House in Progress Diary

We get more mail.

Since we launched this site in July 2003, readers have written to us with personal stories or questions.

Double-click on the image to see it in a larger format.

You might relate to a story or have the same question. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent.)

From: Blue
Subject: PDE Milk Paint Remover
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2004 06:34:40 +0000

(Wanted to e-mail you so it doesn't get buried in the archives.)

Yes, the PDE remover works and works WELL on milk paint. That said, there are some issues...

1) Raises the grain a bit. Not bad, but a bit
2) You must use nylon! It ate away a regular brush
3) Can turn the wood a bit dark, but it looks worse at first than it ends up being

Verdict: very useful for nasty bits of milk paint but not a substitute for regular chemical removal agents (or, I suppose, the SPR).

Blue

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 07:19:42 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: PDE Milk Paint Remover
To: "Blue"

Blue!

Thanks so much for that report from the field :)

We hadn't ordered the PDE Remover yet (we got stuck on insulation...in the bathroom, we just stripped what we could with the SPR and Peel Away 7 before using Kilz and Paint.) It was old tough paint, for sure. Didn't want to let go of that wood at all. Like enamel. I wish I knew it had been down there. It was a pale yellow and I'm wondering if some previous bath had been designed to accomodate this color.

The surprises that await you under layers and layers of paint, eh?

Hope your wood is okay and that the raised grain is alright. We experienced a tiny bit of that, not with the Peel Away 7, but with the wash afterwards. We used a bit too much water in a spot and that raised the grain a little.

That said, it was back to the Silent Paint Remover on Monday for other projects :)

Take care--

j

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Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 11:09:59 -0800
Subject: another chicagoan
From: "Alan"

Hi, there.

I just found your site. It is exactly what we would have done, had the 'net been up when we bought our house in 1989.

We were so excited about our house, we loved everything about it---except the things we were aching to fix or restore. Some of them we got done fairly quickly, others more slowly, and some are still waiting. Life goes on...Our house is a stucco foursquare, the 'other' common vernacular Midwest house, but modified and asymmetrical so that it's unusually long and spreading, almost Wright-esque.

It's in Ravenswood Manor, our dream neighborhood, where we looked for 6 months. Your house would fit right into this neighborhood. In fact maybe it is close... what neighborhood is it in? Like you, we did some research on the history of our house, though not so extensive. We did talk to the widow of a man who grew up in our house, whose parents were the original owners. And in the attic there was wadded-up newspaper insulation, including a newspaper from 1911 with an account of a Jack Dempsey fight!

Be aware that houses get smaller the longer you're in them. Our place seemed like a palace when we moved in; three kids later it is a bit tight. But we love it; we're staying.

I found your site while googling for the infrared paint remover I had heard about. I would like to strip the paint from our beadboard porch ceiling. I really don't want to use conventional stipper overhead and that kind of wood (douglas fir) is too expensive to replace. The SPR seems like a good option. Did you rent it or buy it? Renting seems to make more sense, but I also thought of buying one then re-selling it, possibly on eBay, or maybe even keeping it and renting it out.

Great site, it's nice to read your accounts and share your excitement about your house. And what a story!

Best wishes,

Alan (from Chicago)

Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 17:07:28 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: another chicagoan
To: "Alan"

Hi Alan!

Small world. You live close to two very good friends of ours who have borrowed our SPR! We decided to buy one and loan it to pals in exchange for tools we borrow from them or help that they give us.

Our purchase decision was very influenced by the TYPE and AMOUNT of stripping we had to do.

The amount?

--Every room inside of a 10 room house (that counts both bathrooms and the enclosed sun porch).
--All of the trim on the outside of the whole house.
--The entire garage (it is clapboard instead of stucco or brick).

The kind?

--Trim is flat, prairie style trim with no curves or nooks/crannies.
--Paint is already chipping off...we know it isn't enamel. The SPR would be helping it along.
--Built-ins are prairie-style with few "hard to reach" spots.
--Unsure of lead content. Fewer fumes and a spray bottle combined with SPR facilitates a nice dry removal system. Chips are much easier to sweep and vacuum up. Wet jelly is a little more difficult to dispose of.-
-Didn't want "splash potential" of chemical strippers putting floors or plaster in jeopardy.

That said, it takes some practice to use it. Reading the directions and experimenting on wood you don't care about much is critical.

