Joined Dec 2003
Benevolent Dictator
Forum Thread
Raddish's Dining Room Remodeling Project *UPDATE* #138, with a pic! Fresh paint and completed chair rail. Still have to do beauty boxes.
February 7, 2008 at
07:30 PM
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This project has been on the Honey-do list since the day we moved into this house back in August of 2005. Our dining room is pretty hideous. The previous owners used it as an office and cut holes in the walls, etc.
The color on the walls is nice, but that's the only good thing to say about it, really.
So far we haven't done much except replace the stupid little light that was in the room with a chandelier we got on Amazon.com for $26. It's stainless and matches the rest of the lights in the house, so we like it. We were considering buying a nearly identical chandelier from Lowe's for like $350, and honestly we like that one a bit better, for for $26 for the one we got we really couldn't be much happier.
So since I got laid off from my job I figured I'd take almost two weeks off before starting the new job and tackle this project. First up is priming the walls and removing the awful head-cap from over the window.
Next is pulling up the carpet and staples and removing the baseboards.
Then I'll either install the hardwood or fix all the holes in the walls, not sure which direction I'll go next, but both will hopefully be done by the end of next week.
Later, I'll be wainscoting the dining room, but I have to pick a pattern first. I'm not sure what I want to do just yet.
I also intend to install an in-wall display case for my wife's butterfly art. This will also include some new lighting to show off her collection. That'll probably happen before the wainscoting, and indeed may even drive the wainscoting design.
I've uploaded a few pictures of what I am starting with. I'll post more as I go along, just like before.
The color on the walls is nice, but that's the only good thing to say about it, really.
So far we haven't done much except replace the stupid little light that was in the room with a chandelier we got on Amazon.com for $26. It's stainless and matches the rest of the lights in the house, so we like it. We were considering buying a nearly identical chandelier from Lowe's for like $350, and honestly we like that one a bit better, for for $26 for the one we got we really couldn't be much happier.

So since I got laid off from my job I figured I'd take almost two weeks off before starting the new job and tackle this project. First up is priming the walls and removing the awful head-cap from over the window.
Next is pulling up the carpet and staples and removing the baseboards.
Then I'll either install the hardwood or fix all the holes in the walls, not sure which direction I'll go next, but both will hopefully be done by the end of next week.
Later, I'll be wainscoting the dining room, but I have to pick a pattern first. I'm not sure what I want to do just yet.
I also intend to install an in-wall display case for my wife's butterfly art. This will also include some new lighting to show off her collection. That'll probably happen before the wainscoting, and indeed may even drive the wainscoting design.
I've uploaded a few pictures of what I am starting with. I'll post more as I go along, just like before.
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Just playin'...that's looking really good. We'd like to do that to our dining room but we're afraid we'd completely mess it up and then we'd have to spend a fortune to have someone come fix it, lol.
Looks good, TR! Come do my floors next - kthx.
Golly gee whiz I'm sore!
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Golly gee whiz I'm sore!
How long did it take you to lay down that wood?
Oh, and I'm not a golly gee whiz sort of guy. It was just appropriate at the time is all.
This is where I am now (pics taken about five minutes ago):
Stupid question....is your dining room just a square/rectangle? I'd love to try and do that to our floor (assuming we wouldn't totally screw it up, lol)...but we'd have to cut the wood because we'd have to take it out farther than the square shape of the room (because it flows into the kitchen/bar area in kind of a diagnal shape..hard to explain)...are you cutting the wood or does it come in the sizes you need?
This is where I am stopping for the night. Mommy says I've made enough noise for one day. It is a loud process, especially with the nailer.
By the way, this nailer is the best Harbor Freight [harborfreight.com] purchase I have made to date, and I've bought a lot of stuff from there. I got it for $129 on sale (plus a 10% off coupon, too!
As for installing a floor, that part is really pretty easy. The most important part is getting the first row square, and after that it's just fit, tap in, nail, and cut (when you get to the end). There are lots of tutorials on how to do it online.
The only bad part is that it can be pretty physically grueling. It's a good workout, though.
I'll show my husband your post and tell him about the nailer. Maybe this summer when can send the kids off when my parents for a few days and actually get it done.
I'll show my husband your post and tell him about the nailer. Maybe this summer when can send the kids off when my parents for a few days and actually get it done.
So yeah, I kick ass.
So yeah, I kick ass.
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So, today I'll be removing the flooring I have installed so far, and starting new with the new wood. I am gunning to get the entire floor installed this weekend since we are having new carpeting installed in other portions of the house on the 11th (two weeks from today), and I've got to get prepared for that as well.
It's going to be a long couple weeks.