BEFORE:
Existing crappy layout. HATE IT.
EMPTY:
Empty! The baseboard paint is flaking off because the prior owner installed laminate baseboards, to which paint does not stick. Had they matched the flooring I would have left them alone but they were DARK BROWN. WTF? I know they make a special bonding primer just for such applications but I apparently made a bad choice of painting contractor. ::sigh::
AFTER DEMOLITION:
Note the dark dots in the white area in the big picture on top. Those are nails that opted to stay in the wall rather than come out with the boards. As evidenced by the white paint vs. the unprimed area, these upper shelves were added later by a homeowner.
Who used looooooooonnnnnnnggggg finish nails, i.e. no head to speak of, in the studs.
And who should die. (Note there are no nails left in the wall in the original shelf area, just the add-on.)
And yes, that is in fact a kitchen cutting board in the tool picture. It was used to spread the force of the crowbar over a larger area so as not to put a big hole in the wall. You know, like the one in the next picture.
Learning: meet Hard Way.
The last picture is the pile o’ boards I removed but is short four shelf boards I had already taken to the garage. !Ay caramba! People say demolition is the fun part but I DISAGREE. If you’re knocking down entire walls and want to get out your aggression with a sledge hammer, maybe, but prying off stinkin’ boards that have been nailed to a delicate wall you do not want to damage is another matter entirely.
Next up:
- Remove the effing nails that are still stuck in the wall without doing any more damage,
- Repair the nail hole and crowbar damage,
- Apply texture to mimic the rest of the wall texture,
- Prime and paint,
And that’s all before the actual new closet system installation.
Tania: THAT will be the fun part. I’ll save it for your visit. COME SOON.
