Just to give you some idea of where I started at, here is a photo of some of the walls after I tore down the old drywall.  It was a very dusty mess.   Those boards you see are the boards outside under the siding.  This old house was built with rough-cut lumber, and the floor joists are made from pine logs.  Nothing is the same size, and nothing is level.  It had the old two-wire electrical wiring, which I had updated last summer.  I had to remove a few columns and put up tel-o-posts to hold it up temporarily, or maybe I will just cover them up since they are doing the job.  (more typing below picture).

The window in the top photo has been replaced with a vinyl sliding window.

I also painted the door maroon, and continued removing the old drywall on the other walls.   I used rest of the maroon paint to paint the inside of a built-in wall shelf that later will have doors.

I exposed some old wood flooring under the old vinyl flooring.  Some of the boards around the door were spongy so I bought one bundle of wood flooring that looks similar to the existing boards.  I am hoping that the sub-floor isn't rotten also, but I'm not making bets on that one.

Here is an up-close picture of the flooring by the door.  You can see where I spilled the maroon paint.

I think I will get my Roto-Zip out and cut a few out to see how it goes, and to see what the sub-flooring looks like. 

The other half of the room had a little insulation in the walls already, so I did not rip down those walls.  I did install a new glass block window (which took me a whole weekend because I had a hard time getting that last block in without breaking it), and  then I "antiqued" the walls.  Before painting the walls I texturized them with spackle, made bumps and then smoothed them out.  Maybe you can tell from the picture.  I still have to frame-in the window.  The corners of this room will have rough-cut wood placed in each corner, as floor molding, and along the ceiling.  Then I will cut some rough-cut boards at a 45 degree angle for the corners so that it looks similar to barn framing.

I removed the old ceiling panels, and the boards they were attched to.  The boards are outside getting "weathered", as they are perfect for trim on the wall corners.  When I removed the old light fixture, I dug my hand up into the hole in the ceiling and there was a bunch of old newspapers.  They were in a different language.  I couldn't read them. Couldn't find a date.  I think it was Sweedish, but I'm not certain.  I was hoping to find a bunch of money,somebody's stash,  but I guess the old newspaper is better than nothing.  It was kind of shreaded, probably used for insulation or something.

I have to set up some more tools, organize the tools I have been using, and organize my pile of barn wood.  I just bought another compound saw, the kind that slides, so I can cut the wider boards, but I have to set up the table for it yet. 

I think I have a fairly good idea of what I am going to do with the walls.  Some of my old barn wood is about 100 years old, and still has some of the old red paint on it. Some of the ends are rotted, but I can cut those off.  It's gorgeous. Then a while back I found some old grey tongue and groove siding that somebody had on an old shed.  There was a big pile of it, and I found out who owned it, asked for permission because I had heard that he was going to burn it, and he let me have it.  I probably have enought for at least one wall, or maybe the hallway.

I should have put some particle board over the insulation for easier nailing, and extra insulation.  This old house has 24" rough-cut studs, and I think I'm going to lose a lot of my barn wood just to nail it up on the studs.  I still have the old boards that were under the old dry wall, but I'm afraid to run them through the planer for fear of nails or staples, and plus it still has part of the felt backing that was on the back of that old dry wall (that was "the" insulation).  I may still add the particle board, provided I can move out the new electrical boxes another 5/8".  I'll let you know what hapens.

I am having my roof re-shingled and new soffits installed next week, so it may be a little while before I get back at this.  I would appreciate any comments and/or suggestions any of you fellow woodworkers care to give.  I think I set up the permissions so that anybody can post stuff here. 

Anyway, I drive an 18-wheeler for a living, have been since 1989, and I best get to bed so I can go trucking all night.  If you happen to know of any other OTR truck drivers and want to get them an "Official Off Duty" T-shirt, sweatshirt, or hat, check this out by clicking here.  It's my spot on Cafe Press.  My own artwork.

Take care, and catch ya later.

This blog is going to be to log my home remodeling project, a project which has been going on for waaaaay too long, but this fall I'm going to get 'er done.

I will be posting some before and after photos for everyone to review.

Some of the reasons why this project has taken so long is that I have had other projects to tend to, like electrical wiring, roofing, and regular house fix-up projects that have a higher priority.

So, since I have the living room gutted, rewired, insulated, and ready to go, I'll keep you posted on the rest of the project.   I have installed a couple of new windows, and need them framed in.  I have some old barn wood which will be used for the walls, and some 2-foot square cut pieces of luan plywood that I will be using for the ceiling panels.  I have purchased two new light fixtures and one ceiling fan-light that I will need to get installed also.  Most of this so far has been a learning process, so if you have any comments for me along the way, please send me an email. 

You might want to cruise around my website to see what's interesting to you.  Please visit www.rusticwoodworking.com

Till later.......