Kitchen Remodel - Part IV

We last left off where we had ripped out the soffits and bolted the cabinets to the ceiling, to create height, storage, and a bit of interest in our little kitchen.

While the other things (ripping out the soffits, taking down the backsplash, heck, even installing the flooring) went really quickly, when we got around to the mudding and drywalling, it took forever. All around the ceiling and tops of the walls, there was uneven surface where the soffit used to be due to a buildup of paint over the years. So we whipped out our hand sanders, mask and goggles, and got down n' dirty with it.




After sanding down the worst of the bumps, we went over them with some drywall mud so we could get a perfectly even surface. While this step is critical in getting a beautiful end result, this step is also one I dread. Tackling nasty leaks and spiders - no problem. Spending hours and hours painting - easy cheesy. Toiling under the hot sun to install new insulation - a cinch. But mudding and then sanding? Ugh.

So, mostly due to my lack of enthusiasm for this part, it took well over a month for us to complete this step. Yup. We lived without a kitchen (it was always covered in dust), and ate in our living room (our microwave and coffee maker lived on the fireplace) for an entire month. It was interesting, to say the least - but I'm pretty sure we both gained quite a bit of weight from all the takeout we ate!

Finally, after using some TSP substitute to completely scrub down the ceiling and walls to prep, it was time to prime! Yeah, baby! One Sunday night we turned on the Christmas music (to get in a festive painting mood!) and went to town armed with our brushes. It took a few hours, but the result already looks a billion times better, although a little blinding to the eyes.

All that work and prep just for this? Yes. Slightly annoying and a little bit disappointing, considering everything that it had taken just to get to this point. But by now we know full well that patience and perseverance pays off.

So finally, the walls and ceiling are ready for the final coat of paint!