I'll make this first entry brief. I am copying Lord Steven and his home project blog, and while I am sure that living up to his standards will be quite difficult, I will try my best to give you a sense of what this novice learns. I will post images when I get them to Flickr and provide links to wish list items, services, and products used.
Today my wife, Tricia, and I started prepping for paint in three rooms; the office, bathroom and 1/2 story loft/bedroom. I will post colors and images later. I understand why people get paid big dollars to do this kind of work, it's not easy, cutting in at the wood detailing, corners, and ceilings are quite difficult. I know I did not get enough of the right type of brushes - I wish paint store guys knew more or were more helpful - and today alone I spent over $400 for one room alone. Costs are high, because of the zero VOC or low VOC paints I am using, big allergies to paint.
I will say this, I am using chalkboard paint for one entire wall in my office, should be interesting.
I hope I will get better over time, and I am willing to accept any and all advice, direction or condolences as we proceed.
Some hopes for future materials:
Squak Mountain Stone for counters in kitchen
Standing Seam Roof
Eliminating the lawn in favor of gardens, deck and hard surface areas
Galvanized 6" Half Round gutters with rain chains and rain barrels
Thanks for listening.
aquapura
Oct 15, 07 10:58 am
Looking forward to seeing the progress beta. You'll have to let us know how the paper countertops work out. I'm eyeing those up for my kitchen. Love the epoxy resin science lab look of the black color.
I know it's a little bit late now, but when buying paint Hirshfields gives a good contractor discount to architects. Counts on brushes and supplies too. Also they're a local company if local & regional materials LEED points matter to you. On local projects I almost exclusively spec Hirshfields. Not sure what they have for low VOC's but they also carry Benjamin Moore paints from their retail stores.
b3tadine[sutures]
Oct 16, 07 11:03 am
So, the good, THE BAD and the ugly?
The good, got some decent estimates on refinishing the wood floors. The chalkboard wall and bathroom look great.
The bad, one wall in the office - the exterior wall - had the paint blistering, which turned into paint peeling off the wall, large sections. I kept peeling until I reached a point of what appeared to be good adhesion. I am praying that there is not water in the wall, the plaster seems in good shape, and hoping that it was just poor prep? I am thinking that it might even be because the humidity was pretty high yesterday and that may have something to do with it. I did read that water may not be a culprit, because the latex paint is water based?
The question is this; if there is water in the wall from previous ice damning, will insurance pay to fix the damage?
We also got on a first coat in the 1/2 story ceiling and may do another coat - if the rain stops and humidity comes down - or get the floor pre-prepped, take out staples and sink nail heads.
We also had a plumber stop over and it appears to be a simple issue with regard to water pressure at the kitchen sink, but we are going to have him change out the 3/8" to 1/2" pipe back to the 3/4"...
Oy.
You know it's early, but I hate feeling like shit because I am not a means and methods person, but more of a creative type.
treekiller
Oct 16, 07 1:21 pm
Beta-
my pet peeve in kitchen design is having a countertop seam near the sink. so however you layout the counters, make sure that the seams are several feet away to avoid water damage...
a little late, but you should get a home lead paint test and check areas that you need to scrape. you don't want to inadvertently contaminate your new place.
So when do you move?
liberty bell
Oct 16, 07 2:53 pm
As you guessed, beta, with the plaster in good shape it's probably poor priming under a previous coat of paint. Talk to someone at a real paint store - not Lowe's/Home Depot - who can point you to the correct high quality primer (not Kilz -better than even that). Apparently a good method is to scrape as much as possible, prime, then scrape again...to really get down to quality base below.
However, if it is masonry exterior then plaster, this may be an ongoing problem because the whole wall is breathing. And the use of a good high-quality primer may be hard to reconcile with the low VOC paints you guys are using!
Sarah Hamilton
Oct 16, 07 2:57 pm
An article about painting mistakes on MSN today mentions paint pealage if you aer using latex over an oil-based paint. I don't know what your sub-surface is, but if it was oil, you have to get a specialized primer. At least thats what the article said.
liberty bell
Oct 16, 07 3:17 pm
That's exactly the issue, Sarah, thanks for saying it more clearly than I did! Most likely the original paint is oil-based.
aquapura
Oct 16, 07 3:38 pm
beta - doubtful a homeowners insurance policy will pay to fix an ice dam problem. I had to replace some roof sheathing due to an ice dam/dry rot problem. Had an insurance inspector look at it and no dice...hail yes, this no. I was busting my own back on that job.
