Plaster Dust

Last weekend was a monumental step toward making the house more mechanically suited for modern living. Two long days of work resulted in the removal of the plaster ceiling in the basement, which will make way for new plumbing, wiring, and ducts.

Armed with hammers, respirators, ear plugs, leather gloves, and goggles, my wife and I started smashing out the ceiling. Fortunately, the basement doorways are all juuuuust wide enough for the wheelbarrow, so we were able to shovel the rubble into the wheelbarrow and walk it out of the basement, through the garage, and into the roll-off dumpster. With all of the strips of wood lath that we removed, I mused about opening an antique yard stick company. Seems a shame to throw away all those sticks -- I can just imagine some guy who builds artsy birdhouses to sell at craft fairs wincing at the thought of tossing them out. It chafes against my inner packrat to throw them away, but I'll let logic win out this time. Kindling, anyone?

Along with taking out the plaster ceilings, I also removed a wall that separated what was once the coal room from the boiler room. The wall was constructed of blocks of what many folks around here refer to as "clay tile". I'm not sure that is exactly the correct term for these blocks. In my mind, they are essentially the early twentieth-century equivalent to today's cinder blocks. They are smaller and lighter than cinder blocks and made of a terra cotta type clay. After smashing a few of the top layers of the blocks, I was able to just start rocking the wall back and forth little by little until I was able to push it over. There's nothing like taking down a masonry wall with your bare hands to make you feel just a smidge more manly (if only in your own imagination).

Now that the plaster is gone, all of the wiring and pipes are exposed in the basement. OH  MY  GOODNESS. The wiring is simultaneously fascinating (from a museum/historical perspective) and terrifying. Except for the "upgrades" -- and I use that term loosely -- that occurred in the 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's, the basement is mostly wired with the original knob-and-tube wiring. It all appears to be in good shape, but I'm certain the breaker is rated for more amperage than the wire should carry. Not to worry, though. I'm very careful about how much load I put on anything connected to that circuit. I'll be replacing it soon.

It's a relief to have all that plaster torn out and the wall taken down. It was a messy job that I had not been looking forward to. When we were finished with the whole thing, I looked something like a coal miner, covered in soot. The shower I took afterward was one of the longest I've had in quite some time. Ahhhhhhh....