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averygoodun42Utter and complete bleeding morons.
So stupid it would be funny... if I weren't the one left picking up the pieces.
So, my kitchen is not the best. When I say that I mean the layout is crap, the cabinets were handmade by a Sunday carpenter and it's all just old enough to start falling apart. My blind corner cabinet, that is squished between my stove and fridge, is the real sticking point.
When we bought the place a few years ago, the first thing on our list of priorities was to remodel the kitchen (as cheaply as possible). Well, that didn't happen thanks to a few more pressing renovations, like the bathroom (Idiots! Peurile moronic Nincompoops!!) so we've lived and adapted. I think I've done a very nice job adapting to this kitchen, actually. I've put my organizational skills to work, and used a bit of creativity and very little money and I've almost got enough storage space for all the crap we own. Reachable storage space, that is.
That brings me back to the blind corner cabinet.
Because of the way it was built, this cabinet is pretty useless. It has two narrow doors with a frame piece in between meaning that anything larger than 11 inches is not going to go through either of the doors. That means that storing the larger, infrequently used pots and pans in there isn't an option. And, as I mentioned before, it's right beside the stove (the right hand cabinet door's swing is impeded by the oven door) meaning that getting into the back area is very difficult - impossible if not of a slender build. On top of that, the imeciles who decided to adapt the layout of the kitchen to their own whims decided to take a hacksaw (maybe I'm not giving them enough credit... the wobbliness of the cut indicates they could have used a jigsaw) and cut the cabinet down in size.
Meaning, the side that rests next to the fridge, where there should be paneling or plywood or even hardboard, there's a gaping hole. They decided that propping the cabinet up on one 2x4 was enough. THey didn't even... gah! Over time, their actions have, of course, destabilized the cabinet. Without the structural support of the end side, the entire cabinet has been sagging. We've been fixing it now and again with this and that, until finally, some months ago, DH finally lifted the front up enough to shove a block of 2x4 under the center rail to keep the drawers from falling out.
They even removed the shelf inside, which probably offered another modicum of structural support. Instead, they replaced it with a 4 foot piece of raw shelving (particle board) attached to the back of the cabinet (ie: the wall) with two brackets and called the job done.
Getting an idea why I'm resorting to name-calling?
All of this was really just a trifling annoyance, though. After the kitchen remodel fell through, I decided that I would clean up the insides and make do. I bought some cheap vinyl tiles to put down for cleanability, although the thought of crawling into that extremely tight space daunted me enough that I never even got that accomplished.
Well, ever since we bought this place I've been mulling over ideas on how to make the space more practical. There's four square feet of space in there just begging to be used, after all. As it was, it was housing the vinyl tiles and lots of shopping bags to be recycled.
My first thought was to install rolling shelves to make it easy to reach. Problem was, erm, having rolling shelves is good and all, but if stuff is blocking their way so they can't roll, then it's still pretty useless. So I put the problem on the back burner and let it simmer for a while.
The other day, I finally came up with a solution. While looking around a home improvement store, I saw the hardware I needed. Looking closer at it, I saw exactly what I needed to do to make it all work. I rummaged in my wood pile and found enough supplies to make four drawers and today I started cutting the pieces to size.
Then I had to put Babe down for his nap, and, well, power tools just are not conducive to sleeping. So, instead, I started on the deconstruction and rehabilitation of the cabinet interior. I removed the shelf, cleaned out the dust and stuff and started laying the tiles down.
Here's where it gets funny.
As I was kneeling, hunkered over inside the cabinet, my bum sticking out into the space the fridge usually occupies, I placed a second tile, and then the surface I was kneeling on gave way.
It didn't break. No. That would have required wood, or something solid. No, it bent, because it seems as though they didn't, while they were replacing bits and pieces of the cabinet they destroyed, think it necessary to put support under the 1/8th inch (3mm) hardboard they used to replace whatever they had taken out.
Twits.
I tried to fix it, but, in the end, decided that it was a lost cause and I'll just replaced the entire board. While I'm at it, after I've finished renovating the cabinet, I'll put a piece of plywood on the end to offer support and close the cabinet up.
*sigh* When I undertook this, I thought it might take a few days, what with constructing the drawers and making them pretty and installing them and everything. I didn't realize that I would be reconstructing the cabinet, although even with the little work I've done I've managed to eliminate the need for the 2x4 block under the rail. So the cabinet is better off already.
Losers.
The thing that gets me is that I'm a rank amateur. All I know about carpentry is measure twice cut once, pine is soft, maple's hard and power tools (when you have them and know how to use them safely) save a hell of a lot of muscle pain. Everything else is intuitive.
Just like the bathroom, the former owners' work looks like it was done by a child. I could have achieved that level of workmanship when I was ten had I power tools to play with.
The sad thing is, I'm pretty sure that the person who built the cabinets actually did know what they were doing. Getting an inside look at the structure shows they had a level of competence that I haven't achieved yet. And then the bozos went and massacred it.
Anyway. So now I'm waiting for Babe to wake up so that we can go to the store, pick up some wood (I really had hoped that I would only need to buy the hardware, but alas...) and get at least the lower surface done. Preferably tiled as well so that, with luck, I'll be able to construct the drawers tomorrow.
I should have chosen scrapbooking for a hobby.
/rant
So how was your day?
ETA: Oh, and all that opening up of stuff has made my kitchen smell of Chinese food. Nothing against Chinese food, of course, but... yick.
So stupid it would be funny... if I weren't the one left picking up the pieces.
