So yesterday was a productive day at my house. Not long after finishing my blog post yesterday morning, I was back at work on my hallway/stairwell. I think I clocked in at roughly 5:50 in the morning. The first task I got to was shoving loose insulation down a section of ceiling that was good enough that it didn't need to be ripped down. I could have rented the machine meant to blow in the insulation, but with only about a 20 sq. ft. area to do, I figured it would be largely a waste of money and would tackle it by hand. Well, it took me a little while to shove the loose insulation down and pack it in. I got more than a few cuts and scrapes from the nails sticking down from the roof, but nothing major, so I moved on. (I know, I should have worn gloves, but I would much rather be able to feel what I am doing without the interference of the glove). Once that was all set and it was late enough in the morning where I could start making noise cutting wood, I got to finishing the framing of the ceiling. With a fresh morning brain uninhibited by a long day of work, the framing went much more quickly. Finally got the tricky angled part done and I was ready to put in the new lights and re-do a little bit of the electrical. The light we had in the hallway previously was a single bulb in an old, dirty light fixture attached to the ceiling. The new lighting that I put in yesterday consisted of two recessed lights and the box for a track light which I will install when all is said and done. Lights up, I was ready to insulate the rest of the ceiling. In case you were wondering, their form of insulation back in the 1940's and 50's was taking old cardboard boxes and shoving them in between the roof joists. Didn't really keep the heat in. So with new insulation up, and already making a difference in the hallway as I began to sweat, it was time to take on the sheetrock. (I did have lunch somewhere in the middle of all I described, it was quick, but I did actually eat).
The sheetrocking wasn't too much of a pain in the rear end. It was a little tricky because despite my best efforts, I couldn't get everything square and level in the hallway because of its age. But it was damn close. I got most of the sheetrock up, even on the tricky angled section, and then my friend came over to help me hang sheets of mesh on the walls so I could skim coat them. For those of you that don't know what I am talking about here, think of the mesh tape you use on joints in sheetrock or to repair cracks in walls, then take that and make it a roll that is 3 feet wide and 75 feet long. You hang it on the wall like wallpaper and skim coat over it, essentially providing a crack proof surface. Or at least mostly crack proof. Hanging the mesh sheets took about an hour and when we were done, which was around 630 in the evening, I was starving and in need of dinner. I talked to my wife for a bit and then went in to cook the easiest thing I could, tortellini. Shoved that down and planned my next move which was difficult as I had already been working for about 12 hours. To finish sheetrocking or to start skim coating. I chose to skim coat for a while. I didn't get a full first coat on all the walls, but I got about half way before my body gave up and said, enough dude, time to rest. That was at about 9:15. I took a much needed shower, ate a little more food, and passed out on the couch. Well, here I am again, about to finish up writing and then get going on work again. Today I will finish the little bit of sheetrocking left first thing this morning, then finish a first skim coat on the rest of the walls, and then decide what my next move will be. For now, I can't think that far in advance and will just focus on the what I know needs to get done right away. I do want to get a second coat of compound on all the walls this afternoon, and I will get it done somehow, I just haven't figured that out yet. Good luck to me today as my body hurts and doesn't even want to walk up a ladder or stairs.
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