Did a temp patch of asphalt shingles over it. Now I've decided when I do a complete replacement steel it is. Asphalt shingles are one terrible filthy product to work with. Smells like a refinery. Disgusted me knowing their mediocre lifespan and the landfills they eventually end up in. Sorry for the editorial.
b3tadine[sutures]
Oct 16, 07 3:55 pm
Thanks everyone. I think I have issues sometimes, and part of me looks at problems - unforseen or not - and wonders, does this define me? Does my inexperience point to some fact that I am incapable of doing architecture, just because I don't know how to x,y,z? I know it sounds stupid, but when paint falls off of your wall, you tend to look at yourself and say - If I can't paint a wall correctly, how the hell can I do anything else?
I will look into the primer, and get some better advice, thanks.
liberty bell
Oct 16, 07 4:08 pm
beta, every single time I paint a wall or specify paint for someone else's wall I have to go through this whole process again of finding out "OK, is the existing paint oil or latex? And that means we need which primer? And that means we need which paint? And typically we use what kind of paint on our walls? And in flat or is it eggshell for walls, then semi or is it gloss for trim? And by the way, one more time, how high do we typically hang a chandelier above a dining table (I dealt with this last one just this morning - 30-36", but next time I do it I'll have to ask again)??"
Honestly every single portion of a project is the same damn learning curve over and over for me - there's just not room in my brain to keep it all in there. As a good friend once said: the construction stuff is just factual knowledge gained through experience. The creative stuff is another part of the brain entirely!
Sarah Hamilton
Oct 16, 07 4:22 pm
Being a southern girl, even though I was educated in the north-east, I have no idea what an Ice Dam is. Can someone explain? This is what I'm guessing..
Ice forms on the roof, pushing up underneath the shingles, causing water leaks? Is this close, maybe a remedial understanding?
And if scrubbing is an issue, semi-gloss is easier to clean! Good thing I read that article today.
cityboy9
Oct 16, 07 4:49 pm
sounds very exciting, beta! just be patient, it DOES take time; my wife and i went throught the same thing just about a month ago!
do post pictures!!
ps. you mentioned cork flooring in the kitchen? definitely look into it! there are some gorgeous products out there and many are VERY DIY-friendly! (NOVA brand - Swiss-manufactured and VOC-free!)
liberty bell
Oct 16, 07 4:52 pm
Cork flooring is my favorite, favorite material.....
cityboy9
Oct 16, 07 4:53 pm
....and it smells divine!! mmmmmmmmm! um...ok i'm done.
liberty bell
Oct 16, 07 4:58 pm
Actually, you could probably put the cork planks down on top of what's there, right? I mean strip off any vinyl or whatever and just go over the plywood subfloor? The cork planks are only 3/8" thick, I think. We glued ours even though they are click-together and they looks fantastic, the seams hardly show at all...if I could go back I would have done the whole house in cork not the bamboo in the public areas that I did.
cityboy9
Oct 16, 07 5:04 pm
YES! LB is right! they are super forgiving in terms of how they get put down! aaahh! i LOVE ours! i know it's ridiculous to get THIS excited over cork, but i just gotta; and sorry beta, don't mean to steal your thunder (or thread)... just advocating for this product that's all.
treekiller
Oct 16, 07 6:04 pm
Sarah- you're right on. ice dams are caused by either improper insulation, or warmer (daytime) air getting under the eaves and melting the snow which then refreezes.
Asphalt shingles are recyclable- just need to find a local asphalt batch plant that adds ground up shingles to their paving mix.
b3tadine[sutures]
Nov 1, 07 4:00 pm
Found out today that my house is "famous" and has been "published..." good thing is that now i will have scaled cad dwgs and/or files of my home. good.
liberty bell
Nov 1, 07 4:11 pm
Can you post a link?!?
b3tadine[sutures]
Nov 1, 07 5:16 pm
the only thing i have is a link, perhaps later i can post some pdfs...
the "book" has my place, address and all, as the example of a craftsman bungalow and remodelling poss....
drums please, Fab?
Mar 1, 08 8:47 pm
how's it going?
i'll be painting soon - any recommendations for zero/low voc paint?
drums please, Fab?
