Finished the Medicine Cabinet

Caulked and put the doors back on. You might not notice the subtle difference, but the trim we added around the outside looks really nice.

Only thing left in this bathroom is caulking or replacing the vanity and some touch-up spots on the ceiling.

When that's done, it's time to finish the master bath.

- b

Headlight Overhaul

The headlights on my car were atrocious.

After ten years they were completely clouded over with scratches.

My Dad had told me about these kits he'd seen demoed where you could restore the lenses yourself, but I thought that was a bunch of crap.

I didn't have time for some DIY solution and would probably screw it up anyway.

It just seemed easier and more practical for me to buy new headlight lenses. Boy was I wrong.

The kit was only twenty-something bucks and was supposed to do two headlights. Perfect!

I read through the instructions, then read them again before I started. As I went through the process I read them a third and fourth time just to be sure. With all that reading and picture taking, it probably took thirty minutes to do the first/worst light.

It came out beautiful!

Maybe my Dad does know a few things?

- b

ps. It didn't work quite as well on the second light. I even repeated a few of the finer sanding steps to be sure, but I don't think the kit had quite enough to do two lenses as bad as mine. The second one was better then it was, but didn't have the sparkle the first one had.

No Surprises Here

My weekends are startging to feel like Groundhog Day. Every Saturday and Sunday I wake up and do the same thing again and again.

It was supposed to rain all day on Sunday, so I never expected to get outside and back to work on the deck.

I did get a new drill - unfortunately before I found this beauty in the basement.

That's all metal! Shiny and heavy!

I got a second coat of paint done in the bathroom, but didn't get to caulk or put the cabinet back together. Maybe I'll manage some time during the week after work.

- b

More of the Same

It's like a rerun.

Paint the bathroom.

And work on the deck.

Besides one lower rail, I got everything up to only have to do the spindles and I'm finished.

Speaking of finished, my drill died. It's a shame. I really liked that drill.

I also made a little movie during the work. The top deck rails are pre-cut from the store for a specific application. For my application I have to rip off some of their cuts. The actual movie films the entire ripping scene. I could get it online if there's demand (?), but here's a teaser.



- b

Work Myself Silly

Started the day with a door stop.

Then it was a second coat of paint in the bathroom.

While that dried, I moved outside to work on the deck. Remember the deck?

It was nice having the outdoor speakers. Though pretty sunny, it was a nice temp. to work on the deck.

It took a while for me to get back in the groove of things. I guess not working on the railings since last November has taken its toll.

I also tried a different technique this time. I used to do an entire section at once. I'd do the 2x4s, top rail, and spindles before moving onto the next section. This time I tried to do as many sections with 2x4s as I could - at least until the paint dried in the bathroom and it was time to finish that.

Back in the bathroom, the first thing I did was install the medicine cabinet.

I came up with this nifty way of hiding the screws into the wall with the shelves, but only if the shelves go where I put the screws.

Then it was time to mount the light. Yeah. I should have done the light first, but whatever. I had some concerns with the light box. There were only two nails holding it up there, and they weren't that secure.

The light is metal with four glass globe like thingies. I didn't want to risk it pulling out of the wall, so I rigged some over-engineered support.

The key of course is the two little screws through the box and into my support. You probably can't do chin-ups on the light, but I'm pretty sure a little rumbling won't shake it loose.

Then Voila! The light goes up!

Then some more painting of course.

And still the bathroom isn't done!

- b

Door Stop

A whole page on a door stop?

Like everything else around here, a lot went into these. We actually bought three or four different styles of door stops and mocked them up before settling on this kind.

We considered everything from function, aesthetic, vacuum cleaner interference, to toe stubbing.

When we finally figured out what we wanted, we could only find it online and they cost $16. We only ordered one to be sure it was right.

Due to the span of our trim and door project, Home Depot started selling the door stops - at half the price.

So supply is cheap(er) and plentiful, but we only needed four.

They won at the selection because they're magnetic (holds the doors from breezes slamming them shut) and spring loaded (softens the blow from whatever slamming them open).

So much effort for a door stop, you'd think we were nuts for considering selling this house and buying a different one.

- b

Another Weekend of Work

Started the day in the yard. Got it all cut and trimmed by noon.

Then time to spackle

and paint.


At the same time we were also FreeCycling a bunch of stuff.

Then I replaced the alternator on the truck.

After putting a new battery in the truck then having it go dead, it was obvious the test I had done on the alternator a while back was bogus. This would be the third alternator I've put in my truck. The first was along the highway on the way to O.C. Maryland. The second was along the highway somewhere between Bristol and Knoxville, TN.

The new alternator was obviously the fix. I haven't seen the charge this good in a while.

Meanwhile Jen was cleaning up our "blue room." Didn't know we had a blue rooom did ya? It's kind of an extra room we've been throwing stuff into and closing the door. I think it got to the point where the door wouldn't open anymore.

At the end of the day, the first coat in the bathroom didn't look so bad.


- b

Still Finishing the Bathroom

Today I worked on putting the trim back in the bathroom we had to remove to move the vanity.

The vanity has been without trim since the spring.

Whatever right? It's not like our whole upstairs has had trim for the last three years.

But this job was different then most of my trim work. This job required re-using the old trim, cleaning it up some, cutting it to the new size and reinstalling.

Which looks kind of crappy up close, but who's going to get down on their knees in the bathroom and check it out in person - besides my Dad?

With a little caulk, wood filler, joint compound and some paint, it will look good as new.

Not bad considering I had to finish the stair treads & risers, went for a hike, looked at an old farm, and Jen did a second coat of joint compound.

- b

More Weekend Labor

We finally got back around to working on our bathroom remodel project we started last spring.

I had made a mess of the new drywall getting it into the new spot. Luckily Jen is an excellent drywall finisher. Here she measures out and cuts her corners.

Then it's time for joint compound.

Meanwhile I finished painting a door from last spring.

And started finishing up the polyurethane we started on our new stairs that we got almost four years ago (click here and scroll down toward the bottom).

Looks like another weekend day of work done - till tomorrow at least.


- b

Paint, Caulk, Paint, Caulk

At least I think that's how Labor day went. I really don't remember.

We painted a bunch. Caulked a bunch, then painted some more.

It was all kind of sketchy because it was supposed to rain yesterday and our windows were out of the frames all weekend.

Luckily as of 11pm last night when we pulled the last bit of tape off

and put the windows back in their painted frames, it hadn't rained.

- b

Last of the Trim

Besides the closets, laundry room, kitchen quarter round, stairs and foyer, I got the last of the upstairs trim down last night around 9:30pm.

Now it's time to paint it all.

Twice.

- b