I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd like
to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to return to
the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I can
access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to move
the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:
www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.
www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg

The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)
www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg

Any comments appreciated.

Jim

On Mar 10, 11:27*am, "Master Betty" wrote:
I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd like
to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to return to
the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I can
access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to move
the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg

The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg

Any comments appreciated.

Jim

I think if you try to make it easy to undo, it's not going to look
very good. Case in point, the photo with the opening closed up with
the wallboard, which IMO looks like hell. If you do it right it will
look good and it's still not that big of a deal to change it back. I
don't know how you could frame in doors and then use caulk avoiding
any interface with the existing walls.

Regarding the light switch, it's hard to give an easiest way without
being able to trace the wires and see what's there and where it's
going to be moved. One basic constraint is that if you splice on to
what is there, that box still needs to be accessible, meaning it needs
a blank cover plate. You could avoid that by finding a place to
intercept the existing wires and put boxes there, eg the attic or
basement, then run the wires to the new location.

The links to the pics don't work for me.

I think if you try to make it easy to undo, it's not going to look
very good. Case in point, the photo with the opening closed up with
the wallboard, which IMO looks like hell. If you do it right it will
look good and it's still not that big of a deal to change it back. I
don't know how you could frame in doors and then use caulk avoiding
any interface with the existing walls.

Regarding the light switch, it's hard to give an easiest way without
being able to trace the wires and see what's there and where it's
going to be moved. One basic constraint is that if you splice on to
what is there, that box still needs to be accessible, meaning it needs
a blank cover plate. You could avoid that by finding a place to
intercept the existing wires and put boxes there, eg the attic or
basement, then run the wires to the new location.

________________

Thanks for the comments. What do you see that "looks like hell"? I can redo
it if necessary. I can't see any problems unless you are talking about the
existing walls not being straight. I thought I could fill in with caulk. The
wall isn't finished. I only put up the sheet rock. What other preparation
needs to be done prior to texturing? (I'll probably skip the caulking idea
based on your response)

Thanks for the comments on the switch. That helps. Hopefully there will be
enough slack in the lines to stretch it to the new location. The switch may
not actually be in the room if there isn't. What if I left an access panel
in the pantry?

Thanks again.

"Mikepier" wrote in message
...
The links to the pics don't work for me.

If they don't work you may have an ISP issue. I've never had any issues with
my posts before. Try again...I need all the help I can get!

Thanks

Jim

On Mar 10, 12:20*pm, "Master Betty" wrote:
I think if you try to make it easy to undo, it's not going to look
very good. *Case in point, the photo with the opening closed up with
the wallboard, which IMO looks like hell. * If you do it right it will
look good and it's still not that big of a deal to change it back. *I
don't know how you could frame in doors and then use caulk avoiding
any interface with the existing walls.

Regarding the light switch, it's hard to give an easiest way without
being able to trace the wires and see what's there and where it's
going to be moved. * One basic constraint is that if you splice on to
what is there, that box still needs to be accessible, meaning it needs
a blank cover plate. * You could avoid that by finding a place to
intercept the existing wires and put boxes there, eg the attic or
basement, then run the wires to the new location.

________________

Thanks for the comments. What do you see that "looks like hell"? I can redo
it if necessary. I can't see any problems unless you are talking about the
existing walls not being straight. I thought I could fill in with caulk. The
wall isn't finished. I only put up the sheet rock. What other preparation
needs to be done prior to texturing? (I'll probably skip the caulking idea
based on your response)

What I see is sheetrock in the opening that is recessed and not flush
with the wall and you have the sill sticking out at the bottom. I
don't know exactly how you intend to finish it, but right now it looks
obvious that there was an opening there.






Thanks for the comments on the switch. That helps. Hopefully there will be
enough slack in the lines to stretch it to the new location.

That's usually not likely.



The switch may
not actually be in the room if there isn't. What if I left an access panel
in the pantry?

Thanks again.

Yes, you could put a box in from the other side and then blank plate
that.

I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd
like to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to
return to the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I
can access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to
move the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:
www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.
www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg

The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)
www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg


*I wouldn't worry about the next owner. Do it right. That fill-in window
looks odd and a potential buyer may have a problem with that. You might be
able to turn the existing switch box around (Or put another in its place) so
that it is open to inside the pantry and accessible. Then use it as a
junction box and run new switch wires to wherever you want. Just put a
blank cover on the box.

"John Grabowski" wrote in message
...
I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd
like to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to
return to the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I
can access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to
move the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:
www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.
www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg

The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)
www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg


*I wouldn't worry about the next owner. Do it right. That fill-in window
looks odd and a potential buyer may have a problem with that. You might
be able to turn the existing switch box around (Or put another in its
place) so that it is open to inside the pantry and accessible. Then use
it as a junction box and run new switch wires to wherever you want. Just
put a blank cover on the box.

Second comment about that. I'll definitely think about changing it.

On the switch I was thinking of doing that and putting an access panel in
the closet.

On Mar 10, 11:04*am, Mikepier wrote:
The links to the pics don't work for me.

Don't work for me either. Using iMac, Google, Groups, a.h.r, Verizon
DSL.

