Front Porch Demolition Part 1 - Adding Supports to the Front Awning

Between mother’s day festivities, Lauren and I started demolition of the front porch. We started by bracing the awning with 2x4’s, a vertical piece with a 24” section screwed at the end in a T-shape, and another piece screwed to the underside of the awning to brace it against.

This didn’t seem to provide enough resistance; the structure was still sinking into the earth, so we added 2 horizontal boards underneath the ‘T’. This was effective to combat the sinking, but there was still the fear that the bottom would be pushed out sideways from the downward force. In the end we purchased some 2 ft sections of rebar and hammered them on the outside of the ‘T’ pieces. 

Once the awning was supported we could start removing the old metal railing. The bottom sections came off easily and we also managed to disconnect the posts at the top. This was as far as we got during our limited window of working time.

And now we know: the rebar was an unforeseen purchase, so I hope to re-use it in another project. I didn’t realize the supports needed to be quite so complex, I was just planning to lean up the 2x4’s and call it a day 

Upholstering Dining Chairs Part 8 – Closing the Backs

After today’s work 6 of the chairs are complete except for the outside back piece of navy fabric. In order to close in the backs, I added 2 strips of vertical webbing to each.

 Next I stapled on 2 layers of heavy scrap fabric to give some strength.

And now we know: the chairs are comfy, we brought one upstairs to try out during dinner and they passed the Tom comfort test!

Striped Soap Dish

Ever since I renovated it, I’ve been on the lookout for a blue soap dish for the powder room. Tom thinks I buy too many, but I just haven’t found the right one yet. Since it’s been almost a year, I decided to make my own and I started with a plain white one. 

I used painter’s tape to create horizontal stripes and painted them with leftover paint from the vanity. It took 4 coats to get good coverage, 1 a day as this paint has such a long drying time. The day I put on the final coat and removed the tape…the cat smashed it!

So I bought another one and painted it again, added 2 clear coats and I’m very happy with the results. 

It looks great in the bathroom, it brings in a little more blue.

And now we know: don’t leave the plastic drop cloth under the project once it’s done or the cat could catch it in one of her fits and knock over the project…

Upholstering Dining Chairs Part 7 – More Progress

This week I got all the of the remaining backs and ‘wings’ or side pieces on the chairs. Progress is slow but they are looking good.

And now we know: I don’t think these will be done before we start the next project…the front porch 

Upholstering Dining Chairs Part 6 – Progress

Well, I’m back working on the chairs and progress is slow. I’m not sure how fast I expect it to go when I am upholstering 8 chairs and only working 1 day a week. My motivation is slightly lacking at this point...I miss working with wood instead of fabric!

Work started with covering 6 more ‘wings’ (the curved side pieces) in 2 layers of batting and a layer of fabric.

Once those were assembled I glued and nailed them to 3 of the chairs. Now I have 4 chairs complete, only needing the back of the chair to be covered in fabric.

Of the remaining 4 chairs, 2 are not upholstered at all but the other 2 I did make some progress on the backs. The foam and batting are on and the fabric stapled in place, they just need the ‘wings’ covered and added.

And now we know: lots of batting is required for 8 chairs, so far I have gone through 1.5 bags and I will need at least 1 more to finish. 

Got the Fabric!!

Yay! I found another 7 yards of the same fabric at a store in Las Vegas!!

Upholstering Dining Chairs Part 5 - Finishing the Seat Covers

Last week I ordered the additional fabric online to be delivered to my in-laws in the US....and this week I cancelled the order. When the order didn’t ship in a week, I called to see what was going on. After a lot of back and forth where they didn’t know anything and didn’t call me back, it turns out the fabric is out of stock and will not even be cut until end of April. The in-laws will be back in Canada by then, so I had to cancel the order. Fingers crossed I can find the same fabric at a store in Vegas when we’re there next week!!

With the fabric drama hanging over my head, I did not get too much further on the actual chair frames. At this point 6 of 8 seats are covered and 4 of 8 backs are upholstered.

The cushions are another story, all 8 are almost done. I finished cutting the foam, covered each piece with bathing and stuffed them into the covers I sewed. All that is required now is hand sewing closed the backs.  

And now we know: even though the website says the order will be dispatched in 3 days and delivered in 5 they could be lying. It’s pretty bad customer service when you don’t even tell the customer that the order will be delayed almost a month!