Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week Two

Behind the Scenes (and the house): Support systems (dumpster and portapotty) for our crew. Toby is just certain that whoever's in the loo will want to throw the ball for him.

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week Two

Domestic Archaeology: Part Two

Before the drywall went up, we were able to sleuth out some of the Floyd House's original structure. The west wall of the kitchen (top) consists of lath and plaster, standard interior construction for the early 20th century. (Note the diagonal stud ("K brace") near the exterior wall.) But the east wall (middle) is built of 1x6 boards, similar to the house's exterior walls. An old doorway frame and header (bottom) sits in the north corner of that wall. Suspicions confirmed: The original house ended at what's now the kitchen, and the study, laundry room and downstairs bathroom were all later additions.

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week Two

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week Two

The Sheetrock Week. The panels went up in two days; the rest of the week was devoted to taping and mudding. Mysterious pipes and cables stick out on all sides, a hint of appliances to come.

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week One

Domestic Archaeology: Part One

Layers of flooring like sedimentary rock (Pergo, Linoleum tile, painted pine boards ... and below that, the abyss.)

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week One

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: Week One

Demolition took all of one day. The rest of the week was devoted to roughing in electrical and plumbing. Small glitches when the existing wiring and pipes weren't up to code. Glitches fixed to the satisfaction of the city inspectors.

By the end of the week, the drywall had been delivered. Toby stood watch ...

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: The Befores

Ditchin' the Kitchen 2006: The Befores

In celebration of its 101st birthday, the Floyd House gets a new cookin' space. Farewell, tacky Pergo flooring. Adieu, awful makeshift cabinets. Hasta la vista, 29 electrical outlets (notorious throughout the neighborhood). Hello to a 21st century kitchen -- including, for the first time in this abode, an exhaust hood over the range.

All this in just eight weeks. (More or less.) (Probably more.)

Let us begin. First, the "before" shots ...