REALLY big things happening as I type this blog post, things with actual demolition and dramatic improvements, but instead I shall share a small piece of what has become my current bete noire project: my office.
Taking down the wallpaper was easy. Scrubbing off the wallpaper glue was harder, and more time consuming. Patching the walls has been a godawful neverending nightmare. A project that I slated to take 2 weeks is into week 3 with no chance of getting to paint anytime soon.
I’ll do a more complete recap later but here’s a small 30 minute portion of it.
At some point, someone added extra outlets to this room. Probably when it became the office for the previous owners. (It’s labeled “Dad’s Office” on our breaker box.) (They also added TWO cable cords, ahaha, pre-wireless days.) So there were two outlets on new wiring, and two on old.
One of the old outlets was 6″ from a new outlet, so there was zero point in rewiring it because power strips exist. We left it. And last week, I finally got around to cutting it out entirely.
Step 2: cut the wires, and tape off the ends with the electrical tape, mostly for completion’s sake.
Step 3: saws-all time! If you’re like me, and really really effing bad at handling the things (which tend to jump all over everywhere unless you brace them) this it the WORST.
Yeah, I just sawed right through the metal pieces holding it to the wooden backing because I could not be arsed to unscrew them. Which was not a great idea, I admit, though that’s what saws-alls are meant to do, because it exacerbated my difficulty in holding the damn thing still. But either way: gone!
Step 4: lament your shitty saws-all skills.
Step 5: lament some more.
Step 6: begin the patching process! (I’ve laid this out previously here. Same principle, different location.)
beljoeor.com 
You are such a brave DIYer compared to me!
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This was hilarious. Sounds like me doing DIY.
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Is that plaster and lath, because that stuff is fragile and loathsome, no matter how talented you are with a Sawzall!
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It is not, it's basically the interim between plaster & lathe and sheetrock – early stage sheetrock that is literally made out of concrete. Many walls also have a thick (1/2″) layer of plaster on top of that concrete sheetrock too. It is unbelievably hard to cut through and tends to shatter a little bit when you do things like hammer nails into it. So the walls are never going anywhere, but it's not the easiest stuff to work with!
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I would probably lament a few more times if I did this. And there would be multiple wine breaks
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I don't know how I'd fair in a situation like this! At least the job is done and you've rid of all that nasty wallpaper glue. I don't know what method you used, as it wasn't mentioned, just remember there's always an easier way to get things done.
Neville @ Electrical Experts
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