Sunday, January 06, 2008
On the Imperfections of Walls
We are in the process of re-doing the kitchen. Not in a big way, mind you. It is small and we can't afford new appliances or cupboards or countertops or floors. I tried to fix up my kitchen at my Westland apartment by replacing the knobs on the cabinet doors (what kind of an idiot uses a filigree patterned knob in the kitchen?!); the knobs were so expensive that when Brian found us a new apartment without stairs, I repeatedly insisted that he put the original knobs back and bring my new ones with us. Sadly, the Canton apartment didn't need knobs, and this kitchen uses handles instead. The solution this time is to paint.
Anyway, we have removed the wallpaper. Today I spackled holes and started some sanding. Sanding is a great way to find all of your wall imperfections. I have also been spackling grooves and dents. Then I figured I'd spackle the holes in the living room left by the plastic appliances which once held the tie-backs for the drapes. I need to replace those drapes at some point, but for now I'll pull out the plastic wall studs and spackle the holes.
In spackling the tie-back holes, I had to get up on the sofa and saw some other holes behind the Christmas tree above my lovely framed butterflies. I feel a little bad about having such beautiful corpses in my living room as décor, but they really look nice and are some of Brian's favorite pictures of mine. He doesn't like a lot of my pieces of "stuff" but he likes those. They can't be hung next to wall holes. My eye fell upon the black hooks on the ceiling, which presumably once held a lamp with a swag chain or something. "Maybe I could remove those hooks and spackle the holes," I said.
"You should wait until the tree is down first," said Brian. I think he's worried I'll try to stand on the arm of the sofa or make him do it.
Since much of the spackle in the kitchen had dried by the time I found the other holes to fill, I began sanding and layering more spackle. And sanding more. And now instead of filling holes, I am trying to smooth down where previous spackle had been applied by some homeowner or carpenter of years past. I think I can get the walls smoother. My eagle eye is poring over minute flaws. I can't actually sand anymore because I can't remember where the spackle is dry and where it's new. Maybe I should get the ladder out and start to try smoothing the wall above the cabinets. In at least one corner I think the cabinet doors will have to be removed so that the sanding blocks can appropriately smooth a corner that consists of one inch of wall space on each side of the corner's edge.
How much sanding should I do behind the stove? On the wall next to the refrigerator? Will it drive me crazy to have unsmoothed walls above or next to appliances? Do I need wall perfection?
Probably not, but I can't stop looking for invisible holes, dents, and dings.
Anyway, we have removed the wallpaper. Today I spackled holes and started some sanding. Sanding is a great way to find all of your wall imperfections. I have also been spackling grooves and dents. Then I figured I'd spackle the holes in the living room left by the plastic appliances which once held the tie-backs for the drapes. I need to replace those drapes at some point, but for now I'll pull out the plastic wall studs and spackle the holes.
In spackling the tie-back holes, I had to get up on the sofa and saw some other holes behind the Christmas tree above my lovely framed butterflies. I feel a little bad about having such beautiful corpses in my living room as décor, but they really look nice and are some of Brian's favorite pictures of mine. He doesn't like a lot of my pieces of "stuff" but he likes those. They can't be hung next to wall holes. My eye fell upon the black hooks on the ceiling, which presumably once held a lamp with a swag chain or something. "Maybe I could remove those hooks and spackle the holes," I said.
"You should wait until the tree is down first," said Brian. I think he's worried I'll try to stand on the arm of the sofa or make him do it.
Since much of the spackle in the kitchen had dried by the time I found the other holes to fill, I began sanding and layering more spackle. And sanding more. And now instead of filling holes, I am trying to smooth down where previous spackle had been applied by some homeowner or carpenter of years past. I think I can get the walls smoother. My eagle eye is poring over minute flaws. I can't actually sand anymore because I can't remember where the spackle is dry and where it's new. Maybe I should get the ladder out and start to try smoothing the wall above the cabinets. In at least one corner I think the cabinet doors will have to be removed so that the sanding blocks can appropriately smooth a corner that consists of one inch of wall space on each side of the corner's edge.
How much sanding should I do behind the stove? On the wall next to the refrigerator? Will it drive me crazy to have unsmoothed walls above or next to appliances? Do I need wall perfection?
Probably not, but I can't stop looking for invisible holes, dents, and dings.
Labels: Brian, condominium, paint, wallpaper, Westland
Comments:
I have bumpy plaster walls that crack like, well, something really cracked, if you look at them crooked. Or straight. I managed to get smooth kitchen & bath walls & wanted to wallpaper. I have decided the solution is the spread mud (big bucket of spackle the way I use it) in a messy way & then wipe it down to about a half inch. Which means I'm making cake icing walls. Then every imperfection & not quite smooth spot is actually a miniature piece of art. Now I just need to get around to doing it...
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