We got quite a bit accomplished this week even though it doesn’t look like it. Completely finished with demo! It’s encouraging to feel like I’m making progress now instead of continuing to tear things apart. Although I do really enjoy demo day!
I started by removed the vanity mirror which was easier than I thought it was going to be. The mirror was only attached with adhesive so I used wood shims and placed them all around the mirror and tapped them in until the mirror eventually came loose. And it didn’t break which was a bonus!
The wall was pretty damaged underneath, but I ended up having to take out this wall anyway to move the electrical box so the new light fixture would be centered.
I always thought it was strange that they put up this piece of wood as a makeshift light fixture. Once we removed it, it became clear why.
The electrical box is not centered above the vanity, so instead of relocating it, they put up the piece of wood to hide it. That would not work with the new fixture I got, so I called my sister in law who is an electrician and she walked me through what to do. I am NOT a professional and know when I need to ask for help. Usually.
So the new electrical box had to be moved to the other side of the stud, but in order for it to be centered, I needed to add a sister joint to the stud so it had something to attach to. I also had to drill a hole through the stud to get the wires through to the other side. It was all very exciting as I’d never done any of this before.
Next, we took a poll and it was almost unanimous that the medicine cabinet needed to go. So out it went!
It was actually super easy to remove, which was surprising! What was behind it, however, was also a surprise and not the good kind.
It looks like something was trying to escape from the inside. Our linen closet is behind this wall and you can see some of the drywall anchors coming through. Of course those will have to go too. This was a project that was not on the list. That’s the way it goes though, it’s a can of worms. You go down the rabbit hole. But it’s all part of the fun!
We got the old tub out and the new tub in with a bit of effort to get it seated right.
We also installed a new exhaust fan. The old one was extremely loud and was also falling out of the ceiling so it had to go.
Finally time to start putting things back together which means drywall. Disclaimer: This is the first time I’ve ever hung drywall, so I am by no means an expert and I’m sure I’m making plenty of mistakes but I will share everything I’ve learned thus far.
The first thing I learned is that cutting drywall is very easy! All you need is a sharp utility knife, a tape measure and a drywall T-square. I didn’t have one of these and am really glad that I got it. Very useful!
Here is how you cut drywall:
- Score the drywall in the front. Only cut through the paper. You DO NOT need to cut deeper than that. If you do, it actually makes it more difficult.
- Snap the drywall from behind. I used my knee and hit it right on the scored line but on the back side.
- The drywall will snap perfectly along your scored line so now all you have to do is cut through the paper on the back with your utility knife. Done!
If the cut isn’t even, you can use a drywall rasp (another useful tool) to smooth it out.
Now to hang the first piece! This was definitely a two person job because the drywall was big and needed to be held in place while the first few screws were attached. First we marked out the studs with painters tape on the ceiling because the drywall has to be screwed into studs. You want the drywall to hang horizontal since the studs go vertically and use as few pieces as possible. For this wall, we needed the full 4 feet on top and cut the bottom piece to 3 feet and cut them both to length. Drywall sheets are 4’x8′ which is perfect for 8′ ceilings, but ours are only 7′. You want to butt the factory edge up against the ceiling but you can leave a small gap at the wall, maybe 1/4 inch.
Next, using drywall screws, attach the wallboard at the studs with the screws no more than 16″ apart. It’s probably a good idea to check your local building codes as these numbers can vary state to state. I put them 12″ apart to be safe. It’s important that the screws are not in too deep or sticking out at all because you will eventually be mudding over them.
The process was the same for the second piece. You want to leave a 1/2″ gap at the floor for expansion. This will be covered by baseboards. You also want to butt up the factory edges together in the middle, leaving the cut edge at the floor.
I also ended up having to take off the door trim to be able to get to the corner to attach the drywall. When I took it off, I found mold from the leak we had months ago so I had to remove that skinny piece of drywall to the left of the door as well. I thought I had removed all of the damaged drywall but this little piece had gone undetected! Glad it’s out now.
We put in the new light fixture to make sure it worked and tried a couple different bulbs. Also hung this drywall and cut around the electrical box.
We have this problem to tackle next week. I’m skeptical that we can repair it, but we’ll see! Next week we’ll be mudding the drywall, installing a new toilet and getting the plumber out to install the rough in for the new shower and tub fixtures. We’ll see what else we can get done!
If you want to check out other people’s ORC projects, head over to the One Room Challenge blog. Thanks for following along! I’ll be updating on stories on IG and FB throughout the week at @selenebuildsthings if you can’t wait for next week’s blog post. More to come!