Bruce's Journal

[Ridgetop]

Beautiful work Bruce!

Our old house built in 1920 had baseboards that were made from 3/4" flat boards rounded on top. I really liked them. They were easy to clean too. I like your idea of ripping them yourself and sanding them down. I also like the idea of the Craftsman style moldings to avoid cutting 45 degree angles. You are right, there is no door or window in this house, built in 1953, that has a proper angle. Of course, here in the Land of Tremblors (CA) the houses are constantly "settling". Luckily DS1 will be moving to Texas with us. I used to cut and install all the moldings myself but lately DS1 has developed a real gift for it, particularly crown molding which I never could figure out!

Sawdust mixed with glue won't take stain properly due to the glue. If you are using a wood filler, get several shades both lighter and darker than the wood you are using. Do a trial run with the wood filler and stain to see which matches better. Even though the wood filler says "stainable" it never takes the stain the same as the wood you are using. I have natural oak molding in my whole house, except the new laundry room, entry, and 5th bedroom we built on a couple years ago. There I went with paintable moldings since I didn't want to bother with the work and expense of real wood. I also changed out the natural oak moldings in the office when I laid the new floors. Easier since we had built in some white cabinets in the old FA space in the office so the moldings match the cabinets. When we sell this house, I can either paint out all the moldings or leave them natural in the main rooms and painted in some of the house. The house has gone up so much in value that if I come down in price, it will only drop the amount the government is going to gouge us for. If our son and DIL buy it, they won't care or DS2 can change out everything himself.

You did beautiful work on those moldings. We will never tell how long they took!

 

[Bruce]

If the gap is big enough to need filling, yes, buy filler or make some with fine sawdust and wood glue. Glue by itself doesn't sand very well Even if you paint it, it is nice to star twith a smooth surface that doesn't change shape with temperature and humidity changes.

Of course, here in the Land of Tremblors (CA) the houses are constantly "settling".

Sure does. I have no idea how many times my aunt and uncle have had to have their drywall joints fixed after bigger quakes.

Even though the wood filler says "stainable" it never takes the stain the same as the wood you are using.

Yep. The only wood I am staining is the pine doors/frames. Fruitwood seems to do a fair color match to red birch. I will have to use a little filler between the frame extension and the vertical trim on the outside door in the bathroom, Just too hard to get a clean edge on the extensions to match the wall. I don't like it but I'll have to suck it up.

I buy wood I like the color and grain of with just semi gloss urethane on it. I'm partial to sap maple, red birch and cherry. Not overly fond of pine or oak. Of course there is a TON of pine in the rebuilt part of the house, the ceiling of the first floor is the subfloor of the second. And the ceiling of the second floor is the deck of the roof.

 

[Baymule]

The so called carpenter that DS hired to do trim did a half way job. In one bedroom, he did 3 walls, but not the 4th wall. In the other bedroom, he did 2 walls. There seems to be no pattern for what he did. The kicker, DS can't find more of the same trim.

 

[Ridgetop]

Here is a suggestion - Pull the trim off from the room with 3 walls and recut it to fit the bedroom with only 2 walls trimmed out. Or vice versa, whichever way makes more sense with the trim you have. When removing the trim, pull the remaining nails through the wood with a set of dykes from the wrong side instead of trying to pound them back through the front. Easier and less splintering or marking on the trim.

Then buy new molding for the other room making sure to get enough of the same stuff to do all 4 walls. Don't bother doing the trim in your bedroom until we lay the floor. Then the trim can be installed afterward. If you want to wait until we get back there, I can cut and install the trim for you. I will bring my electric brad nailer.

 

[Ridgetop]

Bruce your trim looks great. Anyone that looks too closely and criticizes - don't invite them back!

 

[Baymule]

Here is a suggestion - Pull the trim off from the room with 3 walls and recut it to fit the bedroom with only 2 walls trimmed out. Or vice versa, whichever way makes more sense with the trim you have. When removing the trim, pull the remaining nails through the wood with a set of dykes from the wrong side instead of trying to pound them back through the front. Easier and less splintering or marking on the trim.

