Building the Barbershop - 2

Most of sunday was spent doing work on my new place. Today was drywalling, taping and mudding day. The rest of the walls were not in the best of conditions. Filled with drywall anchors I had to haul them out and fill them all. Let's keep in mind that I am not a very competent drywaller...uh, drywallist.

So I had to create a box to cover all those nasty pipes. It took longer that I had thought. About three hours to be honest. And half an hour was spent staring at the wall figuring out how to build it. It seemed like I was paralysed with indecision, I mean this is the kind of thing that could blow up in my face later if I do it improperly. But then I figured it would be improper anyway, so I just cut a piece of 2x4 and hammered it to the wall. Then I hammered another piece to that one, continuing in that manner until it was finished.

Then I closed off the entranceway, to make my spot a little more quiet and private. That pipe looks horrible though. Not my first choice for a colour scheme were I to paint it. Also that is the drain for all the flats upstairs. Yup, everyones doodoo passes through my place before it heads off to the Halifax Harbour.

Then I had to hang the drywall on the ceiling. One of my great fears is driving a screw or nail into a powerline sending bolts of electricity through my body; causing me to go unconcious and soil my trousers. The small light above the tub is fed power from another unit, so I can't effectively turn it off when I am working around it, so I had to be extra careful. I contemplated wearing adult diapers just in case. But as you can see it worked fairly well...I say fairly well, but we will have to see after a few months and it starts to sag, or the joints crack. By the way, when you are afixing gyprock to a ceiling you might want to have friend help you or something.

Everything was drywalled and taped, I bought a few strips of cornerbead to make it all look nice. Then begins mudding. I am a horrible drywall finisher, by the way, like a child with fingerpaint or Elmer's glue. Its everywhere and its all gunked on there. I like that its very pliable and that I can cover my inexperience with sanding and another coat. I, however, used up an entire bucket of drywall compound and need to get more.

It really isn't too bad. Especially from someone whose only knowledge about this kind of thing is from Bob Villa, Holmes on Homes. Actually I have to give a lot of credit to the internets; there are a lot of renovators instructional videos online.

Wellity, wellity...thats it for now. Over the week I have classes and whatnot, but this project will be at the forefront of my mind, no doubt, compelling me to work away at it when I should be doing other things. I have to continue mudding and sanding and mudding and sanding; then put on a couple coats of primer.
Take care, Dear Readers!

Building My Barbershop - 1

So many of you are wondering about whats happening here these days...I am moving! Fret not! I am not moving very far; merely to the first floor of my building where I will live and open a barbershop! It is a nearly flawless idea but for the one little hiccup: that the space is basically wrecked. After tense negotiations with my landlord he agreed to provide the materials as long as I make the repairs and renovations. The first thing he did was tear out a wall that made a useless hallway, installed a bathtub, got some 2x4's, some drywall, nails and then left the rest up to me.

Here it is unfinished, looking out to the street. Not bad condition in this pic - but it gets worse.

This is the view looking to the back of the shop. As you can see the tub is in the main room. This is tres chic among many designers...the ultimate in "open concept". Despite that fashionable feature, the overall condition of this place is appalling.

A close-up of the work that had to be done. Tear off the ceiling panels, tear out all the 2x4's and a bunch of other stuff that turned out to be terribly time-consuming and extraordinarily messy.
Here is Claire. She was eager to get in on the demolition action.


I stripped it all off and discovered that I had demolished a mouse highway. Hmmm...time to invest in some traps.
The final thing for the day. I had to frame off this entranceway- it led to another unit. Sunday will be spent gyprocking and taping and mudding.

I have a lot of other things that need to be done besides the construction. I have to apply for a business license and get a new barbers chair, get some business cards printed up, get a phone number and wowza...a lot to do! EEP! But I truly believe that at the end of the day you are either counting someone else's money or counting your own, so its worthwhile to be self-sufficient. I am not entirely there yet, but at least I am putting the plan to work.