Feb 16, 10 11:36 am
don't leave me hangin', man!
what's new?
b3tadine[sutures]
Feb 16, 10 11:41 am
new? some drunk person hit my house a month ago. new galvanized half round gutters and a rain barrel. painted the kitchen. looking at doing the bathroom this spring/summer. and maybe finish out the basement too.
drums please, Fab?
Dec 10, 15 12:30 am
Any updates? How's Tricia?
b3tadine[sutures]
Dec 10, 15 12:46 am
Trish is good, she sends her love, I'll be sure to tell her about how your white tears are causing you so much angst.
You're not going to go Cobain yourself are you?
Wait, are you really MDC? Does Yoko know you're online?
I'll make this first entry brief. I am copying Lord Steven and his home project blog, and while I am sure that living up to his standards will be quite difficult, I will try my best to give you a sense of what this novice learns. I will post images when I get them to Flickr and provide links to wish list items, services, and products used.
Today my wife, Tricia, and I started prepping for paint in three rooms; the office, bathroom and 1/2 story loft/bedroom. I will post colors and images later. I understand why people get paid big dollars to do this kind of work, it's not easy, cutting in at the wood detailing, corners, and ceilings are quite difficult. I know I did not get enough of the right type of brushes - I wish paint store guys knew more or were more helpful - and today alone I spent over $400 for one room alone. Costs are high, because of the zero VOC or low VOC paints I am using, big allergies to paint.
I will say this, I am using chalkboard paint for one entire wall in my office, should be interesting.
I hope I will get better over time, and I am willing to accept any and all advice, direction or condolences as we proceed.
Some hopes for future materials:
Squak Mountain Stone for counters in kitchen
Standing Seam Roof
Eliminating the lawn in favor of gardens, deck and hard surface areas
Galvanized 6" Half Round gutters with rain chains and rain barrels
Thanks for listening.
Looking forward to seeing the progress beta. You'll have to let us know how the paper countertops work out. I'm eyeing those up for my kitchen. Love the epoxy resin science lab look of the black color.
I know it's a little bit late now, but when buying paint Hirshfields gives a good contractor discount to architects. Counts on brushes and supplies too. Also they're a local company if local & regional materials LEED points matter to you. On local projects I almost exclusively spec Hirshfields. Not sure what they have for low VOC's but they also carry Benjamin Moore paints from their retail stores.
So, the good, THE BAD and the ugly?
The good, got some decent estimates on refinishing the wood floors. The chalkboard wall and bathroom look great.
The bad, one wall in the office - the exterior wall - had the paint blistering, which turned into paint peeling off the wall, large sections. I kept peeling until I reached a point of what appeared to be good adhesion. I am praying that there is not water in the wall, the plaster seems in good shape, and hoping that it was just poor prep? I am thinking that it might even be because the humidity was pretty high yesterday and that may have something to do with it. I did read that water may not be a culprit, because the latex paint is water based?
The question is this; if there is water in the wall from previous ice damning, will insurance pay to fix the damage?
We also got on a first coat in the 1/2 story ceiling and may do another coat - if the rain stops and humidity comes down - or get the floor pre-prepped, take out staples and sink nail heads.
We also had a plumber stop over and it appears to be a simple issue with regard to water pressure at the kitchen sink, but we are going to have him change out the 3/8" to 1/2" pipe back to the 3/4"...
Oy.
You know it's early, but I hate feeling like shit because I am not a means and methods person, but more of a creative type.
Beta-
my pet peeve in kitchen design is having a countertop seam near the sink. so however you layout the counters, make sure that the seams are several feet away to avoid water damage...
a little late, but you should get a home lead paint test and check areas that you need to scrape. you don't want to inadvertently contaminate your new place.
So when do you move?
As you guessed, beta, with the plaster in good shape it's probably poor priming under a previous coat of paint. Talk to someone at a real paint store - not Lowe's/Home Depot - who can point you to the correct high quality primer (not Kilz -better than even that). Apparently a good method is to scrape as much as possible, prime, then scrape again...to really get down to quality base below.
However, if it is masonry exterior then plaster, this may be an ongoing problem because the whole wall is breathing. And the use of a good high-quality primer may be hard to reconcile with the low VOC paints you guys are using!