Then buy new molding for the other room making sure to get enough of the same stuff to do all 4 walls. Don't bother doing the trim in your bedroom until we lay the floor. Then the trim can be installed afterward. If you want to wait until we get back there, I can cut and install the trim for you. I will bring my electric brad nailer.

I'm going down there this morning. Going to drag out that nasty carpet out of that bedroom. Gross! Bag up the padding for the trash. A friend wants the carpet to lay in the dirt in front of his shop. It seems to be the thing to do, use old carpet to lay over dirt. To me, that sounds stupid and results in yet even more mess to clean up. But if he wants the carpet, I don't have to haul it off.

Got the truck and trailer loaded, will unload it. Put 3rd coat of paint on living room trim, window sills, and hang drapes. Going to bring back a trim piece ans see if I can match it. YES! Bring youur brad nailer!

 

[Ridgetop]

We used the old carpet in our house to lay down in strips on the very steep paths to the barn and lower field before we put in the steps. Cut it in strips and lay it down upside down to provide grip on muddy paths. Yes, you eventually have to haul it off, but on our heavy clay it helped for the first few years. I also know people that used it for garden paths to keep from having to weed.

Will bring the brad nailer. I have an 18 gauge electric one and both 18 and 16 gauge ones that work off the air compressor. Do we need the air compressor? It also handles the large construction nail gun.

What are we going to do other than moldings and vinyl flooring? Give me a list so I can plan what tools to bring. I have a large selection of battery operated tools with extra batteries and chargers that will all come. Do we need drywall tools? Are we hanging closet doors? Regular doors? Installing electrical outlets, fans, switches? Do you need cabinet knobs? I have a lot (100) of new black round cabinet knobs that I can bring if you want them. California is too far for me to "run home and get it". However, wait to buy the flooring or additional molding for your room till we arrive if you buy it at Lowes or Home Depot since DH has a 10% military discount at both.

Seeing the excellent quality of Bruce's work, we should detour through Vermont and bring him along too!

 

[Bruce]

Will bring the brad nailer. I have an 18 gauge electric one

I got one of those for XMas 2020. First use was putting the trim up on the bathroom window. Sure would have been nice if I had it 25 years ago when I did the trim on the other house. Every piece was pre-drilled for finish nails. Never a good idea to put those into hardwood, especially near the ends, without pre-drilling.

 

[Baymule]

We used the old carpet in our house to lay down in strips on the very steep paths to the barn and lower field before we put in the steps. Cut it in strips and lay it down upside down to provide grip on muddy paths. Yes, you eventually have to haul it off, but on our heavy clay it helped for the first few years. I also know people that used it for garden paths to keep from having to weed.

Will bring the brad nailer. I have an 18 gauge electric one and both 18 and 16 gauge ones that work off the air compressor. Do we need the air compressor? It also handles the large construction nail gun.

What are we going to do other than moldings and vinyl flooring? Give me a list so I can plan what tools to bring. I have a large selection of battery operated tools with extra batteries and chargers that will all come. Do we need drywall tools? Are we hanging closet doors? Regular doors? Installing electrical outlets, fans, switches? Do you need cabinet knobs? I have a lot (100) of new black round cabinet knobs that I can bring if you want them. California is too far for me to "run home and get it". However, wait to buy the flooring or additional molding for your room till we arrive if you buy it at Lowes or Home Depot since DH has a 10% military discount at both.

Seeing the excellent quality of Bruce's work, we should detour through Vermont and bring him along too!

The kitchen and bathroom were remodeled before DS bought the house. So, don't need knobs. I bought vinyl tiles today, hoping to get them put down this week, but have so much to do to that awful room first. Bring the brad nailer, we have trim work to do!

Need to move the outlets in the kitchen. They are below the piece of granite trim. I'm painting 2 closet doors, they only need the missing screws to hang them. Need some switches and electrical plugs done. Won't need the big nail gun. I have a small pancake compressor, don't know if it would pull the brad nailer.

Swing by and pick up @Bruce, we can use his trim talents!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

Start packing Bruce - bring your tools!