While the mahogany-tinted poly dried on the dark bronze pieces, I busied myself with another smaller, little project. This is kind of the stage where there will be lots of smaller, little projects, which are just about the right size to fit into my "enjoyment factor" box.
I dug through a little stack of original 1/8" wood paneling that had been removed from this or the other camper and found a good enough size to paste into the right front camper corner. This picture is fuzzy, but we're looking at the smaller of the three chunks on the table.
And a close up. This piece was removed from under Lil' Queenie's galley counter. It acted as a cabinet floor in one spot under the sink to cover the sub-wing jut-out. We figure moving it from the left rear corner of the camper area to the right front, will bring about a sort of spiritual balancing to the camper as a whole. All you can retain of the old is the priority, and hope the energies that come with it brings more happy memories than sad. It was camping! There's likely more of the former. ๐
I cut it to "close" and then to "exact" on the table saw and started to fit it. Then I sanded it up, stained, and applied the first coat of maple-tinted poly.
Back side...
This nail hole will be covered by the camper corner interior bracket...
Later we'll get a second coat of tinted poly on and get the panel in place during the right-front camper-corner build in 3. Structure & New Wood.
This area is behind the dinette cushions. It is the only interior corner of the box not hidden by other cabinetry. As stated, there will be an interior bracket found there, as there will be in the other three corners. The purpose and build of these brackets will be in a future post under 6. Jacks & Tiedowns.
Alright, what else before we put up the front wall?
I dug through a little stack of original 1/8" wood paneling that had been removed from this or the other camper and found a good enough size to paste into the right front camper corner. This picture is fuzzy, but we're looking at the smaller of the three chunks on the table.
And a close up. This piece was removed from under Lil' Queenie's galley counter. It acted as a cabinet floor in one spot under the sink to cover the sub-wing jut-out. We figure moving it from the left rear corner of the camper area to the right front, will bring about a sort of spiritual balancing to the camper as a whole. All you can retain of the old is the priority, and hope the energies that come with it brings more happy memories than sad. It was camping! There's likely more of the former. ๐
I cut it to "close" and then to "exact" on the table saw and started to fit it. Then I sanded it up, stained, and applied the first coat of maple-tinted poly.
Back side...
This nail hole will be covered by the camper corner interior bracket...
Later we'll get a second coat of tinted poly on and get the panel in place during the right-front camper-corner build in 3. Structure & New Wood.
This area is behind the dinette cushions. It is the only interior corner of the box not hidden by other cabinetry. As stated, there will be an interior bracket found there, as there will be in the other three corners. The purpose and build of these brackets will be in a future post under 6. Jacks & Tiedowns.
Alright, what else before we put up the front wall?
With a good second coat of poly on the woodwork, there are not but a few more things to address before installing the camper front box wall. But first some attention needs to be given that front wall itself.
Some time ago I put on the dark bronze with gold metal flake paint. That went on the portion of front wall interior surface that won't be behind cabinetry. I also topped the camper wing where the dinette cushions will sit. Even though that will be covered I just like to have surfaces finished as it seems to make for a homier experience. At the same time I had painted several boards associated with the inside surfaces of various open storage areas, most specifically the compartment below the fridge.
But as things turn out some times, the first coat of paint hadn't been strained before application, and the fast drying paint had taken on a bit of lumpy consistency IN THE can from previously being open to the air for too long while I had painted the back wall. As they say, you live and learn. Suffice to say it left small (and large) globules in the finish coat. These became quite apparent after the first coat of maple tinted poly, and even more so once air-borne dust had settled over the days and then especially once I tried to wipe off the dust. Something had to be done, but what?
I started by using a putty knife to shave the globules off as much as possible while trying not to dig through the bronze into the white primer below. Here's how it looked after being mostly scraped, but with a non-scraped example, just to the left of the window opening.
Then I gave it all a steel-wool buffing. And because I could see at least some isolated areas where there were tiny white primer spots visible, I decided it needed a little more dark color covering. But as I was already into the first coat of poly, so choices were limited.
I wasn't certain the maple tinted poly would cover good enough so I choose another can on the shelf that had a mahogany tint. It is still a reddish tone, almost purple, very deep and rich, makes the board look almost black, but of a brown tones instead of a grays. And it hides the metal flake, but we both really liked the result, so glossy and mirrored, but infinite depth and richness. And I'd bet on a sunny day where the sun is lighting up a patch, the metal flake will appear.
I did the same thing on the under dinette boards. We'll fix the smaller area boards in some way, but for the larger, more in your face (or in your shin, as the case may be) dark bronze planned areas, we'll treat them all this same way.
Then I let it dry and went around to wipe gimp clear of the excess.
Some time ago I put on the dark bronze with gold metal flake paint. That went on the portion of front wall interior surface that won't be behind cabinetry. I also topped the camper wing where the dinette cushions will sit. Even though that will be covered I just like to have surfaces finished as it seems to make for a homier experience. At the same time I had painted several boards associated with the inside surfaces of various open storage areas, most specifically the compartment below the fridge.
But as things turn out some times, the first coat of paint hadn't been strained before application, and the fast drying paint had taken on a bit of lumpy consistency IN THE can from previously being open to the air for too long while I had painted the back wall. As they say, you live and learn. Suffice to say it left small (and large) globules in the finish coat. These became quite apparent after the first coat of maple tinted poly, and even more so once air-borne dust had settled over the days and then especially once I tried to wipe off the dust. Something had to be done, but what?
I started by using a putty knife to shave the globules off as much as possible while trying not to dig through the bronze into the white primer below. Here's how it looked after being mostly scraped, but with a non-scraped example, just to the left of the window opening.
Then I gave it all a steel-wool buffing. And because I could see at least some isolated areas where there were tiny white primer spots visible, I decided it needed a little more dark color covering. But as I was already into the first coat of poly, so choices were limited.
