Home Improvement Project - Living Room Remodel

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The living room at the ranch was definitely in need of remodeling and updating. Over the past 70 years since the house was built, the living room has gone through two extensive remodelings that we know of and perhaps even a third. As best we tell, the latest remodel was completed in late 1975 or early 1976. There was think beige shag carpeting covering the original oak strip hardwood floor, 12"x12" tongue and grove ceiling tile covering the old plaster ceiling, dark rough sawn wood paneling covering the plaster walls, and plastic faux wood trim around the ceiling and doorways. The room was very dark and had a very late seventies feel to it.

Our rendition of the living room remodeling project actually started many moons ago when Shari stripped and refinished the mantel and with the Staircase Reconstruction. As part of that project, we ripped up the old carpeting in the living room and the project went straight down hill from there. Below is a list of everything that has beed done in the living room. Don't forget to check out the pictures of the project at the bottom of the page.

• Shari Sripped and refinished the mantel and Built-in bookcases
• Removed old staircase landing
• Framed in new wall in old staircase archway
• Installed new 3/8" drywall over existing plaster and new wall framing on North wall
• Taped, mudded, sanded, primed, and painted new north wall
• Removed old carpeting to reveal VERY damaged oak stip hardwood
• Removed old hardwood floor to reveal damaged and springy tongue and groove subfloor
• Removed old pine subfloor to reveal damaged floor framing
• Repaired, replaced, and reinforced floor framing with sistered floor joists, support beam, and steel columns
• Installed new 3/4" tongue and groove plywood subfloor with screws and construction adhesive
• Laminated 3/8" plywood over subfloor with screws and construction adhesive (look mom, no more bounce!)
• Removed old falling ceiling tiles and furring strips to reveal damaged original plaster ceiling
• Stripped several layers of wallpaper and paint off of wall over mantel and removed old non-functioning wall sconces from the 1930's
• Stripped and refinished windows and window frames over mantel
• Installed new 3/8" drywall over damaged plaster on ceiling
• Taped, mudded, sanded, primered, and painted new ceiling
• Patched, repaired, sanded, primered, and painted wall over mantel
• Installed new oak strip hardwood floor. The hardest part of this process, by far, was laying out the straight line for the first row of flooring
• Purchased and moved in new recliner and reclining loveseat
• Milled, fitted, and installed oak crown moulding

Still to come...

• New top for mantel
• Oak base boards
• Oak window and door trim
• New Oak 6-panel door between living room and master bedroom
• New Oak/Glass french doors between living room and dining room
• End Tables
• Entertainment Center

Old ceiling coming down	New ceiling drywall	New ceiling finished	New fan and lights
Mantel wall before	Mantel wall during	Mantel wall during	Mantel wall Finished
Flooring begins	Flooring - during	Flooring - during	Flooring - almost there
Flooring - just a little more	Flooring finished	Flooring finished	Flooring finished