Basement Steps Makeover

Projects at the house have slowed down since Christmas. It's been difficult to get the ball rolling again. I was sick over the last couple of weeks, and managed to fracture a rib while coughing...Well, I'm gradually feeling better and hope to accomplish some things on the winter project list again soon!

We've faced some really tough cosmetic challenges in renovating this house, one of them being these basement steps. I've wanted to tackle them for a long time, but could not get away from my other projects. Finally, we've made a huge difference in their appearance.








How We Did It:

1. removed disintegrating, and peeling rubber stair treads. (they had been painted white and had gum stuck to them, and were covered in grime.) using a crowbar, and a hairdryer to soften the mastic glue.

2. stripped black mastic glue using Bean-e-doo mastic remover which I was able to get at a pretty good discount from a seller on eBay. Great product, not reccomended for wood, but it did do the job without hazardous chemicals which was a concern for us, as we have four cats.

3. Stairs scrubbed & cleaned with soap and water

4. Wood puttied where it was necessary. Allowed that to dry.

5. Sanded wood putty, & lightly sanded peeling paint & rough surfaces. (avoid breathing lead dust.)

6. applied Zinsser Peel Stop to peeling paint and rough surfaces.

7. Applied 1 coat of Kilz Casual Colors One Coat Paint (Dark Umber)

Allow that to dry and apply one more coat where necessary.

In a few days the stairs will be finished and dry enough to install some pretty carpet stair treads which I ordered from Amazon.com

Updated Side Entry!

1. New custom colonial storm door.
2. Vinyl siding repaired!
3. New light fixture to match!
4. New doorbell! ding-dong!

Merry Christmas to us from us!






BEFORE:

WOW!!!!!








In the spring, the side entry exterior will receive the finishing cosmetic fixes which will include total restoration of the entry door and hardware. It will be painted deep red to match the 2nd floor patio door.

Breakfast Room Updates

The chandelier is in!... as well as the new switch to turn it on.

What goes through one's tiny mind when they haphazardly install a large room ceiling fan in a very tiny room with a low slanting ceiling? When did it become logical to use electrical tape in place of a wire nut?

I need Robert Ben Garant to take notes on this project while wearing a monkey suit.

How many monkeys does it take to screw in a lightbulb? : I don't know sir, we don't have enough information yet!

WELL, I NEED ANSWERS!....









"Quick, how many monkey's have you seen today?!"

"Sir, with all due respect sir, I don't understand the question!"


Okay, moving on to the window casing. As you can see there has been progress! We'll be back soon with photos of the apron installation.

BEFORE:

That's What It's All About!

PREPARE TO BE BLOWN AWAY! I've done my best to create a slideshow here to showcase the renovation of the rear addition (what we are calling the cardroom & breakfast room/eat-in-kitchen respectively.)

Photos dating all the way from August 2008 to today. The original inspiration, and the scope of the work that has been done in the past three months.

We faced carpenter ant infestation, carpenter ant damage, water damage, damaged joint seams, dry rot, rot, electrical boxes consumed by rust and everything in between. There was more work completed solely by Liam and myself than we were able to document on camera.




Work is still going on, but we are finally entering into the final stages.

UP NEXT...Window casing is about to go into place. New light fixtures, and some electrical changes will be made. New baseboards will be installed, as well as new pantry door. Additional painting of course, and some cosmetic fixes for cold air return and vents. It is a masterpiece for which we are extremely proud!

A gem of a property!

Now the ball is really rolling. We've just replaced the front storm door which was missing hardware to close and had a whacky glass storm panel insert which was leaking out all sorts of hot air and leaking in all sorts of cold air. The exterior entry door we have inside the sunporch has a 1" gap beneath it from when previous owners planed the door down to accomodate carpeting. It also has a lot of glass, so without a proper storm door, we were in for a big draft.

I will get to that entry door next spring. It will be stripped, refinished, re-weatherstripped, etc.





Anyway, we finally had our custom Anderson storm door installed. This is an Anderson 2000 series with a 79" height. (All our entry doors are 79" tall) Full glass with slide away screen. It looks lovely on the house. We already feel the energy savings! AND Now the kitties can enjoy going out on the sunporch when the weather is not too cold.

COMING UP FOR EXTERIOR...
Mailbox and address sign will see updates soon...
Side entry door will be worked on by Barry...re-glazed, new lock, new trim, and new storm door with cross panels will be installed shortly, and a new light fixture.

Found Treasures!

When we bought the house, I sort of didn't remember all the sweet little details that made us want to buy it. Now, I'm of course noticing these little things all the time. A lot of treasures were looted here, but at least we have these small gems for keeps...

This stunning crystal door knob is especially bright, and large! The flat face on it is a clear window to the mesmerizing star in the center! I also love the pewter.





Not a chip on it, despite the abuse this house has seen. It's like little miracle.

And then on the reverse we have this gorgeous copper knob! I gently cleaned it up using "bar keeper's friend." and it left just that beautiful dark patina. I coated it then with a clear coat of enamel to protect it from too much oxidizing and tarnishing. It was mostly green before as you will see. Nothing wrong with that! It's just so nice to see that copper hue come through again.



BEFORE...

RED DOOR!

We now have a red exterior door that leads from the upstairs bathroom to a small outdoor patio.

It was once the worst door on the exterior of the house, and it is now the best!

During a two month restoration, this early 1930s craftsman style door with original blown glass, copper exterior knob and large crystal interior knob, has made a wonderful recovery! Look below for the BEFORE images. We believe over 30 layers of oil & lead paint were removed.







The copper knob has been beautifully restored leaving the dark worn patina. (more photos later.)

The interior has been painted a very nice country beige and looks great! In addition we spruced up an already decent storm door with a new closer and hardware.

I will have additional photos posted to the blog after re-installation of the doorknobs and the new weather stripping, and once everything is cleaned up.

BEFORE: