Boys room panelled ceiling

You may recall that we had a delivery of EasyCraft VJ paneled sheet on Thursday; well this weekend we got up the first sheet. There was quite a bit of preparation that had to be done first. We had to add in extra timber to carry the sheets. This involved sorting through our big timber pile in the backyard to find some nice straight and non-mouldy lengths. Ended up with very close to enough to do the whole ceiling saving us money! Yay!

Then they had to be straightened by planing and packing them.

We did have to buy a sheet lifter which was about $250 and some screws and more stud adhesive.

But finally we got one up in Sam's room.

Our new sheet lifter in action

I also painted two gloss coats of water-based painted on the two front windows. The colour I chose is called The Hamptons by Valspar.

I think I might do one more coat though to be safe.

Cheers,
Nat

Ceiling panel delivery

This afternoon we had the EasyCraft ceiling VJ panels delivered.

They look gorgeous and I keep thinking where I can put more of them.

So impressed with Sammy too. He spent over and hour cleaning up the mess that the stair guy left behind. He picked up all the off cuts, swept and vacuumed. He didn't want to stop.

The cost of these was around $1500 but I think it will look so much nicer than plain plaster.

Cheers,
Nat

The staircase finally done!

And it is fantastic!!!

Yesterday Brad the staircase guy came back for the afternoon and worked on the staircase. Said he would come back today but I wasn't sure I believed him. Turns out he had left both his sets of tools here so he had to come back.

This is what it looked like yesterday.

 That's Brad the stairguy. He said he didn't want his face on the blog.

 Today he put the blackbutt landings on and the rest of the stringers and the extra trimmings.

Blackbutt staircase landing

Bespoke newel with blackbutt top

 

They feel so solid and so grand. Now we need to find a great painter to paint them up.

Brad said he is sending out one of his workers to sand them and tidy up the edges next week. I am so relieved that they are finally in. He sure has done a great job on them and worth the wait.

Cheers,
Nat

Time to paint windows

Another day and another no-show from the staircase guy.

We are now kinda hoping he doesn't come for a few days so that when the ceiling sheets arrive on Thursday, we can easily get them upstairs. Once the banister is in it will be a lot harder to take things up.

The reno must go on though, so we are pushing on with other things. This evening after work, Dave is working on the last part of the downstairs ceiling. Here he is checking that the ceiling is straight before putting up and boards.

And here he is cutting the boards to length.

I went to Paint Spot today and asked about this Glass Mask that we were told about that you can use instead of taping the edges. It sounded a bit risky so instead I am going to just tape. But man it is a slow process. Plus you can only leave the tape on for 14 days, so I am going to work on 2 at a time I think. Starting with the two front windows upstairs.

They are taped up and now I am just waiting for the filler to dry before sanding them tomorrow.

  I use this one because it is for deep cracks and where the screw go in there are indeed pretty big holes.

So that is what we are up to at the moment. I am actually looking forward to painting these windows now.

Cheers,
Nat

Staircase guy a no-show again

So Friday 5pm Brad promised that he would come back on Monday and he would be able to finish it all off. So we gave him the key, left the house alarm off and hoped to come home on David birthday (today) to see a completed staircase.

But yet again he didn't turn up.

Why promise that you'd be here, then not even give a reason why? So mad right now.

He left all his tools here so we text him that we are going to take them to cash convertors. Still no response.

I am really regretting using this Going Upstairs company now.

He promised they'd be done 3 months ago. Still barely halfway finished.

Vent over!

Cheers,
Nat

The living room ceiling

Hello to our new Facebook likers too!

You can like our Facebook page here. This Little Yellow House

Our plan for the weekend was to get most of the lining boards up on the living room ceiling. We managed to do just that, I am happy to say. Not much else to say, so I will just show you.

 Last piece going up for this side. Then we hope to finish the rest by the weekend.

Photo from Sam up on the staircase landing

So tomorrow the staircase guy promised he'd come back to finish. Please, please let it be true!

I saw the ad for Reno Rumble during The Block room reveals tonight. Seems that the teams near our place have finished. Very quite there is afternoon. They did have great stuff in their skip that I was tempted to take though. But we didn't

Cheers,
Nat

Staircase getting closer

Happy Friday!

My Friday was made better when I heard the news that the stair guy was coming back today. Of course he didn't get here until about lunchtime and left at 5pm so it didn't get finished. But he did promise to come back Monday and should get it finished then. That is Dave's birthday so will be a nice present. Plus Dad comes over from Hobart on Wednesday so I am thrilled that he will be able to see it.

  Space under the stairs for dog basket/kennel or storage or kids cubby

I was browsing online and came across Jess and Aiden's staircase from The Block Triple Threat. A sneak peak before it is revealed on the show.





