The cost for this room so far is about $250 for the carpet remnant, $8 for the paper tiger, and $25 for the paint. I am going to use some white and beige paint I found in the basement, and I have an extra roller and some brushes. I will need carpet padding, which will cost about $107, and because I am so very much enjoying light in these rooms, I am not sure what to do for curtains, if anything. Those will add to the cost. So far, I expect the project to cost $400, which is over budget, but the laundry room didn’t cost anything. I’m doing ok so far.
This past week I used a screwdriver to remove about 30 hooks from the wall. I am not sure why I don’t want to look for the cordless screwdriver or drill with driver bits that I am certain my dad has in the basement. I tell myself it’s because I don’t want to strip the screws, but the truth is probably that I find this work therapeutic and connects me to my father. I found (true to his form) that the wall paper was used in lieu of corner bead and proper drywall seaming, so I will have to do a bit of spackle work before I paint, and use the trim he had covering some of it, that I really didn’t want to rehang.
I was so delighted with the first pull against the base coat of wallpaper. I really was going to paint over it but when I tugged, it came off like an old sticker, almost like contact paper. I will have to scrape some, but age did a great thing to some of this wall paper. I am including a photo of the three layers of wall – primed drywall and two passes of paper. Call this the before shot.
My friend Gale, who was supposed to come last month, surprised me Saturday morning – she brought lunch and some spare time. We used the paper tiger to score the vinyl paper, a squirt bottle to penetrate to soften the glue underneath, scraper to remove all the layers, and some elbow grease. As we worked, we caught each other up on our lives. We live two hours apart now and we both do all we can to maintain the friendship. The girl time was great! While we were peeling, my neighbor who happens to be an electrician, came to move my 220 service for my new stove, and Gale and I kept chatting. The gentleman and his son got an earful! He must have enjoyed the gossip because when he left, he refused my check. Said we were neighbors. This is the true legacy my dad left, and I decided that day I must continue it.
Andy was away again with Lucy, for a hockey tournament. She scored first, which is typical of this dynamo, and had a couple assists. I stopped by Sunday when they got back and they were arguing about the top ten modern marvels. Andy put air conditioning on the list and Lucy researched to present her opinions on why she did not agree. Wrapped in a verbal battle, she was learning to reason, debate, and defend. I swear that girl should be a lawyer. Grace was upstairs resting but later came down to play the piano. I’m a big fan.
I really didn’t use any of the blog items in simply unscrewing, peeling and assessing, so I wanted to just go over the First Aid Kit I will have at the ready for this project. Not that I hope to use it. It’s the perfect size and the case is durable plastic. It’s got bandages, towelettes, disposable gloves, and tape, as well as tweezers, burn cream, and a cold compress. Everything is single use so there is no risk of contamination. Now let’s put that away and see if I can go without using it!
Construction Gear Guru Blog 
You were very lucky the wall paper. A few years back my step dad went on a safari in Africa. My mom said While he is gone will you help me re-do the bathroom? Being the “good” daughter, I said yes. We fought that wall paper for days. Bought product to “release” it. A job that should have taken 2 days ended up taking 6. I do not like wall paper anymore!