Cubist
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Whaaaat - you not done that yet???? And what about that stained plaster chimney breast?? Perishing slackers, huff, grumble, moan, whinge Kids today harumph.
- Thread starter overlander matt
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lizziecupcakes
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haha not yet. The scraping off the paper from the floorboards is taking forever and so far we have big thick rugs to help with the cold.
If you’re interested, this is the plan (balanced with full-time work and the little annual leave days left). It’ll just be the two of us working on the house, we don’t have anyone to lend a hand but that’s ok!
Our current job is taking the ceiling plaster (to lath) down from some rooms. They have a lot of cracks and can’t be repaired so we have to apply new plasterboard and replaster them (will hire someone for this part though). Then we are doing the loft insulation ourselves (hopefully will start that next week + loft boards for a storage area). Then I will find a chimney sweep to sweep my chimneys. Then I will take a small section of lime plaster out and back to brick - it’s blown in one of the bedrooms and has turned quite powdery which seems to be because of the bitumen in the roof partially collapsed in that corner and coupled with cracks in the lead flashing ( replaced three weeks ago now) had driven moisture into the walls for probably a good long time (I have to let the brick dry out for probably a year!). Then back to scraping paper (floorboards) and once done I’ll add the cotton caulking. Next I’ll paint my kitchen inc cabinets because I can’t afford a new kitchen right now and the current kitchen is UGLY. Then i’ll remove all wallpaper in all rooms and redo with lining paper and paint (I’ll use polyfilla for any lime plaster patches that have fallen off). Then it’ll probably be spring time and we can finally lift the floorboards and get floor insulation in suspended floors part (on the ground floor). While they’re up we will check the pipes and do any repairs if needed. Then we can finally sand, stain and varnish the floors which I want to do now but have to do things in stages, but oh well. I hope I just have the energy to keep going.
It’s all a slow process because I keep researching things before I start anything
I hope in a years time I can relax a bit and enjoy the house. we also wanted to live through one winter here before deciding on the floor insulation. Let’s hope I don’t regret it come Jan/Feb
Btw I am filming most of this and will put in on youtube for you all to see (that’s another job on the list - make a video for us to remember what we did
). I’ll also post photos of the progress in the relevant threads where I asked my questions and you all helped! Just incase it’s helpful to others.
I’m excited to see @overlander matt progress and appreciate their updates so much!
If you’re interested, this is the plan (balanced with full-time work and the little annual leave days left). It’ll just be the two of us working on the house, we don’t have anyone to lend a hand but that’s ok!
Our current job is taking the ceiling plaster (to lath) down from some rooms. They have a lot of cracks and can’t be repaired so we have to apply new plasterboard and replaster them (will hire someone for this part though). Then we are doing the loft insulation ourselves (hopefully will start that next week + loft boards for a storage area). Then I will find a chimney sweep to sweep my chimneys. Then I will take a small section of lime plaster out and back to brick - it’s blown in one of the bedrooms and has turned quite powdery which seems to be because of the bitumen in the roof partially collapsed in that corner and coupled with cracks in the lead flashing ( replaced three weeks ago now) had driven moisture into the walls for probably a good long time (I have to let the brick dry out for probably a year!). Then back to scraping paper (floorboards) and once done I’ll add the cotton caulking. Next I’ll paint my kitchen inc cabinets because I can’t afford a new kitchen right now and the current kitchen is UGLY. Then i’ll remove all wallpaper in all rooms and redo with lining paper and paint (I’ll use polyfilla for any lime plaster patches that have fallen off). Then it’ll probably be spring time and we can finally lift the floorboards and get floor insulation in suspended floors part (on the ground floor). While they’re up we will check the pipes and do any repairs if needed. Then we can finally sand, stain and varnish the floors which I want to do now but have to do things in stages, but oh well. I hope I just have the energy to keep going.
It’s all a slow process because I keep researching things before I start anything
I hope in a years time I can relax a bit and enjoy the house. we also wanted to live through one winter here before deciding on the floor insulation. Let’s hope I don’t regret it come Jan/Feb
Btw I am filming most of this and will put in on youtube for you all to see (that’s another job on the list - make a video for us to remember what we did
). I’ll also post photos of the progress in the relevant threads where I asked my questions and you all helped! Just incase it’s helpful to others.I’m excited to see @overlander matt progress and appreciate their updates so much!
Lacan07
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When you say cracks has any of the plaster actually come away from the lath, does it feel loose or bouncy?haha not yet. The scraping off the paper from the floorboards is taking forever and so far we have big thick rugs to help with the cold.
