A weekend project finished in less than a week….I do believe that is a new record for me. I put up the last couple of pieces and the two light panels on Monday. This is probably the first project I have ever done where I made absolutely no errors in measurement whatsoever. And if my memory serves me correctly, it is also the first time I didn’t have to make multiple trips to the building supply store for more material. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did make a stop at a local store for an additional ceiling panel, but rather than cost me more money, it enabled me to return a full case of panels to Home Depot, so it saved me about a hundred bucks.
A sense of accomplishment
The old vaulted ceiling was in pretty rough shape. The drywall was stained and cracked from the leaking skylights that we removed when we had the roof reshingled. I had never got around to insulating and covering the skylight tunnels, so the roof sheathing was visible. ‘Twas pretty ugly.
Now, the tunnels are insulated and vapour barriered, which should keep us warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Two new fluorescent fixtures that take standard size tubes have been installed. The section of the ceiling is still raised up about 5 inches for some architectural interest. I think it looks pretty good.
The finished ceiling.
Nothing is permanent
Suspended ceilings in main living areas almost always cover up problems. This one is no different. The vaulted ceiling could not have been easily repaired, and, with an electrical junction point near the peak, we really had no other option but to do a suspended ceiling that would allow access.
Even the electrical issue aside, this is the room where we spend about 95% of our time when we are not sleeping. A drywall ceiling would have been significantly more mess and I would not have been able to do it alone. At least while I was working on the grid, nobody needed to leave the room.
Always at the back of my mind is the plan to rebuild the family room at some point in the future. The foundation wasn’t built properly, and the whole structure just reeks of shoddy workmanship. I swore a couple of years ago that I would not put a dime into the addition because it would just be torn down anyway. However, it is becoming more and more apparent that it may be at least five years or more before we are able to afford to do this major renovation, and until then, we have to be able to live in what we have and be comfortable. The simple fact is that I was pretty embarrassed by the appearance of the vaulted area of the ceiling and I feel much better that I have finally done something about it. Heck, I may even consider repainting the pink walls!
Money back in my pocket
Or, more specifically, less money flying out of my pocket. I was able to return the leftover materials to Home Depot without a problem, and had over $130 credited to my credit card. The final cost for the ceiling, including the new lighting, was under $300. Much better than the $500 sticker shock I had when I first bought the supplies.
Next….
Upstairs: finish painting
Downstairs: clean up the demolition debris.