Remodeling Great Room - Woodworking Talk

Allthumbs27 · 07-14-2009, 06:24 PM

Not completed but this is what I have been working on for a few days.
So I had the ol wood paneling on the wall and popcorn ceiling and ratty molding. So the wife and I decided to redo the room. We decided to save the dental molding that was there but get new molding to put on the top half of it. Forgive my lack of knowledge of terms. We are putting up a chair rail with a back board and new baseboard. The guy tried to sell me MDF baseboard but I went ahead and got the real deal stuff. I am gonna build some new bookshelves and I have some Oak steps to put in to replace the decrepit Once carpet covered wood steps. New oak bullnose from kitchen floor to the half wall. The worst thing I have ever done in my life would have to be the drywall. I had no idea on how to do drywall but heck how hard could it be huh. Well I was wrong. The construction of this room was not drywall friendly I had to insert more studs into the wall in order to screw mount it correctly. Studs varied from 10 inches to almost 20 inches apart. So I made it uniform at 16 inches apart. It is going pretty slowly because of setbacks like that but at least it is going. We are gonna put a textured finish on the wall like you would see at The Olive Garden. Or at least the one like our hometown one.
Oh well, I aint getting much done chatting like this so I will catch back up with you guys later.

Allthumbs27 · 07-14-2009, 06:26 PM

Oh and the floor is gonna be ceramice tile with a sort of carpet inlay in the middle along with new french doors.

Geoguy · 07-14-2009, 11:47 PM

Sounds like a big job. Remodeling can be tough and is usually a challenge. Try to think of it as a learning experience. I like to think that I've learned a lot over the years.

GeorgeC · 07-15-2009, 07:26 AM

Good luck of the job. I am sure that it will be hard work but you will enjoy the finish.

My wife has been trying to get me to change the wood paneling in the den. This "urging" has been going on at least the last 20 years of the 32 years we have lived in this house.

I ain't goin a do it!!!

This is the only room in the house that I do not have to touch from a maintenance viewpoint! It doen not need painting, dirt spots do not get on the wall and besides I like it. I have repainted the rest of the house many times. I have put new baseboard and crown molding all around. I have made a complicated wains cotting for the dinning room.

But I do not have to do anything for my panneled den!!!

Now, I got that out of my system.

George

rocklobster · 07-15-2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeC

But I do not have to do anything for my panneled den!!!

I'm thinking very seriously about paneling my den.

Good luck with it, Allthumbs. I've found drywalling to be one of the worst necessary evils. It's just so dang dusty and boring. Plumbing is a close second, but it's more frustrating than boring.

Look forward to the finished pics.

Rob

woodnthings · 07-15-2009, 11:00 PM

I've drywalled everything from cathedral ceilings 11 ft up upside down like Michelangelo on a scafford to patching a hole for a new outlet. My tip is to put the patching compound on in about 3 steps and to use the widest trowel/applicator you can manage. After the first "thin" coat is dry usually the next day, use the trowel/applicator like a chisel and just lightly shave off the ridges left previously. A stiff steel card scraper will work as well. This keeps sanding to a minimum. Keep filling in the low spots until a bright light shown across the surface at a low angle shows no voids. Lighting is extremely important just as in spray finishing it shows the defects. I've used both the paper joint tape as well as the fibreglas. The 'glass tape has a sticky backing so it goes on a little easier. The paper tape I find works best when wetted and applied on a thin bed of DWC (drywallcompound)

bill

Allthumbs27 · 08-27-2009, 10:25 PM

So its slow going but its going. I havent had a lot of time to dedicate to this project but every now and then I knock something out. The dental is salvaged from demo (wife loves it so it had to stay). The speaker mounts are from a friend of mine who made them for me.I love the new french doors because they actually work!!! The sliding doors bearings had went out so they were basically a big window. The floor is gonna stay the same due to the wife not wanting to redo them (but that means I will end up doing them later). The brick on the fireplace wall was put in after the bookshelves so we decided to sand them down and restain. Anyways, not much but its better than it was

Allthumbs27 · 09-01-2009, 05:55 PM

Stairs and bullnose made of oak. Will sand and stain hopefully tonight.

rocklobster · 09-02-2009, 09:54 PM

It sure is coming along now. The stairs look great.

Rob