I wasn't certain the maple tinted poly would cover good enough so I choose another can on the shelf that had a mahogany tint. It is still a reddish tone, almost purple, very deep and rich, makes the board look almost black, but of a brown tones instead of a grays. And it hides the metal flake, but we both really liked the result, so glossy and mirrored, but infinite depth and richness. And I'd bet on a sunny day where the sun is lighting up a patch, the metal flake will appear.
I did the same thing on the under dinette boards. We'll fix the smaller area boards in some way, but for the larger, more in your face (or in your shin, as the case may be) dark bronze planned areas, we'll treat them all this same way.
Then I let it dry and went around to wipe gimp clear of the excess.
As the finishing continues I started into the 0000 steel wool and buffed up the first coat of poly. I've done quite a bit of this sort of work in the past, and on a variety of projects, but I am by no means an expert or an authority on finishing. Still, it's kind of a no-brainer. Like they say regarding hunting - you just have to put in the time.
It can seem kind of counter-intuitive to take a nice glossy surface of dried poly and scuff it up with a handful of steel. But you soon get the feel of it and you quickly learn the appropriate amount of pressure to apply in any given area. And it really is a feel as much or more than a visual. Sometimes lighter, and sometimes quite a heavier pressure.
When you first start into it you can feel all the little imperfections in the initial glossy coat, and then you can feel the steel wool knocking down those imperfections and the entire surface smoothing out considerably. As you hand rub (sometimes in a circular fashion, especially in a smaller width area, but never across grain) you can feel where to go next even if you can't see it well.
But always try and keep smooth, "straight with the grain" strokes, pushes and pulls and move your body into the best position. Between seeing the region from a few feet away, then getting close in you have to set down your glasses, then as you move out you can't see distance again, it's continuously a "feel" thing. And you trade off the one tired hand and arm for the other, swapping which hand holds the trouble light. ๐
As time goes on you realize the surface you have just prepped for the next coat has a smooth, hard, aged patina quality that just isn't obtainable any other way.
Here's an example of steel-wool buffed on the right and untouched as of yet on the left.
This time around I was doing the entire wood paneled and partition portions of the over-head bunk area, as well as the face of the fridge cabinet and the great-room sides of the partition arch and right front camper corner in the dinette area.
Sometimes it's hard to see from the photos, but I think these next pics are of the area buffed up and wiped down and ready for the second poly application.
And then after another application (two or three hours with a 1.5" brush in one hand, a quart can of poly in another, and a trouble light in a third). And of course you have to be able to hold two things at once in one hand while you free the other for eye-glasses manipulation. Head cranked back at a weird angle, shoulders twitching involuntarily with that whole age thing. It's quite a contortionist's dream if you know what I mean.
So that is two coats of the maple tinted poly and good enough for continued structural assembly. After all is completed, we'll probably come in at the end and buff again and put on one or two more coats of an untinted poly, just to make sure all surfaces have that long-lasting and visually pleasing finish and to kind of tie everything together.
It can seem kind of counter-intuitive to take a nice glossy surface of dried poly and scuff it up with a handful of steel. But you soon get the feel of it and you quickly learn the appropriate amount of pressure to apply in any given area. And it really is a feel as much or more than a visual. Sometimes lighter, and sometimes quite a heavier pressure.
When you first start into it you can feel all the little imperfections in the initial glossy coat, and then you can feel the steel wool knocking down those imperfections and the entire surface smoothing out considerably. As you hand rub (sometimes in a circular fashion, especially in a smaller width area, but never across grain) you can feel where to go next even if you can't see it well.
But always try and keep smooth, "straight with the grain" strokes, pushes and pulls and move your body into the best position. Between seeing the region from a few feet away, then getting close in you have to set down your glasses, then as you move out you can't see distance again, it's continuously a "feel" thing. And you trade off the one tired hand and arm for the other, swapping which hand holds the trouble light. ๐
As time goes on you realize the surface you have just prepped for the next coat has a smooth, hard, aged patina quality that just isn't obtainable any other way.
Here's an example of steel-wool buffed on the right and untouched as of yet on the left.
This time around I was doing the entire wood paneled and partition portions of the over-head bunk area, as well as the face of the fridge cabinet and the great-room sides of the partition arch and right front camper corner in the dinette area.
Sometimes it's hard to see from the photos, but I think these next pics are of the area buffed up and wiped down and ready for the second poly application.
And then after another application (two or three hours with a 1.5" brush in one hand, a quart can of poly in another, and a trouble light in a third). And of course you have to be able to hold two things at once in one hand while you free the other for eye-glasses manipulation. Head cranked back at a weird angle, shoulders twitching involuntarily with that whole age thing. It's quite a contortionist's dream if you know what I mean.
So that is two coats of the maple tinted poly and good enough for continued structural assembly. After all is completed, we'll probably come in at the end and buff again and put on one or two more coats of an untinted poly, just to make sure all surfaces have that long-lasting and visually pleasing finish and to kind of tie everything together.
During the holidays, normal routines have been disrupted, and I haven't had the freedom for daily or lengthy work on the camper project. While Lil' Queeny sat quietly - and very well behaved I might add - there in the garage, often in the dark, DW and I enjoyed times with family, two movies at the theaters, visits with friends and general lazing about. Lil' Willy has been a good example for our new addition, as he stood uncomplaining beneath Lil' Queeny's aluminum covering. I turned down the heat, but never off. Those two do just fine out there!
Now that's not to say I didn't visit - I did! I actually had DW's help and we lifted the fridge down from the top shelf and put it in place for a test fit. I think perhaps a word or two like "whoops" slipped from my lips as we found my careful rough opening measurements were maybe a bit TOO careful. Had to do a little work there - which I'll post at a later date.
