Christmas is a time for...

[Coop]

DIY.

Yes, you heard me right. I've finally gotten rid of my brother, so I decided it was time to move out of "the broom cupboard" third bedroom and into the more suitable bedroom that has space for a double bed, due to complaints from the Mrs. about sharing a single bed (I must be getting old)

Anyway, I've attacked the wallpaper and have patched a few holes, like the one where a fist sized lump of plaster fell out. I've painted the window sill and have got to paint a small patch on that now, but that's simple enough.

Today's goal is to paint the ceiling, then sand down the skirting boards / door frame and gloss them over in pure brilliant white. I need enough time for the fumes to dissipate before Xmas, so if I get the job finished, my girlfriend doesn't have an asthma attack while enjoying a double bed.

I'm unsure if I'll get the job finished in time for Xmas, but I'm not going to get anything sorted out sitting behind a computer, that's for sure.

[Gagsy]

You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

[Steff]

At 12/19/09 05:53 AM, Gagsy wrote: You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

Sometimes murder is the right choice.

[Figter]

At 12/19/09 05:59 AM, Asalraalaikum wrote:

At 12/19/09 05:53 AM, Gagsy wrote: You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

Sometimes murder is the right choice.

Aint that the truth?

[PeterM]

What colour are you going to paint it?

[Coop]

At 12/19/09 05:53 AM, Gagsy wrote: You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

Yes, he's now a tenant of mine. I invested in a house for my cousin with my mum about 2 years ago, but he's moved on, so not wanting to live there myself, he was given the option to move in with his whiny girl and her baby.

At 12/19/09 05:59 AM, Asalraalaikum wrote:

At 12/19/09 05:53 AM, Gagsy wrote: You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

Sometimes murder is the right choice.

Trust me, in this case, murder would be a lot easier.

At 12/19/09 06:03 AM, SuspiciousPenguin wrote:

At 12/19/09 05:52 AM, Coop83 wrote: DIY.

I'll call an ambulance, and just to be on the safe side a fire engine as well.

No fire engine required, it's only paint at present - no power tools for this job.

have fun, systematically destroying your house then piecing it back together in what you swore was the right order.

Wallpaper is not structural.

At 12/19/09 06:09 AM, Diddy wrote: What colour are you going to paint it?

Spearmint green. The wall that has been stripped will have a 'feature' paper on it with some sort of green and cream design. Pics to follow.

Lunch on Saturday and I've now managed to paint the ceiling. Skirtings and doorframe hopefully to follow later.

[The-Great-One]

At 12/19/09 05:53 AM, Gagsy wrote: You got rid of your own brother?! D:<

Merry Christmas?

[Coop]

End of day 2, the ceiling has been painted, the gloss has been applied to the skirting boards, the door frame and the back of the door.

I've just got back from a night out and the house stinks of gloss paint. Pics to follow, but I can't be arsed right now.

[bifgis]

Renovation is always so much fun for me. It actually feels like you accomplish something. Good for you coop.

[6r0undZ3r0]

It looks like you have your work cut out for you. Good luck.

[WritersBlock]

I prefer natural timber skirting boards to plain white. Do you have the option to sand it down and varnish the skirting boards as is? If so, I'd do that if I were you.

[Coop]

At 12/19/09 07:27 PM, bifgis wrote: Renovation is always so much fun for me. It actually feels like you accomplish something. Good for you coop.

Yeah, I've had the bug for it since my best friend moved into his new home and we basically riupped out and replaced the whole bathroom and kitchen.

At 12/20/09 12:33 AM, WritersBlock wrote: I prefer natural timber skirting boards to plain white. Do you have the option to sand it down and varnish the skirting boards as is? If so, I'd do that if I were you.

The option, yes. The time and inclination, no. Basically, it was already glossed, so that was a buttload of work to get to where I wanted to be if I tried that, there was no way of being in this position for Xmas. I'm hoping to paint the walls green tomorrow, leaving wallpaper for Tuesday, if I can fit that in.

[Tribal]

At 12/19/09 05:52 AM, Coop83 wrote: I'm unsure if I'll get the job finished in time for Xmas, but I'm not going to get anything sorted out sitting behind a computer, that's for sure.

What are you still doing here then? Get to work, chop chop!

[lemondemon]

That was like so 100% badass

[DevourerJay]

i had soooo many little "jobs" show up, it fucking annoying...

[Coop]

At 12/20/09 03:33 PM, Tribalfusion-X wrote:

At 12/19/09 05:52 AM, Coop83 wrote: I'm unsure if I'll get the job finished in time for Xmas, but I'm not going to get anything sorted out sitting behind a computer, that's for sure.

What are you still doing here then? Get to work, chop chop!

Day off - I've been socialising, as Xmas is not a time for forgetting who friends and family are. I think I spent too long away, as some of the family came up to me and said "I didn't recognise you with your long hair!"

At 12/20/09 03:54 PM, lemondemon wrote: That was like so 100% badass

What was badass? The fact that I've started decorating, or that I just randomly stripped the wallpaper on one wall and knocked a load of plaster off?

At 12/20/09 04:01 PM, MissingNYC wrote: i had soooo many little "jobs" show up, it fucking annoying...

