Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Bathroom Remodel: plaster + hot humid days = slow progress

I've slowed down and started studying more. This last week I have been working on PLASTER. I've never taped a drywall seam so I had to watch a video on that. Paper tape is tricky stuff. Who would've thought that up? Some of the conventions of home construction seem so random, like, there's gotta be a better way. But then we just end up doing it how we've always done it because that's what we know, and those are the most readily available, cheapest materials.

I did a bunch of plaster work on Saturday and it wasn't fully dry until Tuesday! Doesn't help that we're showering in there and it's been 90% humidity. Then more plaster Tuesday and now waiting for that to dry. I had a friend help with the electrical hook-ups and re-positioned the outlets and light fixtures, which required cutting into the old lath and plaster, carefully chipping it down to the bare lath, then patching over the lath with 1/4" drywall. Not sure this is how you're supposed to do it but it worked well.

Heather and I went to Home Depot again and picked out towel rods, TP dispenser, hand towel ring, paint colors, and looked at some very expensive mirrors and medicine cabinets. I hope to have the vanity and sink installed this weekend! It will be tricky getting the plumbing and duct work, not to mention the sloping floor and wavy walls, to fit together and look good with a perfectly square and perfectly finished vanity. We sort of splurged on the vanity/sink/countertop setup. Pictures to come soon!

I am also mostly done with the baseboards, wainscoting, and chair rail. How convenient that the majority of the lath/plaster defects were within the lower 3 feet of wall, now covered with elegant-looking wainscoting and trim work. I opted with the cheap particle-board trim boards and so far they've been going in nicely, with the help of my wife's staple gun to set the corners together tightly.

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