I also gave Lil Queeny her promised Christmas gift, a several hour long hand-rubbed finish! I'm not sure if I was picking up quiet but audible escapes of ecstasy, or if it was simply the wood creaking because so much of the front camper support has been removed, but suffice to say, Lil Queeny now displays a rosier countenance than before I began! But before the pleasure there is slight discomfort; I started with sanding.
Never-the-less I used the power sander in a very limited way this time, just right along the ceiling edge with the front wall of the cab-over segment where the water stains were worst and some around the window openings. But most of it was careful hand sanding in initial grits from 60 to 220 depending on the location. As stated once before, I intend to just finish all the cab-over bunk ceiling and wall wood, and make a decision later as to which parts will be replaced, covered up, or otherwise strengthened and/or supported. Here's where the sanding kind of started.
And then later with the wood stain applied (you know, that hand rubbed thing, and I wore latex gloves just like those guys at the airport).
And finally, in time, the tinted poly finish with a brush.
I noticed the stained and the poly photos look the same. The colors aren't transferring correctly to the photographs, but the poly has again given a nice reddish tone to the woodwork. Next step, a light steel wool smoothing and another coat of poly. By the time that gets done the edges will be ready to receive the camper box front wall and we'll be back to building!
Now that's not to say I didn't visit - I did! I actually had DW's help and we lifted the fridge down from the top shelf and put it in place for a test fit. I think perhaps a word or two like "whoops" slipped from my lips as we found my careful rough opening measurements were maybe a bit TOO careful. Had to do a little work there - which I'll post at a later date.
I also gave Lil Queeny her promised Christmas gift, a several hour long hand-rubbed finish! I'm not sure if I was picking up quiet but audible escapes of ecstasy, or if it was simply the wood creaking because so much of the front camper support has been removed, but suffice to say, Lil Queeny now displays a rosier countenance than before I began! But before the pleasure there is slight discomfort; I started with sanding.
Never-the-less I used the power sander in a very limited way this time, just right along the ceiling edge with the front wall of the cab-over segment where the water stains were worst and some around the window openings. But most of it was careful hand sanding in initial grits from 60 to 220 depending on the location. As stated once before, I intend to just finish all the cab-over bunk ceiling and wall wood, and make a decision later as to which parts will be replaced, covered up, or otherwise strengthened and/or supported. Here's where the sanding kind of started.
And then later with the wood stain applied (you know, that hand rubbed thing, and I wore latex gloves just like those guys at the airport).
And finally, in time, the tinted poly finish with a brush.
I noticed the stained and the poly photos look the same. The colors aren't transferring correctly to the photographs, but the poly has again given a nice reddish tone to the woodwork. Next step, a light steel wool smoothing and another coat of poly. By the time that gets done the edges will be ready to receive the camper box front wall and we'll be back to building!
I worked a little on Christmas Eve day, finally tackling a job that I had kind of been putting off, that of removing plastic outside corner trim from interior cabinet and partition wall corners.
That trim, like the original gimp, had started out life as a cream color, but much of it had taken on a discoloration over the years, especially where it had been exposed to lots of sunlight, and had darkened to more of an ugly yellow. Also, some of it had warped or become chipped and otherwise damaged.
The trim was about 1 1/4" wide on it's wider section, overlapping the outside corner only about 1/8" on the other surface. The wider portion covered an end board of up to an inch (3/4" wall with that ubiquitous 5/8" board, then 1/8" paneling or an inside and outside 1/8" paneling bring those sections up to the 1" width). A thin groove was routed into the board edge and the trim was inserted into the groove with its barbed insertion piece. I really doubted its easy removal, but it had to go.
I started on a corner of the galley cabinet face near the camper entrance door. Using a couple of tools to pry, I was surprised with how easy it lifted out. It was tight, but came pretty good!
Next I moved to one of the more visible sections, one that I was hoping didn't open a can of worms and cause more problem than it was worth - the bathroom/dinette wall corner.
I started out gently enough, prying and lifting and pulling. The stuff wouldn't budge. I tried at the top, no luck. I tried at the bottom, no luck I tried all along the piece, searching for that one spot that would lift out of the groove so I could grab a big enough section to pull it out at a good separation angle - no luck. All I succeeded in doing was to distort and damage the trim piece further, with each step causing it to be less able to save and/or retain. Just what I was afraid of!
Actually I had been able to pull out the top 1.5 feet or so, before it broke off, brittle as it was, and then I discovered some of the installation finish nails for the corner had penetrated the edge of the trim barb in the groove. It wasn't going to come out.
I finally decided to use a sharp utility knife and was able to easily slice the barb from the remaining trim piece, nice and flush with the board edge. Thereafter, it all came down slicker than melting snow on a tin roof.
Here you see where it came out of the groove, and where it remained in the groove.
Then I moved over to this corner with a before and a couple of afters shots, finally finishing with the fridge cabinet right side corner (unphotographed).
Removal of this trim will better allow me to finish the board face of the fridge cabinet, as well as installing surface material for the stove surround. I expect we'll use some sort of metal outside corner/decorative strip for these corners. In the case of the fridge left side, the stove surround material will cover the majority of the 1" wood edge. Treatment for the other corners will be some combination of: painted, hidden, or covered by decorative metal.
In the case of the dinette/bathroom wall corner, I plan some sort of defining extension slightly out into the room (jutting forward) to give a visual definition to the end of the dinette seating area, as well as a very small edge support to dinette cushions. I may enlist my metal working son-in-law - he's an artist in metal fabrication.
That trim, like the original gimp, had started out life as a cream color, but much of it had taken on a discoloration over the years, especially where it had been exposed to lots of sunlight, and had darkened to more of an ugly yellow. Also, some of it had warped or become chipped and otherwise damaged.
