This old house

More on the living room

All the walls had bumpy stuco type render, I had to scrap it all off, that was a nightmare.

The old open fireplace

skirts off woot!!

some of the lard and plaster just would fall off!!!

You see the texture here

Ok all stripped

I did the windows earlier

Kitchen windows back in

time to get some primer on the walls to see how they look after filling and sanding

Looking ok!

Walls were skimmed with cornice cement and sanded very messy!!!

when Mum and dad bought the house it had brick fireplace/mantle installed so in 1984 Mum had it removed and more timely mantle installed, evidence of that!!! I had to engrave my name in the wet concrete!!

Ok paint more fill more sand more fill more paint

Restructured the whole under the verandah was done a few before but had to replace some boards

and still working on the verandah at this point

Door to the verandah from the lounge

New heritage light switches throughout the house, yes I put some down lights in with a dimmer, can easily be removed.

Centred the main light as it was centered from the fireplace front which made it look weird in my opinion

New verandah lights may as well get as much electrical work done in one hit.

Rotten boards replaced

About this point I could see the finish, but kept finding divots and small holes, more filling sanding painting

Magnolia approves!!

I kept the verandah Antique white to contrast the Diesku ( greyish colour I choose for the house ) and ties in well with the Antique whit trim, did lots of looking and research to see what works and this it what I chose.

8 Likes

All I can say is Wow!

Just found this thread today and have read from start to finish.

I’m just so impressed with your patience and tenacity to get through the hard times and still have the will to move forward.

The finished product will be a stunning tribute to the amazing efforts you have made.

4 Likes

Not wrong there swoods. It’s a mountain of quality work, …

Just a heads up though ASB, … it’s called Lath (the flat woven timber slats) and Plaster. :slightly_smiling_face:

Back to the living room, time to get this room finished started to take forever also broke up with my partner at this point and had to get a new job, another story.

Time for the ceiling rose

![DSCN7799|666x500]

(upload://fSPx605mlbrsHhIYk3K2HdqC7rO.jpeg)

Rainbows are pretty!

Lets do this skirts and picture rails all stripped

Danish oil is the bomb!!!

Wall painted so easy to cut in with no skirts and architraves just roll to the edge! :slight_smile: Heaps of coats of paint for extra durability
Picture rails go up

The wood was lacquered once before it was painted, this is a ■■■■■ to remove as it just clogs and burns

the best way is just with a very sharp pull tungsten blade scraper.

the verandah nearly

finished

4 Likes

Back to the inside

It locks now all original

Picture rail up!!

Doorway to living room again scraped of the lacquer only eleven more doorways to go!! Eeeek!

Games back to the garage goodbye dog treat business and ex and time to sell a game running out of cash :frowning:

Just some more of the verandah

Time to get this fireplace sorted

2 Likes

Most likely a finish called Shellac ??

Metho is your friend here, brushed on as a stripper if so, … scrapes easy and then finish with some light grade steel wool. :wink:

2 Likes

@JohnRain. ASB has the sob story Crown. Awesome stuff @AnnStBomber!

https://giphy.com/gifs/bigbrotherafterdark-5Sywg7Q78V7CpX0DHd

2 Likes

Easily, dude. ‘This old house’ is epic & all time. A loving reno, done right & with the accompanying family stories, trials & tribulations.

One of my fav threads at the moment. Ben has done a brilliant job. The patience & skill involved can’t be underestimated.

5 Likes

Not a sob story more of a journey and enlightenment, I am sure if half the things didn’t happen to me I would not be determined to find my inner strength, but yeah happy to take the crown :joy:

Wish I knew that 10 years ago :wink: but thank you ( incase there is a next time ) actually still have two doorways to go, that is still a work in progress and will be added when I catch up to now!

And thanks everyone for the kind comments, I did this to test myself and something I could control and it just kept escalating to the point where in a weird way I really enjoyed it.

Especially after a good days progress and sitting back and having a beer and just admiring what I had accomplished.

7 Likes

Yep, by far the best bit. :smile: Beer never tastes as good.

1 Like

A term that was invented by @Crazy_Bomber & generally means ‘a personal story that one shares on Blitz’. It has kinda stuck & is commonly used these days. Think of it as a badge of honour. :laughing:

2 Likes

Hurley keeps going back to that spot, move forward Hurley :joy:

Time to get these floors done easier with the skirting boards off.

Shiny!!!

Time to get those Skirts back on!!

And oil that door way

Thought a good time to get the wiring ready for the Stezza, so surround sound, who wants wires running around the floor, lets go under the house!!!

Nice webs under here

holy ■■■■ an old cask from my from underage days, remember sneaking under the house with mates and drinking before going to roller world underage disco :joy:

And a packet of 15’s ( wtf menthol even funnier ) and some in there!!


Good times!!

Better drill some holes didn’t want to but was the only way.

Cleaned up the pack yep we used to call them Dovins or dovs for short ( code man!! ) It says Ben’s Dovs

8 Likes

You’re a ■■■■■■■ legend, man.

4 Likes

Loving this thread. Great work mate. A true labour of love, clearly.

1 Like

It’s awesome. I barely know how to hang a picture frame, let alone do a job like this.

5 Likes

Just prior to the living room and verandah finished I had a bad break up and my GF left and only after her living in the house for 2 years was threatening legal action, I had been trying to get back in the workforce full time, not easy for someone who had not had full time employment for 20 years ( 13 years of that was caring for Dad ) I had skills so through myself into a temp agency and took anything I could and kept trying and persisting in every job.

First one was corporate receptionist at MAIB for 8 weeks which was extended, quite enjoyed it but also found it quite depressing, not so for dealing with the people who had suffered in accidents and lost limbs ( I was good at this), lost love ones, but the people who worked there. They never smiled! To me death was a part of life at this stage of my life and accepted. Hoped to become a claims officer when a position arose but being a small town a certain worker had it in for me and hopes were dashed.
Some small crappy temp jobs and life was hard was really finding it hard to make ends meet, was eating less to save money but had to keep pushing on. Remember weeks of rice and anything cheap to flavour it.

Then went to work at Bellamys Organic Baby food in logistics really loved that job, it was a refreshing office atmosphere, I remember my first day and the boss said Ben lose the tie. It was nice and casual and had a google office atmosphere about it. I was thinking why life is great this was when Bellamy’s was being bought buy the Chinese in bulk and their was a kind of black market going on so sales where over the top and I was needed, but like every bubble it burst and after three or so months I was not needed actually was doing my job too well in hindsight.
So next job was at the hospital in HR doing locum placement at the LGH, this was due to the government making promises and paying them more then taking it back in a nutshell, so they all resigned and had to be placed back in the hospital in on call rates, so obviously they were over busy. I had to source Doctors from everywhere in Australia to fill 1 week or 2 week stints paid accomodation etc etc, book flights accomodation and mange the roster. I was doing well at this and the HR manager said we are going to create a full time job for you I was so happy I hugged her :joy:
Thought yes now I can refinance pay out the ex and have some security, well that didn’t eventuated god know why and they said we could maybe get you a job on the wards submit your resume and see what happens. So my contract ended and I went home.

Bit of of theme happening here Baby food…Doctors and nurses what next…

2 Likes

+1 :grin:

1 Like

So another call from the temp agency, we have a temp job at TasRail, Train sets!!! Oh yes this is better :joy:

So off I go to Tasrail as the rostering officer for the state for a 3 month contract, well 2 and half years later and a pay rise in-between I own it, have made changes and smashing it. Yes its hectic but all my life skills help me to roster and deal with my 65 Train drivers and rail operators, I take every call and listen and follow up on everything, so refinanced paid out the ex and back to renovating although work consumes a lot of my energy now.

7 Likes

Lounge room door stripped

Interesting to see the old colours used back in the day, all the door knobs have been Florentine polished

This all as to come out and get cleaned up like the other 11 doors

Good old sturdy hinges

Door in

Sorting out the Spaghetti

Its looking good

Have to remove all these bricks for the new fireplace, this is when I was doing things after work

■■■■■■■ blisters

Meanwhile Firepower had broken down so board repairs were needed before boards where integrated and you can actually replace components

The back board of an early pinball if anyone is interested

So back to the living room taking longer than I thought bit like the Essendon Saga that was going around this time

I have a lounge room back, still waiting for the new speakers and fireplace.

Kids approve

Whilst waiting fix and install some front gates

Still waiting for the fireplace so start on the hallway

the heat pump induction as have ducted heating

would of been a picture rail here you can see the line

My airport express tower!!!

All has to come off!!

Two hallway arches off to be stripped

Hallway coat rack

Demolition time again

Lots of door ways

Got to fix this need a fence and gate!!! It runs from decking up the side of the house had to have it blocked to keep the dogs in

3 Likes