It is only fragile in that it CANNOT be dropped...there are glass tubes inside that can crack or break. It does not work well on brick or stone.

Leaving it in one place too long can burn the wood, but that can happen with chemical strippers as well. "Peel Away" is a nice (but costly) option if the area to be stripped is relatively small.

Cost was also a deciding factor (we bought it last year when it cost a bit less...they weren't as well known then). The amount of chemical stripper used to strip the AMOUNT of wood we were facing really was much more than the SPR. Plus, the SPR was designed for work on boats...my husband's family has a beautiful teak boat that needs constant attention so...It was a good gamble for us. We are actually itching to get it back right now because we need to begin a pretty large and long project with it. We just haven't had the time for the hand off this weekend yet. But as soon as we get it back, we will be using it in earnest this winter.

That is a great story about size and kids :) We had the option of getting a smaller/less muddled bungalow and then trading up. But I didn't want to do this twice, the location is superb (in walking distance of work and our parents) and with 4 bedrooms & 2 baths, plus the option of another bumpout in the second floor walk-in attic...well, you can do a lot with that over time. This does mean our costs will all be up front, which is stressful. But (we hope!) it will be a beautiful place when we're done.

We also had one main limitation...my husband's height! He is 6'7" and--though he is a GREAT sport--I couldn't see investing in a house where he couldn't stand up straight on the 2nd floor or in the basement. In this house, he has plenty of head room on all 3 levels, which is really unusual.

We're up in the a neighborhood more north and west than Ravenswood. His family is from there from generations back. Pastors on that side.

Thanks for the compliments on the site! We had started it for my family back east who wanted to share in the fun. Now we host about 10,000+ visitors a month from all over the world, which can be VERY intimidating. Besides being a great record of the work that reminds us of how far we've come when we get "down", it is a terrific tool for venting as well and challenging us to see the funny side of what is happening. As you and your family have probably experienced, that can make ALL of the difference between "survival" and "living" on a daily basis!

Visit again! And let us know how that woodwork goes... Take good care.

j--
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Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 05:35:03 -0800 (PST)
From: "kelley"
Subject: bathroom ledge

Hello-

First let me say how much I love your site. It's like looking in a mirror sometimes. My husband and I are new home owners of a 1914 Shirtwaist in Kansas City and have much work to do, as well.

I was wondering if you have a moment if you could share with me how you created the box at the end of your tub with the marble top. We are in the process of doing our bath as well and have the exact same space at the end of our bathtub.

Did you just create a wood box and cover it with cement or green board? Any hints would help, it looks fantastic and I hope you don't mind sharing your wonderful idea.

Thank you again for providing an informative and inspirational site.

-Kelley-

Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 06:54:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: bathroom ledge
To: "kelley"

Hi Kelley--

Oh gosh! We are more than happy to share! That is what the site is for.

There was a "sort of" box there when we bought the house (if you look at previous bathroom pics, you can see it) that was level to the top of the tub.

We took this out and did build a box of 2 x 4's (just like you would frame any box you build). We decided to make the box 2 1/2' high, but it can be built for any height. We covered it in "backerboard" (the same board you would use behind a tile wall.) We taped up the seams, just like you would for a tile wall. Actually, the whole thing is made of the exact same materials as the walls behind the tile. The marble shelf is fitted on top (it is 3/4" high with approximately a half inch "lip") This was the right height for being able to lay down in the bathtub and rest my head comfortably...incredibly important to me, the serial bather in the family.

I am going to clean and seal the marble as soon as I find a product I like. It doesn't get very wet at all, but I would rather preserve it well. We have hard water and I am unsure what that would do to marble over time. Plus, the rings left by shampoo bottles or leaky soap dishes might stain it someday...I don't want to take chances :)

We used the same technique to frame the inside of the window above the tub and gave that a marble sill as well.

We chose marble over laying tile on a horizontal surface because, over many years, grout can develop cracks and leaks. And horizontal surfaces are more likely to get standing water than vertical surfaces.

That's pretty much it! You might want to call a marble distributor and go look at some scrap marble. We didn't get our first choice, but we got mighty close and saved some money. Our friend Paul helped us out so I don't have a vendor name to give on this one, unfortunately.

Best of luck! Send us the finished pictures when you're done!

-j

Posted by jeanne on April 7, 2004 at 9:33 PM