The trim was about 1 1/4" wide on it's wider section, overlapping the outside corner only about 1/8" on the other surface. The wider portion covered an end board of up to an inch (3/4" wall with that ubiquitous 5/8" board, then 1/8" paneling or an inside and outside 1/8" paneling bring those sections up to the 1" width). A thin groove was routed into the board edge and the trim was inserted into the groove with its barbed insertion piece. I really doubted its easy removal, but it had to go.
I started on a corner of the galley cabinet face near the camper entrance door. Using a couple of tools to pry, I was surprised with how easy it lifted out. It was tight, but came pretty good!
Next I moved to one of the more visible sections, one that I was hoping didn't open a can of worms and cause more problem than it was worth - the bathroom/dinette wall corner.
I started out gently enough, prying and lifting and pulling. The stuff wouldn't budge. I tried at the top, no luck. I tried at the bottom, no luck I tried all along the piece, searching for that one spot that would lift out of the groove so I could grab a big enough section to pull it out at a good separation angle - no luck. All I succeeded in doing was to distort and damage the trim piece further, with each step causing it to be less able to save and/or retain. Just what I was afraid of!
Actually I had been able to pull out the top 1.5 feet or so, before it broke off, brittle as it was, and then I discovered some of the installation finish nails for the corner had penetrated the edge of the trim barb in the groove. It wasn't going to come out.
I finally decided to use a sharp utility knife and was able to easily slice the barb from the remaining trim piece, nice and flush with the board edge. Thereafter, it all came down slicker than melting snow on a tin roof.
Here you see where it came out of the groove, and where it remained in the groove.
Then I moved over to this corner with a before and a couple of afters shots, finally finishing with the fridge cabinet right side corner (unphotographed).
Removal of this trim will better allow me to finish the board face of the fridge cabinet, as well as installing surface material for the stove surround. I expect we'll use some sort of metal outside corner/decorative strip for these corners. In the case of the fridge left side, the stove surround material will cover the majority of the 1" wood edge. Treatment for the other corners will be some combination of: painted, hidden, or covered by decorative metal.
In the case of the dinette/bathroom wall corner, I plan some sort of defining extension slightly out into the room (jutting forward) to give a visual definition to the end of the dinette seating area, as well as a very small edge support to dinette cushions. I may enlist my metal working son-in-law - he's an artist in metal fabrication.
During my most recent work in Finishes and Finishing, in addition to laying down primer, I had several boards to paint with the metal flake bronze and then a poly top coat. But I also applied another color - for the propane cabinet.
While waiting for paint to dry in between coats and over about three days, I worked on finishing the propane cabinet (tomorrow's post) and the work you've seen so far on the bathroom, plus a little more. But while working on the propane cabinet I decided I'd rather have a less vivid final color than the stark white primer. As is, it would be easy to look up into the cabinet and see things, but being a flat primer finish, I knew it would also get easily marred and dirty, especially back here where the dust would enter and collect.
So I went looking in our paint cabinet for a better choice. I didn't really want a dark color, but I wanted it dark enough to not glare out annoyingly whenever I opened up the door. DW had chosen a quart can years ago for a project that subsequently changed, so when I came across this can I thought it would work. It's only draw back being a satin, whereas a gloss or semi-gloss might have been better. But the color was earthy, and downplayed, and looks like it will be a nice hard surface, being an acrylic enamel and all.
So the first thing I did was get the bronze onto the primed boards in the right places. Then I gathered the used gimp (cream color) and the new white gimp, and planned it out. The used gimp I obtained from the box side boards where they met the floor. I'll replace those areas with a brown I found locally. The now available cream gimp gave me some replacement supply for the front box wall where the jack corners had pretty much destroyed the gimp in those locations.
Then when the bronze was dry I applied a new technique. I had seen a paint stir stick with the maple tinted poly over the dark bronze and kind of liked it. After showing DW we agreed to try it on our bronze surfaces. It brings out the metal flake and gives an aged look and a comfortable, warm feeling.
And then I got the gimp stapled onto the front box wall. Note the uneven gather will be trimmed a bit more once I decide just where the joint might best be as associated with the cabinetry cleats.
The front box wall (bulkhead) is now ready to install, but before that I'll have to sand and finish the front interior panels of the camper ceiling/side-wall assembly, probably all the way over the bunk as well. Thereafter I'll be able to come back to panel section repair and replacement in the bunk while installing the bunk floor, and be able to work with finished wall surfaces as I do so.
While waiting for paint to dry in between coats and over about three days, I worked on finishing the propane cabinet (tomorrow's post) and the work you've seen so far on the bathroom, plus a little more. But while working on the propane cabinet I decided I'd rather have a less vivid final color than the stark white primer. As is, it would be easy to look up into the cabinet and see things, but being a flat primer finish, I knew it would also get easily marred and dirty, especially back here where the dust would enter and collect.
So I went looking in our paint cabinet for a better choice. I didn't really want a dark color, but I wanted it dark enough to not glare out annoyingly whenever I opened up the door. DW had chosen a quart can years ago for a project that subsequently changed, so when I came across this can I thought it would work. It's only draw back being a satin, whereas a gloss or semi-gloss might have been better. But the color was earthy, and downplayed, and looks like it will be a nice hard surface, being an acrylic enamel and all.
So the first thing I did was get the bronze onto the primed boards in the right places. Then I gathered the used gimp (cream color) and the new white gimp, and planned it out. The used gimp I obtained from the box side boards where they met the floor. I'll replace those areas with a brown I found locally. The now available cream gimp gave me some replacement supply for the front box wall where the jack corners had pretty much destroyed the gimp in those locations.
Then when the bronze was dry I applied a new technique. I had seen a paint stir stick with the maple tinted poly over the dark bronze and kind of liked it. After showing DW we agreed to try it on our bronze surfaces. It brings out the metal flake and gives an aged look and a comfortable, warm feeling.