An article about painting mistakes on MSN today mentions paint pealage if you aer using latex over an oil-based paint. I don't know what your sub-surface is, but if it was oil, you have to get a specialized primer. At least thats what the article said.
That's exactly the issue, Sarah, thanks for saying it more clearly than I did! Most likely the original paint is oil-based.
beta - doubtful a homeowners insurance policy will pay to fix an ice dam problem. I had to replace some roof sheathing due to an ice dam/dry rot problem. Had an insurance inspector look at it and no dice...hail yes, this no. I was busting my own back on that job.
Did a temp patch of asphalt shingles over it. Now I've decided when I do a complete replacement steel it is. Asphalt shingles are one terrible filthy product to work with. Smells like a refinery. Disgusted me knowing their mediocre lifespan and the landfills they eventually end up in. Sorry for the editorial.
Thanks everyone. I think I have issues sometimes, and part of me looks at problems - unforseen or not - and wonders, does this define me? Does my inexperience point to some fact that I am incapable of doing architecture, just because I don't know how to x,y,z? I know it sounds stupid, but when paint falls off of your wall, you tend to look at yourself and say - If I can't paint a wall correctly, how the hell can I do anything else?
I will look into the primer, and get some better advice, thanks.
beta, every single time I paint a wall or specify paint for someone else's wall I have to go through this whole process again of finding out "OK, is the existing paint oil or latex? And that means we need which primer? And that means we need which paint? And typically we use what kind of paint on our walls? And in flat or is it eggshell for walls, then semi or is it gloss for trim? And by the way, one more time, how high do we typically hang a chandelier above a dining table (I dealt with this last one just this morning - 30-36", but next time I do it I'll have to ask again)??"
Honestly every single portion of a project is the same damn learning curve over and over for me - there's just not room in my brain to keep it all in there. As a good friend once said: the construction stuff is just factual knowledge gained through experience. The creative stuff is another part of the brain entirely!
Being a southern girl, even though I was educated in the north-east, I have no idea what an Ice Dam is. Can someone explain? This is what I'm guessing..
Ice forms on the roof, pushing up underneath the shingles, causing water leaks? Is this close, maybe a remedial understanding?
And if scrubbing is an issue, semi-gloss is easier to clean! Good thing I read that article today.
sounds very exciting, beta! just be patient, it DOES take time; my wife and i went throught the same thing just about a month ago!
do post pictures!!
ps. you mentioned cork flooring in the kitchen? definitely look into it! there are some gorgeous products out there and many are VERY DIY-friendly! (NOVA brand - Swiss-manufactured and VOC-free!)
Cork flooring is my favorite, favorite material.....
....and it smells divine!! mmmmmmmmm! um...ok i'm done.
Actually, you could probably put the cork planks down on top of what's there, right? I mean strip off any vinyl or whatever and just go over the plywood subfloor? The cork planks are only 3/8" thick, I think. We glued ours even though they are click-together and they looks fantastic, the seams hardly show at all...if I could go back I would have done the whole house in cork not the bamboo in the public areas that I did.
YES! LB is right! they are super forgiving in terms of how they get put down! aaahh! i LOVE ours! i know it's ridiculous to get THIS excited over cork, but i just gotta; and sorry beta, don't mean to steal your thunder (or thread)... just advocating for this product that's all.
Sarah- you're right on. ice dams are caused by either improper insulation, or warmer (daytime) air getting under the eaves and melting the snow which then refreezes.
Asphalt shingles are recyclable- just need to find a local asphalt batch plant that adds ground up shingles to their paving mix.
Found out today that my house is "famous" and has been "published..." good thing is that now i will have scaled cad dwgs and/or files of my home. good.
Can you post a link?!?
the only thing i have is a link, perhaps later i can post some pdfs...
http://www.longfellow.org/planbook.html
the "book" has my place, address and all, as the example of a craftsman bungalow and remodelling poss....
how's it going?
i'll be painting soon - any recommendations for zero/low voc paint?
don't leave me hangin', man!
what's new?
new? some drunk person hit my house a month ago. new galvanized half round gutters and a rain barrel. painted the kitchen. looking at doing the bathroom this spring/summer. and maybe finish out the basement too.
Any updates? How's Tricia?
Trish is good, she sends her love, I'll be sure to tell her about how your white tears are causing you so much angst.
You're not going to go Cobain yourself are you?
Wait, are you really MDC? Does Yoko know you're online?