In the garden, and RAIN!!! (2)
POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Friday, September 11, 2026 15:29
VIEWED: 338648
PAGE 713 of 834
Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
That work you did looks great SIX. And from what I can see. Yeah, I think if you'd gone bigger you would have been right up close to the toilet. You need some space there.
Thanks, Brenda.
I'm on the fence about fixing that "pit" in the center. I noticed the top piece of veneer on that thin plywood had water damage and bubbled up, so I had to cut around it anywhere where it was loose before priming... then I got carried away painting two coats before putting wood putty on there and sanding it down. Now that I put semi-gloss paint on it, the wood putty might not stick that well. I'm thinking I'll probably just cut out a piece of that thin brown fiberboard stuff that I've used to patch up the sides of cabinets, make new drawer bottoms and to protect the floor of the cabinet under my kitchen sink and call it a day. More than half of that pit would be covered by the drawers anyway, and if I can just put a nice piece on the other side after I cut it down to size, nobody should ever even know it's there.
No rain today! At least not after I got outside. A full 6 hours of sanding and I still didn't get everything done.
Let's see... Got the last piece of trim going under the kitchen window sanded... The over-the-toilet cabinet sanded as well as the 2 doors and single shelf for it... the 3 drawer faces and the door for the vanity sanded... the door and shelves for the medicine cabinet... and 4 pieces of that cabinet trim that I'm going to finish off the inside and the outside of the vanity with.
Thankfully, I should have enough of that cabinet trim left to do the job. For some reason between the two long cardboard tubes of them I got form my friend, I thought I had a whole lot more of it, but that was it. I don't need it for thresholds anymore, but I was hoping to have enough to frame out my electric box and the network box next to it in the basement. I guess I'll just have to spring for some more narrow-ish strips of wood, or rip my own to get that job done. Oh well...
Another good day, but I'm done for now. No primer or painting for me tonight. I think I should be able to get all this done before my dad comes back with time to spare.
All I have left to do is hand sanding on 3 pieces. Have to finish off the medicine cabinet, the bi-fold door with the slats and the super-decorative towel rack with the shelf above it and I won't need to be sanding anything else for a while.
I do want to sand down a nice chest that I got from my grandma's basement. I have two of them. One is a really nice antique piece, but the bottom broke. I'm going to restore that for myself at one point. But the other one is good except it needs a new locking mechanism. My aunt seemed to really want that one at one point, but then decided she wasn't going to take it. A few years ago I wanted to sand that down and stain it the same color as the rest of her furniture that she was so proud of buying on her own without credit. She's going to be retiring soon, so I'd like to have that finished as a retirement present for her.
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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.
I went back and looked and I saw the pit. Okay, I admit you lost me at wood putty. I know a little bit of other types of construction putties but not a whole lot.
If the drawers and a little extra bit of particle board will cover it, I can't see why anyone would notice the difference.
You are giving yourself a lot to do and I think maybe over doing it from what your body is telling you. I know you don't want to leave things but sometimes you have to slow down.
Old trunks are nice. I know mine has taken a beating and I would love to get it restored but that would be arm and a leg time. The hinges are rusty and stuff. If you can restore the one you have that is great.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
I went back and looked and I saw the pit. Okay, I admit you lost me at wood putty. I know a little bit of other types of construction putties but not a whole lot.
If the drawers and a little extra bit of particle board will cover it, I can't see why anyone would notice the difference.
Actually, I believe I misspoke. I believe that Wood Putty is a substance that never really totally dries because it has oils in it. It's used to fill in holes in nice hardwood floors, and you're meant to use color swatches to match up the color as close as you can to the finish.
I meant to say just wood filler. If you've ever seen somebody hang drywall or patch up existing drywall, it's basically the same concept as the patch, but it's a really light wood color that will take on stain, and it's very hard to sand down if you've let it dry too long before sanding it.
I know it bonds excellently to primer, but because I already put two coats of semi-gloss paint down, I have concerns that if I did it now it might break up down the road and just be a mess. I think it almost certainly would if it got wet down there, which at some point is likely to happen when I or the next owner is doing necessary maintenance. Heck... It could happen to me when I'm installing a new faucet if I wasn't careful.
Oh well. I think the hardboard will be fine. The next owner will probably just think it was smart to put something like that down there like I did in the kitchen and probably wouldn't know that the pit was there for years or even decades.
Quote:
You are giving yourself a lot to do and I think maybe over doing it from what your body is telling you. I know you don't want to leave things but sometimes you have to slow down.
Yeah. I know... And of course you're right.
It's just that I've finally gotten right at the end of my big computer project work after a few years of working hard on it and I've been putting all of this stuff off while I worked on that.