If you’re interested, this is the plan (balanced with full-time work and the little annual leave days left). It’ll just be the two of us working on the house, we don’t have anyone to lend a hand but that’s ok!
Our current job is taking the ceiling plaster (to lath) down from some rooms. They have a lot of cracks and can’t be repaired so we have to apply new plasterboard and replaster them (will hire someone for this part though). Then we are doing the loft insulation ourselves (hopefully will start that next week + loft boards for a storage area). Then I will find a chimney sweep to sweep my chimneys. Then I will take a small section of lime plaster out and back to brick - it’s blown in one of the bedrooms and has turned quite powdery which seems to be because of the bitumen in the roof partially collapsed in that corner and coupled with cracks in the lead flashing ( replaced three weeks ago now) had driven moisture into the walls for probably a good long time (I have to let the brick dry out for probably a year!). Then back to scraping paper (floorboards) and once done I’ll add the cotton caulking. Next I’ll paint my kitchen inc cabinets because I can’t afford a new kitchen right now and the current kitchen is UGLY. Then i’ll remove all wallpaper in all rooms and redo with lining paper and paint (I’ll use polyfilla for any lime plaster patches that have fallen off). Then it’ll probably be spring time and we can finally lift the floorboards and get floor insulation in suspended floors part (on the ground floor). While they’re up we will check the pipes and do any repairs if needed. Then we can finally sand, stain and varnish the floors which I want to do now but have to do things in stages, but oh well. I hope I just have the energy to keep going.
It’s all a slow process because I keep researching things before I start anything
I hope in a years time I can relax a bit and enjoy the house. we also wanted to live through one winter here before deciding on the floor insulation. Let’s hope I don’t regret it come Jan/Feb
Btw I am filming most of this and will put in on youtube for you all to see (that’s another job on the list - make a video for us to remember what we did
I’m excited to see @overlander matt progress and appreciate their updates so much!
Cracks in lath and plaster are common and not really a problem if the plaster is sound. In this case a gypsum skim will suffice and cheaper than plaster boarding before a skim. You'll also get the sound insulation benefits of the old lath and plaster. Removing it is a dirty job.
Cubist
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LCC may I offer a few words of information and maybe a little advice?
My daughter has, on more than one occasion, stopped in mid-flight and asked "You alright Dad? Your eyes just glazed over and your pupils are dilated so I thought you were having some trouble or a fit". For some reason she still hasn't quite grasped that I find it difficult to keep pace and comprehension with a seemingly endless monologue that tells a tale with more twists and turns than a LeCarre novel that does not seem to have any kind of end in sight and all of which is sans punctuation nor stops for breath!
BTW - my daughter shares this capability with her mother who happens to be first First Lady - but that's not why she is the first First Lady, honest.
Fair do'es, I'm frequently guilty of authoring long rambling sentences that can be difficult for others to get their head round - no doubt there will be more than a few members who will attest to that - but please LCC.....breathe!
When we moved into this old place the First Lady and I made a large cork-board using the corks from the numerous bottles of wine we had consumed while hunting for this place. To this was pinned a single blank index card for each room or area of the house and grounds. On these the First Lady would use a brief, sometimes one word, description of each project needed or planned for the room/area concerned. As a given project was completed it would be struck through to signify that fact but the card would not be removed until all the projects listed on it had been completed and we could jointly agree - Job Done.
Despite the fact that, 15 years later, we have NEVER removed any of the original cards - theres always something new and for some rooms now there are two or more index cards - it still serves as both a crude plan and a permanent record of what we have done. Maybe you could consider something similar?
A further BTW - the Father OutLaw makes a point of consulting that board each time he visits to note the count of projects added by his daughter and how many I've completed since his last visit.
Also - Remember the Elephant... one bite at a time is the only and best way to proceed.
My daughter has, on more than one occasion, stopped in mid-flight and asked "You alright Dad? Your eyes just glazed over and your pupils are dilated so I thought you were having some trouble or a fit". For some reason she still hasn't quite grasped that I find it difficult to keep pace and comprehension with a seemingly endless monologue that tells a tale with more twists and turns than a LeCarre novel that does not seem to have any kind of end in sight and all of which is sans punctuation nor stops for breath!
BTW - my daughter shares this capability with her mother who happens to be first First Lady - but that's not why she is the first First Lady, honest.
