Trim

One of the projects that should have been completed long ago is re-hanging the trim around the windows and doors. It will probably not surprise you to learn that this simple task has been plagued with problems.

When we tore out all of the walls, we also removed a 3/4 inch layer of fiberboard insulation. We added the roll insulation, and hung the drywall without giving it a second thought. That was our first mistake (thank you for not going back through all of the posts and totalling the actual number of mistakes). When replaced, the trim floats 3/4 of an inch off the wall.

We tried to come up with a solution that would maintain the same look throughout the house. We figured we could add a piece of wood behind the trim, but I didn't like the thought of 1 1/2 inch trim on every window.

We quickly dismissed the idea of hanging the trim on the outside of the window frame, due to the fact that the angles and lengths would not match up.

We thought about routing out a channel in the back of the trim, but the original trim is 3/4 inch. We would have to route almost the entire thickness of the board, leaving a very thin piece of trim.

We thought about using an electric planer on the window frames and removing the extra material, but the aged wood started to split in the corners.

We ended up using a chisel and cutting out the corners of the window frame. Once the corners were ready, we used the router to remove the excess material. The only modification we will need to make is on a small piece of inner window trim. Previously, it attached to the window frame, but now it will attach to the edge of the trim.

We still need to final sand and polyurithane the trim, but it is very close to completion. We seem to have quite a few projects that are close to completion. We need to get them finished and off the to-do list.

Day Trip 12/16

I left Indianapolis about 10:30 and walked into the cottage a little before 1:00 on Saturday. We (CMV and I) made a decision to eventually remove all of the drywall in the house. The exterior walls are moldy, damp and poorly insulated, and the interior walls are not much better. I want as much of this completed before springtime comes, so I decided to remove the rest of the drywall in the bedroom.

I first removed the remaining pieces of trim molding and set them aside to take with me when I return home. I next, removed the electrical outlets and fixtures and pulled the carpet out of the room. Lastly, I went at the drywall with the pry bar and a hammer. My goal was to get as much drywall out of the house as I could and still leave that night. In the end, I cleared the remaining four room surfaces, and one wall in the other bedroom.





Once the bedrooms are stripped of drywall, we can make any necessary repairs and add insulation to the outer walls. We will also be able to hang the drywall because there will not be any need for plumber access.

In the wall cavity, I found a large abandoned wasps nest. I was very thankful it was not active, as I disturbed it quite a bit while pulling on the old drywall. If it had been active, I would have suffered from the encounter.