Yeah, best to get one done before more show up :P

Anyway, this was the end of play yesterday - the wall is now completely stripped of paper and I've filled in the cave in and some holes left by picture hooks. We're not talking plaster here, it's some sort of concrete screed, so if I go in and try to make hooks for pictures, attach shelves or something similar, it's going to create all kinds of hell for me. Deep joy.

The door, skirting boards and window sill have now been painted in Pure Brilliant White gloss, so that's dry and now hopefully starting to smell less. I've got to touch the door frame up slightly, where the brown was showing through from the old decoration. My brother wanted a "Japanese Style" paper wall effect. We painted brown stripes on a cream wall, as you can see on the left of the shot. Tomorrow, I will get a new set of brushes and take my time in painting the green over the cream, thus giving me more of a finished article to work with.

The it's a small issue of pestering dad to help me put up wallpaper on the main wall... I'm going to have to sand that down as well at some point. Shouldn't take me too long though :)

[ActualOccurences]

"ohhh....that looks.......yummy" im not sure why but i said that out loud when i saw that pic :D

[DevourerJay]

At 12/20/09 06:15 PM, FBIpolux wrote: Sex.

that's what Valentine's is for

[Coop]

At 12/20/09 06:12 PM, Ericho wrote: I wish I knew what "DIY" went.

DIY - Do It Yourself

I am at least so glad you managed to get rid of your brother. Are you saying he went on to a college dorm or did he just move somewhere else? If so, I would just love to find out how you did out.

Well, he got with a girl, got her pregnant and needed a place to live. He moved out some weeks ago, but work has been getting the better of me, so I should be able to concentrate on this aspect of home now :)

You seem to have an interesting looking house and I hope it all goes well for you.

Thanks - we'll see when the paint gets slapped on the walls today

At 12/20/09 06:20 PM, FBIpolux wrote:

At 12/20/09 06:16 PM, MissingNYC wrote:

At 12/20/09 06:15 PM, FBIpolux wrote: Sex.

that's what Valentine's is for

Every day is for sex.

Look to the left of the second image - that's the bed that my brother left behind. If I can't get one sourced before Xmas, I might have to use that with a new mattress for the interim.

[Coop]

End of day 3 - the painting has started!

I prepped the wall for wallpaper, which will happen this morning, coupled with caulking the skirting boards, touching up the gloss and cutting in around the wall to be papered. What do you guys think of the "Spearmint" colout of the walls?

Oh yeah, I wrote a message for the next people to strip the wallpaper in this room:

"To whom this may concern,

For the love of god, don't dig up the patio!"

Right wallpaper and paint today, so no rest for the wicked. It's 0935 and I'm about to start helping to apply paper, with cup of tea in hand.

[EnjoiLove]

Oh boy, I cannot wait how all this turns out!

[MattyT]

Make sure that you put some suspicious looking blood stains on your wall before covering them up with wallpaper. A little present for someone changing the wallpaper years later in case you ever sell the place.

It pays to think ahead.

[Gagsy]

That green is fucking heavenly.

[iateamexican]

Our little boy grew up so fast.

[Kieran-s]

I dont get it. Its basically just watching paint dry, why is everyone so entertained?

[Coop]

At 12/22/09 04:49 AM, EnjoiLove wrote: Oh boy, I cannot wait how all this turns out!

Well, the wallpaper is up and this afternoon, I'll be brandishing the roller to hit the place with some more spearmint green.

At 12/22/09 04:54 AM, PrivateJoker92 wrote: Make sure that you put some suspicious looking blood stains on your wall before covering them up with wallpaper. A little present for someone changing the wallpaper years later in case you ever sell the place.

It pays to think ahead.

I've already done that - the note "To whom this may concern, for the love of god, don't dig up the patio!"

At 12/22/09 06:09 AM, Gagsy wrote: That green is fucking heavenly.

Under artificial lights, it does look a little neon. When the sunlight is on it, it does tone down a little, so don't be alarmed... yet.

At 12/22/09 07:36 AM, Kieran-s wrote: I dont get it. Its basically just watching paint dry, why is everyone so entertained?

Strictly speaking, it's only watching paint dry if I decide to set up a webcam host of it. I just can't be buggered right now.

[Coop]

Right, it's the end of the day and we've made some real progress today. As mentioned, the wallpaper is up and now the green paint is going on the walls as fast as I can do this.

I think that hopefully I should get finished with this tomorrow at some point, so we'll just see how it goes, before I try to decide on the furniture, which will probably involve January Sales. So far, this requires a bed, mattress, duvet, pillows, duvet cover and sheets, curtains, curtain ties. I might also head on for a new TV, but that's something that I'd be getting for me, as opposed to finishing the room.

Anyway, pics of today's progress:

[Coop]

Again, the colour of the paint will change to something a little more reminiscent of the flowers on the feature wall.

Pro Tip: When painting walls using a roller tray, line the tray with a sheet of baking foil, thus saving so much ballache when it comes to cleaning up.

[reverend]

Looks really ... flowery.

You're wallpapering that wall and the one opposite from it? And what about the carpet? You're going to leave it be?

[Coop]

At 12/23/09 05:18 AM, reverend wrote: Looks really ... flowery.

Yeah, the paper seemed to fit with the colour scheme.

You're wallpapering that wall and the one opposite from it? And what about the carpet? You're going to leave it be?

Well, just wallpaper on the one wall, (North wall) with the other three painted green. Bearing in mind that furniture will obscure lots more green wall, it should all blend in nicely.