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home restoration

Part 4: Front hall reno.

Part 4, the final step, in the reno-storation of the front hall of my 1927 Arts & Craft bungalow is to add trim, including: The Baseboards. This likely looks like amateur hour but then, I’ve never pretended to be a pro. There are three slightly different floor heights in the hall, which makes baseboards tricky. It seems to me the pro… Read More »Part 4: Front hall reno.

Upper Hall Reno. Part 2 – The Floor.

The renovation of the upper hall floor was part function and part decoration. When I took possession of the house, the floor covering was some vinyl plank stuff, pretending to be wood. Vinyl isn’t in the spirit of era. Considering function, the floor was squishy/flexy-springy in one area1. And it needed to be the right height to match the top… Read More »Upper Hall Reno. Part 2 – The Floor.

Upper Hall Reno. Part 1 – ceiling and walls.

When the weather cools, it’s time for indoor projects. Next is the upstairs hall1. Along with the desired redecoration to get into the original period of the house, there’s some ‘wrongs’ to be considered for righting.  The attic could use more insulation (this is part of the hall reno because the access to the attic is in the hall). Neutral… Read More »Upper Hall Reno. Part 1 – ceiling and walls.

Building Doors.

Why? To match the style of the Arts&Craft house, in design and quality. Yes, doors are available at the DIY stores. But, the quality of these products isn’t a good match for the era: Doors made from solid wood are more adaptable, and feel more solid. I’ve been watching for a couple years, at resellers like the ReStore, which is… Read More »Building Doors.

Trim. No Caulking.

Not content to conquer white painted trim, I’m moving on to stained wood. It’s like taking the training wheels off, or acrobatics with no net.  One of the marvels of modern construction is caulking. Marvellous stuff for sealing gaps, keeping the cold and water out of where they don’t belong. And sealing gaps. Between the baseboard and the wall, if… Read More »Trim. No Caulking.