Speaking of Jess and Aiden; Dave was standing next to Aiden at the tool shop today. I told him to get a selfie with him but he was too shy. Then when I did a walk by of the Reno Rumble site today, I saw Jess driving one of these babies.

 Oh and here is the Blue house.

I saw Josh out of Josh and Jenna from The Block a few years ago. He was working on the red house.

When I walked past this blue house this morning, they had big sheets of this EasyCraft VJ paneling leaning up against the fence. I was intrigued as it happened that this afternoon Dave ordered all out EasyCraft VJ panels for our ceiling upstairs. I was wondering what they are using it for in this house? Maybe walls, maybe a ceiling too?

EasyCraft VJ Paneling

 I think it will take a few days to come in, and a few weeks to install.


This weekend we are focusing on trying to finish the living room ceiling. Wish us luck, because installing these tongue and groove lining boards can be very frustrating, so there will be much swearing (well in a way the kids wont hear anyway).

Have a productive weekend everyone.
Anyone else doing some renovating projects this weekend?

Cheers,
Nat

Reno Rumble - New show coming to Channel 9

So this morning I went out for my normal run through Kingsville and Yarraville and saw some action happening. They were blocking off some road and people were walking around some houses getting organised and then a massive truck came in. Mind you it was 6am and pitch black.

One trailer and a fancy ute had RR on it for Reno Rumble.

 

I became very curious and excited.

Turns out it is a new renovation show coming to Channel 9 where former contestants from The Block and House Rules on Channel 7 face off to renovate two houses. 

So there was one house on one side of the street with a red flag called Redbacks. (Excuse the crude drive by photos).

And another house on the other side with a blue flag:

Thy were not exactly opposite but in the same block. I think I have seen Merv Hughes enter this house a few years ago.

I saw Leighton from House Rules outside the blue house so maybe it will be Carly and Leighton,

verses maybe Jess and Aiden from The Block because Dave saw Aiden in Yaraville and I saw an Aiden T-shirt at the site.




 So I am going to be watching this street very closely to see what is going on.

Cool huh!

Cheers,
Nat

New tools, painting and boarding

We had a pretty productive weekend. Feels good to tick some things off the list.

Firstly, I managed to finish painting all of the lining boards.

Nearly done

Finally finished with 3 coats of paint and ready to be installed

So that was a great feeling. Even bought myself some new paint brushed from Aldi as my reward. Only $9.99 and I really love these brushes. These have been my favourites even up against the expensive ones we buy.

Now I am ready to start painting the windows, again!

On Friday after work, David filled, gapped and sanded the east side walls.

Then on Saturday afternoon he managed to get one coat of primer on them. This is a relief as they had been exposed for a while now and they had begun to get a bit weathered and flaky. Doesn't take long for them to weather, even though they are supposed to be primed when you buy them. We don't like leaving on that original primer so we sand them back before we add our own primer. The good stuff.

The other thing that happened was work on the West wall. But before that Dave went and bought himself a T-nailer to make the job go twice as fast.

This means that he no longer has to pre-drill or hand nail all the weatherboards on. He is pretty excited and loved using it today. Wish he'd got one 6 months ago.

So he first ripped off the old weatherboards.

 Now we have more rubbish to get rid of.

 He enlisted Andrew's help to measure out the straight lines for the boards.

We got a bit delayed with lunch with the neighbours, so only got half the wall done so this is what it looks like right now.

Dave priming the cut ends of the weatherboards

So feeling pretty good about this weekend. Tonight we need to sit down and do some project planning so we can get the fireplace in by hopefully May. The winter is coming, which depresses me but knowing a nice fireplace will be here in time is a great motivator.

Cheers,
Nat

Staircase Update

Long time no post. So sorry about that.

So I was asked about what is happening with our staircase yesterday. The sad truth is, it looks just that same as in the last update. Last Friday the stair guy Brad, was trying to come to do some work before the long weekend but then said if he can't make it Friday he will be there on Tuesday.

So Tuesday rolls around and I had a gut feeling that we wouldn't see him. That feeling was correct. I was hoping he would come because my Mum was over visiting from Hobart and I wanted her to see it being built. But alas no.

Then Wednesday was my 37th Birthday and still no birthday present staircase. Woe is me.
But I did get cake. Bonus!

I bought myself a vacuum cleaner with my birthday money from Dad. It was $99 from Aldi and actually works pretty well, so I am happy about that.

 Over the long weekend we put up some more of the ceiling, while I kept painting the ones in the pile. We got the dining area pretty much done and ran the wires for where we wanted the pendant to hang over the table.

 

Because Mum was coming we thought we'd better put a door on the bathroom, so Dave rehung the door in the new position.

Other than that things are just cruising along. This weekend I will paint more lining boards and I think Dave plans to fill, sand and paint more weatherboards on the east side.

Maybe next week we will get a staircase, but I aint holding my breath.

Cheers,
Nat