And then I got the gimp stapled onto the front box wall. Note the uneven gather will be trimmed a bit more once I decide just where the joint might best be as associated with the cabinetry cleats.
The front box wall (bulkhead) is now ready to install, but before that I'll have to sand and finish the front interior panels of the camper ceiling/side-wall assembly, probably all the way over the bunk as well. Thereafter I'll be able to come back to panel section repair and replacement in the bunk while installing the bunk floor, and be able to work with finished wall surfaces as I do so.
Every so often you have to step back and open the paint can.
Yeah it would be nice to just build, build, build, and that's how they do it in the factory, "Let some other poor sucker do the finish, we're here to assemble!". (That's my illustration of what they say. I don't know for sure. It's all just imagination.)
But as ticki2 said some time ago, painting the back wall before installing - well, that really resonated with me. And taking on that mind-set sure helped along the finishing process as I assembled.
So here we go again. Let's prime wood!
The first piece (and the cause of thinking what other pieces to do at the same time) was the front wall of the camper box. This piece got primer on the interior surface and all along the edges.
These next pieces are, in order of foreground to background: fridge shelf top and bottom (top for white primed utility area, bottom for bronze paint on ceiling of lowest storage compartment under the fridge), two fridge shelf support legs, w/cleats, all surfaces (again utility area white and also bronze where they are visible as cabinet walls below the fridge), propane cabinet floor piece, all surfaces (utility area white), and the shower pan shelf all surfaces (utility white for under shower compartment ceiling and for general water leakage protection, not that I will have any leaks ๐ )
This next three photos show the surfaces of the new combo "right side sub-box wall/bathroom interior wall/propane compartment back wall". That's quite a title! I couldn't even think of a catchy acronym for it - RSSBWBIWPCBW. That's even worse than the whole phrase! In future, I'll name it in relation to the room I'm working on. Oh, the picture also shows the under shower utility area, or my little basement. All nice utility white.
And the left side sub-box wall. The interior of this wall will get some bronze paint for it's part in playing the back wall of another interior storage compartment. The exterior of this wall - and it's counterpart over on the right side of the camper - will receive a 1/8" cap board overlapping the entire board including the floor edge (after the floor is replaced) and then both sides will be painted the same olive drab as the rest of the exterior box portions.
Yeah it would be nice to just build, build, build, and that's how they do it in the factory, "Let some other poor sucker do the finish, we're here to assemble!". (That's my illustration of what they say. I don't know for sure. It's all just imagination.)
But as ticki2 said some time ago, painting the back wall before installing - well, that really resonated with me. And taking on that mind-set sure helped along the finishing process as I assembled.
So here we go again. Let's prime wood!
The first piece (and the cause of thinking what other pieces to do at the same time) was the front wall of the camper box. This piece got primer on the interior surface and all along the edges.
These next pieces are, in order of foreground to background: fridge shelf top and bottom (top for white primed utility area, bottom for bronze paint on ceiling of lowest storage compartment under the fridge), two fridge shelf support legs, w/cleats, all surfaces (again utility area white and also bronze where they are visible as cabinet walls below the fridge), propane cabinet floor piece, all surfaces (utility area white), and the shower pan shelf all surfaces (utility white for under shower compartment ceiling and for general water leakage protection, not that I will have any leaks ๐ )
This next three photos show the surfaces of the new combo "right side sub-box wall/bathroom interior wall/propane compartment back wall". That's quite a title! I couldn't even think of a catchy acronym for it - RSSBWBIWPCBW. That's even worse than the whole phrase! In future, I'll name it in relation to the room I'm working on. Oh, the picture also shows the under shower utility area, or my little basement. All nice utility white.
And the left side sub-box wall. The interior of this wall will get some bronze paint for it's part in playing the back wall of another interior storage compartment. The exterior of this wall - and it's counterpart over on the right side of the camper - will receive a 1/8" cap board overlapping the entire board including the floor edge (after the floor is replaced) and then both sides will be painted the same olive drab as the rest of the exterior box portions.
I had primed portions of the back wall and bathroom areas before now. And now I decided - because of the superior finish of the dried primer compared to the sanded (roughed up) original wood paneling - that I would prime ALL of the bathroom surfaces in preparation to receive a paint-on rubber membrane that will be throughout the bathroom interior prior to wet bath (shower surround style) finish wall surfaces. In our home we used RedGard brand (Home Depot) because it was a little less cost than another brand in blue color sold at Menards. We'll cover that at the appropriate time.
For now, I still needed to prime both the interior surfaces of the bathroom wall, and the full side of the new right side back wall. Here's how those turned out.
Much of this lower wall section will be cut out for propane tank compartment, but I just primed the whole thing for the time being.
Also, the left side new back wall (galley side) needed to be painted on its interior surface. You may recall, we chose 3/4" plywood over the original 5/8" plus glued and nailed 1/8" interior birch plywood, mostly for plywood edge strength in accepting fasteners (from the roof and sidewall assembly).
Therefore, the lesser quality side was to the exterior (where it will be covered by siding) and the smooth A quality surface will be toward the interior, but WITHOUT the tight finished birch grain paneling to match surrounding interior surfaces.
Because of that we chose to add a contrasting painted surface for the exposed wall portions. Those portions are really quite minimal as that wall is mostly covered by: entrance door, one window, galley counter and cabinet, upper wall cabinet. So the darker finish color should end up looking more like trim sections than broad field sections. Here's the paint we used, a copper or gold metal-flaked dark bronze. We've used this stuff lots in our home for both accent pieces and furniture pieces. It's gorgeous!
And with that, we were temporarily done with the "finish" portions of this stage and moved back into the next portions of "structure and wood replacement".
