Smithers' & Oso's Old House

The Breakfast Nook

So we've been wanting to start the breakfast nook for a while now, but after the bathroom remodel.... well, let's just say sometimes during a house remodel, particularly when you are LIVING IN the house during the remodel, you just want to take a long break. Those that read this and have done or are doing this will understanding what I'm saying. And kudos to us all!!!

So after a few months "off", we move the sawhorses, extension cords, power tools, putty knives, screw drivers and so forth back to breakfast nook. What do we need to do in the nook, you ask? Well, let's try out the bullet function on this blog because our list of things to do is as follows:

Sheetrock in old doorway
Install new baseboard in sheetrocked area
Patch old dryer vent and unused electrical box holes in the walls with sheetrock patches
Paint walls
Paint trim
Remove all 6 windows and completely refinish them (replace broken panes in 2 windows)
Remove door and completely refinish it
Refinish all metal hardware on door and windows
Install new casement stays on windows (5 of the 6 didn't have them)
Repaint hot water radiator (that's our fantastic heat source--they're great!!!)
Remove 2 layers of old linoleum and tile flooring to expose fir floors
Repaint light fixture

I think that covers it, but the list makes it look easy....it's not. Here's how its going so far:

The key to getting things done quickly and safely is having an uncluttered and organized work area. Here we appear to be getting off to a cluttered an unorganized start.

Once I uncluttered the work area, I sheetrocked in the old unused doorway. The doorway connected the nook to a bedroom. The other side of the bedroom has a doorway to the hallway. We did not see the need for this nook/bedroom doorway, so we closed it up. I am getting a lot of sheetrock finishing practice on this house. I'm actually starting to like it, or at least not hate it.

Here's the finished wall after sheetrocking in the doorway. Look, no more doorway! Note the new baseboard I'm installing. I'm using wood putty to try and match the new baseboard section up to the adjacent baseboard. Also note that the clutter is starting to rear its ugly head again!

Here are the two layers of flooring that we need to remove. Fir flooring is underneath. We haven't officially starting removing this flooring yet. But our dog, Smithers, unexpectedly began the flooring removal process for us when he was a puppy. Thank GOD he's over that stage--he's now a good dog.

Michele is having a fantastic time. Can't you tell? Ahhh yes, there is nothing more fun in old-house remodeling than removing old linoleum from a fir floor, while trying not to damage the fir floor. And where is Michele's enthusiastic and loving husband while she slaves away working on the floor??? Taking the pictures and bringing her tasty dill pickles and corn chips, course. These are the joys of married life...

Those of you that have been through this can appreciate what is going on here. Note the awkward posture. This static picture looks very similar to a moving video of the activity....it is a slow, tedious process...she hardly looks like she's moving at all! C'mon, Michele! This is the last of 2 layers of linoleum. The house was built in 1920, which is when the fir flooring was installed. It appears the first layer of linoleum was installed in the 1940's or 50's. The upper layer of linoleum was probably installed in the 1960's or 1970's.

Our method is using a fancy putty knife and a hammer. To get remaining black tar off the wood, I put down a towl and pour boiling water on it. Let this wet towel sit for a while. How long is a while? That depends... Sometimes a 20 minute soak loosens up the tar, sometimes it takes an overnight soak. If the tar is thick, it may take multiple soaks. But it does lift it off the fir flooring. A tedious process. If you have a whole house of old linoleum and plan to remove it all yourself, go ahead and make your reservations at the local mental institution.

Here the windows have been removed, I've removed the old paint on the window frames using a heat gun and a putty knife (an excellent method that is very effective). Then I sanded with a profile sander down to wood (profile sander works PERFECTLY for this), now I'm primering with an oil-based primer. I wish it was summer. On this March day (note the winter clothing) it was about 45 degrees and windy. This is a job for summer weather for sure. By the way, oil based primer doesn't like to dry when its 45 degrees.

Remodelers must keep their sense of humor or insanity will set in.

An outside view of what I'm doing. Don't tell OSHA how I'm using this ladder. The ladder is at a wierd angle and I've intentionaly cut the bottom of this picture off so you can't see what the feet of the ladder are resting on. My ladder placement method was crude, but effective.