Plaster of Paris
Well, I did all this stuff last Sunday and never got around to writing about it. My goal was to complete all the plastering that needed to be done in the living room, and I mostly got that done.
Most of the jobs were areas of wall missing around electrical boxes.
Sometimes it was just a little gap around the box that would peek out from behind a plate. Those ones were easy.
Before
After
A little more obnoxious is when the plaster doesn't come in close enough to fit the box and so there is nowhere for the ears to grab on and the box doesn't properly sit flush against the wall.
Not enough plaster to catch the box ear
These ones suck because you have to take the box out of the wall. This is especially bad when using this particular variety of remodel boxes I have that hold a clip behind the box with a screw. To get them out, you have to remove the screw, causing the clip to fall off the back of the box inside the wall.
It's on the floor inside the wall
I have a telescoping magnet that is really useful for this kind of task, but I've only ever needed it at outlet level before, and it doesn't reach from lightswitch height. I tied a piece of twine to the magnet and fished the clip out. Hooray.
Magnet fetch rig
Got it
Then I could add a slug of plaster where the box ear wants to hang on and put the box back in the wall.
Porchlight switch filled in
I got all the boxes done, including the ones in the dining room. Unfortunately, flattening the area underneath the window that I replaced completely continues to elude me. I decided to call in a plastering contractor to come fix it. I've done most of it, but I just don't really understand how to make such a large surface flat. So the professionals can handle that one.
One of the many things I have to replace in these rooms is all of the heat register plates, as they have been painted mauve like everything else. So I pulled all of those off, and they are of course plastered in, so even cutting around them caused a little damage. Oh boy, more plaster work.
Some of the heating ducts are unbelievably foul. I estimate the plates haven't come off of the ducts in around 30 years (see below). I should probably get someone to come clean them out.
Some of these dustbunnies are over twenty years old
Much cleaner vent, surrounding plaster damage
I carbon-dated the last cleaning to 30 years after finding a bunch of stuff behind the plates, including a few cards from this United Airlines deck commemorating the bicentennial.
Celebrate a Proud Land Born 200 Years Ago
I have to get six new registers, and while I'm at it, all new hardware for these rooms. The door hinges, doorknob collars, everything. All mauve, all the time.
Stack o' registers
Most of the jobs were areas of wall missing around electrical boxes.
Sometimes it was just a little gap around the box that would peek out from behind a plate. Those ones were easy.
Before
After
A little more obnoxious is when the plaster doesn't come in close enough to fit the box and so there is nowhere for the ears to grab on and the box doesn't properly sit flush against the wall.
Not enough plaster to catch the box ear
These ones suck because you have to take the box out of the wall. This is especially bad when using this particular variety of remodel boxes I have that hold a clip behind the box with a screw. To get them out, you have to remove the screw, causing the clip to fall off the back of the box inside the wall.
It's on the floor inside the wall
I have a telescoping magnet that is really useful for this kind of task, but I've only ever needed it at outlet level before, and it doesn't reach from lightswitch height. I tied a piece of twine to the magnet and fished the clip out. Hooray.
Magnet fetch rig
Got it
Then I could add a slug of plaster where the box ear wants to hang on and put the box back in the wall.
Porchlight switch filled in
I got all the boxes done, including the ones in the dining room. Unfortunately, flattening the area underneath the window that I replaced completely continues to elude me. I decided to call in a plastering contractor to come fix it. I've done most of it, but I just don't really understand how to make such a large surface flat. So the professionals can handle that one.
One of the many things I have to replace in these rooms is all of the heat register plates, as they have been painted mauve like everything else. So I pulled all of those off, and they are of course plastered in, so even cutting around them caused a little damage. Oh boy, more plaster work.
Some of the heating ducts are unbelievably foul. I estimate the plates haven't come off of the ducts in around 30 years (see below). I should probably get someone to come clean them out.
Some of these dustbunnies are over twenty years old
Much cleaner vent, surrounding plaster damage
I carbon-dated the last cleaning to 30 years after finding a bunch of stuff behind the plates, including a few cards from this United Airlines deck commemorating the bicentennial.
Celebrate a Proud Land Born 200 Years Ago
I have to get six new registers, and while I'm at it, all new hardware for these rooms. The door hinges, doorknob collars, everything. All mauve, all the time.
Stack o' registers
posted by Ficus at 8:19 PM
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