tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29914059926864731712024-03-12T21:40:50.347-05:00Clopton HouseMary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-51057508693272892592022-07-21T18:49:00.000-05:002022-07-21T18:49:33.212-05:00Settling into the Deck and Patio<span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, it’s been a while! We’re still here and chipping away at this old house. I wanted to share an overview of siding, deck, and patio work out back from fall 2020 to summer 2021, plus settling in with a start at landscaping through present (summer 2022).
Siding, deck build, and patio installation were all contracted. Prepping the deck footers and excavating the patio area were DIY.</span><div><span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="439" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R8uhfeboCBI" width="654" youtube-src-id="R8uhfeboCBI"></iframe></div><br /><div>Before anyone asks, no, the inside is not done yet. LOL!</div>Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-32405564185180491442015-03-30T22:22:00.000-05:002015-03-30T22:26:30.267-05:00Demo, Demo EverywhereThe upstairs and backyard are currently in ruins, but it's all in the name of progress - or so we keep telling ourselves! Over the last couple of weeks, we hired out some demo work upstairs with the main goal being to reconfigure the current staircase. The staircase is in the center of the house, so many elements tie into it. We hope things will really start falling into place around the new stairs once they're done.<br />
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I decided to experiment with a video blog post to give you a little walk-through. Here are some before shots to keep in mind as you watch :)<br />
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The current stairs, as seen from the kitchen.</div>
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The upstairs half bath, gone before we ever got to use it.</div>
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The back patio and rock wall that are no longer with us.</div>
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On to the video!<br />
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Hope you're all having a great week! We'll check in again soon.Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-76270774309192590902015-02-28T16:42:00.000-06:002015-02-28T16:49:15.205-06:00Jenn-Air Dual Fual Range, Garden Setup, and SnowMy goodness, what a long blogging hiatus! Life happens, and all you can do is roll with it. Since our last post (about five months ago!), Steven and I have both started new jobs. He is also working part time as an EMT, and I've been dabbling with a girlfriend in a small baking business. House progress has slowed with all this, but I wanted to share about our range and give you a glimpse of our garden setup.<br />
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Our last <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2014/09/kitchen-backsplash-inspiration.html" target="_blank">post</a> ended with, "A VERY exciting delivery arrived this morning, hopefully we'll be makin' bacon by the weekend!" My apologies for keeping everyone in suspense all this time :) Folks, we went <b>a year and nine months</b> without a range - that's crazy. Our slow cooker is on an extended and well-deserved vacation.<br />
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The photo above is from the oven's first run back on September 20, and yes, we've taken the warning sticker off since then! At my request, Steven made his excellent baked salmon smothered with sour cream, butter, and chives along with steamed broccoli and sauteed red pepper. We "ooohed" and "aahhed" through the whole meal - I'll never forget it! Don't get me wrong, the slow cooker is a wonderful and very versatile thing; however, you just don't get bold flavors and contrasting textures from a slow cooker meal. We both enjoy cooking and I especially love baking, so the new range is certainly broken in by now :)<br />
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We went with Jenn-Air's 30-inch slide-in dual fuel range with convection oven. This is model JDS8850CDS, if anyone is appliance shopping. (Also, when I went to Jenn-Air's website just now to get the range info, I learned that this model has already been replaced with JDS1450DS.) I must say that researching appliances was very overwhelming. No brand out there (in our budget anyway) has outstanding reviews across the board. Plus, people of the internet are much more likely to post a complaint rather than a good review.<br />
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The dual fuel range concept, gas cook top with electric oven, is supposed to be the best of both worlds. Electric burners are slower to heat up and cool down, and I read that gas ovens add moisture to the baking environment, which can interfere with breads/cakes rising properly. I had never cooked on a gas stove before, and, honestly, the open flame made me a bit nervous at first. I also had to get used to the <u>immediate</u> heat and easing up on seasoning after being accustomed to dumping salt/pepper/spices into the slow cooker just to get a hint of flavor. Bottom line - after using this stove for almost six months, I absolutely love it and wouldn't change a thing!<br />
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On to the snow and a peek at the garden setup!<br />
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See, I think the yard looks better this way, haha! The snow covers up all the bare, grass-less (weed-less?) spots where the pups have wrestled and dug holes. This past Wednesday, north Alabama got a BIG snow. It accumulated at about an inch per hour here, and I measured 6 to 6.75 inches of snow in our yard after it all stopped falling. The official total for our city was 8.1 inches, which put February 25, 2015, in second place for total snowfall in a single day in Huntsville!<br />
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In the photo above, you can make out our raised beds and compost bins. The plan is to try the square foot gardening route this spring, so we set up two 4' x 4' cedar beds back in the fall. The beds are already filled with the vermiculite/peat moss/compost mixture, and the tricky part has been keeping Lily and Ginny out! Eventually, we'd like to add a couple more beds and fence the whole area to keep the pups out of the garden. I'll post updates as it warms up and things get going!<br />
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For the compost bin, we followed the instructions from Organic Gardening's <a href="http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/ultimate-compost-bin" target="_blank">Ultimate Compost Bin</a> article. It's made of cedar with chicken wire attached to the inside walls and metal fence posts screwed to the front to keep the unit in place. We have been putting all of our fruit/vegetable scraps, egg shells, and coffee grounds, plus leaves from the yard in the compost bin. We are excited to use the compost in the garden beds and elsewhere in the yard since we have heavy, clay-ey soil and not so good drainage.<br />
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Hope you are all having a warm and cozy weekend! :)Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-73585760708971541042014-09-15T14:18:00.000-05:002014-09-15T15:31:35.818-05:00Kitchen Backsplash Inspiration We have looked through countless photos in our quest for Craftsman style with modern amenities, and I wanted to share two of my favorites for backsplash inspiration. What did people do before <a href="http://www.houzz.com/" target="_blank">Houzz</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>?! It seems like much of the tile used for Craftsman-style installations has that handmade look with just a smidge of inconsistency in shape and glaze, which adds so much character. That's what I'm picturing in our kitchen :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.houzz.com/projects/28698/craftsman-inspired-kitchen" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://st.houzz.com/simgs/572166590f1877f3_8-2538/craftsman-kitchen.jpg" height="330" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/craftsman/kitchen" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Craftsman Kitchen</a> by <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/kitchen-and-bath/c/Dallas--TX" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Dallas Kitchen & Bath Designers</a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/abinteriors2013/brooke-b-sammons" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Brooke B. Sammons</a> (image courtesy of houzz.com)</small></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"> </span> In the comments from this photo (above), Ms. Sammons says that the tile was made by <a href="http://www.motawi.com/" target="_blank">Motawi Tileworks</a>. Check out their online catalog - it's gorgeous! I love the layout of this backsplash because it features tiles in multiple sizes along with some accent relief tiles. Click on the image to see the entire project gallery on Houzz.<br />
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<a href="http://www.houzz.com/projects/32463/culinary-craftsman" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://st.houzz.com/simgs/137160f30f35bbc6_8-4915/traditional-kitchen.jpg" height="334" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional/kitchen" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Traditional Kitchen</a> by <a href="http://www.houzz.com/professionals/design-build/c/Saratoga-Springs--NY" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Saratoga Springs Design-Build Firms</a> <a href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/teakwoodbuilders2727/teakwood-builders-inc" style="color: #444444; text-decoration: none;">Teakwood Builders, Inc.</a> (image courtesy of houzz.com)</small></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"> </span>This photo has already inspired our kitchen's cabinet finish and countertop, so it seems like a no-brainer to stick to this beautifully designed scheme for the backsplash! The glass tile accent has really grown on me since the first time I saw this image, and something similar would tie in well with our <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/10/kitchen-lighting-plus-bit-of-landscaping.html" target="_blank">dining room fixture</a>. What do you think? Again, click on the image to see the entire project gallery on Houzz.<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Currently pondering over these tile samples in our kitchen...</span></div>
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We recently went back to visit Marion at <a href="http://www.ceramicharmony.com/" target="_blank">Ceramic Harmony</a> here in Huntsville. They did a perfect job of fabricating and installing our countertops, so we want to give them our business again when we're ready to buy tile for the backsplash. I'm feeling quite set on these samples (above), but the layout is still undecided. We're planning to DIY the backsplash and it will be our first tile project, so I don't want to overcomplicate things. I mean, we never overcomplicate things around here, right? ;)</div>
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For your viewing pleasure, the sample tiles are arranged so you can see how they look with the cabinet finish, flooring, and countertop. The glass tile is by <a href="http://lunadabaytile.com/" target="_blank">Lunada Bay Tile</a>, and the pattern is a Sumi-e custom blend with colors Zushi and Honey. If we include the glass, it will likely be a single row above the bottom row of field tile. The ceramic field tile is by <a href="http://prattandlarson.com/index.php" target="_blank">Pratt & Larson</a>, and the finish is one of their Craftsman Matte glazes in the color C330.<br />
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Thanks for reading and please check back later in the week. A VERY exciting delivery arrived this morning, hopefully we'll be makin' bacon by the weekend!</div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-63338693560679786362014-09-12T13:50:00.001-05:002014-09-12T17:11:54.547-05:00Puerto Rico Part 2 - Isabela, Luquillo, and Palmas del Mar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In case you missed the first half of the trip, here's a link back to <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2014/09/puertoricopart1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> where we explored Ponce, two indigenous sites, and a cave.</div>
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When Steven was working in Aguadilla a couple weeks prior to my visit, some of the locals recommended that he drive over to <a href="http://www.olalolaspr.com/" target="_blank">Ola Lola's Garden Bar</a> in the adjacent city of Isabela. Their must-try menu item is the Original Peanut Butter Burger. Steven loved it so much that he insisted on making the trip up from Ponce when I was there. A wonderful couple from the States operates the restaurant in their semi-retirement, and they give Ola Lola's such a warm, welcoming vibe. The open-air seating and the corral with horses across the rural road only added to the relaxed atmosphere. Steven ordered the peanut butter burger (above), and I ordered the asaigo bacon burger so we could try both. Maybe I've just never had peanut butter served above room temperature, but, when it's warm and gooey, it surprisingly makes for a very nice alternative to cheese!<br />
