The Stairwell

The stairwell is finished except for some trim. The project took about three months to complete. The walls and existing trim were painted first. This was easier said than done. I had to make a platform so that I could safely work above the stairs. I often tell Erika that I don’t like painting. Painting requires a lot of preparation. There is no way around it. The final coat will show all of the defects that were missed during preparation…I learned that many times the hard way. Once the painting was done, I could go ahead and work on the stairs. I needed to add 23mm plywood to each step to raise them to the height of the finished upstairs floor. I then cut the laminate flooring to size and added a stainless steel nosepiece to each step. This is to prevent anyone from slipping on the stairs. All that’s left to do is add some trim pieces to give the stairs a finished look. 

Here's the after and before pictures. The walls were a boring white and the stairs had an adhesive-backed grey felt pad. The area needed to be spruced up a bit. 

The lights were moved to a different location and new globe lights were installed. The small pieces of blue tape were a reminder of what colors the walls were to be painted. Some of our students enjoyed reading the different colors...I think the parents did too. 

My least favorite thing to do is painting. Unfortunately, remodeling is all about painting. 

Standing on the platform above the stairs was a little nerve racking. I was glad when the stairwell was painted. And now for a brief pause...

PECAN PIE!!

Well, since I didn't have any pecans I used walnuts instead. It tasted fantastic. Now, back to the remodel. 

Cutting and fitting the laminate flooring required the use of a lot of templates. The laminate flooring was left over from the master bedroom remodel. The flooring was purchased in the U.S. in 2011. Time for another break...  

Erika created this masterpiece. We call it, "Apple Custard Cream Blizzard Cake." 

Wow! It tasted great. It's an experiment for one of the Christmas parties we will be hosting. BTW, most of the items we bake are given away. As I grow older, my taste for sweets has become less. Although, I will never turn down a box of chocolates. Back to work...  

The stairs are almost finished. The rubber on top of the nose pieces need to be installed. 

 Whew, I'm glad this project is done. 

Yes, the walls are green, yellow and blue. Just around the corner, a very large wall is painted adobe red. I'll save that picture for another post.

It's time for another break...maybe apple crisp pie? 

Up next, the second floor remodel will begin. I'll be posting a picture of the Crescent Nebula using a different process called "Star Tools." Stay tuned...