For now, I still needed to prime both the interior surfaces of the bathroom wall, and the full side of the new right side back wall. Here's how those turned out.
Much of this lower wall section will be cut out for propane tank compartment, but I just primed the whole thing for the time being.
Also, the left side new back wall (galley side) needed to be painted on its interior surface. You may recall, we chose 3/4" plywood over the original 5/8" plus glued and nailed 1/8" interior birch plywood, mostly for plywood edge strength in accepting fasteners (from the roof and sidewall assembly).
Therefore, the lesser quality side was to the exterior (where it will be covered by siding) and the smooth A quality surface will be toward the interior, but WITHOUT the tight finished birch grain paneling to match surrounding interior surfaces.
Because of that we chose to add a contrasting painted surface for the exposed wall portions. Those portions are really quite minimal as that wall is mostly covered by: entrance door, one window, galley counter and cabinet, upper wall cabinet. So the darker finish color should end up looking more like trim sections than broad field sections. Here's the paint we used, a copper or gold metal-flaked dark bronze. We've used this stuff lots in our home for both accent pieces and furniture pieces. It's gorgeous!
And with that, we were temporarily done with the "finish" portions of this stage and moved back into the next portions of "structure and wood replacement".
All of the interior sanding, staining and finishing work was done by the light of an automotive trouble light - hung or hand-held. Especially hand-held for finish strokes to see the shiny (wet) surfaces.
The light fell early on and broke the filament of my last 100 watt bulb (I had had a few 100's on the garage shelf that we had removed from the home as we went more amber accent lighting and 60 watt white bulbs (we still hate fluorescents), but had just taken my last three 100's down to the well house a few weeks ago as we needed some down there and I wasn't using them up in the garage. So I lost my 100 watt and only had 60's to replace it with. The job-site just got darker!
My folks were frugal and "the acorn don't fall far from the tree" so I wasn't about to waste time running over to the store for lightbulbs! I made do with the 60's.
I don't see as clearly as when I was younger - except in my mind; I see ever MORE clearly in my mind - and these progressive bifocals are okay in many day-to-day circumstances, but those dogs don't hunt on close up work, and the varied distances found within arm's reach required by mechanics work or painting in odd positions. Those positions range anywhere from on your back on a creeper under the car, to bending your back sideways in one or both directions, often at the same time, to get your head and hands into hard to see spots inside a tiny camper! So I have a strained muscle in my lower back just left of the spine. Been dogging me now for more than a week. It really helped when I was sheet rocking though, because I had an excuse to shout out orders! Oh, and the corrective lenses ended up off the face and on some convenient, but hopefully "out of the way" storage space for most of the job.
Even with the less than optimal lighting, vision and bending conditions, I managed with just two hands to hold brush, can and light! That really looked comical; wished I had pictures of that. Actually, most of the time I could hang the light, or lay it in a proper place, or set the can down in a safe place that I didn't think I would kick.
And poly on those under surfaces!? As hard as I tried it still ran down the brush toward the brush handle. A few times I forgot gloves, but most of the time I wore disposable latex gloves. That helped. Or a rag wrapped around the handle.
But after all is said and done I went out and used the top off the new can of Olde Maple tinted poly DW picked up to do one more under cabinet surface and the finish to this point was complete! Check!
I moved back out into the well lighted garage and got to work on the wing assemblies.
You recall the paint I found for $9 (regular price $35) due to an Oops color mix? It is an "old wood or concrete" paint with sand for non-slip surfaces meant for covering decks, etc. I prepped my pieces and started putting it on. Wow, thick! Hard to spread! One brush full wouldn't cover much area. But after lots of dipping and spreading with a 3" brush I got a first coat on. The next day I applied the second coat (it says two required, but I would have done two regardless).
I really like the tough surface and I think this is just right for the application. And I like the OD green, but especially the flat finish!
I only used a little less than half a gallon, so I'll be incorporating the rest into the exterior exposed surfaces of the floor assembly and the fastener heads of these lower parts of the camper exterior.
This is a butt joint at the rear of one of the 8.5' wings.
A close-up.
The light fell early on and broke the filament of my last 100 watt bulb (I had had a few 100's on the garage shelf that we had removed from the home as we went more amber accent lighting and 60 watt white bulbs (we still hate fluorescents), but had just taken my last three 100's down to the well house a few weeks ago as we needed some down there and I wasn't using them up in the garage. So I lost my 100 watt and only had 60's to replace it with. The job-site just got darker!
My folks were frugal and "the acorn don't fall far from the tree" so I wasn't about to waste time running over to the store for lightbulbs! I made do with the 60's.
I don't see as clearly as when I was younger - except in my mind; I see ever MORE clearly in my mind - and these progressive bifocals are okay in many day-to-day circumstances, but those dogs don't hunt on close up work, and the varied distances found within arm's reach required by mechanics work or painting in odd positions. Those positions range anywhere from on your back on a creeper under the car, to bending your back sideways in one or both directions, often at the same time, to get your head and hands into hard to see spots inside a tiny camper! So I have a strained muscle in my lower back just left of the spine. Been dogging me now for more than a week. It really helped when I was sheet rocking though, because I had an excuse to shout out orders! Oh, and the corrective lenses ended up off the face and on some convenient, but hopefully "out of the way" storage space for most of the job.
Even with the less than optimal lighting, vision and bending conditions, I managed with just two hands to hold brush, can and light! That really looked comical; wished I had pictures of that. Actually, most of the time I could hang the light, or lay it in a proper place, or set the can down in a safe place that I didn't think I would kick.
And poly on those under surfaces!? As hard as I tried it still ran down the brush toward the brush handle. A few times I forgot gloves, but most of the time I wore disposable latex gloves. That helped. Or a rag wrapped around the handle.
