Project Number One - Living Room Floor
Over time the floor joists had begun to sag and there was quite a dip in the living room floor.
Before: Can't see the "sag" but this beautiful window is the centerpiece of the living room.
During: Carpet removed to reveal pine floors that weren't in the greatest of condition (they were pretty soft) so we decided not to save them to reuse on the floor. The planks will be re-purposed for another project in the future.
Pine removed to reveal very large oak plank sub floor which had to be removed as well to reach the joists.
Thankful for Nate's dad who has been able to help a few days during the renovation
Oak planks revealed logs, large hand hewn logs were the floors joists. Fortunately these logs were in good condition, no rot or anything, just sagging from age. Nate, with the help of a friend was able to laminate 2x8 boards to these joists to sure up the floor and make it level-ish.
Originally tearing out the plaster walls had not be part of the plan, but we decided we needed to put in additional insulation and thus begun the removal of layers...
Painted paneling, multiple layers of wall paper, and plaster to reveal the lath and studs. Just look at the wall paper, WOW!
While removing paneling, a lovely hidden arch was revealed, we plan to keep that feature.
Nate used a type of spray foam insulation and was able to insulate the crawl space which will be very beneficial for heating the living room.
Busting up and removing the plaster was a very messy undertaking, but it had to be done!
By removing the plaster we were able to add more electrical outlets, which the living room was in need of and we were able to fill in some insulation in the walls.
The sub floor is in and the drywall is going up!
Still to do: Finish hanging the drywall, tape, mud, and sand, then paint. After that the new flooring can be laid, the base boards reinstalled, and then my favorite part - furnish and decorate! Unfortunately, we can't lay the new carpet in the living room until the drywall is complete in the dining room otherwise the dust will destroy the new carpet. So the final reveal won't happen until the dining room walls are complete.
Disclaimer - While I continuously say "we" lets be honest, I mean Nate with my input and occasional help! The boys and I have helped some, but Nate is working hard day in and day to get this house in living order for us!
