Sunday, August 16, 2009

What I learned today!

Okay, so we spend a good part of today in demolition mode. Ben posted a picture of the wall torn apart, that is what we are doing....tearing the main floor, outside walls apart to the bones. We have to put 2x4's between the existing studs to support the new addition. Here is what that involves.....first you break through 14 layers of paint and wall paper to the plaster. You then break away the plaster bit by bit (breaking to take shards out of your eyes, hair, and bra) to reveal the lath (I think that is what it is called). This is a bunch of little strips of wood nailed to every stud the full length of the room. In between these carefully placed pieces of wood is more plaster. So, you have to pull each one off, with the plaster in between (again, breaking to remove plaster from body parts where plaster should not be). Once that is done you would think there would be light....nope, there is a kinda paper stuff nailed to 2" thick barn boards. The barn boards cover the entire length of the wall as well, creating in essence, another wall entirely. So, you carefully yank and pull on these enormous, heavy pieces of wood to finally get to the studs and the wall on the outside of the house! At this point we have all the plaster and lath removed (thank god) and we are working on the barn boards. The entire first floor is full of wood, plaster and newspapers (insulation in some places). I am going to call to have a waste bin dropped off tomorrow.

Here is what I learned today:

1. Even though you wear a mask, dirt still gets up your nose
2. Cleavage is a catch all when pulling plaster off walls
3. Just because the work gloves that are made for women are cute doesn't mean they are any damn good
4. Once you have blisters on every single finger, at every single joint, you should just keep going until the job is done. If you stop to wipe the sweat from dripping into your eye (again), you will not be able to make your hands wrap around that hammer again
5. It must have taken people 6 years to build a house 100 years ago, and plaster must have been cheap
6. With some good music, and a babysitter, you can get a lot done in a day with a hammer and a wrecking bar

1 comment:

  1. all important lessons to learn! Keep the posts coming :) The pic of liv painting is adorable!
    Hayley

    ReplyDelete

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