It's currently quite messy (by my standards). But, damn it, it's MY SINK!
Ah, the joy of making mortgage payments.
6.07.2008
Mine, all mine
This is a picture of my kitchen sink.
It's currently quite messy (by my standards). But, damn it, it's MY SINK!
Ah, the joy of making mortgage payments.
It's currently quite messy (by my standards). But, damn it, it's MY SINK!
Ah, the joy of making mortgage payments.
6.05.2008
Amateur floor refinishing for one.
I bought a condo in Cambridge a few months ago. I had the extreme luxury of taking a month to move into my new place, so I went in and did some necessary moderate-to-ambitious home improvements, chief among which was the refinishing of my kitchen floor. After reading about 5 different online posts of amateur do-it-yourselfers (the equivalent of double-A ballplayers) who had accomplished similar feats, I felt empowered to give it a spin. Or, more appropriately, give it a sand.
Given my extensive construction and development expertise, I decided that there were certain warnings and tips offered up by these likeminded enthusiasts that didn't necessarily apply to me.
a) I had tremendous doubts about the ability of the dust generated to "land on everything in sight", so I proceeded onward with little regard for the cleanup process that might be necessary once complete. Needless to say, I am still finding little enclaves of microscopic piney goodness wedged in the most inconceivable of places- inside cabinet drawer handles, caked in the creases of plastic bags stored in the cupboards, coating the underside of my broiler pan. It's like I thought the laws of physics and particle motion didn't apply to me. Boy was I wrong. Still, I had not yet moved my furniture in yet, so I was saved the arduous task of repeatedly vacuuming a microsuede couch. Thank you Jesus for small moments of clarity.
b) the drum sander was not recommended for the first-time-refinisher. The more lackadaisical "pad sander" was recommended, but was advertised as not doing quite as good a job as the drum sander. Wanting nothing but the best for my poor, beat-up kitchen floor, I went with the drum sander. Besides, I was an expert. I had personally overseen the construction of radar towers, multifamily homes, European-style glass-and-metal tenant fit-outs, and complex HVAC system retrofits. A drum sander I could handle. The sheer terror involved in letting this beastly device down onto my floor for the first time is an experience I will not soon forget. It's rather like filling a five-year-old child with sugary sweets and then immediately taking him to an antique mart, trying to guide him through narrow aisles filled with overpriced, breakable tchotchkies, and telling him that he isn't allowed to touch anything, no matter how shiny and pretty it may be. My forearms ached for no less than three days afterwards.
c) The use of an oil-based sealer was recommended as a first coat on bare wood, especially when using water-based wood varnish. Not wanting to contribute to further environmental degradation through the purchase of this toxic, hazardous, oil-based chemical, I thought it best to forego that step and skip directly to the application of my clear water-based finish. Besides, I wanted a "natural" look for my floor, so the tint given to wood when applying an oil-based finish would not fit in with my desired aesthetic. Let's just say that the warnings were not unfounded. while my floor looks quite pretty, upon closer inspection you can see how the first coat of water-based finish actually raised the grain on my floor. I like to think of it as "traction control" when I'm wearing socks. Others may not see it the same way.
d) Most people recommended applying at least 4-5 coats of finish, in order to maximize lustre and protection. The concept of committing to a 5-coat application is very nebulous. After two coats, it was not immediately apparent that I would require 4 or 5. If I did one thing right in this whole process, it was applying the third and fourth coats. By the end of the fourth coat, I was ready to never refinish another floor as long as I was alive on this planet. But, after a few weeks spent standing back and admiring my handiwork, I have to say that I'm seriously contemplating doing the other half of my condo. It's rather like flossing- it's tedious and definitely not exciting, but the payoff in the end makes the pain during the action seem that much more bearable.
For my first time doing it 100% on my own, I shouldn't complain. I mean, I didn't destroy my floor, it's arguably more aesthetically pleasing than before, and I saved several hundred dollars by doing it myself. That drum sander was ridiculously heavy, though. I remain convinced that I gave myself a hernia lifing the damn thing into my hatchback. Ah, the joys of homeownership.
Given my extensive construction and development expertise, I decided that there were certain warnings and tips offered up by these likeminded enthusiasts that didn't necessarily apply to me.
a) I had tremendous doubts about the ability of the dust generated to "land on everything in sight", so I proceeded onward with little regard for the cleanup process that might be necessary once complete. Needless to say, I am still finding little enclaves of microscopic piney goodness wedged in the most inconceivable of places- inside cabinet drawer handles, caked in the creases of plastic bags stored in the cupboards, coating the underside of my broiler pan. It's like I thought the laws of physics and particle motion didn't apply to me. Boy was I wrong. Still, I had not yet moved my furniture in yet, so I was saved the arduous task of repeatedly vacuuming a microsuede couch. Thank you Jesus for small moments of clarity.
b) the drum sander was not recommended for the first-time-refinisher. The more lackadaisical "pad sander" was recommended, but was advertised as not doing quite as good a job as the drum sander. Wanting nothing but the best for my poor, beat-up kitchen floor, I went with the drum sander. Besides, I was an expert. I had personally overseen the construction of radar towers, multifamily homes, European-style glass-and-metal tenant fit-outs, and complex HVAC system retrofits. A drum sander I could handle. The sheer terror involved in letting this beastly device down onto my floor for the first time is an experience I will not soon forget. It's rather like filling a five-year-old child with sugary sweets and then immediately taking him to an antique mart, trying to guide him through narrow aisles filled with overpriced, breakable tchotchkies, and telling him that he isn't allowed to touch anything, no matter how shiny and pretty it may be. My forearms ached for no less than three days afterwards.
c) The use of an oil-based sealer was recommended as a first coat on bare wood, especially when using water-based wood varnish. Not wanting to contribute to further environmental degradation through the purchase of this toxic, hazardous, oil-based chemical, I thought it best to forego that step and skip directly to the application of my clear water-based finish. Besides, I wanted a "natural" look for my floor, so the tint given to wood when applying an oil-based finish would not fit in with my desired aesthetic. Let's just say that the warnings were not unfounded. while my floor looks quite pretty, upon closer inspection you can see how the first coat of water-based finish actually raised the grain on my floor. I like to think of it as "traction control" when I'm wearing socks. Others may not see it the same way.
d) Most people recommended applying at least 4-5 coats of finish, in order to maximize lustre and protection. The concept of committing to a 5-coat application is very nebulous. After two coats, it was not immediately apparent that I would require 4 or 5. If I did one thing right in this whole process, it was applying the third and fourth coats. By the end of the fourth coat, I was ready to never refinish another floor as long as I was alive on this planet. But, after a few weeks spent standing back and admiring my handiwork, I have to say that I'm seriously contemplating doing the other half of my condo. It's rather like flossing- it's tedious and definitely not exciting, but the payoff in the end makes the pain during the action seem that much more bearable.
For my first time doing it 100% on my own, I shouldn't complain. I mean, I didn't destroy my floor, it's arguably more aesthetically pleasing than before, and I saved several hundred dollars by doing it myself. That drum sander was ridiculously heavy, though. I remain convinced that I gave myself a hernia lifing the damn thing into my hatchback. Ah, the joys of homeownership.
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