I’m continuing from where I left off in the previous post, to a completely different direction than intented. I had just taken off the ceiling panels and was going to just do cleanup and prep for the pinkopahvi (=tension paper) installation, when I decided to rip off the drywalls too.
I had promised my other half that I wouldn’t take town the walls but he almost suggested it himself when we were inspecting the wall from the sides of the door frame. He gave me the blessing and said that this can be my practise room, for all future renovations in mind. I think he did that so I would be ”contained” in one room for the whole winter and keep my shenanigans away from rest of the living quarters. Sounds like a win-win to me!
Anyone who knows me isn’t surprised by the turn of these events.
There is something about drywall that just irks me, it isn’t the most unnatural material but there is something off, like an industrial sort of vibe that doesn’t belong here. It’s too smooth and hard, while also being a pain in the ass when trying to hang something heavy on it. It also changes the original dimensions of the rooms making windows and doors ”sink” in and the differense has to be accounted for by boards and trims that just don’t look good. Deep windowsills look gorgeous in an old stone house because the structure creates those, it looks wrong in an timber frame house because the original windows are of course made to be level with that frame, not the drywall and all other bullshit layers that are added after.
I love peeling back the layers in an old house because you’ll never know what you find. Behind the drywall was a layer of wood pulp board which baffles me because there was no wallpaper on that so clearly it hasn’t been visible at any point, but put there at the same time as the drywall, which is weird because that’s basically two smoothing layers on top of each other. Usually drywall is nailed against studs, like it is on the next wall to the right. Whatever the reason, off they go.
After taking off both the drywall and pulp board, I revealed the original tension paper and wallpaper, my favourite things to find. Like I assumed, some of the original paper is ripped off but luckily most of it is actually still there on the wall. Not the most exciting wallpaper but it’s always interesting to see and I’ll be sure to leave it there under the tension paper I’ll put up myself. Taking off all the modern layers is hard and slow work but so satisfying.
I already think this wall looks better now even though the paper is ripped. It immediately brought back the much needed character the interiors need. I can’t wait to reveal all of it before I put up my own layer of tension paper and either paint it with clay paint or traditional wallpaper that is real paper, not that disgusting shiny vinyl stuff. ”BuT iT’s SO duRAbLe!1”, shut up, you have no taste.
Today I continued to the next wall, where the drywall IS nailed to the studs, and in between is this nasty fiberglass insulation. It’s an inside wall so the insulation is not for warmth but maybe to muffle sounds a bit. Completely unnessessary in my opinion but oh well.
Surprise, a door! Okay not a complete surprise, the previous owners said there is a door somewhere in there but I was surprised to see it in the corner. I’m pretty sure this is a closet door because the dimesions are tiny and there is an odd space in the next room that’s missing the original floor. I don’t know what I’ll do with this doorway but surely something fun!
Ps. My hammer slipped when I was pulling off a nail and hit me in the cheek (rookie mistake) giving me a shiner and warping my glasses, so it’s time to wrap it up for today…