Chimney Stack Project

9/15-9/16, 2012

This weekend we worked on a long-overdue project: doing something about the chimney stack in the basement. The reason for the project was that the bricks, having been painted white decades ago, were shedding paint chips and even mortar onto our new vinyl floor. That would just not do. So we determined to encase the chimney stack.

It was a project done almost completely with leftover materials, except that I had to buy 4 tubes of Liquid Nails, some vinyl corner molding, and 4 8-foot lengths of flat 1-1/8" molding. There was enough Hardie Board left over from the shower project to cut panels, which I glued to the chimney stack with the Liquid Nails. The surface was uneven, so the results were a bit uneven, but Leslie is a pro at fixing things like that. Then we had to frame it all in, using scraps of wood and the new molding. Those we glued on with a hot glue gun. Then Leslie figured out a way to give a finished look to the result, and she primed and painted the stack last night and this afternoon. The color is the color of the walls. 

The result is below, in two views:

You almost wouldn't know this is a chimney stack, unless you look above where it wasn't finished out. At least it looks like we have solved the problem of the shedding paint chips. You can click on the pictures for a larger view.

All in Place, Almost Done

Almost done!  We've spent two back-breaking days putting the basement back together.  We now have a very comfortable, bright, and usable room that includes a laundry, shower, sewing and craft areas, treadmill, lots of storage, and enough open space for exercising or practicing our dance moves.  I (Leslie) have some more camouflaging work to do to hide ductwork and other uglies.  We also think we need a flat-screen t.v. to go on the wall opposite the treadmill.  

Above: the west end

Above: the east end, door to the garage

 The window seat, repainted, with new pulls

The new sink. The molding still needs to be painted

The new shower: the tile work in the shower floor is the same as on the sink counter.

A small amount of work remains, but manageable. We think this project turned out nicely. Credit goes to Mark Morgan for making Leslie's vision real.

Major Work Done

Here it is July 2, and we finally have something to report on the basement renovation project. Mark finished his work for the time being, on Friday. Dale had been painting ceilings & walls since last Thursday, he thinks. Certainly Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were all 8-hour days, and more, of painting, in order to ready the floor for laying down vinyl. The vinyl layers came by this morning around 10:45 and left about 1:00. Although the project is not finished yet--touch-up remains, plus a couple more tasks, including the electricians coming back to finish up--here are pictures of how it looks today, after the flooring guys left. It's looking good!

In the picture above, you see some unfinished electrical work and the dryer vent, then to the left edge part of the sink preparation, including the drain. Note the can of bug spray in the window well: we have had a plague of flies the past several days. Dale has killed at least 3 dozen. We think a bat or two has died in some dark corner of the basement.

Mark is going to sheet-rock the exposed framing in the back corner near the electrical service panel, at my insistence. That will clean up that area nicely.

Above you see the finished shower, with corrugated steel walls and tiled floor. It's cool and is testimony to the brilliance of its planner--Leslie. Mark was proud of his work when he finished.

More of the south wall. The washer will go on the left, then a sink under the medicine cabinet, then the dryer, then a recycled, repainted cabinet, then the six-drawer unit window seat--which was originally water bed storage units--then a tall cabinet. There will be a hanging rod over the window seat, for hanging clothes on.

Above, in this last picture, is a view of the door to the old workshop and stairs to the landing. To the left of the door will be Leslie's sewing table. On the right side of the picture is the location of the chest freezer. 

All the furniture is stored now in both garages. We can't wait to move it all back in and get our garages back for our vehicles.

More Sheetrock

Here is the result of Monday's work: more sheet rock on the walls, and even some started on the ceiling near the garage door. 

This is looking pretty good!

Once sheet rocking is completed, the flooring will be put down. We are hoping that the shower will be finished enough to be used this weekend, as Kelly, Mike, & the boys are coming in.

Sheetrock!

Friday Mark started putting up sheetrock, finally, now that the electrical work is certified. Here is the long section of wall, the shower stall at the far end of the room.

Mark has also re-done the two window wells. There used to be a dryer vent that went through the center panel of this window. Mark replaced it with a new clear pane. The two side panels will need to be cleaned really well to match the new one.

Monday will likely see the remaining sheetrock put up, even the ceiling. Then the panels will all have to be taped and mudded. It will likely be the middle of the week before all this is done. But we are getting there.

Progress (Finally!)

After a delay of over three weeks, the project is ready to shift into high gear. Mark got a building permit, he contracted with Corky's Electric to do the electrical work (required by code), and he did some work, like putting up the studs. Corky's moved the service panel--which used to be over closer to the door--and routed the cables in a straight line out from the box. Most of this will be hidden.

Mark also did some work on the shower. For the past three days he put down the tile and yesterday he grouted it. It already looks very nice, as you can see from this picture below.

Yesterday Mark also put up most of the insulation, plus he took out the window on the right and got a new glass pane cut and put in at Lowe's. The center pane used to be where the dryer vent was located. It's now down below and runs up the wall to a new vent on the outside. Sheet rock will probably go up today.

Corky's will come back to finish up their work, which include installing a new outlet on the west outside wall, so that we can plug in cords for outside use. Right now there is one on the north side, but it takes a very long extension cord to reach the front yard. This will make using my electric mower and weedeater much easier, and also will allow for ease in putting up Christmas lights.

At this point, electrical work is approved, plumbing is approved, and all that remains is sheet rock on walls and ceiling, flooring, and installation of the sink unit. The rest of the cabinetry in the basement is being repainted in the other garage. We have been parking our vehicles outside for several weeks now, as both garages are being used for work.

We hope the majority of the work will be done by the time that Kelly, Mike, Dom & Noel arrive in a week.

Leslie's Birthday is Today!

Today is Leslie's birthday. To see how young she is today, read the adaptation I wrote based on Sammy Hagar's song "I Can't Drive 55," below. To enjoy the adaptation, you need to play the song first. You can find it on YouTube.

 YOU DON’T LOOK SIXTY-TWO

[In the style of Sammy Hagar]

One foot in the grave and one on the ground?

No, there’s too much living, you’re gonna stick around.

Well, you sit up and do your stretching moves,
And you’re out of bed and into your groove…again!

So put on your makeup and all that goo,
Do in the morning what you gotta do,

Throw your SS card into the loo,

Cause you don’t look sixty-two!

Now you could call a halt today,

And SSI will send you your pay.

Oh, you can retire, and you will be fine,

All you gotta do is sign on the line!

But put on your makeup and all that goo,
Do in the morning what you gotta do,

Throw your SS card into the loo,

Cause you don’t look sixty-two!

Used to, you could work all day;

But four hours is now okay.

Yet you’ll never slow down, and you’ll never stop,

For as long as you can cha and bop.

So put on your makeup and all that goo,
Do in the morning what you gotta do,

Throw your SS card into the loo,

Cause you don’t look sixty-two!

No, you… don’t… look… sixty-two!