Retirement/Remodeling Project–You Can Do This!
When I purchased my home in 2013 I did so knowing I would have some remodeling projects to do. My first major retirement/remodeling project was changing the 1977 fireplace surround and popcorn ceiling in my family room. Below is the before picture taken by the seller’s realtor…
My son-in-law who lives about 25 miles away and I removed the painted tile fireplace surround and the painted cedar wood slats above it right after I moved in. We, or should I say he, removed the side box for wood storage and the drywall above it (with my permission). Then it stayed that way, open studs and all, for about two years.
I began the project by stripping the paint off the wooden beams on the ceiling. This took a bit of time and elbow grease. A lot of the white paint was embedded in the grain of the wood. After several coats of Citristrip stripping gel, a scraper and a nail, it was ready to be stained the original dark walnut color. I filled the beam joints next to the walls with sealant (I used brown DAP window, door and trim sealant).
Next, my son-in-law hung drywall and cement board for me. We had to add a bit of framing as we kept the original fireplace framing. Then I taped, mudded and textured the new drywall with all-purpose joint compound and a spray can of knockdown. I used knockdown in the past when I helped a friend patch some walls. Easy enough. Painting was next…I have a lot of experience with painting and I enjoy it. It makes such a difference right away.