Paint Scraping Forever

A Renovation Journal

Monday

I headed straight to Homebase after school drop-off to collect some wallpapering supplies. I was there early so I was forced to sit in Costa with a large coffee for a bit.

The tree surgeons are back today. They are trimming the blue cedar and grinding out the stump where the Scot’s pine used to sit. Everything looks much better once they finished and I can’t believe how much more of a view we have now.

Tuesday

I spent most of the day scraping off layers of paint in the Old Estate Office bathroom. I’m trying to get the walls fully prepped for paper before I paint the ceiling. The problem is that under a couple of layers of oil paint, there is distemper, an old-fashioned chalk paint. The wallpaper just won’t be able to stick to it so it’s all coming off. Luckily, once you get all the oil paint off the distemper scrapes and washes off quite easily.

Wednesday

More scraping and scrubbing today. Then I had to fill all the blemishes in the plaster. It was a lovely day and I managed to get up the scaffolding and make a plan for what needs to be done up there. Namely, painting, pointing and guttering. There’s also still the damp in the Estate Office bedroom which is coming from the chimney breast. I think we need to get a roofer out to check the leadwork and cap the chimneys.

Thursday

I’ve been so tired today and it’s been a struggle to do anything. We did manage to tidy up outside and light a bonfire. The new boiler room is looking pretty good but I wish the roofers would hurry up and get here now. It won’t be fully weatherproof until the tiles go back on. They should be scaffolding it first so I can finish the brickwork then.

I finished sanding and had a big tidy-up in the bathroom. All ready for painting tomorrow.

Friday

I spent the morning driving around getting some shopping and going to Travis Perkins to collect the lime mortar. We’ve looked at colour samples and think we have a match with the Earth colour from Lime Green. I picked up one bag today so that we can test it. Hopefully, it will look good. The last stuff I used was way too light-coloured and was really messy to work with. I’m hoping the Lime Green stuff will be better.

I managed to get the mist coat on the ceiling in the bathroom. I hate doing mist coats. Watered-down paint just goes everywhere no matter what you do.

We’ve also had Andy the electrician here this week. He managed to get into the loft over Emma’s bedroom and install downlights in the bathroom. They also have an electric towel rail in there now so it’s much cosier.

Saturday

While the boys were at rugby I finished the second coat on the bathroom ceiling. The Earthborn claypaint is really nice to work with and it looks great.

In the afternoon I start my next project which is the makeover of the fireplace surround that I bought on Facebook Marketplace. I’m going to strip all the varnish off it and give it a more distressed matt look. Or possibly paint it if I don’t like how it turns out! This is all part of the bigger snug fireplace project. Another thing that I need to finish as soon as possible.

Sunday

Emma has got to work with the first coat on the panelling in the bathroom. It looks so different in there already!

Luke the plumber was here finishing off the boiler installation. The valve on the oil tank was fixed and the Aga is at last back on. Without the kitchen is freezing!

I spent the afternoon scraping paint stripper from the fireplace surround. I think I love how it’s going to look but I’m trying not to get too excited.

I hope you all had a lovely week. I’ve realised I need to take more pictures! It’s very easy to forget when you’re full steam ahead getting on with things. I’ll try to take more this week:-)