FAQ's

You know you've been working on a project for a long time when even the Goodwill attendant asks, "are you done with your kitchen yet?" Every trip I made there to donate things, she would ask!

There are a ton of photos today, so brace yourself!!

With that question in mind, let's get started, shall we?

Why did you undertake this project?

Need I say more? Actually, while some folks love to go see an action thriller, that sort of thing is not my cup of tea. We actually really like to work. Creating is OUR cup of tea.

What did you learn during the remodel? 

• Having a tent up outside your garage is a good thing, especially during the rainiest September since 1914!!
• Use the best paint you can afford. 
• Use Kilz 2 primer. Although I'd read somewhere Zinsser is the best, my experience tells me otherwise. After going through a quart of the Zinsser, I went back to Kilz which did not drip as readily and covered beautifully, albeit both took two coats.
• Don't believe everything you read on the internet!
• There is a reason hospitals used to be all white--it feels clean and fresh.
• I knew it beforehand and having witnessed it first hand, having an amazing carpenter on your team makes everything better.

Are you done with the kitchen yet??? Why, no we are not, however, we are getting closer.

On this side of the kitchen Bruce did things in a more assembly line fashion, however, I ran out of room on the table to prime, paint, and let dry the remaining doors, so good thing we have another large table! I let these dry and harden while I did the ones you see on the quilt.

Did you mind having everything in disorder? 

• Good grief, yes! I could not wait to get back to normal! I wanted so badly for the living room not to have two sets of dining chairs. 

Did you think it would take you this long?

• When we first began, way back on September 5, Bruce told Bill he thought it might take a month. Now, that seemed like a long time, yet, it is hard to argue with Bruce because he's spent his working career estimating work time. It did not take a month, however, it did take about 19 days, some of which were very long, or at least to a 60+ year old couple.

Saturday we worked until it was time to go to a dinner party, Sunday we did the market, but on Monday, we put the pedal to the metal. I picked up the remaining glass from Ace Hardware which B installed after the paint finally dried.

How many nights did you have to eat out?

• Maybe four or five, but that does not count one night of cheese and crackers, and one popcorn night! For most of the time we had a semi-working kitchen along with a willing cook.

What took so long?

• If you've been following along you already know what took so long! If not, each and every door had to be re-worked with a technique B called "banding" meaning strips of wood had to be glued and stapled around the door's inside perimeter. Multiply that by 27, and you can understand why it took so long. Not to mention he built seven new drawers! And a wine rack!

Are you done with the kitchen yet?

• Almost!

Hinges and knobs take longer than you might think.

Then too, you have to attach everything and sometimes, what with the new configuration, that takes some expert carpentry skills. You can see from the above that in spite of all my efforts, paint tends to run from one side to the other, although, once up, it seems to be less noticeable.

Bruce is working in the above photo on the last bit of hardware installation. Once he completed that he set to putting them on the frames.

Is it any wonder this man has lost 20 pounds without trying?? Some folks might think I'm working him too hard. :) Actually these are out of sequence--above was last night when he was installing the new drawer. The doors above the oven gave him fits trying to get them to shut and lay perfectly flat, so this morning he saved the doors below the oven for last, knowing it could be more of the same. And it was. Out came the chisel to make it all work.

By the way, his finger, cut by the pictured chisel has healed nicely.

Are you done with the kitchen yet? What do you think?

Ta da!!!! We did it!!!

Because it is a galley kitchen I have a heck of a time showing you the whole thing at once...

So, I either have to go into the foyer, or into the eating area of the kitchen--doing the best I can!

By the numbers:

27 doors painted, and primed, both sides twice=216 coats to both paint and wait to dry.
94 pieces of hardware removed.
94 pieces of hardware re-installed with all new holes drilled.
1 quart of spackle
1 gallon of primer
1 gallon of cabinet and trim paint
1 gallon of paint+primer for the insides which are equally as wonderful.
4 moving boxes used along with two giant plastic tubs
2 saw blades need sharpening!
2 trips to the doctor
Hard to know just how many hours we worked--plenty

Are we done with the kitchen yet? Why, yes we are!

Would you do it again?

• Not any time soon!

And to think I won't be getting up in the morning and putting on my painting clothes....

The end!