Greetings From Scenic Oakland!

[lisascenic]

Hello Friends.

It has been a while since I posted here. I've been very busy at work. (One of my projects opens on Broadway this weekend.) I thought I'd revive this thread, and let you laugh the state of my little house.

[img=center]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mkhr2QhC7yA/SkJ0QljnHlI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/ofBfrMdZwgg/s400/Kitchen.JPG[/img]

We're currently working on our kitchen. Judging by house-sale information, we think the kitchen was re-done in 1949, and we're trying to restore it to what it might have looked like at that time.

[img=center]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4958693532_8e4b7d7048.jpg[/img]

We're working on cabinets and drawer-fronts. Eventually, we'll move on to painting the walls and ceilings. To get our mortgage loan, there could be no cracked paint, and so the lawyers handling the sale of the house hired contractors to caulk over all cracks. Unsupervised contractors. Most of our ceiling look like some drunk maniac went crazy with a tube of toothpaste. The good news is that after four years of dealing with other projects, the caulk has cured enough to be sand-able. The bad new? Sanding ceilings.

[img=center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/10413601326_67b122893e_z.jpg[/img]

[img=center]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5483/10430808234_9f6b63005f.jpg[/img]

This is how things look at the moment. Have pity on me, and send chocolate.

[CS in Low Hud]

Hey! I've had that kitchen!


I feel your pain.. but it'll be great when it's done!

What's the Broadway opening you worked on?

Chris

[Superbeetle]

I love your house! When I get overwhelmed by this great hulking beast, I like to daydream that I bought a little bitty cottage instead.

[lisascenic]

So, here's my current dilemma: the surfaces of the lower shelves (where we keep pots and pans) are covered with linoleum (?) tile. Originally, I thought it was disgusting contact paper, but I think it's much worse. It's very stained, and depressing. Do I leave it, and cover it with shelf paper? Or do I try to remove this stuff? It seems to be that 12" square "tile."

Thoughts?

[CS in Low Hud]

If you don't like it, I would try to remove the shelf completely (reciprocating saw) and replace it with new wood - it will be a bit tricky slipping the new shelf and floor into the cabinet, but should be doable. Depending on how the floor/base is attached, you might need to add some blocking underneath it to bring the replacement up to the desired height.

Otherwise, you could cover it with something (I would go with something more durable then shelf paper - maybe a sheet laminate with mastic http://www.lowes.com/Kitchen/Kitchen-Co ... 5D=1z0z38g).

Or finally... paint it. The cabinets are painted already, so no big deal. Since you work with paints professionally, though, I assume you have thought of this and discarded this idea for some reason.

Chris

[lisascenic]

No advice on softening/dissolving/removing vintage tile adhesive, then?

I have no interest in demolishing a piece of furniture, just because it has a surface I don't like. That's too disruptive for me.

[CS in Low Hud]

Sorry... It's tough to know what to suggest without knowing exactly how they were attached. SoyGel makes a mastic remover, but you'd want to get through the linoleum first. A heat gun might help to soften it enough to peel... or maybe score it if you can't peel it off?

But I wasn't talking about demolishing the furniture - JUST replacing the internal shelf and cabinet bottom. I think the cabinets that you have are great - especially the pull-out cutting board. I can totally understand if that's too invasive for you, though.

Chris

[lisascenic]

The shelves *seem* to be solid planks. So I would hate to take them out.

I'm really torn. I'm afraid of making things worse in my attempts at restoration.

I already accidentally scorched our flooring with the heat gun.

I need a break from all this. My birthday is this weekend, and I sure as hell won't be wearing a respirator or scraping paint.

[lisascenic]

I've been writing about this on my bloggy-blog, if anyone cares to read.

[img=center]http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/10498958125_8fcb2d5a87.jpg[/img]

[lisascenic]

[img=center]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5475/10559057176_35fd527199.jpg[/img]

Seems suitably shrouded for Halloween.