The Great Wall of Leigh

 

I've been promising Leigh and Brooks that we would put up a partition wall in their house for the last few years. So upon arriving in Dallas I decided that the time was right. The wall will create an office and laundry room off the kitchen and get the clothes operation out of the garage.

 

Above, grandson Everett holds his ears and Brooks takes pictures of my effort to make a straight cut.
Then the top and bottom plates are laid out where the wall is to be erected.

Below, the thing is starting to take place. Because I already had a compressor, I rented a nailer to speed up the process ... what a change to the old banging nails and thumbs.

And then the wall really started to take shape. You can see what the long "bowling alley" living room was like and the reason that a wall was a convenient step to break up the space.

Here's Jo-Anne the pro slamming in nails at the speed of sound. Her next appearance will be on This Old House to replace Tom Silva, eh.

And the inside of the wall where the new laundry/office will take place. We'll leave the wall board off for right now for the electrician to run a couple of outlets inside the wall and then board it up.

And the view below from the new, smaller and more practical living room.

Not having a house of our own this was a fun project like we have done several times over the years. It took about 5 days to do with about 5 hours per day. Actually on day 5 I got the wall plastered and primed and it looks pretty good. Leigh should have the final paint coat on today.