So, my kitchen is not the best. When I say that I mean the layout is crap, the cabinets were handmade by a Sunday carpenter and it's all just old enough to start falling apart. My blind corner cabinet, that is squished between my stove and fridge, is the real sticking point.
When we bought the place a few years ago, the first thing on our list of priorities was to remodel the kitchen (as cheaply as possible). Well, that didn't happen thanks to a few more pressing renovations, like the bathroom (Idiots! Peurile moronic Nincompoops!!) so we've lived and adapted. I think I've done a very nice job adapting to this kitchen, actually. I've put my organizational skills to work, and used a bit of creativity and very little money and I've almost got enough storage space for all the crap we own. Reachable storage space, that is.
That brings me back to the blind corner cabinet.
Because of the way it was built, this cabinet is pretty useless. It has two narrow doors with a frame piece in between meaning that anything larger than 11 inches is not going to go through either of the doors. That means that storing the larger, infrequently used pots and pans in there isn't an option. And, as I mentioned before, it's right beside the stove (the right hand cabinet door's swing is impeded by the oven door) meaning that getting into the back area is very difficult - impossible if not of a slender build. On top of that, the imeciles who decided to adapt the layout of the kitchen to their own whims decided to take a hacksaw (maybe I'm not giving them enough credit... the wobbliness of the cut indicates they could have used a jigsaw) and cut the cabinet down in size.
Meaning, the side that rests next to the fridge, where there should be paneling or plywood or even hardboard, there's a gaping hole. They decided that propping the cabinet up on one 2x4 was enough. THey didn't even... gah! Over time, their actions have, of course, destabilized the cabinet. Without the structural support of the end side, the entire cabinet has been sagging. We've been fixing it now and again with this and that, until finally, some months ago, DH finally lifted the front up enough to shove a block of 2x4 under the center rail to keep the drawers from falling out.
They even removed the shelf inside, which probably offered another modicum of structural support. Instead, they replaced it with a 4 foot piece of raw shelving (particle board) attached to the back of the cabinet (ie: the wall) with two brackets and called the job done.
Getting an idea why I'm resorting to name-calling?
All of this was really just a trifling annoyance, though. After the kitchen remodel fell through, I decided that I would clean up the insides and make do. I bought some cheap vinyl tiles to put down for cleanability, although the thought of crawling into that extremely tight space daunted me enough that I never even got that accomplished.
Well, ever since we bought this place I've been mulling over ideas on how to make the space more practical. There's four square feet of space in there just begging to be used, after all. As it was, it was housing the vinyl tiles and lots of shopping bags to be recycled.
My first thought was to install rolling shelves to make it easy to reach. Problem was, erm, having rolling shelves is good and all, but if stuff is blocking their way so they can't roll, then it's still pretty useless. So I put the problem on the back burner and let it simmer for a while.
The other day, I finally came up with a solution. While looking around a home improvement store, I saw the hardware I needed. Looking closer at it, I saw exactly what I needed to do to make it all work. I rummaged in my wood pile and found enough supplies to make four drawers and today I started cutting the pieces to size.
Then I had to put Babe down for his nap, and, well, power tools just are not conducive to sleeping. So, instead, I started on the deconstruction and rehabilitation of the cabinet interior. I removed the shelf, cleaned out the dust and stuff and started laying the tiles down.
Here's where it gets funny.
As I was kneeling, hunkered over inside the cabinet, my bum sticking out into the space the fridge usually occupies, I placed a second tile, and then the surface I was kneeling on gave way.
It didn't break. No. That would have required wood, or something solid. No, it bent, because it seems as though they didn't, while they were replacing bits and pieces of the cabinet they destroyed, think it necessary to put support under the 1/8th inch (3mm) hardboard they used to replace whatever they had taken out.
Twits.
I tried to fix it, but, in the end, decided that it was a lost cause and I'll just replaced the entire board. While I'm at it, after I've finished renovating the cabinet, I'll put a piece of plywood on the end to offer support and close the cabinet up.
*sigh* When I undertook this, I thought it might take a few days, what with constructing the drawers and making them pretty and installing them and everything. I didn't realize that I would be reconstructing the cabinet, although even with the little work I've done I've managed to eliminate the need for the 2x4 block under the rail. So the cabinet is better off already.
Losers.
The thing that gets me is that I'm a rank amateur. All I know about carpentry is measure twice cut once, pine is soft, maple's hard and power tools (when you have them and know how to use them safely) save a hell of a lot of muscle pain. Everything else is intuitive.
Just like the bathroom, the former owners' work looks like it was done by a child. I could have achieved that level of workmanship when I was ten had I power tools to play with.
The sad thing is, I'm pretty sure that the person who built the cabinets actually did know what they were doing. Getting an inside look at the structure shows they had a level of competence that I haven't achieved yet. And then the bozos went and massacred it.
Anyway. So now I'm waiting for Babe to wake up so that we can go to the store, pick up some wood (I really had hoped that I would only need to buy the hardware, but alas...) and get at least the lower surface done. Preferably tiled as well so that, with luck, I'll be able to construct the drawers tomorrow.
I should have chosen scrapbooking for a hobby.
/rant
So how was your day?
ETA: Oh, and all that opening up of stuff has made my kitchen smell of Chinese food. Nothing against Chinese food, of course, but... yick.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-07 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 12:18 pm (UTC)The former owners of our house were half-hearted do-it-yourselfers. Instead of a half finished basement we have the half-assed finished basement. All of the 4 windows in the basement were partially but not completely trimmed, the crown molding went around the room in fits and starts and big sections of the wall just weren't painted or even primed.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 02:52 pm (UTC)http://community.livejournal.com/wiktt/21733.html?nc=3