Bustin' Ash

One of the most popular selling features of any home is a fireplace--especially in an older home. So you can imagine our elation when our dream, fixer-upper came stocked with one.

However, judging by the sturdy piece of sheet metal covering the opening of the firebox, we knew there would be a battle ahead to bring it up to snuff. 

It took us a while to work up the courage to cut her open, and when we finally decided to bite the bullet we got a little more than we bargained for.  A whole lot of bird poop (at least it was an endangered bird's poop) and a chimney fire.

Knowing we were out of our league, we conceded and called in the best--Ash Busters to the rescue. 

Here's a list of what they found and what they fixed:

• Broken and missing flue tiles
  
• Install of a heatshield liner and flue sealant
  
• Ceramic smoke chamber seal
  
• Energy efficient damper system
  
• Crumbling back firebox wall 
  
• Rebuild of firebox masonry
  
• Repoint and Tuckpoint entire chimney from the roofline up
  

The Ash Bustin' team arrived around 9 a.m. and worked solidly until 7:30 p.m.--what can i say, Paul's a tyrant? Clearly not a project for the avid DIY'er or even a more experienced duo.  

When all was said and done, we got what we paid for and a little more--quality craftsmanship and the guarantee that if our house burns down, its not our fault! (although I must admit i was a little disappointed that they looked and dressed nothing like Bert and his cohorts from Mary Poppins--boo). 

None the less, one step closer to a finished, stylish family room that will be warm and cozy for autumns to come.

Stay tuned...

LB

Bungalow Paneling: Out With the Old, In With the New

Alright, its official, Paul and I decided to add some craftsman detail back to our family room with the addition of wainscoting.

Of course, after deciding this, we realized we had no idea how to capture the intricacies of quality a

nd legit wainscoting.  We 

started by surfing the Internet for styles we liked (see example to the left).  From there it was a toss up between bead-board or shadowbox--clearly, one of which would have been a much simpler install.

After testing a package of tounge-in groove bead board panels, we knew it was a no go. Measuring only 32 inches high, and 40 inches high with the addition of an 8 inch baseboard--they were simply too short.  Plus at about 2 inches wide per strip, you got a whole lot of busy going on in a room thats over 20 feet long.

So that left us with shadowbox wainscoting.  We started by taking a look at wood options.  For us, we knew we wanted to paint everything out white, so the grain didn't matter, too much. 

However, that being said, we wanted a quality piece of lumber that would paint out smoothly and lend itself to a more original feel for the bungalow.

We decided on birch and grabbed a couple of sample pieces before heading back to 1148 to map out a plan.  Using a chalk line, measuring tape and the sample pieces we were able to come up with a pretty good solution.

Time for prep, shopping and install!

PREP:

• Remove all baseboards, electrical boxes, etc. and give the area a good cleaning.  
  
• When you remove the baseboards, make sure to label the backs as to what went where, so that re-install is simple and smooth.
  
• Now is also a good time to prep the baseboards for paint by sanding and removing years of built up paint and stain and imperfections...(on an old house, be sure to test for lead paint before sanding)
  
• You'll want to look for old nails, screws or other items on the wall that would cause the plywood to - adhere incorrectly.
  
• Make sure you take solid measurments because quality wood isn't cheap and its not fun to overspend--as the old adage goes, measure twice, cut once.
  

SHOPPING LIST:

• 7 sheets birch plywood
  
• Chalk line (if you didn't already mark out your plans on the wall)
• 2 containers liquid nails
  
• 1 caulk gun
  
• 2 inch drywall screws
  
• Table Saw (if you don't already have one, you can always rent one!)
  
• Drill + the right kind of bit

Stay tuned next time for Install!!!

Cheers, 

LB

Hunting for Sconces

When we began the demo journey of our family room, we did not expect to find original scone boxes hidden beneath the bungalow paneling. 

We immediately knew that we should salvage this hidden treasure and update the room by re-working the knob and tube wiring and adding sconces back to the mix. 

That being said, we've stumbled upon numerous sconce options so as we continue to work on restoring the room we thought we'd ask for your input.  (All of the sconce choices will be oil rubbed bronze to match the other fixtures, so ignore the brushed nickel finish on the second choice. )

Simply use the quiz on the blog to cast your vote for one of the choices below.

Cheers,

LB