Ok, so here’s a lesson in the obvious.

Earlier today, I switched the power back on to two new outlets I wired up a few weeks ago. One of them being the Leviton Duplex Surge Protection Receptacle. This is for the new plasma I’m installing in the Library. The receptacles were not installed into the junction boxes yet and I tested them with an outlet tester. The tester read, “Open Ground”. After about an hour of running back and forth to the internet and to the main switch downstairs I figured out that once you screw the receptacle into the box, it is grounded.

Mystery solved! I’m such an idiot sometimes.

Let me begin by noting that I am playing a little bit of “catch up”. I’ve just recently started this blog so some of the work i’ll be describing is already done. The plaster restoration work in the library took place about a year ago and required about 4 months to finish. Although a much more enthusiastic effort could have hastened it’s completion, I sometime lack the self motivation and am easily distracted.

The crown molding in the Library is approximately 8″ tall and is original to the building which was built in 1891. There was roughly 1/8″ – 3/16″ of paint on the plaster. From my guess, that probably about 20 coats. My condo was rental for a number of years which explains the excessive painting. Before I began, I had guessed that the profile might be overlapping leafs or palms of some sort. The few units in my building which still have the original plaster have not stripped it and and the others have removed it in subsequent renovations.

The former owner of my unit had recommended a industrial stripping product called Peel Away 1.

This is an industrial product which is the consistency of gypsum wallboard taping compound. The chemical is liberally buttered onto the plaster and then covered with a paper-like film. After waiting 24hrs, the paper is pulled off taking the dried chemical and 20 layers of paint with it.

About 2 years ago, my lovely wife and I moved into our condo in the East Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Even as an Architect, I never guessed the world of work that awaited us. Needless to say, we are a little less than half-way through our work.

Our building, constructed in 1891 is classic Chicago. We love it. The building is comprised of 7 dwelling units, each roughly 2,200 sf. The planned renovations include:

1. Restore Library and Living Room plaster crown moulding
2. Install new wall base, wood door and window casing through out
3. Install new french doors in Living Room
4. Install Media/Home Technology Closet, wire new audio & video media through out
5. Restore and weatherseal original bent-glass double hung sashes
6. Selectively replace existing windows
7. Repaint through out
8. Re-route corridor ductwork
9. Install new lighting through-out
10. Replace doors through-out
11. Remodel Hall Bath
12. Selective alterations to Kitchen
13. Remodel 2nd Bedroom as Studio/Office

‘Before’ – Not really our style.

Originally uploaded by David Keller

This is my wife video taping the Living Room during our second walk-through before we made the offer. I was right behind her with the measuring tape. Although the decorating was clearly not our style, we fell in love with the space quickly.