To give you an idea of how much of the island can be covered in a few hours of driving, we made the round trip from Ponce (south-central coast) to Isabela (northwestern coast), stopping at Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana and Cavernas del Río Camuy, in a day. We didn't leave the hotel in Ponce particularly early or get back too late either.<br />
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<b>Luquillo Beach and Food Kiosks</b><br />
<b> </b>Moving on to sites on the east side of the island, we checked out a beach and the popular strip of food kiosks in Luquillo.<br />
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Even though it was chilly and drizzling rain at the beach, the gray clouds hanging over the mountains were really beautiful.<br />
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Plus, we made a dog friend, so that warmed me up a bit :) His name was Hydro, and his mom was lounging a few yards away from us. It was fun watching him chase the beach birds.<br />
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When we checked online for things to do and see in Luquillo, there were several great reviews for the food kiosks. The options were overwhelming, and the kiosks included sit-down restaurants, bars, fried seafood on a stick, and lots more. Some looked less appetizing than others, but we are big believers in finding awesome food at hole-in-the-wall restaurants. I didn't actually take any photos of the strip of kiosks, so here's a fun overview from the Travel Channel:<br />
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We decided on <a href="http://www.laparrillapr.com/" target="_blank">La Parilla</a> (kiosk #2), which was actually pretty upscale in the kiosk lineup, and this meal was probably my favorite from the whole trip. We split this grilled lobster, rice and bean, and salad platter in the photo above. Steven's face says it all: buttery lobster bliss!</div>
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<b>Palmas del Mar</b></div>
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<b> </b>After Steven's assigned week in Ponce was finished, we moved to Humacao for his fourth and final work location. We stayed in Palmas del Mar, which is a resort community within the municipality of Humacao. I must say, I could have gone for more than two nights at this place... maybe another time :)</div>
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Iguanas were all around the hotel, especially near the pond at its entrance. When I was sitting beside the pool, I heard some rustling in the shrubs near me and figured it was a bird or small rodent... NOPE. This guy (above) was chowing down on leaves just a few feet away from me.</div>
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The beach was perfectly warm and sunny that day, and there was a convenient restaurant right by the water. The colorful signs on the tree (above right) indicated the distance/direction to famous international cities.</div>
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It was a nice surprise to find Birmingham, AL, on the list, especially since I was flying back there the next day. It's hard to see in this photo, but whoever made the sign was thoughtful enough to include Vulcan and Sloss Furnace!</div>
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That concludes our trip, folks. This was the first time I've ever had to navigate airports and board a plane by myself, so I definitely feel like I've gained some confidence as far as traveling goes. I'm also feeling more at ease with air travel in general now that I've got a few trips under my belt. Guess that just comes with experience, but I still REALLY don't like heights...</div>
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Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-60445268691673276512014-09-07T20:47:00.000-05:002015-02-28T19:31:50.491-06:00Puerto Rico Part 1 - Ponce, Two Archaeological Sites, and a Cave Since we only seem to talk about the kitchen around here, I thought it would be nice to shake things up and share some photos from Puerto Rico. Steven was assigned to work there for four weeks, and I went to visit for a few days back in the middle of August. This opportunity was too good to pass up - thank you to those who helped make this possible! We are so grateful for dear family and neighbors :)<br />
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<b>Ponce</b><br />
<b> </b>When I arrived, Steven was working in Ponce, located on the south central coast of the island. We got to see the heart of downtown Ponce, Plaza Las Delicias, and admired the historic landmarks and "Parade of Lions" displays.<br />
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Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe was originally built in the 1830s and extensively reconstructed in the 1930s following earthquake and fire damage. I wish we could have checked out the inside, but it was closed for an event :(<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Parque de Bombas was built in the 1880s and served as Ponce's firehouse for a century. The building now houses a museum dedicated to the city's firemen.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The lion is a prominent emblem used around Ponce, and several of these lion statues painted by local artists were displayed downtown as part of</span> La Parada de los Leones. It reminded me of the painted peanuts around Dothan, Alabama.</div>
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Ponce is a great place to visit if you enjoy strolling through museums (or simply getting out of the stifling heat!). From what I read, the <a href="http://www.museoarteponce.org/">Museo de Arte de Ponce</a> is one of the most popular cultural attractions in the city. I'm no art connoisseur, but I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the museum's collection and was impressed with its diversity. We saw works ranging from seventeenth-century Baroque paintings to twentieth-century Puerto Rican silkscreen prints.<br />
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Steven had been telling me about all this mofongo he had been eating in Puerto Rico, so I was excited to try it when I got there. I'm not sure if it's the official dish of Puerto Rico, but it was listed as a specialty on many of the restaurants' menus. Mofongo is basically fried green plantains mixed with seafood, pork, or chicken plus some tasty seasonings. It would be fun to try making some!</div>
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Mofongo with red snapper and delicious toasty garlic bread at <a href="http://www.pitosseafoodpr.com/" target="_blank">Pito's Seafood</a> in Ponce.</div>
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<b>Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes</b><br />
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<b> </b>Located on the north side of Ponce, Tibes is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Caribbean. Ceramic studies indicate that this ceremonial center was in use from approximately 300 B.C. to 1200 A.D. Additionally, the remains of at least 149 individuals have been excavated from the site. The stone structures are the main attraction for park visitors. Tibes features seven bateyes (ball courts) and two plazas, plus evidence of more structures that have not yet been restored. The site was rediscovered in 1975 after Hurricane Eloise caused major flooding in the vicinity which revealed portions of the stone structures.</div>
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Plaza Principal</div>
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For the archaeologically inclined:<br />
Curet, L. Antonio, and Lisa M. Stringer (editors)<br />
2010 <i>Tibes: People, Power, and Ritual at the Center of the Cosmos. </i>The University of Alabama Press.<br />
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<b>Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana</b><br />
This archaeological site is located in the northwest portion of Puerto Rico near Utuado, and, likes Tibes, it features stone-lined bateyes. The numerous structures at Caguana were constructed later than those at Tibes, and the Taíno Indians continued to use the site through the Spanish contact period.<br />
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Steven checking out the petroglyphs.</div>
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<b>Cavernas del Río Camuy</b></div>
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<b> </b>Steven had already gone on a trip with some local cavers before I got there, and they told him to check out Camuy Caverns while he was in Puerto Rico. Camuy Caverns is similar to <a href="http://www.alapark.com/cathedralcaverns/" target="_blank">Cathedral Caverns</a> in Woodville, Alabama, in that the cave has been made very accessible to all visitors by having a concrete walkway installed through it. However, the walk through Camuy is much shorter than the one at Cathedral Caverns. We rode a trolley down a steep, winding road that was JUST wide enough for the trolley to get to the entrance.<br />
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Looking back to the entrance after we got inside for the tour.</div>
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This sinkhole was around the halfway point of the tour, and you get to hear the Camuy River flowing under you on the way out. The Camuy is one of the largest subterranean rivers in the world!<br />
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Let's call this Part 1 before it gets out of hand... I'll post <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2014/09/puerto-rico-part-2-isabela-luquillo-and.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a> in a couple days, and it will include sites/tastes from Isabela, Luquillo, and Palmas del Mar. Even though Puerto Rico is a small island, we were really impressed with all you can cover in a two- or three-hour roadtrip.<br />
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Hope you're enjoying this break from the kitchen as much as I am!</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-1953126113679573122014-08-05T10:48:00.000-05:002014-09-15T16:48:20.310-05:00Kitchen Update + Shelves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi, friends! Yes, it's been awhile. The cabinets are far from being finished; however, the kitchen is much more livable than it was in our last post. I have finished most of the shelves and moved pretty much everything we use regularly out of the temporary kitchen set-up and into the <u>real</u> kitchen. It feels great!!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I hope we never need to store shoes and pantry items in the same space again - file that under #renovationrealities, haha :) All non-shoe things seen above are now back in the old pantry.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><b> About the shelves: </b>I wrapped up finishing them over the weekend, and they turned out really nice. You can see in the photo above that each shelf consists of 3/4" plywood with a quarter-sawn white oak strip on the front. We considered using a veneer across the front of the shelves but decided that the oak looked more polished. Plus, the oak adds some stability to the plywood. Steven attached the oak to the plywood with an 18-gauge pin nailer. We covered the nail holes as well as we could. The end result looks fine, but the nail holes are visible if you're looking for them... not a huge deal since the upper cabinets will have doors. If we had been going for the open-shelving look, joining the oak strip to the plywood with biscuits would have been neater.</span><br />
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<b style="text-align: left;"> Finishing tips (clockwise from right): </b><span style="text-align: left;">Since each shelf consists of a piece of plywood and a piece of solid oak nailed together, I had to do something of a dual process. </span>Yes, there was lots and lots of tedious taping! Whenever the can of Cabot Spar Varnish (satin finish) is left to sit for a couple days, a "skin" of dried varnish forms over the top. I just use my stirring stick to pull as much of the dried varnish out as possible, then stir the product well. I found that pouring the spar varnish through a paint strainer was essential to keep the smaller dried bits out, which obviously makes the varnished surface much smoother.<br />
Keeping the oak strip taped off, I finished the plywood portion first - three coats of spar varnish, buffing with super-fine (0000) steel wool then tack cloth after the first two coats. Working indoors with plenty of natural light was helpful for ensuring an even application - the varnish looks really glossy in the light, so it's easy to see if you've missed a spot.<br />
