The Great Cover Up (Part 3)

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December 9, 2012 by stpaulhaus

The exciting finale of the three-part trilogy commences now.

(Click here for part 1 and part 2)

Prepare to have your mind blown.

What started out looking like this…

Now looks like this…

Yuuss.

So happy it is done, and it turned out fantastic. Here are all the exciting details…

In part 2, we put up most of the necessary trim pieces including crown molding, lattice, and a shelf leaving it looking like this at the end of the day:

After getting the last trim piece and last bit of crown molding up, I set all the nail heads into the wood and filled the holes with putty. I apologize we lost a bunch of photos of the intermediate stages 😦  Not sure how that happened, but I guess photos of caulking and painting really aren’t that exciting anyway.

I love this nail set. I have several different ones, but this one is the best.  The rubber grip makes it easier to hold on to.  I also like how it says “wear goggles”….which I do always, and by always I actually sometimes, and by sometimes I actually mean approximately…never.  It is a terrible habit.  Maybe I should have added “stylish eye protection” to my Christmas list this year.

It then got a good sanding sanding and was wiped down several times to remove all dust. After sanding I caulked every joint or place where the trim met the panel and the wall.

When caulking, it is important not to cut the tip off to far down otherwise the bead you lay will be much too big and you will have a really hard time cleaning it up–not to mention it is a waste of materials.  Lay the bead down evenly by moving in a smooth motion from start to finish.  Try not to stop and restart before the end if you can help it.  Once the bead is down, wet your finger in a glass of water and run it along the bead to smooth it down, removing any access caulk from the joint that is not needed. Then us a wet paper towel or rag to remove the caulk from your fingers. If you decide to skip wetting your finger, you will be sorry you did. Paintable caulk is very sticky and dries quickly.  It is hard to smooth down caulk when you have dried bits of crap already stuck to your fingers. (I learned this from experience).  Also, you may be tempted to try those special magical tools for applying caulk in perfectly even lines on tv or in the store. I would stay away from them, because 1) why pay for something then you can do it free and 2) I don’t know if your house is perfectly square, but mine is not, and those things are not forgiving on uneven surfaces.  We tried one of these on our bath tub (which, of course, is not level/plumb/square/whathaveyou) and it turned out horrid. Have never used it since.  Maybe others have had luck with them, but I think I will stick to a wet finger.

After caulk had dried (read the manufactures directions), I applied a coat of primer which I let dry for 1 hour. Then cuddled with a cute kitty.

A coat of high-gloss white trim paint was then applied with a high quality brush. I used the same paint for the trim in this room and the pass-though downstairs which you can read about here. I usually keep the wet brush in a sealed plastic bag if I know I am going to have to put a second coat on something. Works like a charm. I don’t like washing paint brushes more than I have to.

After 24 hours, I applied coat number two…then did a happy dance.

What do you think of the new chimney?  Now I just need to figure out what to put on this thing.  It needs something.  A mirror? Painting?  I’m not sure. Well I guess we are one step closer to the guest bedroom reveal.