And though my health issues should be making me slow down, they're kind of doing the opposite. So many years I've been living here and this house should have been finished a long time ago. I'm not feeling backed into a corner or anything, but circumstances otherwise aren't improving either, and I feel that I need to get this house to the point that it's ready to sell ASAP. Not that I'm going to sell it right away, but there are a few external developments and possibilities in my area that could really give the value of my home a huge boost. I believe they've already begun the planned process of making railroad tracks all the way to Michigan in the east, and tie that into Chicago. If that happens, I'm pretty much prime real estate. Especially if Detroit starts getting re-industrialized like it sounds will be happening soon as well. And if the Bears move to Hammond, forget about it. I'm sitting on a gold mine as long as it's ready for a family to move in.
But the negative side of owning a house worth a lot is the HUGE increase in property taxes. I'm already paying twice as much as I was when I moved in, despite fighting them VERY successfully 3 times now. My ability to make money certainly ain't what it used to be, and if all that happens I want to cash out and get far away from here... this time in a MUCH smaller house with a MUCH smaller plot of land that I'm responsible for. As long as it has a full basement or a nice big garage for my workshop, I'll be happy.
Quote:
Old trunks are nice. I know mine has taken a beating and I would love to get it restored but that would be arm and a leg time. The hinges are rusty and stuff. If you can restore the one you have that is great.
Oh yeah? How much do you suppose getting yours restored would cost to do?
This is yet another time where it's kind of a bummer we're so far apart geographically
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Nothing too exciting today, but this is the work that needs to be done so the paint will hold up for the long haul...
I have before pics of everything somewhere, but I took them a while ago before I pulled any of the hardware off. Except for that cabinet trim which was fairly light, everything was at least as dark as the vanity when I started.
The unit on the left is the over-the-toilet cabinet. The face and the doors are oak like the entire medicine cabinet, but the sides are veneered particle board and the back is a thin sheet of veneered hardboard, so I can't sand it much without damaging it. Just enough to get a good grip with the primer is all. At least that hardboard will be really easy to cut through when I make a hole to put an electric outlet inside of it.
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Be Nice. Don't be a dick.
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I was going to finish sanding those things down outside today, but I think I'll start priming the stuff I've already sanded down instead. I don't have unlimited room to stage all of this and I'm kind of full-up right now as it is. I made sure to get everything sanded yesterday that I had an immediate use for, so it just makes sense to start moving on that. I might be going out tonight too, so no reason to overburden myself before I know.
--------------------------------------------------
Be Nice. Don't be a dick.
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Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
I went back and looked and I saw the pit. Okay, I admit you lost me at wood putty. I know a little bit of other types of construction putties but not a whole lot.
If the drawers and a little extra bit of particle board will cover it, I can't see why anyone would notice the difference.
Actually, I believe I misspoke. I believe that Wood Putty is a substance that never really totally dries because it has oils in it. It's used to fill in holes in nice hardwood floors, and you're meant to use color swatches to match up the color as close as you can to the finish.
I meant to say just wood filler. If you've ever seen somebody hang drywall or patch up existing drywall, it's basically the same concept as the patch, but it's a really light wood color that will take on stain, and it's very hard to sand down if you've let it dry too long before sanding it.
I know it bonds excellently to primer, but because I already put two coats of semi-gloss paint down, I have concerns that if I did it now it might break up down the road and just be a mess. I think it almost certainly would if it got wet down there, which at some point is likely to happen when I or the next owner is doing necessary maintenance. Heck... It could happen to me when I'm installing a new faucet if I wasn't careful.
Oh well. I think the hardboard will be fine. The next owner will probably just think it was smart to put something like that down there like I did in the kitchen and probably wouldn't know that the pit was there for years or even decades.Quote:
You are giving yourself a lot to do and I think maybe over doing it from what your body is telling you. I know you don't want to leave things but sometimes you have to slow down.
Yeah. I know... And of course you're right.
It's just that I've finally gotten right at the end of my big computer project work after a few years of working hard on it and I've been putting all of this stuff off while I worked on that.
And though my health issues should be making me slow down, they're kind of doing the opposite. So many years I've been living here and this house should have been finished a long time ago. I'm not feeling backed into a corner or anything, but circumstances otherwise aren't improving either, and I feel that I need to get this house to the point that it's ready to sell ASAP. Not that I'm going to sell it right away, but there are a few external developments and possibilities in my area that could really give the value of my home a huge boost. I believe they've already begun the planned process of making railroad tracks all the way to Michigan in the east, and tie that into Chicago. If that happens, I'm pretty much prime real estate. Especially if Detroit starts getting re-industrialized like it sounds will be happening soon as well. And if the Bears move to Hammond, forget about it. I'm sitting on a gold mine as long as it's ready for a family to move in.
But the negative side of owning a house worth a lot is the HUGE increase in property taxes. I'm already paying twice as much as I was when I moved in, despite fighting them VERY successfully 3 times now. My ability to make money certainly ain't what it used to be, and if all that happens I want to cash out and get far away from here... this time in a MUCH smaller house with a MUCH smaller plot of land that I'm responsible for. As long as it has a full basement or a nice big garage for my workshop, I'll be happy.Quote:
Old trunks are nice. I know mine has taken a beating and I would love to get it restored but that would be arm and a leg time. The hinges are rusty and stuff. If you can restore the one you have that is great.