Prior to finishing the oak portion, we filled the nail holes with wood glue that had a bit of sifted sawdust added. Steven suggested that mixing in some oak sawdust would tint the glue a bit and make the nail holes less conspicuous. As I said earlier, the nail holes are visible if you're really looking for them, but we are pleased with the outcome. I thoroughly sanded the oak strip prior to finishing, making extra sure to sand the front side with the filled nail holes as smooth as possible. While keeping the plywood side taped off, I followed the same <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2014/04/cabinet-finishing-process-on-quarter.html" target="_blank"><b>gel stain process</b></a> that we used for the face frames.<br />
As far as taping goes for both the varnishing and staining steps, I prefer to remove the tape right after I apply the product instead of allowing the piece to dry with the tape still in place. That way, the part that is taped off won't get stained if the product penetrates the tape over several hours of drying time, and no product will get get ripped/peeled off with the tape when you remove it.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"> <b>The current state of things: </b>We moved the table and chairs into the kitchen when Steven's parents visited in June. I must say, sitting around a table to eat a meal and play board games together felt so strange but really <u>normal</u>, which was much needed around here! We've hardly used the table and chairs since we've been in the house because there wasn't a good place to put them. Since I'm using the future dining area for all the cabinet finishing, the table and chairs work well in the kitchen for now, but there will be an island here in the future (outlined by green tape on the floor).</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"> We still need to assemble and install the cabinet boxes for the voids over the fridge and over the dishwasher. Steven has cut out drawer fronts for the smaller top drawers - I need to get on finishing those! The smaller drawer fronts are plain, flat panels, but the larger ones will feature a panel with rails and stiles.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Happy Tuesday - thanks for reading!</span></div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-11199552156791501132014-06-11T12:22:00.000-05:002014-09-12T16:02:46.136-05:00Countertop, Faucet, and Dishwasher Excitement!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's only Wednesday, but wow, what a week it has been so far! The countertops were installed Monday, and the faucet, garbage disposal, and dishwasher were installed yesterday. We've also made some upper cabinet progress since the last post - let's start there.</div>
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This is the only photo I was able to get during the upper cabinet installation, but you can see that a jack was used to hold the box in place while it was secured to the wall studs with screws. Also, there is a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood between the jack and the cabinet box to distribute the upward force more evenly. Due to the tricky corner cabinet area and the fact that the top of the cabinets needed to fit snugly against the ceiling, Steven decided to attach them directly to the wall like this instead of going the French cleat route. Thanks to neighbor Craig for your help with this!<br />
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Here's a glimpse of the lovely countertops! Before the plumber came, we went ahead and covered the dishwasher's slot with some underlayment and flooring. We laid down <a href="http://www.robertsconsolidated.com/products.php?cat=13&c=1&sub=0&prod=220" target="_blank">Roberts AirGuard Premium 3-in-1 Underlayment</a> and topped that with two <a href="http://www.forboflooringna.com/Residential-Flooring/Products/Marmoleum-Click/" target="_blank">Forbo Marmoleum Click</a> tiles in sahara. There is still a lot of work to be done around the entry and stairs, which tie into the kitchen, so it will be quite awhile before we actually install the flooring in the kitchen/dining area.</div>
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Here's a view of the kitchen in it's present state :) As far as cabinet boxes go, we still need to install one over the refrigerator and another to the right of the window. The countertop material is Virginia Mist granite, and they were fabricated and installed by <a href="http://www.ceramicharmony.com/" target="_blank">Ceramic Harmony</a>, located here in Huntsville. (Their tile showrooms were gorgeous, and I can't wait to go back for choosing backsplash tile!) From what I've read, Virginia Mist really is quarried in Virginia, and we do like to support made-in-the-USA products when we can. With our Craftsman-style kitchen we wanted the look of soapstone, but the durability of granite was very appealing. Marion at Ceramic Harmony recommended this Virginia Mist in a brushed finish, and we were sold!</div>
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And lastly, a closer view of the faucet, sink, and dishwasher: Moen's Brantford kitchen faucet in a chrome finish; Blanco's Cerrana 30" apron-front sink; and Jenn-Air's Trifecta dishwasher. Obviously, I'm most excited about the dishwasher!! When we bought the house, there was a dishwasher in the old kitchen... unfortunately, it was very dated and only worked once for us. We demo-ed the old kitchen in December 2012, and I've been washing dishes in a bathtub ever since. Keeping things clean under those conditions was pretty difficult, so the grossness along with having to sit on the edge of the tub in a twisted, hunched over position for washing dishes brought out the worst in the renovation situation for me. It was hard to have a good attitude about it, but, like my Mom told me yesterday, living through that will make me all the more grateful for having a functioning kitchen sink and dishwasher. I can't even explain how happy I am that the bathtub dish washing phase is over, and I realize how fortunate we are to have these new conveniences in our home. It's over. It's done. Moving on! :)<br />
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This week, Steven is starting to cut out some shelves for the upper cabinets, and I've got varnishing to do on the interiors of the two remaining upper cabinet boxes. We are looking forward to Steven's parents coming to visit this weekend. Things have come a LONG way since their last trip, and we are excited to show them our progress in person!<br />
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Hope you're having a great week - thanks for checking in with us.Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-23542420418944408412014-05-23T18:42:00.000-05:002014-09-12T16:02:26.927-05:00Base Cabinet Installation Last night we finished installing the base cabinet boxes! Things are shaping up nicely, and it's actually starting to look like a kitchen in here.<br />
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Steven assembled and installed these frames (above) to support the base cabinets a few weeks ago. He made sure that the support frames were level with each other, using shims as needed, and in alignment across their fronts. The base frames were attached to the toe plate in the wall using 3 1/2" decking screws.<br />
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Next, the toe kicks were attached to the support frames with 1 1/4" screws. The above shot also gives you a glimpse of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CMXXL22/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=as2">Toe Ductor</a> under cabinet ducting kit. We liked the idea of having the HVAC vent concealed in the toe kick, and the installation for this was pretty easy. (Then again, I was the one assisting from above while Steven was in the crawl space...)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v3RZmQMGCXNTPLAe10UEOFl1PWp9Ppe20WT0J2w2xaqFSTng8sTmY9-2ftjNGWTL-GIcLsegW1vU_ZF9p3JotAQ2B06lvkQxCqlTUOPtwAZcyjW5AaApGapR2W176rTOTyn6aEgzsZ4/s1600/DSC_1364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v3RZmQMGCXNTPLAe10UEOFl1PWp9Ppe20WT0J2w2xaqFSTng8sTmY9-2ftjNGWTL-GIcLsegW1vU_ZF9p3JotAQ2B06lvkQxCqlTUOPtwAZcyjW5AaApGapR2W176rTOTyn6aEgzsZ4/s1600/DSC_1364.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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Toe kicks in place! This is the last time you'll see this spot looking like an empty room :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg8zlTGMXmKxRL8H_UcD_I2DsQ-ykOPKm2nZ5esOU-WNWZQ-5WJRFpfQwgnifpAYoFZyQ_dJpKSkMgXneenvnuIunVMogVOY9M30cd83HupACVfkwx6U8WB3QCvLe0hMZd0pLdCACrRE/s1600/DSC_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirg8zlTGMXmKxRL8H_UcD_I2DsQ-ykOPKm2nZ5esOU-WNWZQ-5WJRFpfQwgnifpAYoFZyQ_dJpKSkMgXneenvnuIunVMogVOY9M30cd83HupACVfkwx6U8WB3QCvLe0hMZd0pLdCACrRE/s1600/DSC_1367.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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We installed the corner cabinet first, then worked our way out (above). Steven made sure all three cabinet boxes that make up this corner section were level across the top, level back-to-front, and aligned across the face frames. He used shims and clamps as needed to hold the boxes in place while he screwed them to the wall studs. The empty space to the left is for the range, and the space to the right is for the dishwasher.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i0zPZ9QQ5h9110rnNPr18rqyuunodVhilE3UyhhSSHxTDS4SR1-DElxHjDTP0SzJsvv1HdHA_6iN0nDiUur6HYCPxGzGI06b4bJglF_YytX8JRBMkmhnpdCctxNCmClars1JvWzhRPY/s1600/DSC_1370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i0zPZ9QQ5h9110rnNPr18rqyuunodVhilE3UyhhSSHxTDS4SR1-DElxHjDTP0SzJsvv1HdHA_6iN0nDiUur6HYCPxGzGI06b4bJglF_YytX8JRBMkmhnpdCctxNCmClars1JvWzhRPY/s1600/DSC_1370.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the corner section was secured in place, we moved on to the stand alone boxes to either side (above). Again, we made sure everything was level and the face frames were aligned with those in the corner section. Using a 6' long level really helped with jumping the range and dishwasher gaps when checking for level and alignment. </div>
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After the cabinet boxes were installed, we just had to set the sink in place to see how it all looked! We went with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006W6M4LO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=as2" target="_blank">Blanco's Cerana Apron Front Sink (30-inch)</a> for a clean, simple look. Blanco describes this sink as reversible because one side is more rounded for a traditional look while the other is slightly more squarish for a contemporary look. The difference is pretty subtle, and I'd say not even noticeable if you were standing in front of the sink. We decided to have the more rounded side exposed.</div>
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I'm just two clear coats away from having the fridge surround's face frame finished, and hopefully we'll have some upper cabinet face frames ready for finishing before the weekend is out. </div>
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Thanks for reading and have a great Memorial Day weekend!</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-67527990101580103242014-05-11T18:56:00.000-05:002014-05-11T19:03:58.320-05:00As Seen in No'Ala Huntsville<div class="issuuembed" data-configid="0/7814419" style="height: 422px; width: 650px;">
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We were interviewed for a local magazine a couple months ago, and the issue came out last week! Take a look at <i>No'Ala Huntsville</i>'s May/June issue; it's their annual home and garden edition. (If you're a Huntsvillian, here's the <a href="http://www.noalapress.com/huntsville/about/" target="_blank">list</a> of places where the print edition is available.) Although Steven talked to our local newspaper a couple years ago when <i><a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20569037_21121271,00.html" target="_blank">This Old House</a></i> named Merrimack Mill Village among the best old house neighborhoods in the South, this is the first time our renovation has been featured in a magazine. <i>No'Ala Huntsville</i> included a write-up on Huntsville's textile mill history and featured three mill house remodels. It's wonderful to see the mill villages getting well-deserved coverage, and we're thrilled to be featured alongside our friends, the Saffells and the Vaughns. <br />
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As far as the kitchen cabinet progress goes, we've been slowed down a bit by a broken part on the jointer. Steven got that back in working order this weekend, and the plan for the coming week is to cut out and finish the toe kicks.Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-44188883089386242462014-04-19T08:46:00.000-05:002014-10-29T18:43:02.731-05:00Cabinet Finishing Process on Quarter-sawn Oak In traditional Craftsman style, we're going with quarter-sawn white oak for the cabinet faces. Using his 3D model, Steven came up with an estimation of needed board feet, and we purchased the oak from a local sawyer. Visiting the saw mill and seeing all the beautiful wood species that you can't find at the chain home centers was really neat. We'd be glad to put you in touch with our supplier if you're in North Alabama and need some hickory, sassafras, walnut, etc. for your project!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QvW2ST-mfst5whqtjpl7jDhvVVFKTSVI0e49RAdaDVsgTG8h4pTC6rxrhtl82mfsDQxij1orFDsvZYLcBZEYg2pRNg9GEH8DF_mO82p12TEBEc3GEXqoG6l2RCpZvMOTrHrTj9osfGg/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QvW2ST-mfst5whqtjpl7jDhvVVFKTSVI0e49RAdaDVsgTG8h4pTC6rxrhtl82mfsDQxij1orFDsvZYLcBZEYg2pRNg9GEH8DF_mO82p12TEBEc3GEXqoG6l2RCpZvMOTrHrTj9osfGg/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This 13-inch Dewalt planer was a thrifty Craiglist find!</td></tr>