Fair do'es, I'm frequently guilty of authoring long rambling sentences that can be difficult for others to get their head round - no doubt there will be more than a few members who will attest to that - but please LCC.....breathe!
When we moved into this old place the First Lady and I made a large cork-board using the corks from the numerous bottles of wine we had consumed while hunting for this place. To this was pinned a single blank index card for each room or area of the house and grounds. On these the First Lady would use a brief, sometimes one word, description of each project needed or planned for the room/area concerned. As a given project was completed it would be struck through to signify that fact but the card would not be removed until all the projects listed on it had been completed and we could jointly agree - Job Done.
Despite the fact that, 15 years later, we have NEVER removed any of the original cards - theres always something new and for some rooms now there are two or more index cards - it still serves as both a crude plan and a permanent record of what we have done. Maybe you could consider something similar?
A further BTW - the Father OutLaw makes a point of consulting that board each time he visits to note the count of projects added by his daughter and how many I've completed since his last visit.
Also - Remember the Elephant... one bite at a time is the only and best way to proceed.
lizziecupcakes
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cracks throughout the ceiling unfortunately, and very unsightly. There’s a wide area that appears to be coming away - two plasterers and my surveyor advised removing it all, plaster board and skim. There’s also a horrible coloured patch from an old leak, where the previous owner knocked over some liquid up there. They were storing random bottles of paraffin, white solvent, paint etc etc etc up there. I even found a kitchen knife and sooo many loose nails and tools just utter crap up there. It has been a real fight to clean and tidy up in the loft
lizziecupcakes
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Thanks Cubist!
lizziecupcakes
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Hi @overlander matt , just wondering if the cotton caulking arrived? I will be ordering it off the website next week
overlander matt
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Sorry for the slow reply Lizzie. I called Jackson Marine on Friday as the cotton caluk had still not arrived. Allegedly they are waiting for a shipment from India to pass through customs and there is almost zero availability right now. I'm back to working on the floor this week so hopefully I will make some progress on the sanding. Progress has been close to zero for 2 weeks now.
overlander matt
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Been doing a little more work on the floor and stairs over the past few days. I've still not received the cotton caulking so decided to push on with the sanding and shellac sealant on the floor. I've stained the ends of the treads and risers on the staircase and applied some sealant. I'm reasonably pleased with how it has come up - there is more colour variation than I would have liked but I can live with that. The top right corner of the photo shows the darkest areas. I suppose I could go at it again with the sander but I'd rather not. The floor certainly shines and once I deal with the gaps I think I will be happy with how it has turned out. The shellac sealer certainly darkened the boards and I'm not so far off the colour of the banisters.
The staircase was much lighter and I've stained this with a medium oak water-based stain. Interestingly the shellac sealant did not darken this to the extent I had expected so a second coat of stain was applied and this has worked ok. Getting a consistent colour has proved difficult - each tread seems to respond differently. I'm hoping the landing floor will be a bit easier to stain as I'll be working with longer sections of boards and not needing to work the stain right up to the painted edge. Time will tell...
I've now got to reattach the mouldings under each tread. I had removed these to sand but I'm now finding my panel pins are just bending when I reattach them. Nothing is ever easy. Are there superior strength pins available I wonder.
.
The staircase was much lighter and I've stained this with a medium oak water-based stain. Interestingly the shellac sealant did not darken this to the extent I had expected so a second coat of stain was applied and this has worked ok. Getting a consistent colour has proved difficult - each tread seems to respond differently. I'm hoping the landing floor will be a bit easier to stain as I'll be working with longer sections of boards and not needing to work the stain right up to the painted edge. Time will tell...
I've now got to reattach the mouldings under each tread. I had removed these to sand but I'm now finding my panel pins are just bending when I reattach them. Nothing is ever easy. Are there superior strength pins available I wonder.
.
Cubist
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Looking good.
Re the panel pins, you ideally need to match each piece of trim with the tread it was removed from. You can do this by pushing a couple of new pins through the holes in a section of trim to expose the ends of the pins and then use these to find the matching holes in the riser. If no match try another riser until you find the one the trim came from in the first place.
Re the panel pins, you ideally need to match each piece of trim with the tread it was removed from. You can do this by pushing a couple of new pins through the holes in a section of trim to expose the ends of the pins and then use these to find the matching holes in the riser. If no match try another riser until you find the one the trim came from in the first place.
overlander matt
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Thanks Cubist. Now luckily the trims were all numbered so I should hopefully manage to refit in the right place. Less helpfully, the trims are pine so there's a bit of colour matching neededst some point.