It was a pretty productive week for the kitchen remodel. The drywall finishing is complete, except for a few touch-ups, and the walls and ceiling are ready for primer. Unfortunately, the man who will be doing the painting is ill and won’t be able to work until Monday, so we are losing another day. But it cannot be helped, and it is important that he get well. He is a very hard worker, and very meticulous, too, and he wouldn’t be taking sick days if he were able to work. I hope he feels better soon, and not just because I want my kitchen finished.

Speaking of painting, our contractor brought a floor tile and some trim pieces for the cabinets so that I could finalize the paint color. I was happy that the color I had tentatively picked looked great with both the cabinets and the floor tile. Next week, the painting will be done, the cabinets hung, and the floor prepared for the tile. If the tile arrives in time, it might be set before the week ends, but that probably won’t actually happen until the following week.

Also, once the painting is done and the cabinets are in, the electricians can finish up the recessed and under-cabinet lighting, hang the pendant light, and install all the wall switches and electrical outlets. We will soon have a somewhat functional kitchen with a temporary countertop and sink to use, and a stove.

After this, all that will be left is the countertop, which will take a couple of weeks to get, the backsplash, which cannot go in until the countertop is installed, and the new windows and trim. I’m looking forward to having a dishwasher and garbage disposal again.

Here for you viewing pleasure, the week in pictures. As you will see, the drywall finishers were extremely messy, so there was drywall mud not only all over the kitchen floor, which fortunately was covered with kraft paper, but on the basement stairs, the entry hall, the front porch, and the front steps. And to make matters worse, when they started sanding, they didn’t bother to put up plastic on the door openings, so we had a thick layer of drywall dust throughout the downstairs. Fortunately, our contractor came with them yesterday for the final sanding, put up plastic, and then cleaned up after them. Drywall is the messiest part of the remodel, so I’m happy that part is over with.

Things don’t look too messy after the first day of drywall finishing.

The first day of finishing held no clue as to the horrors to come. 🙂

Things start getting down and dirty. Drywall finishing is messy.

This is why our contractor took the time to cover the floor with kraft paper.

Dust from the drywall finishing coated everything.

After the first day of drywall finishing, the plaster around the doorway still looks pretty bad.

At the end of the third day, the transition between the drywall and the plaster around the archway looks pretty smooth.

The ceilings have a textured finished called a knocked-down stipple. I think it will look really nice once it’s covered with primer and a couple of coats of ceiling paint.

The paper on the floor really saved the contractor a lot of clean-up time.