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The sawyer had already planed the oak to about an inch in thickness, but we had to further plane it down to 3/4 of an inch. After all the boards were planed to the right thickness, we began jointing them. Because of its strength, the heartwood (darker side of the board coming through the planer) is considered the desirable part when it comes to building furniture. For that reason, we ran the boards through the jointer with the heartwood side down. The jointer gave us a nice, straight edge to put up against the table saw's fence, then we ripped as many strips as we could get from the heartwood to construct the face frames. Using the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF3L9BM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EF3L9BM&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">Kreg K5 Pocket-Hole Jig</a> again, we drilled holes in the face frame components, then assembled them with Kreg's 1 1/4-inch fine pocket-hole screws. Let's get to finishing this face frame!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDyt57u4HVpmojae1ilpZZ7etnLaEjoF6xtVNT6GcPX-NPGardSJYxzlp6A15UiZqVsKTGGr-BL4nOT91U3cGo_xKa9gtLTPjxMecpUTXIVTJ7k-a7KKQ4uOMqGHfqXnAypVyy3cdvi4/s1600/finishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVDyt57u4HVpmojae1ilpZZ7etnLaEjoF6xtVNT6GcPX-NPGardSJYxzlp6A15UiZqVsKTGGr-BL4nOT91U3cGo_xKa9gtLTPjxMecpUTXIVTJ7k-a7KKQ4uOMqGHfqXnAypVyy3cdvi4/s1600/finishes.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess which is the chosen one? ;)</td></tr>
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As you can see, Steven went through many, MANY samples to get the color just right. We wanted something that contrasted well with our flooring and not too orange or too brown. The final look turned out just a smidge darker than the sample above after the protective clear coats, but we are extremely happy with the outcome. (Also, this is the first time I've ever finished furniture!) <b>Here's the step-by-step process we used:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbetZRvadtN79qNSh7NFLb4ZauDx1vSSafyiycc9m9ub25COzG7K2R5mZ9EbXYuTU-g7mp_OoRbB-fUITqYDDLqyoQGeiYid93Pm-TnhY3aBWxLJf7vVT6FUkkZ8jnhV7koRQKAENFeGQ/s1600/IMG_2072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbetZRvadtN79qNSh7NFLb4ZauDx1vSSafyiycc9m9ub25COzG7K2R5mZ9EbXYuTU-g7mp_OoRbB-fUITqYDDLqyoQGeiYid93Pm-TnhY3aBWxLJf7vVT6FUkkZ8jnhV7koRQKAENFeGQ/s1600/IMG_2072.JPG" height="190" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WyWMugn65NeI2h5PfUztzSmbJ56_DMs4Nh8tMDiYVuocaDIg4Db_V5rYGwVOjUf2kdtJK9AZR7sa5b83PCDmlBdoiq04R5TxBSzHpO7jfbqxYvEBKJkE06MKAvPWXMUvTHfClNjzU-s/s1600/IMG_2074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WyWMugn65NeI2h5PfUztzSmbJ56_DMs4Nh8tMDiYVuocaDIg4Db_V5rYGwVOjUf2kdtJK9AZR7sa5b83PCDmlBdoiq04R5TxBSzHpO7jfbqxYvEBKJkE06MKAvPWXMUvTHfClNjzU-s/s1600/IMG_2074.JPG" height="190" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>1.</b> Using an orbital sander with a 150-grit pad, sand the face as well as the inside and outside edges (above left). Make sure to thoroughly smooth all the joints so the face is totally flush. You'll probably need to grab a piece of sandpaper and take care of the inside corners by hand. Next, use a 220-grit sanding pad to run over the sharp edges JUST enough to soften them a bit (above right). Don't go overboard and round them over too much! Wipe down your face frame with a tack cloth to remove all dust.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Apply <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035YGSRM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0035YGSRM&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">General Finishes' Brown Mahogany Gel Stain</a> <u>liberally</u> with a cotton cloth (above). Strips of old t-shirts work well. After getting the gel stain slathered on, I let the piece sit for about eight minutes, then I wiped up the excess and buffed the stain in with a cotton cloth. Whenever the cloth became saturated with the stain, I grabbed a new one. You can't easily buff with a soaked rag, and a soaked rag leaves stain residue behind which has to be buffed over again, as I learned... The piece pretty much felt dry to the touch after the stain was rubbed in, but allow at least six hours to dry before proceeding.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4umh8tNXUSdQml7pvapURKnB8Kj5gnLu0DcX84ki0UpjjZsrSkxTGVyp95OeTuAMQUqsXm_8W4cB62EltoB1JOGalD2afUyZvq7Q_lcU19Vpc8ZsVy-47NeCLCPr12jZeMGJeqdIECzc/s1600/IMG_2082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4umh8tNXUSdQml7pvapURKnB8Kj5gnLu0DcX84ki0UpjjZsrSkxTGVyp95OeTuAMQUqsXm_8W4cB62EltoB1JOGalD2afUyZvq7Q_lcU19Vpc8ZsVy-47NeCLCPr12jZeMGJeqdIECzc/s1600/IMG_2082.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found it helpful to lay the ends of the face frame (in this case, the sides of the sink cabinet) directly on top of two saw horses. This seemed to provide easier access for the inside edges and corners.</td></tr>
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<b>3.</b> Apply <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KR0HEA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KR0HEA&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">Zinsser's Bulls Eye Amber Shellac</a> with a cotton cloth. This is a fairly thin liquid compared to the pudding-like gel stain. Wipe it on with long, smooth strokes, making sure that it's evenly applied with no excess product pooling anywhere. I used this pre-mixed shellac straight from the can without thinning. The shellac serves as a barrier between the stains, preventing the antique walnut gel stain from overtaking the brown mahogany gel stain. Your piece will feel dry within 30 minutes, but allow at least an hour before moving on to the next step. (Be aware that the pre-mixed shellac has a shelf life. If the drying time takes much more than half an hour, the shellac may be past it's prime.)<br />
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<b>4.</b> Apply <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035YCR0E/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0035YCR0E&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">General Finishes' Antique Walnut Gel Stain</a> with the same method described in step two. When comparing a piece of oak with the antique walnut stain to one without it, the difference is subtle, but we thought it was worth the extra step. The antique walnut stain appears to absorb in places where the brown mahogany did not, adding another level of depth and richness to the finish.<br />
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<b>5.</b> Apply <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DSZYD6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DSZYD6&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">General Finishes' Arm-R-Seal (satin finish)</a> with a cotton cloth. The Arm-R-Seal's consistency is very similar to the shellac, so again, apply a thin coat in long, smooth strokes, keeping in line with the wood grain. Allow six to eight hours for the piece to dry, or longer if conditions are humid. Buff the piece with 0000-grade steel wool, and thoroughly wipe the piece down with tack cloth. Steel wool left behind way more dust than I expected! Apply a second coat of Arm-R-Seal, follow with the steel wool and tack cloth. Lastly, apply a third coat but skip the steel wool - you're done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh3cYhrJXPA2Co90ZYusrS0UIqs2htpikmJDoKlWj6X0115Q6RDhfJRaZ4I0AgViyyB5I3mm9Eoo1PfFyP15MZE94wJQQMBWPej4esZqIzrY7EsmEguv4C1Vlgvy25zmEN1i-NQ2xdpQ/s1600/DSC_1297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNh3cYhrJXPA2Co90ZYusrS0UIqs2htpikmJDoKlWj6X0115Q6RDhfJRaZ4I0AgViyyB5I3mm9Eoo1PfFyP15MZE94wJQQMBWPej4esZqIzrY7EsmEguv4C1Vlgvy25zmEN1i-NQ2xdpQ/s1600/DSC_1297.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detailed view of the final finish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8HZZSGmnhnzOG5IUqfrm6qUqI9nC2pe7mttuDw0hJB-glmLne44PgniPof0qic7hgGc1NqakkBrFDUNeRUfDWbhTMVypgVRn42y5f9DUyUij3xmJyxoMsaxpAFFNsxPfuohkA2IBeKM/s1600/DSC_1262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8HZZSGmnhnzOG5IUqfrm6qUqI9nC2pe7mttuDw0hJB-glmLne44PgniPof0qic7hgGc1NqakkBrFDUNeRUfDWbhTMVypgVRn42y5f9DUyUij3xmJyxoMsaxpAFFNsxPfuohkA2IBeKM/s1600/DSC_1262.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steven attached the finished face frame by adding screws through the pre-drilled pocket holes. We laid a cotton cloth between the clamp and the frame to protect the finish during this process.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eWAYhDRQGIWOXchju92cDKYi4zmzti-TUqFgUnLiAeC9vWnsFjGnYPSH-MDW9Zsyu6vchssd5yAk6vJ_MIPwQB6WafpMkCJbiQaFhNfE6QI31xUpFklcRCCADanTuc7g520vjtLfYX8/s1600/DSC_1290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eWAYhDRQGIWOXchju92cDKYi4zmzti-TUqFgUnLiAeC9vWnsFjGnYPSH-MDW9Zsyu6vchssd5yAk6vJ_MIPwQB6WafpMkCJbiQaFhNfE6QI31xUpFklcRCCADanTuc7g520vjtLfYX8/s1600/DSC_1290.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished face frame!</td></tr>
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<b>Helpful tips:</b><br />
- When applying all products, start with inside edges, then cover the rails, stiles, and outside edges (in that order!) to keep the finish in line with the wood grain. On a piece like the above face frame, I did the inside edges, followed by the vertical drawer divider, then the rails and stiles. I got into a groove with doing each step in that order, even the sanding and the tack cloth rub-downs. It felt like following that pattern for everything would ensure more consistent results and decrease my chances of missing a spot.<br />
- A great reference book on the subject: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AXVJP4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003AXVJP4&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20">Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner (2005)</a><br />
- Before tapping the lid of your can of gel stain (or paint, sealer, whatever) shut with a hammer, lay a rag over the lid. There was some residue in the can's rim that splattered all over me yesterday when I tapped the lid with a mallet... glad it came off with some soap and a pumice stone so I won't have a splotchy mahogany brown faux tan for Easter!Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-960691296487187092014-04-14T22:17:00.001-05:002014-05-30T14:41:30.045-05:00Cabinet Box Assembly Today marks two months since our last <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2014/02/snow-day-and-cabinet-finishes.html" target="_blank">post</a>, so an update is long overdue! As of the last post, we were varnishing the interiors of the upper cabinet boxes and trying to figure out how to finish the oak fronts. Now pretty much all of the boxes are assembled, and a few have finished face frames on them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtP0zhSsNCRvqNKvQasTfwmplukEl_4GJQB8ZhED1v2NrV8YpaCKrPlULgqGCbx4K1cNAyakwggIod8sYolKINJS3G-95LTeMIrJ8Gpqcrfm7SpoPhTuXg5PLQf-yR2tAbaxsfQqXbuqs/s1600/DSC_1268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtP0zhSsNCRvqNKvQasTfwmplukEl_4GJQB8ZhED1v2NrV8YpaCKrPlULgqGCbx4K1cNAyakwggIod8sYolKINJS3G-95LTeMIrJ8Gpqcrfm7SpoPhTuXg5PLQf-yR2tAbaxsfQqXbuqs/s1600/DSC_1268.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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We used the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EF3L9BM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00EF3L9BM&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Kreg K5 Pocket-Hole Jig</a> (above) to prepare the cabinet box parts for assembly and face frame installation. Unlike Kreg's previous pocket-hole jigs, the clamp handle on the K5 is on the same side as the drill guide. This allows you to quickly drill pocket holes across the edge of a large panel without having to fumble around with a clamp behind your panel. The storage box "arms" are also an upgrade from the previous pocket-hole jigs. These were very helpful for holding a large panel steady as you move it through the jig. As you can see, our jig is attached to a piece of 3/4" plywood for added stability.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_4MEqxOtGLnfQ_mwI6f2B2_Cjk7jgpBDNS_lj9XMmwC5f_sCo5L64RfkMrTuNt2KEJurhc3tAH7WviyvtM5ar-BJaCAjHwrgs4tLtFOzov6oV-mJAfT8Kcc2SFtJpZMJqHyDfpgbWu4/s1600/DSC_1184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_4MEqxOtGLnfQ_mwI6f2B2_Cjk7jgpBDNS_lj9XMmwC5f_sCo5L64RfkMrTuNt2KEJurhc3tAH7WviyvtM5ar-BJaCAjHwrgs4tLtFOzov6oV-mJAfT8Kcc2SFtJpZMJqHyDfpgbWu4/s1600/DSC_1184.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kreg K5 Pocket-Hole Jig in action.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the Kreg Right Angle Clamp to secure the top and back of the corner base cabinet.</td></tr>
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Along with the pocket hole jig, we have been using the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DCE79O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DCE79O&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Kreg Right Angle Clamp</a> and the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D3IQLWW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D3IQLWW&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Kreg Automaxx 3-Inch Face Clamp</a>. The Right Angle Clamp fits into a pocket hole to hold two panels at a 90-degree angle while you screw them together, and the Automaxx Clamp is great for ensuring that the joints of the face frame are flush on the front. These two Kreg clamps and some long bar clamps have pretty much been enough for us so far, but it might be helpful to buy a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DC9UQY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DC9UQY&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Kreg Bench Klamp</a> eventually. When using the Automaxx Clamp to keep face frame joints flush while screwing them together, the face frame pieces must hang off the edge of the table. This was pretty awkward when assembling the larger face frames. With the Bench Klamp, the table surface can be used to ensure the face frame joint is flush without having anything hanging off the edge. Kreg has been excellent with their customer service. We had an issue with a part on the K5 jig and the Automaxx clamp, but Kreg sent a replacement with no questions asked.<br />
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As far as cabinet box assembly goes, we are now only lacking the fridge surround and the cabinet that goes on top of it. Here (above) are the upper cabinet boxes complete with shelf pin holes on the interiors and pocket holes for installing the face frames on the exterior.<br />
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Check back with us at the end of the week for a write up on the finishing process for the quarter-sawn white oak face frames - it only took about 27 tries to get it right! ;)</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-80128375474441936012014-02-14T07:30:00.000-06:002014-04-21T13:54:02.362-05:00Snow Day(!) and Cabinet Finishes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0NqK_NYouu-HR6teZV7als4jr2rQx62aSGYX018pfUhjBScjsKYv7GswO0UDxud8frIdHBoYkh4RFtzVVO3PTba2hH3ws7iNWN_4sIySb4bBxPrHzIr9IjDv_xungfMAnJdPQfIY-BY/s1600/DSC_1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0NqK_NYouu-HR6teZV7als4jr2rQx62aSGYX018pfUhjBScjsKYv7GswO0UDxud8frIdHBoYkh4RFtzVVO3PTba2hH3ws7iNWN_4sIySb4bBxPrHzIr9IjDv_xungfMAnJdPQfIY-BY/s1600/DSC_1221.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear Siding - we'll get to you some day!</td></tr>
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A snow day in Alabama is a pretty big deal since it doesn't happen often, so TWO snow events in one week has been especially exciting! We woke up to about an inch of snow on Tuesday morning, waited around for drizzling rain to change over to snow Wednesday, and measured two inches of snow from that round yesterday morning (above). Fortunately, it has not been terribly cold for us during all this. Maybe I'm a spoiled Southern belle, but I just can't imagine living in a place where the norm is dealing with feet of snow every year!<br />
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The kitchen cabinet progress continues to roll along. As Steven suspected, cutting out the pieces for the corner base cabinet proved to be a bit tricky, but the third time's the charm, right? Steven and our neighbor Craig cut out many of the upper cabinet box pieces over the weekend, but that task isn't quite done yet. Also over the weekend, I started finishing the cabinet interiors, the ones that will be seen anyway. This includes all the upper cabinets and only the corner base cabinet. All the other base cabinets will have drawers, so the actual cabinet box doesn't need interior finishing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabinet interiors finished with Cabot satin finish spar varnish.</td></tr>
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For the cabinet interiors, we went with <a href="http://www.cabotstain.com/products/product/Spar-Varnish.html?productType=exterior" target="_blank">Cabot's</a> satin-finish spar varnish. After three coats and sanding in between with 220-grit sandpaper, I gave them a good rub-down with 0000-grade steel wool. Think I've got 13 panels done so far, still more coming!<br />
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We have not quite nailed down how we are going to finish the quarter-sawn white oak face frames, but these samples may be helpful for others. Steven has ordered a cherry Danish oil and gel stain to achieve something between the darkest and lightest samples (seen below) with a more reddish tone. We'll let you know when it's just right!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvxznrWPFZ197NB5V3_iIJw1yX034lYqhfB6_3pp1g2irospZR9vnTV1ppF4btrPobpTEbh9U8Tvo9MiSUSptdRG23N4T-1BBWe_lrdvf-dcved6V6YutC1HNQq5Mkt7DjiJLOQDYH8o/s1600/DSC_1228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvxznrWPFZ197NB5V3_iIJw1yX034lYqhfB6_3pp1g2irospZR9vnTV1ppF4btrPobpTEbh9U8Tvo9MiSUSptdRG23N4T-1BBWe_lrdvf-dcved6V6YutC1HNQq5Mkt7DjiJLOQDYH8o/s1600/DSC_1228.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing cabinet finishes against <a href="http://www.forbo-flooring.us/Residential-Flooring/Products/Marmoleum-Click/" target="_blank">Forbo Marmoleum Click</a> flooring in Sahara.</td></tr>
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1. Gustav Stickley's original Arts and Crafts finish. This piece went through ammonia fuming, followed by amber shellac (we used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KR0HEA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KR0HEA&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Zinsser Bulls Eye Amber Shellac</a>), then a paste wax (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TAWCBQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000TAWCBQ&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Liberon Fine Paste Wax Black Bison in Tudor Oak</a>). We ended up with a greenish tint here, which did not pair well with our flooring.<br />
2. Based on <a href="http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/authentic-arts-crafts-finish" target="_blank">Christopher Schwartz's</a> take on Stickley's finish. This process starts with an oil-based wood stain (<a href="http://www.cabotstain.com/products/product/Oil-Wood-Stain.html" target="_blank">Cabot Wood Stain in Dark Walnut</a>), followed by a walnut Danish oil (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LO2224/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000LO2224&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">Watco Dark Walnut Danish Oil</a>), amber shellac, then paste wax.<br />
3. Paste wax only.<br />
4. Based on <a href="http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/authentic-stickley-finish-with-modern-materials" target="_blank">Robert Lang's</a> version of Stickley's finish. Lang (and others) cautions that the ammonia fuming process can yield uneven results, and aniline dye or colored shellac is usually needed to touch up lighter areas. The layering of products is very similar to the process Schwartz described, but linking to both write-ups is helpful here.<br />
5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035YI8SY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0035YI8SY&linkCode=as2&tag=clophous-20" target="_blank">General Finishes Java Gel Stain</a> followed by amber shellac. By this point, it was apparent that 2, 3, and 4 were going to make the cabinets and flooring blend together, so this (5) was an attempt for more contrast. In my opinion, the Java Gel Stain alone was approaching purplish in natural daylight, but the amber shellac brought it back to a nice deep brown, maybe too deep... Hence the upcoming experiment with the cherry danish oil and gel stain.<br />
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Thanks for checking in with us - have a great weekend :) Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-40106294384774620092014-01-21T20:57:00.000-06:002014-04-21T13:52:25.530-05:00Kitchen Cabinets: Planning and Workshop Tips Just so you know, this advice is coming from someone who is NOT a master carpenter or cabinetmaker. I didn't grow up around woodworking, but I spent many Saturday mornings watching Norm Abram and Roy Underhill perform magic as they built whatever they fancied with a few tools and a lot of wood. It wasn't until college that I was exposed to power tools like the table saw and lathe. During my many studio hours in the shop, I learned and developed some woodworking mantras that are worth sharing. Many I learned from our shop tech/guru, David. Thank you, David. Before jumping to the list... Using personal protection and safe operating practices should be the standard for anyone working with tools that cut through hard surfaces. KEEP YOURSELF SAFE!<br />
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<b>1. Projects will take twice as long and cost twice as much. </b>If you are a master carpenter who has been in the business for 25+ years, you can probably skip to mantra two. The rest of us could spend hours coming up with how to cut every sheet of plywood, including the waste from the thickness of the blade, to be the most efficient. You will still come up short or realize that pieces need to be re-cut. The best advice: figure out how much material is needed then add 20 percent.<br />
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<b>2. "Power" woodworking is all about reducing the variables. </b>By variables, I mean anything that can keep you from cutting with perfect accuracy. For example, planing and joining makes certain that you have accurate reference surfaces (datums); and a table saw's surface and rip fence restricts the movement of the wood to one plane, ensuring a cut with little error. Using the factory edges on the cabinet-grade plywood as a datum also reduced the variables during our current project.<br />
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<b>3. Sharp tools make happy builders. </b>There isn't anything more aggravating than a dull blade. It destroys beautiful material and can be very dangerous. Instead of slicing smoothly, that dull blade will just chop up the material. Also, you could be pulled into the blade, or something could be thrown out at you. A good shop keeps extra blades on hand, has some way of sharpening tools, or knows where to go to get tools sharpened.<br />
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<b>4. SAW DUST CAN CAUSE LUNG CANCER.</b> If you are setting up a shop, start with a good air filtration system. I can tell you from recent experience that you will be much happier without all the coughing from the concentration of dust. You can buy a new system for about $400, and they are well worth the investment. I wish I had bought one when we started this house journey.<br />
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<b>5. New is not necessary.</b> It might have been sheer luck, but many of my tools were found on Craigslist in the span of about three months. Some were barely used, very new models, but I paid about half the retail price. New is nice, but used tools can also work like a dream. My favorite tool is my 1902 Stanley No. 8 jointer plane that I paid $80 for at a regional <a href="http://www.mwtca.org/" target="_blank">Mid-West Tool Collectors Association</a> meet.<br />
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You don't necessarily need lots of expensive tools to make custom cabinets, and fully knowing how to use what you have can extend your capabilities. For example, a table saw is nice, but it is nothing more than a fancy rip saw. Its cousin, the circular saw, can do many of the jobs that are often associated with a table saw. During our process of building the base cabinet boxes, we used the circular saw on a fence (see below) more than the table saw. I mostly used the table saw for creating dados and rabbets in the side panels, but even those are not necessary in building a cabinet box.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA8N-ph5HnG9nA_u2JFFCi5Ai8gnCkfPrrtgkFNpMpHxmUx1PshsrxGXBs3VR-M0gZHcZsMfmmptreEnw-0yJ6CBo9ERL1PShyphenhyphengowZTeB2Hswan-9wqx7kAxBENgO9_uHl8TTGS-OkNE/s1600/DSC_1202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA8N-ph5HnG9nA_u2JFFCi5Ai8gnCkfPrrtgkFNpMpHxmUx1PshsrxGXBs3VR-M0gZHcZsMfmmptreEnw-0yJ6CBo9ERL1PShyphenhyphengowZTeB2Hswan-9wqx7kAxBENgO9_uHl8TTGS-OkNE/s1600/DSC_1202.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much of the cutting for the cabinet boxes was done with a circular saw and a made-from-scraps fence.</td></tr>
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<b>6. Design drawings make all the difference. </b>On the design point, we were very fortunate to have an extremely helpful interior designer/neighbor, who worked with us to get the layout and dimensions just right (many thanks, Brittney!). Using the plan drawings and dimensions from Brittney, I created a detailed 3D model of the cabinets. This model allowed me to make up a cut list for every single piece going into the cabinet build. There are plenty of free software programs that do 3D design, and I encourage you to give them a chance. It will reduce your guesswork and make the assembly process more enjoyable. My suggestion is to find a 3D program that is very concentrated on using dimensions and geometric attributes for its process. SolidWorks is my program of choice, but it's just what I've become accustomed to after using it for several years. Personally, I'm not a fan of SketchUp because I don't understand its interface, but many people swear by it in the woodworking world because it is inexpensive (or free).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnB9cPiY5JDi2wGnfDk8XZlOq3CGQ5xXV3I-mXI57ndDLS3lzbYfo1Wht-0px9XAXwLfc7qykAtRgjaonjzY7nWE9V1pZqOvSs0PFQ8nVs-RJBrBq2YcXGKyxgnyG8esYkKBV-2s2uIg/s1600/cabinetmodel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnB9cPiY5JDi2wGnfDk8XZlOq3CGQ5xXV3I-mXI57ndDLS3lzbYfo1Wht-0px9XAXwLfc7qykAtRgjaonjzY7nWE9V1pZqOvSs0PFQ8nVs-RJBrBq2YcXGKyxgnyG8esYkKBV-2s2uIg/s1600/cabinetmodel.jpg" height="376" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An in-progress view from the 3D model of the kitchen layout.</td></tr>
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Over the past weekend, Mary Lee and I finished all but one of the base cabinet boxes. The plan for this weekend is to build the corner cabinet box, and get all the base cabinet boxes up on their toekicks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hEO9saHxjsUlNCgiDuHUMd_dElQ0DS7WHwI2z-c_AkYLj-Xvr2JTJmHAKxVqVGuA75N42WnpUPGswiLKmYXiaQX7uPBN7qoGDNl1qiEqab3B4FzutxglFtda-RoKNCpr8c0_pf-s9ek/s1600/IMG_1629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hEO9saHxjsUlNCgiDuHUMd_dElQ0DS7WHwI2z-c_AkYLj-Xvr2JTJmHAKxVqVGuA75N42WnpUPGswiLKmYXiaQX7uPBN7qoGDNl1qiEqab3B4FzutxglFtda-RoKNCpr8c0_pf-s9ek/s1600/IMG_1629.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The base cabinets in their future spots!</td></tr>
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Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08243701132474006914noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-59263344443967441562014-01-12T20:24:00.000-06:002014-04-21T13:51:50.148-05:00Hello 2014! Before diving into this year-in-review and recent progress update, I would like to invite all the locals to Downtown with the RCB (that's Rocket City Bloggers). Please click on the image below to learn more about this networking event and RSVP to win some great door prizes!<br />
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It's hard to believe that a year has passed since we demo-ed our old kitchen. Living without a kitchen has been, err... well you can imagine, but seeing the changes over the last year reminds us of how far we've come. Steven and I have had moments when we kind of forget how things looked when we started this!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_jWu7YJtp3FfMXDkDq9YAN-TtoJn5__nfHojug-sLmH2DO-TSDYbBHTSEtVfUqNWQh8B7VYX27iJzuTLiGYyd90B7B60s-jtcyiWngqh86GJgln9RPFJ-WtoCCieiKBYPKoGl6lFzPs/s1600/DSC_0858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_jWu7YJtp3FfMXDkDq9YAN-TtoJn5__nfHojug-sLmH2DO-TSDYbBHTSEtVfUqNWQh8B7VYX27iJzuTLiGYyd90B7B60s-jtcyiWngqh86GJgln9RPFJ-WtoCCieiKBYPKoGl6lFzPs/s1600/DSC_0858.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a view of the old kitchen prior to <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/so-long-and-farewell-old-kitchen.html" target="_blank"><b>demo</b></a>...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxAdel98fJbrj9IYf59YNdmlnlTP2UDyYJ78uQROBKmIXoylGbbIaO4YKYk43gM0Wq-xXmmsyRaic4ZNLfyCcnutW-u_L6x4UoY_B4gebKQ2P7vMoDNy3V9O2EcI22ZwD4U1M6D0v98M/s1600/DSC_1082+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxAdel98fJbrj9IYf59YNdmlnlTP2UDyYJ78uQROBKmIXoylGbbIaO4YKYk43gM0Wq-xXmmsyRaic4ZNLfyCcnutW-u_L6x4UoY_B4gebKQ2P7vMoDNy3V9O2EcI22ZwD4U1M6D0v98M/s1600/DSC_1082+-+Copy.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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And a view toward the same wall now. Well, not actually the SAME wall. We <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/03/old-exterior-wall-is-down.html" target="_blank"><b>pushed it out</b></a> to enclose the small back porch (more like a walk-through than a porch actually) and gain about 50 square feet for the dining area. Although that exterior wall was a DIY job, much of what you see here (floor/ceiling joists, subfloor, drywall, and electrical) was contracted out.</div>
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Our other big project from 2013 was the front porch. Our building inspector didn't like that the roof on the former screened-in porch was being held up with puny aluminum supports. Also, we were not big fans of the screened look since it made the entry look kind of dark and creepy from the main road.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1po6jdAaV3KqAhUvp2VCQP_B3UQP_NOz6FFX5XudhG2aRwP_NqFXpE97A7Zc5Kup2wtMNvEetD-7dCKOPIHMhC2aIdXK4cjzZIj-q2sV-LVjCXDwds_LSPL_Bsc8hlPzhGjdTjl9rSo8/s1600/DSC_0921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1po6jdAaV3KqAhUvp2VCQP_B3UQP_NOz6FFX5XudhG2aRwP_NqFXpE97A7Zc5Kup2wtMNvEetD-7dCKOPIHMhC2aIdXK4cjzZIj-q2sV-LVjCXDwds_LSPL_Bsc8hlPzhGjdTjl9rSo8/s1600/DSC_0921.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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So down it went over the Fourth of July weekend!</div>
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And here we are in its current state. The first-floor windows and front door you see here were added earlier this year also. I'm proud to say the porch was a DIY job, and we are most grateful for helpful neighbors.</div>
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After Christmas, we began transforming the garage into a cabinet shop since we will be building the kitchen cabinets ourselves! Steven has been dreaming of having his own New Yankee Workshop since he was a kid. (We had a lengthy discussion about Norm Abram on our second date, and Steven was very impressed that I knew the shop safety speech, haha!) Electrical outlets was the primary need for the garage to become more useful as a workshop, but lots of decluttering had to happen first... The garage only had ONE electrical outlet - how impractical is that?! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsFk-kFIV8FrO5jimU56s_T6rueClyYrYSU005Hz-1kbK0UsJeQ5TbftpnhJaAaCp6vN1JUr0t-e0Hw0g09lhyphenhyphenC2zEG_In5QbzwksguyeGqA_8-fVh-JKya4bY6XVGwG6gWS1KPNXbYc/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsFk-kFIV8FrO5jimU56s_T6rueClyYrYSU005Hz-1kbK0UsJeQ5TbftpnhJaAaCp6vN1JUr0t-e0Hw0g09lhyphenhyphenC2zEG_In5QbzwksguyeGqA_8-fVh-JKya4bY6XVGwG6gWS1KPNXbYc/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was the garage scene about a month ago... I could barely walk through with a laundry basket :(</div>
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We have since torn off the paneling from two of the garage walls, reinforced some framing, added insulation, and installed nine 120-volt outlets and two 220-volt outlets. Taking off the wall paneling uncovered some rot and termite damage along a portion of the sill and rim joist. BUT, if that hadn't been discovered, we would not have known that we also have a very small leak near the water heater. Obviously, this leak has been dripping for quite some time if the sill under the water heater was rotten. It's not something that must be immediately addressed and the water heater needs to be replaced at some point, so we're just going to put that project on hold. </div>
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This is generally the same view as the photo above, but we're in much better shape with all the outlets and much less clutter! </div>
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Hopefully there will be a cabinet update very soon here :)</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-40810789658851961412013-11-17T20:07:00.000-06:002014-04-21T13:51:23.204-05:00Front Porch Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
Compared to our pace back in the summer, things have slowed down a bit here as of late. It's been more than a month since our last post and about three months since the last <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/up-on-the-roof.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">porch update</a>. Over the last couple of weekends, Steven and our neighbor Craig added the subfascia, fascia, and drip edge around the porch. Yesterday, we shingled the whole thing! Our previous shingling projects have been pretty small, but Steven bought an inexpensive nail gun to speed up this job since we had about a thousand square feet to cover.</div>
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This was the scene when we got started yesterday. Obviously the tar paper was beginning to break down since it had been exposed to the elements for a couple months - we added a new layer of paper over this for extra protection.</div>
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Craig finishing off the hip ridge on the "ruff," as he calls it ;)</div>
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By the time the hip ridges were covered and the last of the flashing was nailed in place, it was dark. This project became night crawlers with headlamps on the roof just like last time, haha!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhR0qPTMcOtSGzi8FLbo_HwVJnfs9yck05CHdPZgBfAJG4tNrUx0qeChe0Zn-dlApNRtRCjkRRFXE036zCsNdb-aujUz0Y_HiO_fFAz7qtgrbQN1orCr4ElhvXqhbmem9x-sRT-e3Es8/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhR0qPTMcOtSGzi8FLbo_HwVJnfs9yck05CHdPZgBfAJG4tNrUx0qeChe0Zn-dlApNRtRCjkRRFXE036zCsNdb-aujUz0Y_HiO_fFAz7qtgrbQN1orCr4ElhvXqhbmem9x-sRT-e3Es8/s640/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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It has been quite the drizzley and dreary day today, but here is a look of the finished roofing job. Pre-bent <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Amerimax-Home-Products-4-in-x-4-in-x-8-in-Galvanized-Steel-Pre-bent-Step-Flashing-70708/100039784#.UolyJvlwqOs" target="_blank"><b>step flashing</b></a> was used between the shingles and exterior wall to go up the left and right sides, while two lengths of <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gibraltar-Building-Products-3-in-x-3-in-x-10-ft-Galvanized-Steel-Roof-Edge-Flashing-15553/202092840#.UolzZflwqOs" target="_blank"><b>roof edge flashing</b></a> spanned the center portion.</div>
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Odd find of the day: I pulled a large marble out of this hole near one of the second-story windows! I'm sure this happened via slingshot, but I really hope it was long before we bought the house.</div>
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As far as the yard goes this fall, I gave the crapemyrtle a much needed pruning and have been picking up lots of pecans!</div>
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<br />Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-28328393661451719172013-10-06T21:02:00.000-05:002014-01-23T12:24:56.584-06:00Kitchen Lighting Plus a Bit of Landscaping<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just when Sunday nights were starting to become my regular blogging time, I missed last Sunday - oops! A couple days after our <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/09/painted-kitchen-and-princess-pup.html" target="_blank">last post</a> went up, the electricians finished their work for the lighting, switches, and outlets in the kitchen/dining area.</div>
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A rectangular arrangement of recessed lighting frames the perimeter of the kitchen.</div>
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A nine-inch schoolhouse pendant from <a href="http://www.millenniumlighting.com/Product.aspx?id=1411" target="_blank">Millennium Lighting</a> hangs over the sink, and matching fifteen-inch pendants hang over the planned island. </div>
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Here's my favorite! (Even though Steven and I have both banged our heads on this at least once...haha.) This pendant from <a href="http://www.quoizel.com/myquoizel/PF_Results.aspx?Type=AdvancedSearch&collection=Inglenook" target="_blank">Quoizel Lighting</a> will hang over the dining table, and the plan is to let it steer the color palette in the kitchen. Since the walls, cabinets, and floors will all be pretty neutral, we'd like to do something colorful for the backsplash tile and island base. </div>
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This is part of the "bit of landscaping" we've spent some time on over the last couple of weekends. Less than a month ago these areas on either side of our HVAC units were absolute weed beds, so this is a major improvement! We made the effort here to put down landscaping cloth and a thick layer of mulch to deter our invasive weeds. We also added a fig and two blueberry bushes today. It seems that our pups, Ginny and Lily, are settling down just a tad and not digging so many holes as of late - hopefully these blueberries will not be dug/chewed up like the previous ones. Sadly, the <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/pretty-on-outside.html" target="_blank">shrubs</a> we planted out front early last year have been all but taken over by weeds as well. Getting the front beds in check is on the fall to do list!</div>
