So this past weekend was Demo/Reno Weekend #1! It was exciting, nerve-wracking, joyous, disappointing, tiring, and adrenaline-inducing, all at once!
Day One, Jen noticed that there was a soft spot in the wall next the dinette. She knew we needed to rip the wall open to see how much was soft and where it was coming from. She pulled out half the wall there, and exposed the subfloor to see how wet that was. We found lots of rotted wood and moldy bits. As the rain poured down Friday night, we saw it coming right in and dripping off the insulation. Fans were put out the start drying the mess.
Day One, Jen noticed that there was a soft spot in the wall next the dinette. She knew we needed to rip the wall open to see how much was soft and where it was coming from. She pulled out half the wall there, and exposed the subfloor to see how wet that was. We found lots of rotted wood and moldy bits. As the rain poured down Friday night, we saw it coming right in and dripping off the insulation. Fans were put out the start drying the mess.
The next day, the really damaged subfloor was cut out, and the majority of the wall was taken off. This disruption of space caused carpenter ants aplenty to start flowing. Needless to say, I think they've found a new home as of this weekend. We also figure that there may have been a wayward squirrel that got evicted too!
Jen went around the entire camper and filled any spots that could be potential leak hazards. The floor spent the day with fans on it to keep drying it.
On Sunday, we decided it would be best to pull out everything we possibly could manage so that the floorplan is as naked as we can make it. This allowed for us to see any other areas that may need attention. It also allowed for some creative juices to start flowing about layout. Originally, I was hoping to do something a bit more creative with the dining area, but Jen was partial to the standard dinette. Ripping out the dinette helped her see that we could have so much more walking room and usable spaces if we think a bit more specific to our needs. I had a hard time sleeping last night just thinking of all the possibilities!
Once everything was pulled out, they put brand new cedar 2x4s down to make a stable frame. The cedar should help repel the water as well. This week new subfloor will go down and wall panels will be purchased!
Jen went around the entire camper and filled any spots that could be potential leak hazards. The floor spent the day with fans on it to keep drying it.
On Sunday, we decided it would be best to pull out everything we possibly could manage so that the floorplan is as naked as we can make it. This allowed for us to see any other areas that may need attention. It also allowed for some creative juices to start flowing about layout. Originally, I was hoping to do something a bit more creative with the dining area, but Jen was partial to the standard dinette. Ripping out the dinette helped her see that we could have so much more walking room and usable spaces if we think a bit more specific to our needs. I had a hard time sleeping last night just thinking of all the possibilities!
Once everything was pulled out, they put brand new cedar 2x4s down to make a stable frame. The cedar should help repel the water as well. This week new subfloor will go down and wall panels will be purchased!
On the other side of the yard, I was a busy bee too, removing all 24 cabinet doors and 5 drawers from their homes in the camper, removing all of the handles, latches, and hinges from them, sanding them down and priming them. Things I've learned:
- Power Drills are SO WORTH IT.
- But, there is something primitive and empowering about using your arm muscles and a standard screwdriver.
- Power Sanders are SO WORTH IT.
- But, there is something therapeutic and relaxing about sanding with paper alone.
- I still have no idea which primer is best to use on laminate. Every source I consulted told me something different and the wonderful gentleman at the hardware store only made it worse by making me feel like I was completely incompetent!
One piece of advice that the hardware store guy gave me that I believe but didn't want to at the moment, was that I should pick out my fabrics before picking paint. I really just wanted to get the paint purchases over with in one fell swoop, but he made me feel like I'd be making a huge hue mistake if I did. He told me some horror story about how his mother picked the same exact color I had in my hand and it looks like lime green in her hallway. Mean!!
I saw this the other day and thought it was appealing. I was thinking curtains with this, in a gray kitchen/living room and doing some shade of green paint in the bedroom where we have a gray bedspread. I'm still not sure what we'll cover the couch with, but we'll get there. It will probably be a neutral anyway.
Well - We're officially making progress and good things just keep happening along the way. We just found out that our landlord has agreed to purchase our washer and dryer, sparing us the headache of having to move it out for someone else. It also means we don't have to pay any more rent for the next 3 weeks because he is purchasing the washer and dryer AND paying us over $200 to paint one room (AND he's buying the paint!).
I saw this the other day and thought it was appealing. I was thinking curtains with this, in a gray kitchen/living room and doing some shade of green paint in the bedroom where we have a gray bedspread. I'm still not sure what we'll cover the couch with, but we'll get there. It will probably be a neutral anyway.
Well - We're officially making progress and good things just keep happening along the way. We just found out that our landlord has agreed to purchase our washer and dryer, sparing us the headache of having to move it out for someone else. It also means we don't have to pay any more rent for the next 3 weeks because he is purchasing the washer and dryer AND paying us over $200 to paint one room (AND he's buying the paint!).