Taking Down Ceilings In Old, Old Houses!

After the ceiling was torn down

This week we had some cooler temperatures so we were able to take our ceiling down in our living room. What a mess that was! We just stuffed all the furniture in our kitchen and on the deck, put up old sheets in the doorway to the kitchen. Then covered the batteries (part of our solar system) and the wood stoves in the living room (we have two - one is our huge heating stove, and the other is the one we had in our other house and here we use it for a stand.). My husband then went to work.

Cat food and mouse bedding in the ceiling!!!

These walls and ceilings in this week were put in during the 1850s and they used these little slat boards and cement. This cement made so much dust and it is old, and then we also had mouse beds inside the walls. Horrible! One spot in the ceiling that when he tore it down he called to me, "This spot is full of mouse beds!"

I came in to see, and I said, "That is full of cat food!"

They had been stealing cat food from the cat dishes, I guess. Then hauled it up in the ceiling for a period of years. I couldn't believe how much was up there. I know my brother-in-law thought we should just put paneling over the walls and the electric lines over that. If we did that, this stuff would be inside our walls forever! I think that would not be good. Some of the cat food had molded and who knows how long they had been doing that? We've been here and fighting mice for 11 years. We are hoping some of the things we are doing will stop their activity.

Covered up our wood heating stove

Next week we have 11 bags of cement to take to the land fill. Now we have 2 walls left to do in the living room and 2 in the bath room. More work for my husband, but at least it is getting closer to being done. This was the worst of the job. Ceilings are the worst to take down since it falls on you. You MUST wear a mask to do this, though I admit my husband didn't always do this as it was hot. But it should be tolerated anyway. For your safety.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole