Wow! Going down memory lane is a very emotional experience. It brings back the memories of excitement, stress, frustration, and relief. If you are just joining us, I am reposting from my personal blog about our kitchen remodel in 2013. This is what happened weeks 2-5. 

Week 2

The first week of demolition went pretty good with only a few hiccups but when we got to the underlayment and subfloor this last week it has been miserable. The subfloor definitely needed replacing especially after we pried the underlayment up.

It took a week to lay the subfloor mainly because we had to be careful with the open sections. We have learned a lot about the different ways to construct a house. For instance, some builders use rafters as duct work for return air. In 1962 the standard was nailing your 1/2″ subfloor, now they recommend screwing at least 5/8″. Knotted wood was not preferred but now plywood is chalked full of them.

He found a gap to spy into the basement.

Week 3

The following week was installing can lighting. Started out only going to have 6 lights and ended up with 8. The recessed lighting helps give a taller ceiling effect, with such a long narrow room it needed it. This is the week our new fridge arrived 🙂 It may be sitting in our living room waiting to be plugged in but we all can’t wait to get it in the kitchen.

Late night of wiring lights

Lights in and drywall down

We ended up taking almost a full day break from the kitchen to work on other parts of the house. My parents came and helped us put jacks in the basement. Someone before us had cut out some major support pillars causing the house around the stairs to sag. We don’t need to worry about that any more. Dad also helped add a few extra outlets. I say a few but on one wall there had only been one behind the fridge and now we have 4 more, just on that wall!

Now the kitchen is insulated!

Mom also helped me work in the flowerbeds. That would have waited until next year if not for her. I keep them cleaned out but the drought last year killed all of the bushes in the front. Annuals are pretty but I don’t want to mess with buying every year just to dig and replant. I found some gorgeous perennials and split our large lillys. In the end, I still used a few annual flowers in our large pots and my mom planted some around our trees. We didn’t spend an arm and leg on them and they look very nice. In fact, our entire flower bed and a few plants in back ended up being $65 and for about 20 plants.

Week 4

Week 4 was putting up the drywall. Very time consuming but really brought the room together. Mudded and sanded many times, painted the ceiling and walls. Very exciting since much of the week was consumed with graduations, showing property, writing offers, work, and kids.

We had great little helpers

Painted, all but 1 wall luckily it will be covered with cabinets and backsplash. Next time 2 gallons of paint needed.

Weeks 5 and 6

Week 5 has been hard, stormy weather daily which is not ideal for mixing thinset let alone carrying in the hardyboard.

Here is a sneak preview of what we did for the rest of week 5 and beginning of 6:

 Cabinets arrived on May 21! A day of excitement especially for the boys who made forts while we installed the contents.

Until next time…

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