That is what my response would be to a friend who said "My Mercedes needs some repairs and upgrades".
Some of my friends would say "I'll give you a hand, I've been working on Mercedes for years". Then, as we worked on my Mercedes, they'd say things like "Do this" and "Now do that". I, thinking that they knew what they were doing, would do this and that. Occasionally they would hit things with a big hammer, leaving dents in the car. I would feel bad about saying anything because they were helping me when I needed help.
What should the correct response be? Well, the title, of course. No, I really have no idea. I might be able to figure it out, but it will be poorly done, much of it will be sub par, and some of it will just be flat out wrong.
So just because it isn't a Mercedes, but is, in fact, the walls of an antique house, why should your response be any different?
Me: I need to do some renovations to my old house, specifically moving a door and squaring off a hallway.
Random friend: No problem. I can help you with that. So and so was a contractor for thirty years. I'll bet he'll help.
Perhaps the answer should have been "I don't really know how to do that".
So why the post now since this "hypothetical" conversation happened over ten years ago? I am doing one of my famous renovation projects and am patching in some drywall I had to cut out. The wall is freaking curved! Yes. Curved! The studs don't line up. They are different widths. The house was built with rough cut lumber so we had to rip 2" x 6" boards to 4". Well, apparently we didn't rip the boards to 4", we ripped them to somewhere near four inches. Close enough, right? NO! Aaaaahhhhh! Installing the new piece of drywall, which is only 31" wide, and there is about a 3/8 inch bow. Cracking drywall pieces, screws ripping right through when the pressure gets too much, etc.
If anyone is around and I suggest doing a project on the house, shoot me. Right then and there. Just shoot me. I'll sign whatever you need to keep you out of trouble.
Oh wait, did I mention that the house is over a 100 years old? EVERYTHING is a freaking project. Disregard that last sentence. I can't afford the medical bills for the number of times I'd be in the emergency room.
3 comments:
If you get the drywall damp pretty much all the way through- not wet, just moist. Spritz it down several times a day until it's malleable, then put it up easy. Use something for washers so the screw doesn't pull through until it dries.
Of course you'll still have a curved wall, but the drywall will custom fit...
Thanks for the suggestion Kurt. Do I spritz the back side, the front side, or both?
Both, or hang a wet towel over it. Basically you want gypsum soft-ish.
If you get wet mornings, you could put it outside on the porch.
Of course you don't want it so wet that it'll tear as you're handling it.
It's not rocket science :-) You should be able to figure by trying how much more wet it needs to be by bending it and seeing how it acts.
Post a Comment