But after all is said and done I went out and used the top off the new can of Olde Maple tinted poly DW picked up to do one more under cabinet surface and the finish to this point was complete! Check!
I moved back out into the well lighted garage and got to work on the wing assemblies.
You recall the paint I found for $9 (regular price $35) due to an Oops color mix? It is an "old wood or concrete" paint with sand for non-slip surfaces meant for covering decks, etc. I prepped my pieces and started putting it on. Wow, thick! Hard to spread! One brush full wouldn't cover much area. But after lots of dipping and spreading with a 3" brush I got a first coat on. The next day I applied the second coat (it says two required, but I would have done two regardless).
I really like the tough surface and I think this is just right for the application. And I like the OD green, but especially the flat finish!
I only used a little less than half a gallon, so I'll be incorporating the rest into the exterior exposed surfaces of the floor assembly and the fastener heads of these lower parts of the camper exterior.
This is a butt joint at the rear of one of the 8.5' wings.
A close-up.
I'm so glad Deb and Ed. And I am appreciating this outlet for my expressive needs. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of this sort of thing, especially in written form. All the better when others are enjoying it as well and something constructive is being accomplished!
I allowed the first coat of finish to dry overnight and then went out with steel wool in hand. We're kind of rustic finishers - not fine furniture, and so in a regular garage, with opening overhead doors, and unfinished concrete, in windy Wyoming, our finishes are not going to be perfect. In fact DW doesn't do much in between finish coats and yet turns out some wonderful pieces! Me - I still like to steel wool with 0000 between finish coats. But that does create a lot of finish dust and steel wool droppings to remove prior to the next coat.
So after a light steel wool buffing I vacuumed all the surfaces, beginning and ending with those that are horizontal and had caught the most debris, then used a tack cloth to gather any more small particles, and finally finished up with a lacquer thinner dampened rag to remove the strange wax-like substance left by the tack cloth. I've never been able to get that stuff off my hands by washing except by using lacquer thinner. Yes, I use lots of lotion!
The next three photos show a progression, starting first with a steel wool buffed surface, then a thinner washed surface, and finally with a second coat of finish applied.
The next three pics include some portion of the damaged ceiling panel edges (the back edge that attaches to the camper back wall). It's feeling pretty secure and some treatment to the other side is still to come prior to back wall assembly.
Here's an end shot of a cabinet interior.
This shot shows the difference between the treated ceiling, and an as yet untreated archway board between the main room and the cab-over bedroom.
This is the area in which I had cut out the wood below the original bathroom door opening and moved it upward, then making the short side piece for fill. It turned out nicer than I expected, especially with the areas of wood filler in those joints. To recall a little, the larger opening will be covered by a donor drawer front acting as a swing down door for under shower utility access, while the smaller opening will take on at least a vent cover, and eventually a small low current draw 12v fan operated by a thermostat in the basement to warm the gray tank and associated plumbing during freezing temperatures (heated basement).
Dinette side.
Galley side (with closeup).
Over the next few days I'll be working out a few more finish items including: spot attention on poly-ed areas, priming the bathroom surfaces, painting the exterior surfaces of the wing assemblies and painting the interior side of the left back wall segment. I'll also be starting into some specific structural repairs of the roof/side-wall assembly as I prepare for installation of the right side wing assembly and camper back wall segments!
I allowed the first coat of finish to dry overnight and then went out with steel wool in hand. We're kind of rustic finishers - not fine furniture, and so in a regular garage, with opening overhead doors, and unfinished concrete, in windy Wyoming, our finishes are not going to be perfect. In fact DW doesn't do much in between finish coats and yet turns out some wonderful pieces! Me - I still like to steel wool with 0000 between finish coats. But that does create a lot of finish dust and steel wool droppings to remove prior to the next coat.
So after a light steel wool buffing I vacuumed all the surfaces, beginning and ending with those that are horizontal and had caught the most debris, then used a tack cloth to gather any more small particles, and finally finished up with a lacquer thinner dampened rag to remove the strange wax-like substance left by the tack cloth. I've never been able to get that stuff off my hands by washing except by using lacquer thinner. Yes, I use lots of lotion!
The next three photos show a progression, starting first with a steel wool buffed surface, then a thinner washed surface, and finally with a second coat of finish applied.
The next three pics include some portion of the damaged ceiling panel edges (the back edge that attaches to the camper back wall). It's feeling pretty secure and some treatment to the other side is still to come prior to back wall assembly.
Here's an end shot of a cabinet interior.
This shot shows the difference between the treated ceiling, and an as yet untreated archway board between the main room and the cab-over bedroom.
This is the area in which I had cut out the wood below the original bathroom door opening and moved it upward, then making the short side piece for fill. It turned out nicer than I expected, especially with the areas of wood filler in those joints. To recall a little, the larger opening will be covered by a donor drawer front acting as a swing down door for under shower utility access, while the smaller opening will take on at least a vent cover, and eventually a small low current draw 12v fan operated by a thermostat in the basement to warm the gray tank and associated plumbing during freezing temperatures (heated basement).
Dinette side.
Galley side (with closeup).
Over the next few days I'll be working out a few more finish items including: spot attention on poly-ed areas, priming the bathroom surfaces, painting the exterior surfaces of the wing assemblies and painting the interior side of the left back wall segment. I'll also be starting into some specific structural repairs of the roof/side-wall assembly as I prepare for installation of the right side wing assembly and camper back wall segments!
I've applied the first coat of polyurethane to the woodwork slated for finishing at this stage. Next is to lightly buff it with 0000 steel wool to knock down slight imperfections, then wipe it clean and apply a second coat. Perhaps a third.
The first coat went on pretty good, but you could tell the wood was really soaking it up. Even in places where the previous finish (shellac I think) had mostly remained, it still took a fair amount of poly. The surfaces I covered took just over 1/2 a quart. I expect the second coat will take the remainder.
