BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

This all seems like a distant memory.

What used to be this is now a cozy spot on a cold evening.

The fire is so delightful.

Side note: The antique firescreen was a Christmas gift from my sweet husband.  It fit as if it were made for this spot.

BEAD BOARD STAIR WALL INSTALL

    A year ago when we bought this house there was a bead board wall with a door enclosing the back stairway.

  

The bead board itself is pretty unique, albeit damaged.  I have searched all over town for a double bead board of this thickness and width, to no avail.

The stairs had had some of the support timber cut to fit a washer and dryer beneath the stairs.  This alteration lead to unsafe stairs.   See how the stair treads are lower on the right hand side?

    The wall has been down now for some time and, don't you know, we saved the bead board to be re-installed.  It is time to do just that.  Since we are re-configuring the wall to rail height in order to open up the space a bit, it has taken a bit of puzzling as to how that can be done.

    Donnie has properly supported the stairs and recently finished repairing the cracked and damaged treads (see my previous promo for Gorilla Glue).  It is time to build the wall.

Here's what I did one morning last week....

The old railing is off the new drywall by about a half inch at the top of the stairs.  

I removed the handrail to access the first section of bead board

A putty knife works to get through layers of paint and separate the section of board.

Nails hold the board to the top step

My saw makes quick work of the nails.

The board is removed and saved to replicate the angle.

I cut a board to be a nailing flange for the longer and wider piece of bead board.

There's more to come.  We just about completed the wall install yesterday.....Check back!

GORILLA GLUE

   I am a confirmed fan of Gorilla Glue.  We have used it here on Hawthorne Avenue to repair numerous things.  Most recent repairs include a split stair tread on the back stairs and this splintered mantle.  Check out what I did...

Locate and clean out area to be repaired

Spray on water to dampen area to be glued

Apply glue

Clamp

Allow glue to work.  It will foam up and dry solid.

Cut away dried foam and sand

Ready to receive paint

TAH - DAHHHHH!  After all that, I have a viable surface on which to paint.   And I thought I was going to have to dismantle the mantle (ha ha) and replace the entire piece of wood to make the repair.  High praise for "Gorilla Glue". 

***Stay tuned to learn of Wallace's favorite repair adhesive.