Baseboards

My stock of baseboard ran low and I had to order more to complete the 3rd floor. Man, not even online shops have stock - I needed like 10 strips. I ordered them - these are nice Houseworks ones and they got backlogged.

They arrived mid-week so my plan was to get them done this past weekend - sometimes you have made a decision and all you want to do is get it done. To my dismay, 3 pieces were warped badly - on both the horizontal and vertical planes. The graining was much more course than stock I've had. So I was not terribly happy, but managed to eek out enough satisfactory lengths to stain and install.

It feels good to plan it and then actually do what you plan - allowing you a sense of accomplishment.

Changed finish of exterior windows

Funny how time changes your mind on your previous choices. I just kept rethinking the dark red burgundy exterior color on the windows. I bit the bullet and re-painted them white. Yes, from one extreme to another.

Of course I'd already glued them in, and fortunately that wasn't too much of a challenge, with the exception of the 2nd floor arch window. That bit the dust when I attempted to remove it. Repainting white over the dark of course took 2 coats, not to mention that the windows were pretty much painted shut the first time. I kept all the 1st floor ones, and ended up trashing the 4 2nd floor ones and getting new windows. Odd that not all of those 2nd floor windows had the removable wood, allowing you to paint without the acrylic.

I'm still not sure about if I will change the front door. I am thinking maybe a combo of white and burgundy.

3rd Floor Nearing Completion

Wood floors done, wallpaper and bead board in 3rd floor bedroom! Can start work on baseboards and doors now.

3rd Floor Goings On

While waiting for the 2nd coat of polyurethane to dry on my wood floors, I finished the bead board ceiling pieces and attached them in the bedroom.

I also got most of the wallpaper hung, just need to trim up and then add chair rail.

Staining and wood floors

I located some hinge locks at Rockler and while they are expensive, they are exactly what I wanted. Once installed, they made working on the 3rd floor a pleasure - no more posts holding the ceiling open.

My flooring strips arrived from Earth N Tree and yesterday I commenced cutting and fitting for all 3 of the 3rd floor rooms. Today I stained them, and once dry they will get polyurethane.

I also am working on bead board ceiling for the far right room - this will be a bedroom. Its cut and stained and when its dry, I will glue them to the template base and then attach to ceiling.

Recent work on the Thornhill

Meant to get a shot of the 3rd floor plaster walls. OK added this too...

In the meantime, here's the shots of the baseboard, the dry dining room tile and the stairs in process. And I ordered from Earth N Tree the 3/8 cherry stripwood for the 3rd floor. I'll take a picture of my template - its done with "For Sale" signs from a hardware store. See below.

I actually used these same signs for the ceiling 'template' that I attached my bead board to.

3rd Floor

I now have the center 3rd floor room and the one on its left plastered. And the first coat of base paint is on the center room. I think the color will be like the living room - very light yellow/antique white with a wash of a yellow and maybe coral.

My billiard/pool table arrived, along with my small bar and pub chairs. I love them - they will fit in there nicely. I'm sure I need some other furniture - a comfy chair and bookcase, footstool, some art for the walls. I got some liquor bottles and some bar accessories - olives etc. 

The wood floor for the 3rd floor has presented me with a dilemma. I don't have enough of the 1/4 inch cherry stock, and the rest of the house has 3/8 stock. Earth n Tree is out of stock and I'm waiting on a reply from SH Goode. Those rooms are large up there, and require a fair amount of wood. I feel like I should maintain continuity and do the same cherry wood as the other rooms below. I did, however, get my template cut out for the center room - with appropriate cutouts. I used those polystyrene For Sale signs you get at the hardware store. Incidentally, I used this same thing for the base that I glued the ceiling bead board to. Worked like a charm, and was easy then to simply glue onto the ceiling. 

Moving on to other things, I stained some baseboard and the stair steps and railing for the 2nd floor stairs. The base stair risers and back will be white - for the stairs to mimic what I have on the first floor. Am now ready to install baseboard on some of the rooms. 

My dining room 'star' tiles arrived today and they are now glued on - so this weekend I will be grouting the floor - finally!