished up the finish carpentry and started sealing the pine. I’m using the same stuff on the walls as the floor, so hopefully they will withstand many years of childish scribbling with crayons and the work of other hunnish vandals. I think when I’m done sealing the pine walls I’ll clean everything up and put another coat or two on the floor. I didn’t sand it quite as smoothly as needed it turns out and patches of it are not smooth and snag on sock-clad feet – not so good. After that, all that will remain is a little touch up work and finishing the door. Then, finally, we will be past this particular chapter in home improvement. May I never again blindly leap into a project without considering time, cost, and inconvenience to my family (not to end on a down note).

posted by Scott in Washington at 4:37 PM | 0 comment(s) |