Oh yeah? How much do you suppose getting yours restored would cost to do?
This is yet another time where it's kind ofNOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Out on a bright but I am sure chilly day. That wind when it hits you is cold. Need small things when I am out.
Then when I get back I've set myself at least one chore to do. Take out some recycling and maybe look at those papers to put away.
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All done for right now. Warm going out then chilly when I was going from the mall to the library then a warm up on my way in.
One thing I wish is that I can remove the #$%^%$#$%^^% air fresheners from the hall way. Those reek to me and I can't stand them.
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I think I'm all caught up with you guys.
SIX, FWIW code says 15" from the center of the toilet to the nearest obstruction. But, boy, that's a skimpy minimum!
Love the work on the vanity, and I think its the perfect size for the bathroom!
Speaking of decluttering ... it seems our daughter is a real packrat. I just had occasion to look into some unused cupboards, et viola! I have to really march her into cleaning up and stay on her behind until it's done, otherwise she veers off into playing on her phone.
Sigh!
Know what you guys mean about tweaking this-n-that. I was cutting down some palm saplings that were turning into small trees, and besides the pocket reciprocating saw having problems with all the fibers, I had to bend under some vegetation into weird awkward positions. My back is OK, but my shoulders and neck hurt like heck. I got one of those heat patches on now. They really help.
Still, I have a vision for the landscape now and I'm excited to make it come true! It'll take a lot of work, and I can only tolerate about 10 hours a week before either a) duty calls elsewhere or b) my shoulders or my knee craps out. But it'll be worth it!
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"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger
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Lazy Sunday and I will get to some sort out around here. Was going to start on those pins but didn't. Planning on it today. Will let you know if I succeed.
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Quote:
I think I'm all caught up with you guys.
SIX, FWIW code says 15" from the center of the toilet to the nearest obstruction. But, boy, that's a skimpy minimum!
Wow... I didn't even think about code with this one, Sigs. I was just following my intuition on this one...
As soon as I saw you wrote that, I took my tape and measured...
I'll be damned. The side of the existing vanity was exactly 15" from the center of the drain. With all the horror shows I've seen so far when ripping things apart here over the years, I'd assume they just lucked into it, but not when it's actually on spot like it is here. They actually got somebody who knew what they were doing on that one.
I'm guessing that it wasn't a full bathroom remodel when it was put in, and the person who did it was just replacing an old vanity for them or something, and that's why everything above it doesn't match up and isn't centered. (Not only is everything off center, but none of the stuff in there looks like it is part of a set either). They also put that vinyl tile down on the entire floor and put the vanity on top of that... so maybe it was a quick and dirty floor job with a new vanity and that tiny toilet or something.
Anyway... won't feel bad about "dismissing" my dad's idea now, so thanks for that. Part of me was really questioning myself too, whether or not I was making the right decision. Not for me, since it's just fine for my purposes, but for the future family that will be living here.
Of course with me, it's almost always about money, but in this case it's just about eliminating excuses for putting it off anymore. Shopping around and trying to find a good deal on a new vanity... putting somebody else out to give me a ride up there with their truck to go and pick it up and help me move it inside... All of those things are the stuff that make me sit on projects like this for years and never get to them. As nice as it would have been to spend $1000 on a new vanity delivered and just plop it right in there, I'd rather be sanding and priming and painting and just getting stuff done.
Quote:
Love the work on the vanity, and I think its the perfect size for the bathroom!
Thank you. And yes... apparently you are correct. The vanity is exactly the perfect size for that bathroom. Not a single 1/16th of an inch wasted or too close to that drain pipe.
I've changed up the color scheme a bit in the bathroom from the rest of the house. I'm hoping that it works out well when it's done. Originally I'd planned on painting the vanity and the cabinets high-gloss white like all of my trim and the kitchen cabinets, but I didn't think that would go well with the existing slightly off-white vanity top and sink.
The window trim and baseboard will all be white like the door with my towel hangers has already been painted, but you can see the dark grey, almost slightly blue color of that vanity in the pics. I haven't made up my mind for sure yet, but I think I'm also going to paint the medicine cabinet and the over the toilet cabinet the same color. I've got a lighter grey to do the wall behind all 3 of those pieces. And I think what I'm going to do is also paint that lighter grey color on the small area of wall I have in the entry way to the bathroom, which is pretty much just about the 20sq feet or so above and in front of the vanity to the door (where the light switch/outlet is), above that door, and then just about 1" in between the door trim and the shower/tub. Then I was thinking of painting the wall with the window the same dark grey that I painted the vanity/medicine cabinet/toilet cab. I really like two-tone rooms, and I think that the wall with the bright window is the perfect wall to make the darker one, and it will kind of have a flow from one side of the bathroom to the other. And in the bathroom it's really 3-tones because the shower is white and th
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