77th Place

electrical box

Originally uploaded by 7thson

There was a weak spot with squeaking in the floor of the dining room leading into the kitchen. The weak spots were located underneath the house, and the noise was handled by placing pieces of 2×6 lumber between the floor joists and nailing them in place to reinforce the floor. In areas near the weak spots deck screws were screwed into the floor joist at an angle so that the screw would catch the subfloor, pull it tight to the top of the floor joist and help keep down the noise as you walk over the floor.

Most of the remaining day was spent drilling holes in the wall studs to run electrical wire, to separate kitchen outlets, installing boxes for switches, lights and outlets.

stovewall

Originally uploaded by 7thson

As the process of remodeling continues, experience shows that handling details that will be behind the walls or under the floor will be a great benefit during the final states. Yesterday the doorway was widened, today the wall where the stove will sit was partially removed.

When the house was built there was a door that leads from the hallway to the kitchen. In order to frame a doorway in the wall there was a 6 inch difference between the doorway wall and the stove wall that kept the stove from being pushed against the wall. The six inch difference between walls was removed, and the doorway / hallway will now extend to the ceiling. The two walls will not end at the sam place on the floor, but that won’t matter because the hallway will end in the kitchen.

The floor was also removed to the subfloor. The original plan to was to take the floor down to the floor joists and start with a new floor. The contractor decided that the subfloor was in good condition and was not necessary to be removed. There are a few areas that need some attention because they were not completely level. The subfloor will be leveled before the plywood floor is installed. When the cabinets are installed having a level floor will make the job so much easier; that’s yet another one of those details that happens in the early stages behind the walls or rather under the floor that matters during the final stages.

a wider doorway

Originally uploaded by 7thson

Since this is a 1940′s era kitchen; the doorway leading into the kitchen was very narrow. In those days appliances were not as large as they are today. This doorway makes it very difficult to get regular sized appliances through it. In order to move the fridge out of the kitchen the doors had to be removed.

In the process of widening the doorway, and because the doorway was in a weight bearing wall, supports were used as the old smaller header was removed to add a 4×6 header to support the added width. The right side of the doorway is also being moved over to accommodate the new cabinets, countertop and moulding around the doorway.

The electricity in this house is all tied together with hardly enough circuit breakers for the modern appliances that most kitchens and homes have today. Using two appliances at the same time will surely result in tripped circuit breakers that might shut off most of the house.

With a new kitchen comes new electrical wiring, and circuits specifically for the kitchen and it’s appliances.

The light switches for the dining room, laundry room and kitchen overhead light will be updated and separated in order to keep everything in the kitchen on separate circuits. Updated electrical wiring and new circuits will be added for the microwave, the stove, washer and dryer and outlets.

down to the studs

Originally uploaded by 7thson

Yesterday the all walls and ceiling plaster had been removed and nails were pulled from every wall stud, in preparation for the new 5/8 in dry wall.

Today will be spent removing the nails from the ceiling joists in the kitchen and demo in the laundry room.

The last bit of plaster in the laundry room has to be removed today. Next comes the task of disposing plaster and dust from the floor.

Most of the day after removing the plaster from the laundry room was spent waiting for the dumpster to arrive. The companies that were called were not able to deliver to us because of city rules and City Hall for the city in question was closed every other Friday because of cut backs.

In order to stay on schedule with removal of the plaster a crew with a truck was contracted to haul the debris away. After loading everything including the small pieces on the kitchen and laundry room floor there was very little time left to do very much without working into the night.

To finish the day of work; the short walls that separated the kitchen from the laundry room was removed. Instead of attempting pry the 2×4′s apart a saws-all was used to cut through the nails so they were able to be pulled apart without much effort.

There will be no work on the weekend so the next entry will be Monday of next week. We’ll remove the remainder of the wall studs that separate the kitchen from the dining room move the doorway, and handle the wall behind the stove.

See Ya Monday!

bare walls

Originally uploaded by 7thson

Today was spent removing the walls and ceiling from the kitchen.

Since this house was built in the 40′s the walls and ceiling was made of lath and plaster. The wall started out at a little more that 3/8 of an inch thick but after the applications of plaster the walls were an inch thick.

Removing the walls and ceiling was no easy feat especially in the corners, because there was a wire mesh that was covered by plaster on both the ceiling and walls that had to be removed to make the job easier. The plaster was almost rock hard because it had been more than 50 years since it was applied which makes removal a time and energy consuming task.

The walls were removed with a sledge hammer and flat crow bar. Care had to be given to the joining walls so that the vibrations and shocks from removing the kitchen walls would not disturb and or crack the wall.

Tomorrow, wall and ceiling removal in the laundry room, clearing the floor in the kitchen and laundry by taking all debris to the dumpster and removing the floor, if time allows.

attic

Originally uploaded by 7thson

Securing all the necessary permits is just about complete; there is just enough time left today to deal with the insulation in the attic. Normally no work begins until all paperwork, and or permits have been secured, but since the contractor is very confident that everything will be finished after another day, he gave the o.k. to get started.

It’s always important to keep working so there is very little down time between jobs, doing so helps to stay on schedule with jobs that are scheduled upon completion of the current job.

Since walls will be removed and the ceiling will be taken out to install recessed lights the insulation over the kitchen has to me moved and removed. Some areas with insulation was transferred to bags to get it out of the way, and other areas over the kitchen where the ceiling is to be removed was pushed over other rooms of the house.

Bagging and moving the insulation will ensure that it does not fall to the kitchen floor when the ceiling is removed. When the new ceiling and lights are installed, the insulation will be replaced so that it can do it’s job of keeping the heat from the sun in the attic instead of heating the living areas of the house.

Since this task was done successfully the next step is to demo the kitchen.

kitchen_Before

Originally uploaded by 7thson

This is an introduction to a Kitchen remodel.

It is my desire to document with words and photos the entire remodel process of this kitchen.

Please come along with me as this kitchen is transformed from a 1940′s era kitchen to a kitchen of the 21st Century.

This kitchen remodel has been a long time coming; the current residents have lived here with this kitchen in it’s present state for more than thirty years.

The residence was built in the late 40′s. The kitchen is almost the same as it was when it was built, with the exception of post 40s’ appliances and a garbage disposal with a switch in front of the sink (I suppose there was no better place for it) where the slightest touch will start it.

This kitchen will be torn out completely—— exposing the rafters, wall studs, and floor joists. Walls will be removed for a better layout and to make space for more cabinets. The doorway leading into the kitchen from the dining room will be enlarged and moved over to make room for the new cabinets which are larger in depth than the built in cabinets presently installed. 5/8 inch drywall and insulation will be installed, recessed lighting and all new cabinets.

The floor will be supported and replaced with 3/4 in plywood, backer-board and tile. There will be a new stove and microwave, new refrigerator , dishwasher, stone countertop with stainless steel double sink and a “touch faucet”. This is a faucet that will allow the user to use the back of their finger(s), wrist, arm, or elbow to start the faucet without getting food, meat juice, blood or what ever happens to be in their hands on the faucet handles, or knobs.