Before and After

The Baby's Room Is Done

This past week we finally finished up all the painting. We have to touch up a few places where the painting tape stuck too well. We've been in the house for the past four days straight due to the snow, so expect another update soon. Karen.

Josh & Laura

A Kitchen Comparison

The kitchen before.



The kitchen now.

The Counter is In!!!

So they told me that they would be coming between 12 and 2pm. Then at 7:30 this morning I heard a truck backing into the driveway and Laura said, "The counter guys are here." So now it's 8:30 and I have all day to get the rest of my projects done. The counter is made by Cambria, here's a link. It's made from quartz into a granite like stone. The company itself comes up a lot as one of the more environmental. Here is a list from the website about their business practices.

Business Practices

* 100% of the water in production plants is recycled, and Cambria recycles water from an on-site storm drainage pond to water the grounds of the manufacturing plant.
* The Department of Energy (DOE) works with Cambria to implement energy saving procedures at Cambria facilities.
* Cambria's fleet vehicles include hybrids (Toyota Prius).
* A-frame shipping crates that transport slabs and fabricated product are recycled and refurbished.
* All diamond-metal tooling is retooled and re-used.
* Scrap material is collected and used as road base material on local construction projects.
* All computer equipment and batteries are recycled.
* General office waste is recycled (paper, plastics, ink cartridges, etc.).
* Collateral & sales materials are printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper.
* Environmental best practices are promoted through training programs at Cambria University.

The cool thing is you can get this countertop from Ikea. They set you up with a local counter company that will do the installation. This was great for us because we got the cabinets from Ikea as well.

More Bedroom Progress

We've skim coated the walls. We'll have to put on one more coat and fill in any imperfections. Then we can paint and put on the baseboards.

Doors

Today I ended up having the day off. So I began stripping the door for the baby's room. It's a 5 panel, with the panels all horizontal. The paint is old and could be lead based, so I'm stripping it with a heat gun. I'm using the heat gun because other than the electricity that is being used it is the most ecological. The paint hardens up again right away and then you can sweep it up and dispose of it properly. When the paint is dry and hard again, the toxins are also kept in. You need to wear a mask though when you are doing this.

The Baby's Room

Most of the people who read this are our family members, but In case you didn't know we are having a baby. He or She will be born sometime around the 2nd of January. So, our priority shifted to getting the other bedrooms finished. We were working on the kitchen mostly up until we went on vacation.

We rented a place in Provincetown on the Cape for a week. My brothers were back in Massachusetts for their vacation also. So we spent time with them a lot, but mostly we just hang around. All this time my parents had been at our house tearing the walls down and insulating the ceiling. As well as a bunch of other things.

So now things are moving along. The walls are up and the wiring is done. At this point my father is helping me skimcoat the walls. Then I'll be able to put on the baseboard.

Back When We Used To Blog

I had shot some pictures with my cellphone while we were looking for paint. We had been at Home Depot and we didn't think we would be able to get anything. Well, it turns out, they sell NO VOC paint. I have to say I was surprised. It's called Fresh Aire. It's not as high a quality as Mythic. They also have a limited color selection.




We used it on our floors in the bedroom and in the dining room. So far we are mostly pleased with the results. On the negative side; the paint when fully dry, doesn't seem dry. It's sort of rubbery. For example; our hamper sits on the painted wood of our bedroom. When I moved it one day I noticed that the paint came up with the hamper. The walls in the dining room have the same problem. I took a picture down and some of the paint was sticking to the frame where it rested against the wall. All that being said, it's a good paint that doesn't coast too much.

More Kitchen

Back in the kitchen. http://ustream.tv/channel/eco-logical-remodeling

We're back!

Today I am beginning the kitchen renovation. I'm pulling up the old sub-floor and fixing corner of the floor that has sagged. I'll be broadcasting on www.ustream.tv the direct link is: http://ustream.tv/channel/eco-logical-remodeling