Joe

Master Betty wrote the following:
I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd like
to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to return to
the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I can
access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to move
the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:
www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.
www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg


Hang a big picture over that opening and have it rest on the sill. It'll
be much easier to undo.
The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)
www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg


That switch is up against the double stud at the wall corner, so it is
in a stud bay that is about 13" wide, that is if the studs are 16" on
center, which would leave 14-1/2" between, less the extra stud at the
corner, so you can reasonably move the light switch to the left side of
the bay without cutting or drilling any studs.
Any comments appreciated.

Jim





--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"Joe" wrote in message
...
On Mar 10, 11:04 am, Mikepier wrote:
The links to the pics don't work for me.

Don't work for me either. Using iMac, Google, Groups, a.h.r, Verizon
DSL.

Joe

+++++++


If I'm reading Mike's properties correctly it maybe google groups we're
having a problem with.

go to: alt.binaries.test and see if you can access them there. "Remodeling
Question/pics" Posted today.

On Mar 10, 11:27*am, "Master Betty" wrote:
I'm putting in a double door in my den's entry way. There are a couple of
walls I need to put in that will not flush with the existing walls. I'd like
to make them easy to take out if we, or another owner, decides to return to
the original design.

Would there be any problem with caulking the new corners as opposed to
taping and texturing? That way I could avoid matching the patterns on the
existing walls and avoid the mess of texturing existing walls. What I'd
prefer doing is caulking in the corners with latex caulk, prime it, and
spray texture over the caulk.

Also I have to move a light switch (the thing I'm most nervous about). I can
access it, from behind, through the pantry. What's the easiest way to move
the switch without making a mess?

Where the double door is going:www.safaricabs.com/open.jpg

Where I put up wallboard last night in the small opening.www.safaricabs.com/opening.jpg

The switch I need to move to the left to avoid the new wall: (There is a
pantry directly behind it)www.safaricabs.com/switch.jpg

Any comments appreciated.

Jim


Good Luck with your project...

The bigger issue here is the attachment of the wall and door jamb
framing to the floor... You are going to have to drill through those
ceramic floor tiles to anchor the wall plate and door frame
properly...

That will be the most painful item anyone wishing to "undo" your
project later on will face, as sheet rock repairs and moving a
light switch aren't all that painful to do...

It will look a lot better if you make some attempt to match the
wall texture --- especially if you are concerned about resale
value of your unit... It is better to do it right at the time you do
the project than it is to have to redo work prior to a sale so that
it looks "right" later...

How you finish the corners of your new wall where it meets the
existing one all depends on how good you are at measuring
and cutting the sheet rock... Caulking can only fix and hide
so much of a gap... Another solution you could use to deal
with the transition from existing to new is some sort of a
trim installed on the new wall right in the corner...

Are you going to match the thickness of the existing divider
when you do the work in the door opening area, or are you
going to give it the same treatment you did when you closed
up that former opening ???

If you are going to go the same way as you have with
closing in that opening, make sure the new wall is flush
with the face of what is existing on the side everyone
will see (outside of the den) as you won't see or notice the
small step or recess of the wall inside the den with the
doors opened and covering the transition area...

Just personal preference here, but I would consider moving that
light switch over farther than ONE stud bay so that it won't be
hidden behind one side of the double doors you are planning
to install...

It will make using the light switch easier in just about all
conditions (when the door is open for instance) as you will be
able to see where the switch is rather than having to move the
door out of the way to get at it or blindly feel for it behind the
door...

~~ Evan

"Evan" wrote in message
...

snip You are going to have to drill through those
ceramic floor tiles to anchor the wall plate and door frame
properly...

Actually, no. The door covers almost the entire opening. It will be secured
to the wall.

It will look a lot better if you make some attempt to match the
wall texture --- especially if you are concerned about resale
value of your unit... It is better to do it right at the time you do
the project than it is to have to redo work prior to a sale so that
it looks "right" later...

Yes....as it turns out I have to tape and texture the door; not the "window"
opening.

snip

Are you going to match the thickness of the existing divider
when you do the work in the door opening area, or are you
going to give it the same treatment you did when you closed
up that former opening ???

Same treatment but, it will be basic wall size. I have to flush the wall on
the right but the left is situated out into the main entry.

If you are going to go the same way as you have with
closing in that opening, make sure the new wall is flush
with the face of what is existing on the side everyone
will see (outside of the den) as you won't see or notice the
small step or recess of the wall inside the den with the
doors opened and covering the transition area...

LOL. If I get it wrong my wife will make me do it over.

Just personal preference here, but I would consider moving that
light switch over farther than ONE stud bay so that it won't be
hidden behind one side of the double doors you are planning
to install...

That's what I'm doing. Going from behind in the pantry.

It will make using the light switch easier in just about all
conditions (when the door is open for instance) as you will be
able to see where the switch is rather than having to move the
door out of the way to get at it or blindly feel for it behind the
door...

~~ Evan

Thanks Evan for all your input. The circumstances dictated the way is has to
be done but I think it's going to look bomber. The inset window opening
looks pretty cool. In the den/bedroom it looks like a headboard for a single
bed. Which is what the room will most likely become.

Jim