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Even though projects like these take a little bit of time and cash away from our current primary focus (KITCHEN!), I would encourage anyone else living through a remodel to remember to enjoy your home during a long-term renovation. Prioritizing tasks for the house (the physical structure) and the home (the daily life) isn't the easiest thing, but a balance is definitely needed for sanity's sake. Knowing that I have beautiful shrubs instead of weed beds and actually finishing a project is giving me a nice morale boost tonight :)</div>
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Hope you all have a wonderful week!</div>
<br />Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-86785515084395950192013-09-22T20:30:00.000-05:002014-04-23T12:22:04.788-05:00Painted Kitchen and Princess Pup<div style="text-align: justify;">
Early last week our drywall guys finished up all the mudding and sanding in the kitchen/dining area and gave us the all clear for painting! The installer recommended at least priming the bare drywall, even if we weren't ready to paint right away. (I actually could NOT wait to paint!) He told us that priming adds a layer of protection from scratches and dings. He added that priming should be followed by two coats of paint since we're working with new drywall.</div>
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Special thanks goes out to Sherwin-Williams for having impeccable timing with their "4-Day Super Sale" over this weekend. We got 40% off paint and 30% off supplies, which really helped us out since we needed three gallons of primer, five gallons of paint, plus rollers, brushes, etc. Steven took the advice of a painting contractor friend of ours (thanks, Greg!) and got <a href="http://www.purdy.com/catalog/brushes/" target="_blank"><b>Purdy</b></a> brushes and <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/painting-contractors/products/catalog/contractor-series-sheepskin-roller-cover/?referringCategory=equipment-supplies/rollers-covers-accessories/covers/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">sheepskin roller covers</a>. We went with Sherwin-Williams's <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/catalog/harmony-interior-acrylic-latex/?referringCategory=interior-paint-coatings/paint/" target="_blank"><b>Harmony</b></a> line for primer and paint. This is their zero <a href="http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html" target="_blank"><b>VOC</b></a> (volatile organic compound) product, and the formula contributes to improved indoor air quality. Sherwin Williams also claims that the product is durable enough for repeated washing and has odor-eliminating and mildew-resistant properties.<br />
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On to the fun part: color! Off-white may or may not be thrilling to you, but I'm extremely happy with our color choice, haha. We went with <b><a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6385-dover-white/" target="_blank">Dover White</a> </b>SW #6385 in an eg-shel (SW's spelling, I promise) finish on the walls and ceiling in the kitchen/dining space.</div>
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Now for the even more fun part: photos!! Taking photos of the finished paint job somehow morphed into a pet photo shoot... you'll see.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwnJ7xTBo9qk-jyhyphenhyphenV_eRi4kL2oHSVoFzfI_xLUg8TLV5JOWdgJu5_FpTUGlPn5Kh_0BF3-IM9RJHNDlCkrWbhx6yUMsE99DbiCRLle7IeehBYdqfC1VJhIV_ExrwM4pSTndPy81uj0/s1600/DSC_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPwnJ7xTBo9qk-jyhyphenhyphenV_eRi4kL2oHSVoFzfI_xLUg8TLV5JOWdgJu5_FpTUGlPn5Kh_0BF3-IM9RJHNDlCkrWbhx6yUMsE99DbiCRLle7IeehBYdqfC1VJhIV_ExrwM4pSTndPy81uj0/s1600/DSC_1082.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Here's the view toward the dining area. This has become Ginny's favorite spot - she loves looking out the window!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQ-48oPWppBFf-kMdLalVZFzPpHtTVy9vcVgJqlwvacLT97yVrgFXvBGNqYAPCIiZDdnQ43sqNBUp1y_gnYUJVStCo_eGVVJIpK4N49LyXQxHZxTM3c5jyrZNjLJSvpDf1EP1OuUz4Tc/s1600/DSC_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQ-48oPWppBFf-kMdLalVZFzPpHtTVy9vcVgJqlwvacLT97yVrgFXvBGNqYAPCIiZDdnQ43sqNBUp1y_gnYUJVStCo_eGVVJIpK4N49LyXQxHZxTM3c5jyrZNjLJSvpDf1EP1OuUz4Tc/s640/DSC_1084.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;">And the view toward the kitchen! This looks like some shrine to remodeling, but it's just our work lights and a sheet over the flooring material that was delivered late last week.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"> A preview of the flooring material (above): we went with <a href="http://www.forboflooringna.com/Residential-Flooring/Products/Marmoleum-Click/" target="_blank"><b>Forbo Marmoleum Click</b></a> in the color sahara. I'm super excited about using this and will tell you more about it when we're closer to installation time - it's supposedly very DIY friendly! Before we can lay down the kitchen flooring, we need to figure out and prepare the transition from hardwood in the entry to the marmoleum in the kitchen, and the stairs are part of that transition... so it might be awhile.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"> When I sat down on the stack of flooring to preview the photos I had taken this afternoon, Lily started barking like she needed something. I tapped the flooring with my hand to let her know she could come up and sit with me. Despite her princess personality type, she is usually pretty uncooperative when the camera comes out. Apparently, she just needed a throne to put her in a photogenic mood, haha!</span></div>
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Usually I like to get any bad news over with at the beginning of a post, but the paint was too exciting... We have concluded that we will not be able to use the awesome <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/06/kitchen-progress-old-sink-and-new-window.html" target="_blank"><b>sink</b></a> with integrated backsplash and double drainboard that we found on Craigslist back in June. So, sooo sad. The height of the backsplash would be in the way of switches/outlets, and lowering the sink would force the dishwasher about two feet to the right. Buying a new sink that isn't so wide seems to be the most practical option. On the bright side, the electricians are coming this week to install circuit breakers, switches, and outlets - and turn on the electricity in the kitchen!<br />
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Hope you all have a great week :)</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-27260362387289892022013-09-15T21:16:00.005-05:002014-01-23T12:27:16.125-06:00Real, live walls!!<div style="text-align: justify;">
We spent a nice little bit of this weekend staring at the wall, but I doubt you could blame us! The job of hanging the drywall in the kitchen was hired out to the guys who have been doing a good bit of our carpentry work as of late. This father/son team started in drywall and later branched out to carpentry - they've done a wonderful job with everything! There is some finishing up to do on this early in the week, but what you see below is where they left off on Friday:</div>
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View toward future dining area. </div>
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View toward future kitchen. </div>
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View from entry into kitchen.</div>
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Steven and I installed a couple of HVAC vents in the floor this afternoon. First-timers here on this project! Other than having to crawl around under the house (thanks, hun!), it was pretty easy. We found these <b><a href="http://www.appappint.com/products/speedi-boot/" target="_blank">Speedi-Boot</a></b> vents at our local Home Depot: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGitsbSxAMPaTTjaJQ-8aUYHBVpg78qR-YUxVDX74VnB4VhShunUOza2NwsrwH1653xlXtozclx9Bkp4PUSi9gcztraTsSU0jyOTAGdHt-1U9hl9DIQUys26ecEJcKuOZkZa-6aBJRew/s1600/DSC_1050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGitsbSxAMPaTTjaJQ-8aUYHBVpg78qR-YUxVDX74VnB4VhShunUOza2NwsrwH1653xlXtozclx9Bkp4PUSi9gcztraTsSU0jyOTAGdHt-1U9hl9DIQUys26ecEJcKuOZkZa-6aBJRew/s640/DSC_1050.JPG" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>
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The packaging promised that install time was significantly less than the install time for a traditional vent boot. This ease of installation is attributed to the nail-in hangers that slide to fit between the floor joists. The Speedi-Boot also has a self-sealing gasket around its point of contact with the subflooring, which increases energy efficiency (each of these vent boots contributes 5.1 LEED credits). </div>
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You can't tell by her expression, but Lily is very excited about all this kitchen progress ;)</div>
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We also ordered flooring for the kitchen last week - more on that when it arrives. Thanks for checking in with us - as always, your encouragement is greatly appreciated!</div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-1923423226889384912013-09-08T20:14:00.001-05:002014-01-23T12:27:54.807-06:00Weekend Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
It has been a very good and productive weekend here! We checked off repairing a leaky spot in the roof, insulating the attic over the kitchen/dining area, and painting the front door :)</div>
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This spot has been a problem area since we bought the house. (Note: When I say "problem area," I don't mean constant leak issues. It was usually just when we had a REALLY heavy downpour.) Soon after we got going with the remodel, some reframing had to be done inside when we found a rotten support beam; more on that <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/rotten-situation.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">here</a>. Based on the rotten framing we found then, it seemed like a bad connection between the rear addition roof (right side above) and the porch roof (left side above) was to blame.<br />
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Replacing the sheathing and adding some weatherproofing was necessary in this corner, and it needed to happen before we shingle the porch roof. Steven and our neighbor Craig (thanks again!) cut out all the water-damaged/disintegrating sheathing and replaced it with pressure-treated lumber. Next, they put down some new tar paper, <a href="http://www.na.graceconstruction.com/underlayments/download/GIWS-060V-GIWS.pdf" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Grace Ice and Water Shield</a>, and <a href="http://www.protectowrap.com/flashings-building-tape/bt20xl-butyl/" target="_blank"><b>Protecto Wrap</b></a> tape - we're good to go!</div>
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On Friday afternoon, our inspector came out to check on the insulation in the walls. She approved, which means we are cleared for DRYWALL!!! Yesterday, Steven put up the attic insulation over the kitchen and dining span. We used R-30 but will most likely add some blown-in insulation later since this is on the low end of insulation for attics in our area.</div>
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Lastly - the front door!! I am just ecstatic about this happy color :) We went with <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/catalog/resilience_exterior_acrylic_latex/" target="_blank"><b>Sherwin Williams' Resilience</b></a> exterior acrylic latex in Cheerful (SW 6903). Since I had never painted a door before, I checked to see if <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/question/0,,20054369,00.html" target="_blank"><b>This Old House</b></a> had any tips - they did, of course. The recommended order of events when painting a door goes like this: "paint each individual panel first, taking care to wipe the excess off the rails and stiles. Then paint each rail, followed by each stile. This method will enable you to keep a wet edge and avoid lap marks." </div>
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Oh, the realities of remodeling, haha! This photo was taken at 11 pm last night... I had been painting with the door laid over a couple saw horses, and the paint was taking longer than the recommended time to dry. The front (outside) had gotten two coats, but the inside still needed one more. Neither of us could bear the thought of staying up another 2+ hours to watch paint dry, so we put the door back on its hinges and just screwed a 2x4 over the corner. Sometimes, you just gotta do what works, haha.</div>
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Drywall installation is tentatively set to start on Thursday. We'll keep you posted!</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-80233794275172407952013-09-06T07:30:00.000-05:002014-01-23T12:29:26.416-06:00Shut the Front Door!<div style="text-align: justify;">
