November 15, 2011

project 760 - phase 1

Pulling up the carpet was the first in a list of things to do that we've affectionately dubbed "Phase 1". (You can see the complete list here.)  During this time we were nomads, moving from place to place, avoiding drywall dust and varathane fumes.

We didn't know where to start, so we chose the messiest job first - drywalling over the popcorn ceiling in the living room and front entrance. This coincided with a dog-sitting gig, so we could move out and leave the job to the experts - Handy Andy (our contractor) and Gary Taper. Sadly no photos exist of the drywall project, but here is Eddie with Aaron.

Our next project was re-finishing the hardwood floors. The floor guy wasn't able to start right away, so in the meantime we got ready to start painting. This plan came to a quick halt after chatting with the paint store lady about all the projects we were tackling, including the floors. It turns out that paint needs to "cure" before it is completely dry. If we painted right before doing the hardwoods, all the dust from sanding the floors would stick to the walls and make a big goopy mess. Disaster averted; Phase 1 delayed.

Eventually it was time for the floor guy to come. All of our worldly possessions had to be jammed into the basement, the kitchen or the bathroom (the only places without hardwood floors). All of our doors, including closet doors, had to be removed. And we had to be out of our house for at least a week while the floors were sanded down, sealed with an oil-based finish, and left to dry. We spent one night in Aaron's parents' basement, a weekend at my cousin's condo, and finally treated ourselves to a few nights at a hotel. It was totally worth it. Our floors look amazing. (Here they are after the sanding, but before the finish was added.)
Total time elapsed since Day 1 - 84 days

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