Poor House
Chris has said a few times that this house was probably in better shape BEFORE we got a hold of it. I've always argued with him, because we really do try to do a good job. But, after taking a quick look around, I'm beginning to think he may be right.
The plumbers notched floor joists, cracked drywall, cut through phone lines, and then left the fittings either too high or too low. We installed hexagonal mosaic tiles in the bathroom, but since it was so cold when we installed them (pre-HVAC), the grout has since started cracking! That really shouldn't be too upsetting since it is stained with plaster dust anyways. My advice - never use WHITE grout. That is, unless you are exceptionally clean, don't own a dog, cat or ever plan on walking on it. Seriously.
There is damaged plaster with drywall replacing it that needs to be finished, a gaping hole in the foundation, a few stray holes drilled here and there, an outlet pulled almost out of the wall (still not sure who did that one), and then some paint drips on the wood floor in Natalie's room (I KNOW who did that one). It's funny how the smallest things add up to a really big mess.
Oh well, such is the way it goes.
So, a few questions...
1. What product is best for covering drywall gaps to match a smooth plaster finish? Any advice on technique for doing this?
2. What is something that can take out the stains in white grout? I've tried bleach, Lysol, Soft Scrub...even toothpaste. And what is a good way to keep them out? We water sealed when we finished the grout, it supposedly lasts 15 years. Any other ideas? I've even thought about putting some sort of stain on the grout to change it to a more user friendly color...would that work?
3. What would be the best fix for the holes in the foundation? It looks like we are going to have to fix it ourselves...argh. Any advice here would be SO welcome.
4. What will remove latex paint drippings from Polyurethane finished wood floors without hurting the finish?
An uninvited visitor - He/She actually stayed in the food bowl until I ran back with the camera. After all that, the flash delayed and it decided to leave.
Halloween Fun
The plumbers notched floor joists, cracked drywall, cut through phone lines, and then left the fittings either too high or too low. We installed hexagonal mosaic tiles in the bathroom, but since it was so cold when we installed them (pre-HVAC), the grout has since started cracking! That really shouldn't be too upsetting since it is stained with plaster dust anyways. My advice - never use WHITE grout. That is, unless you are exceptionally clean, don't own a dog, cat or ever plan on walking on it. Seriously.
There is damaged plaster with drywall replacing it that needs to be finished, a gaping hole in the foundation, a few stray holes drilled here and there, an outlet pulled almost out of the wall (still not sure who did that one), and then some paint drips on the wood floor in Natalie's room (I KNOW who did that one). It's funny how the smallest things add up to a really big mess.
Oh well, such is the way it goes.
So, a few questions...
1. What product is best for covering drywall gaps to match a smooth plaster finish? Any advice on technique for doing this?
2. What is something that can take out the stains in white grout? I've tried bleach, Lysol, Soft Scrub...even toothpaste. And what is a good way to keep them out? We water sealed when we finished the grout, it supposedly lasts 15 years. Any other ideas? I've even thought about putting some sort of stain on the grout to change it to a more user friendly color...would that work?
3. What would be the best fix for the holes in the foundation? It looks like we are going to have to fix it ourselves...argh. Any advice here would be SO welcome.
4. What will remove latex paint drippings from Polyurethane finished wood floors without hurting the finish?
posted by C&C at 9:53 PM
6 comments
