Finishing the Bedroom

Yesterday it got to 40C out at St Kilda and was not good for working. However, in the few hours that we were out there, I managed to tidy up some paint work, clean up the drop sheets etc, and rehang the luggage racks. Now it's starting to look like an inviting and comfortable place!

Looking west to the original end wall

Next job is to finish off the bed. I started sanding back the outside ready for more coats of varnish - that was hot and sweaty work!

Looking east to the bathroom bulkhead

Restoring the Ceiling

The original pressed tin ceilings of Clarabelle are all in pretty good condition but dirty. Very dirty! And paint encrusted in places. So restoring the ceilings is a straight forward but time-consuming job.

Before and After

This first pic shows a before and after effect. All I’ve done is wash the surfaces with sugar soap and then paint the left side with a white gloss acrylic. It needs a second coat but I think you can see that the effect of just one coat is pretty dramatic. 

Next, two photos showing close ups before and after of filling and painting. In many places there were intermittent gaps between the pressed tin and the wooden mouldings that hold them in place. These are prototypical – it was how they were originally – but unsightly and easily remedied with some white sealant and a coat of paint. Both the sealant and paint are acrylic and work well together; just squirt the sealant into the gap and, when you go over it with paint, the two mix to smooth out and seamlessly fill the joint. 

Details before

Details after

The encrusted paint is only really a problem in some details of the mouldings and is easily removed with a chisel, sanded back and painted. 

Being a tall guy, I can do all this without ladders but boy is my neck playing up today!