There hasn't been much to report in the last couple of weeks, but something very exciting happened Wednesday! There was a mix-up with our front door order, and the wrong door was delivered last month. After re-ordering the door and waiting a couple weeks, we were very happy to see that everything was perfect when the door was delivered. Our carpenters came to reframe the opening and install the door on Wednesday too!</div>
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In my excitement over the new door, I forgot to take photos of the old door, haha. You probably didn't even notice our old door in any of the exterior photos from the porch roof redo; it was that mundane. It had a hollow core and a narrow window running top to bottom. Think cardboard on hinges. Also, it was 32" wide, which could be an issue when it's appliance/furniture time. </div>
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Some reframing was necessary to widen the opening to 36", but the new door is centered between two of the porch posts! We went with the Belleville Craftsman two panel door with dentil shelf from <a href="http://www.masonite.com/productPages_EntryConfig_Detail.php?doorID=FG-BLS-DR-215-115-D-2-80-36" target="_blank">Masonite</a>. The door along with the new handle set is much sturdier (and safer!) than our previous one. Also, Energy Star rated - bonus!</div>
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We asked the carpenters to set the door at the appropriate height so that we could use the ORIGINAL floor, which is not what you see above. This was a crazy decision made over a year ago when we got a <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/where-did-march-go.html" target="_blank">tiny glimpse</a> of what the first layer of wood flooring looked like. Since the door was set so low to the current layer of wood flooring, we had to cut some out to be able to fully open the door...</div>
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And there is it - the original flooring!!! Yes, there is some termite damage in the right side of the view above, but we really hope to make this work here in the entry. Steven used a cleaner/degreaser from <a href="http://www.krudkutter.com/" target="_blank">Krud Kutter</a> on the left side to see how the wood looked under all the grime. We liked what we saw - now if only the rest of the room will be in that condition! We should be picking up paint for the door this weekend. I'm in love with this <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6902-decisive-yellow/" target="_blank">Decisive Yellow</a> from Sherwin Williams. The name alone gives this indecisive lady confidence in choosing such a bold color :)</div>
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Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!</div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-91872251771190971942013-08-22T07:30:00.000-05:002013-08-22T08:33:02.764-05:00Kitchen Insulation<div style="text-align: justify;">
After getting the all clear from the electrical and building inspector yesterday afternoon, I started working on insulating the walls in the kitchen. We went with <a href="http://www.roxul.com/products/building+envelope/roxul+comfortbatt" target="_blank"><b>Roxul ComfortBatt</b></a> R-15 because of its fire/moisture/mildew/pest resistant properties. It also earns LEED points if you're into that kind of thing. This is a mineral fiber insulation made from molten rock that's been spun like cotton candy. The insulation is also a good sound buffer, which is needed since we've got a pretty busy road out front. I made a time lapse video while I worked last night - it went quickly once I got the hang of it!</div>
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Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08243701132474006914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-52017088739260977982013-08-16T07:30:00.000-05:002013-09-08T20:17:05.581-05:00Windows and Wiring<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last couple of days have been a great leap forward with the kitchen! We hired out the job of running all the wiring for the kitchen. Our carpenters also came to install two windows (one in the entry and one in the living room) and a sliding door in the dining area. A new front door would have been installed this week too, but the manufacturer sent the wrong door to our dealer - BIG disappointment :( It will be a couple of weeks before the door arrives. This is what I'm dreaming of... one day:</div>
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Photo from <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/walls-doors-and-floors/12-exterior-doors-that-make-a-statement/pictures/page-12.html" target="_blank"><b>HGTV</b></a>. I love the contrast of the bright and cheerful door with the darker siding. Our house exterior will remain white for the foreseeable future, but whenever we replace all the vinyl siding with cement fiberboard, I'm picturing a nice blue-gray exterior. However, there is no reason why the front door should not be painted yellow as soon as it is installed!</div>
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On to this week's progress update! The electricians completed our kitchen/dining area wiring rough-in on Wednesday. This included electrical for all lighting, outlets, and appliances. Steven and I are very excited about the <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/06/kitchen-progress-old-sink-and-new-window.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">kitchen layout</a>. Really, we're just excited about having a kitchen - can't believe it's been almost eight months since we ripped the teeny <b><a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/so-long-and-farewell-old-kitchen.html" target="_blank">old kitchen</a> </b>out!</div>
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Electrical work in progress - these guys were so fast!</div>
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Hooray for electrical boxes!!!</div>
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If we're connected on Facebook or Instagram, you may have seen already seen a preview of the living room window. I'm just THRILLED with how that one looks!</div>
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Here's the old window that was removed. It doesn't seem like any windows in our house were the original 1920s windows, and this one certainly would not have been original. I'm thinking that the 4x5 pane window would make for a great wall hanging though!</div>
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Exterior view of the new window! This triple window is not as wide as the previous one, but this allowed us to have the window more centered on the wall of the future living room.</div>
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"Before" shot of the dining area...</div>
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... and the "After" - so much lovely light streaming inside now!</div>
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Looks like this weekend will entail attaching the fascia on the front porch, and possibly getting started with insulation in the kitchen if the inspector makes it out to check on the rough-in today.</div>
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Thank you for reading and encouraging us along the way - hope you all have a great weekend :)</div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-6721099263643469052013-08-12T07:30:00.000-05:002013-09-08T20:17:28.432-05:00Up On The [Front Porch] Roof<div style="text-align: justify;">
Whew, I am feeling the burn after yesterday, but it certainly was a productive day for the front porch. In our last <a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/front-porch-surprise.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">porch update</a>, all the beadboard sheathing was in place and looking awesome. Since the beadboard is one inch thick, the roofing nails would have popped through if we placed the underlayment and shingles directly on the beadboard. To keep the roofing nails from showing through, we laid half-inch plywood over the beadboard and screwed it through to the rafters. </div>
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Half-inch plywood going down over the beadboard.</div>
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Heights are NOT my thing, but I got used to being up on the roof after a couple of hours :)</div>
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After all the plywood was screwed down, we added some self-adhesive membrane protection: <a href="http://www.protectowrap.com/flashings-building-tape/bt20xl-butyl/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Protecto Wrap</a><b> </b>nine-inch wide tape and <b><a href="http://www.na.graceconstruction.com/underlayments/download/GIWS-060U-GIWS_1.pdf" target="_blank">Grace Ice and Water Shield</a> </b>roofing underlayment. </div>
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The Grace underlayment wasn't as sticky as we expected it to be. It was tacky, but plenty of staples were needed to hold it in place. The ProtectoWrap tape will stick to anything, especially itself... got to be careful with that. We applied the tape along the line where the front porch roof meets the house exterior and also along the hips of the roof.<br />
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Here it is, all water-proofed up... This project became more like "Night Crawlers Up On The Roof"! We had to get out our head lamps for that last bit of taping.<br />
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Will post another shot of the underlayment with better lighting later!</div>
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Shingles will be coming up next on the front porch! Also, our electricians and carpenters are visiting around the middle/end of the week - exciting times :)</div>
Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2991405992686473171.post-7305409550042123152013-08-07T07:30:00.000-05:002013-09-08T20:17:46.728-05:00FAQ: Have you seen "The Money Pit"?<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm taking a cue (Get it? FA<b>Q</b>... haha, sorry) from one of my favorite remodeling <b><a href="http://younganddomestic.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/faq-so-when-are-you-going-to-be-finished/" target="_blank">bloggers</a></b> who wrote about a question she gets quite often. Great answer by the way, Brittney! It'll be finished when you say so.</div>
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As soon as Steven and I shared our news about buying a house with the intention of renovating, so many people asked if we had seen <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/" target="_blank">"The Money Pit."</a> </b>Actually, people still ask that pretty often. The first time we watched this movie was back when we were apartment dwellers not even considering buying a house. I thought the movie was pretty funny, especially the scene where the bathtub falls through the floor of the second story. </div>
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"The Money Pit" (1986), Amblin Entertainment</div>
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We watched this movie last weekend at our neighborhood's outdoor movie night - fun times! My perspective was quite different now after living through a couple years of remodeling. The parts I had laughed at before (where things went horribly wrong for Walter and Anna) were not quite as funny because I understood how maddening it can be to feel like nothing is going right. On the flip side of that, there were scenes that were funnier because we had been there as well. We definitely danced on the <b><a href="http://cloptonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/05/kitchen-subfloor-is-down.html" target="_blank">kitchen subfloor</a> </b>as Walter danced on his staircase, and our oven zapped Steven's mom when she was preparing the Thanksgiving turkey. On that same Thanksgiving visit with the in-laws, we gave them a tour of the house, and the power went out on the second story. End of tour!</div>
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Something that struck me after watching "The Money Pit" for a second time was that Walter and Anna didn't have neighbors. This has been such an integral part of our renovation, and I can't imagine what it would be like to not have that support. When we all get together, experiences and advice are shared. As one of our neighbors said on remodeling, "You're either in it, been through it, or about to dive in." Where we live, there is no shame in inviting folks over for a get-together in your construction zone. There's actually a couple here who had a construction-themed wedding in their backyard! Remodeling isn't the most pleasant state to live in. The mess gets to me more than the inconvenience. Highs and lows are a given, but, after two years into this adventure, I remain convinced it'll be worth it. One day.</div>
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Now, if I could just find some construction carnie types that would finish this house in four months, haha!</div>
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Mary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16194837667027072779noreply@blogger.com2