I have a whole new respect for generations past who built log cabins and houses and barns out of wood. the wood a couple generations ago was heavy.....and a 2x4 was actually 2" x 4". my barn wood is at least an inch thick....and heavy.
I managed to get 9 more pieces onto the walls this last weekend. here is where we are so far. ignore the fact that some of them are painted....i was testing out paint colors. i'm now to the point that i have to get on a ladder to get the boards screwed up there. it might get interesting now. hahahahaha
You can see i have managed to get past 2 electric plugs. it was not easy. this first one (on the right) had to be cut out of the center of the board. there were no more studs in that short piece of wall except at either end. of course, in hindsight, and looking at the picture now.....i could have used 2 narrower boards and perhaps had an easier job of it. but i am not known for taking the easy way out.
i knew the plugs were going to be recessed....so i wanted the cover and all to be recessed. it took me 2 hours to get that hole cut. a little bit at a time. walking that board back and forth to the garage ... up and down 5 steps.... to cut it. it still doesn't fit perfectly....but it is in there. and i will paint the inside edges of the board black where the plug is and it will help camouflage it. the cover will probably be painted the same color as the walls. that camera angle is from up high, too. it doesn't look quite that bad. LOL
That first plug was my practice one. when i did this second one, i got smarter and put it at the end of a board and had a 2 board run. at least it went quicker.
When i got tired of dragging barn wood around i played with the design on my little table. a friend had given me a box of bits and pieces of tiles....different shapes and colors. i had held onto them for a long time and decided to do something with them. this is the result.
Now i need to glue them down and grout it. the table legs came from an auction for $2 and the top is a board i had in the garage that i cut. i will probably spray paint the table legs. guess i should do that part first.
I also am taking 3 layers of paint off an old chair that i got somewhere. i have recovered the seat. so after i finish removing old paint and repaint it....it will be like new. it was my first experience with paint stripper. i left it on overnight the first time. experience now says.....don't do that. it dried too much and was hard to scrape off. so the next time i just left it a couple hours and scraped it off. then it only took off 1 of the 3 coats of paint. i have to find the happy medium. once i take off the paint i will sand it down and it will be good to go. i always find projects.
I really would like to get out in the yard and play but since i am only out there a few days a month...there is no point in it. anything i plant would die for no water. i do have to go and cut out some brush and little trees growing where i don't want them. i'm going out again next week....so that is on the list for that visit.
I helped my sis burn up her pile of tree branches. it was burn day. took us 3 1/2 hours to dispose of her pile and a little pile of mine. not bad. we even got the neighbor out there burning his pile of leaves.
Speaking of neighbors....what is it with guys and their riding lawn mowers? the neighbor doesn't even really have a yard large enough for a rider in the first place....it's a small city lot. but he is out there in this huge riding mower.....for over an hour.....riding back and forth and back and forth over the same places. do you guys just like to ride the mower? is it the noise? my sister and I couldn't figure it out. we just laughed at him.
But i had a good time at the Duck and will go back soon so i can put up more barn wood.
Later
I managed to get 9 more pieces onto the walls this last weekend. here is where we are so far. ignore the fact that some of them are painted....i was testing out paint colors. i'm now to the point that i have to get on a ladder to get the boards screwed up there. it might get interesting now. hahahahaha
You can see i have managed to get past 2 electric plugs. it was not easy. this first one (on the right) had to be cut out of the center of the board. there were no more studs in that short piece of wall except at either end. of course, in hindsight, and looking at the picture now.....i could have used 2 narrower boards and perhaps had an easier job of it. but i am not known for taking the easy way out.
i knew the plugs were going to be recessed....so i wanted the cover and all to be recessed. it took me 2 hours to get that hole cut. a little bit at a time. walking that board back and forth to the garage ... up and down 5 steps.... to cut it. it still doesn't fit perfectly....but it is in there. and i will paint the inside edges of the board black where the plug is and it will help camouflage it. the cover will probably be painted the same color as the walls. that camera angle is from up high, too. it doesn't look quite that bad. LOL
That first plug was my practice one. when i did this second one, i got smarter and put it at the end of a board and had a 2 board run. at least it went quicker.
When i got tired of dragging barn wood around i played with the design on my little table. a friend had given me a box of bits and pieces of tiles....different shapes and colors. i had held onto them for a long time and decided to do something with them. this is the result.
Now i need to glue them down and grout it. the table legs came from an auction for $2 and the top is a board i had in the garage that i cut. i will probably spray paint the table legs. guess i should do that part first.
I also am taking 3 layers of paint off an old chair that i got somewhere. i have recovered the seat. so after i finish removing old paint and repaint it....it will be like new. it was my first experience with paint stripper. i left it on overnight the first time. experience now says.....don't do that. it dried too much and was hard to scrape off. so the next time i just left it a couple hours and scraped it off. then it only took off 1 of the 3 coats of paint. i have to find the happy medium. once i take off the paint i will sand it down and it will be good to go. i always find projects.
I really would like to get out in the yard and play but since i am only out there a few days a month...there is no point in it. anything i plant would die for no water. i do have to go and cut out some brush and little trees growing where i don't want them. i'm going out again next week....so that is on the list for that visit.
I helped my sis burn up her pile of tree branches. it was burn day. took us 3 1/2 hours to dispose of her pile and a little pile of mine. not bad. we even got the neighbor out there burning his pile of leaves.
Speaking of neighbors....what is it with guys and their riding lawn mowers? the neighbor doesn't even really have a yard large enough for a rider in the first place....it's a small city lot. but he is out there in this huge riding mower.....for over an hour.....riding back and forth and back and forth over the same places. do you guys just like to ride the mower? is it the noise? my sister and I couldn't figure it out. we just laughed at him.
But i had a good time at the Duck and will go back soon so i can put up more barn wood.
Later
2 comments:
Paint stripper sometimes requires stripping each color layer by layer. Slow job but eventually they will all strip off. Don't let it dry, you just have to start over.
lots of progress here! Going to be really cool when you're done Shirley!
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