What I did at my house today...

A place to hang out, chat and post general discussion topics. (Non-technical posts here)
User avatar
Corsetière
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 1056
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:44 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Corsetière »

Slow but steady....got the balcony and the top step stained. I am so scared of accidentally spilling something on the bare wood so I have been restoring it in segments like this.

Image

Image

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Manalto »

The results are worth the effort. It looks terrific.

User avatar
Corsetière
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 1056
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:44 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Corsetière »

Manalto wrote:The results are worth the effort. It looks terrific.


Thanks, James! I was horrified to realize that I can only get 3 spindles clean per day. It's just an unbelievable amount of labor. So glad I only need to do it once! :crazy:

User avatar
Corsetière
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 1056
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:44 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Corsetière »

Top step in progress. I just stained and put on a coat of Danish oil to protect in the meantime while I decide if I want to put something else on top in addition.

Image

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Manalto »

Be careful on those stairs if you're wearing socks.

Ober51
Forgotten more than most know
Posts: 447
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:21 pm
Location: Bergen County, NJ
Contact:

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Ober51 »

Corsetière wrote:Top step in progress. I just stained and put on a coat of Danish oil to protect in the meantime while I decide if I want to put something else on top in addition.

Image


Looks great, keep them coming!

User avatar
Corsetière
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 1056
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:44 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Corsetière »

Thanks, guys!

I took a break from the staircase to clean up the guest room a bit. Just found out I have a visitor coming in September. lol!

man that blue paint...what were they thinking?

Image

I managed to clean up the transom too, though it wasn't easy since it was painted on both sides with paper glued to the one side, too. Why is everything 10 times harder than it needs to be?! :(

Image

User avatar
Manalto
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2108
Joined: Tue May 16, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Manalto »

Corsetière wrote:man that blue paint...what were they thinking?


They weren't.

Corsetière wrote:Why is everything 10 times harder than it needs to be?


You're getting dangerously close to whining. Why not try screaming profanities, as I do when I slam my fingers in the window - TWICE. With all the windows open, I fear I expanded the vocabularies of the neighborhood children quite suddenly.

Your house is so beautiful it even looks good as a work in progress!

Today I decided I could no longer look at the grubby white slab front door,

Image319 Front door by James McInnis, on Flickr

You can't see it well because of the tarp, but the veneer is peeling off at the bottom. They don't put veneer on exterior doors, do they? So, I went to HD and bought some trim to tart it up until I can get a proper door. (According to the 1919 architect's drawing, the front door should have 12 panes - 4 rows of 3 - with a horizontal panel at the bottom. All that glass seems a bit too vulnerable for a house that will be left vacant for months at a time, so I don't mind the solid door for now.) The only stuff I could find that seemed suitable was chair-rail molding, which has a recess, I assume to accommodate beadboard or other wainscot so, mounted on a flat surface it would leave a gap (Why is everything 10 times harder than it needs to be? Sigh. ;-) ) so I got wood filler for that. The design (if you don't look too closely) is correct for the period; my friend's 1916 apartment has a front door with a panel the same shape. The center is, of course, recessed in the authentic door. It's a theatrical - and temporary - solution. Here it has been primed, and will soon be painted a deep moss green. The spring-loaded hinges for the recently-removed screen door are visible on the outside of the jamb.

Image319 Front door with molding by James McInnis, on Flickr

User avatar
Corsetière
Knows where blueprints are hidden
Posts: 1056
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 1:44 pm
Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Corsetière »

James, in August, I will hit my second year of old house shenanigans here. I've surpassed the screaming curses stage into sheer loathing for the previous inhabitants. lol.

At least I got 3 light switches and one really scary looking outlet replaced today! :D
Excited to have that push button dimmer switch, it will make watching movies a lot nicer! ha ha!

Image

User avatar
Lily left the valley
Inventor of Knob and Tube
Posts: 2170
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:07 pm
Location: Gardner, MA, USA
Contact:

Re: What I did at my house today...

Post by Lily left the valley »

Manalto wrote:
Corsetière wrote:man that blue paint...what were they thinking?


They weren't.

Corsetière wrote:Why is everything 10 times harder than it needs to be?


You're getting dangerously close to whining. Why not try screaming profanities, as I do when I slam my fingers in the window - TWICE. With all the windows open, I fear I expanded the vocabularies of the neighborhood children quite suddenly.
They were thinking "Cheery sky blue! That'll be great in this room. A nice happy safe color."

As to the latter...blame the Drunken Weasels. That's what I do. If they've had a paw in it...always harder than it should be. Ask me about how they somehow decided it was ok to re-place the bottom trim of the bathroom window upside down after they added the bleeping awful plastic molded fake tile surround. Yep, it's obvious because of the shape...so it must've been the Drunken Weasels. :whistle:

Oh, and what is that amazing mantle/whatever it is in that room?
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

Post Reply