We are very pleased with the richness brought out by the tinted poly, and of course the base stain. Another one or two coats will really make it look nice and give it a long-lasted high quality finished surface!
One of our favorite looks is the "many years of paint and finish maintenance look of old National Park lodges and buildings". When you can picture that level of "look" then you get the image of what we're trying to mimic.
Another long-term desire for us is to have an old - but well cared for and maintained - "cabin in the woods" on our own mountain property. But every time we seriously consider such a venture we always conclude we are more of the "let's go down the road to the next place now" kind of people. With this camper, we may well be approaching a combination of those two manifestations of our natures.
Two shots of the ceiling. If you look close you can see the difference between the main room ceiling, and the untouched cab-over ceiling.
A dinette corner
An upper cabinet. I also stained and poly-ed the insides of these cabinets for looks, luxury and ease of cleaning. The shelf is regular plywood (without a finished veneer) and we simply stained and poly-ed both top and bottom. As you sit at the dinette looking up you'll more clearly see the bottom surface, so we may treat it differently in future if it doesn't look right as finished. The original finish on the non-veneered wood portions of the cabinet interiors and shelf (top & bottom) was a sort of flat milk-chocolate brown paint.
This picture shows the original plastic laminate material that was used for the factory stove-top surround wall covering. A similar but slightly different pattern had been used for the counter-top and dinette table. I retained this cabinet piece for two reasons, 1-to have it available for future showcase and 2-because I would have had to remove the cabinet to remove the plastic and chose not to go to the trouble.
The second picture has a similar piece left at the cabinet end cap, an untreated original piece of finish, once again for future showcase. It could have been a better picture, but you get the idea.
And here is a corner where the wall, cabinet and roof all meet...
The welting (gimp) was fairly easy to brush around, but even so I had to come back multiple times with a mineral spirits dampened rag and wipe the welt clear.
The first coat went on pretty good, but you could tell the wood was really soaking it up. Even in places where the previous finish (shellac I think) had mostly remained, it still took a fair amount of poly. The surfaces I covered took just over 1/2 a quart. I expect the second coat will take the remainder.
We are very pleased with the richness brought out by the tinted poly, and of course the base stain. Another one or two coats will really make it look nice and give it a long-lasted high quality finished surface!
One of our favorite looks is the "many years of paint and finish maintenance look of old National Park lodges and buildings". When you can picture that level of "look" then you get the image of what we're trying to mimic.
Another long-term desire for us is to have an old - but well cared for and maintained - "cabin in the woods" on our own mountain property. But every time we seriously consider such a venture we always conclude we are more of the "let's go down the road to the next place now" kind of people. With this camper, we may well be approaching a combination of those two manifestations of our natures.
Two shots of the ceiling. If you look close you can see the difference between the main room ceiling, and the untouched cab-over ceiling.
A dinette corner
An upper cabinet. I also stained and poly-ed the insides of these cabinets for looks, luxury and ease of cleaning. The shelf is regular plywood (without a finished veneer) and we simply stained and poly-ed both top and bottom. As you sit at the dinette looking up you'll more clearly see the bottom surface, so we may treat it differently in future if it doesn't look right as finished. The original finish on the non-veneered wood portions of the cabinet interiors and shelf (top & bottom) was a sort of flat milk-chocolate brown paint.
This picture shows the original plastic laminate material that was used for the factory stove-top surround wall covering. A similar but slightly different pattern had been used for the counter-top and dinette table. I retained this cabinet piece for two reasons, 1-to have it available for future showcase and 2-because I would have had to remove the cabinet to remove the plastic and chose not to go to the trouble.
The second picture has a similar piece left at the cabinet end cap, an untreated original piece of finish, once again for future showcase. It could have been a better picture, but you get the idea.
And here is a corner where the wall, cabinet and roof all meet...
The welting (gimp) was fairly easy to brush around, but even so I had to come back multiple times with a mineral spirits dampened rag and wipe the welt clear.
Thanks Vic and ticki2 too.
Well yesterday I worked with the kids hanging sheetrock. We got 6 sheets of 4.5' by 12' hung on the ceiling with use of a jack. Looks real nice and they now have some sheetrock confidence they didn't have before. That's what it's all about!
So I didn't get any work done on Lil' Queeny, but I thought I'd take this opportunity for a couple other finish thoughts and pics.
Here's a picture of the primer we're using. As I said before, it has a great dried surface; very tough! I've used Kilz, but I like this better. You just want to get tools cleaned up every so often. It's not as easy to remove once it starts to dry as is latex house paint.
DW has saved us LOTS of money by shopping the "Oops" shelf. Those are (generally) high quality paints at highly reduced prices. People come in for a color match and for one reason or another don't like the results. So the store marks it down and sets it aside. DW takes several of these "correct proximity colors" for her given color palette and mixes her own color in a five gallon bucket. The results are usually fairly rich colors in a bit of muted tone, just what we like!
So when it came time to shop for exterior finish for Lil' Queeny's under wings and lower box I found rubberized undercoat online for about $35 quart, and brush/roller applied bed-liner for maybe $45 gallon, and some online advice saying high ventilation needed - maybe for a week or more! Then we went over to the big box stores to check their Oops shelf and regular shelf. The first store we found this "sanded" deck/concrete paint in a color that will look quite nice I think (maybe better than the black I was leaning toward). I guess I'd have to call it Olive Drab with a little less olive and a little more drab.
Yes, $9. The same stuff on the regular shelf is $35 gallon. I was pleased. For the same reason stark white doesn't work with our color scheme (except inside utility cabinets for example as a "function over style" design) black might not exactly work either. Olive Drab - with a lean toward drab, might be just the ticket! And the sample swatch on the lid feels extremely durable.
Today I'll regroup in the shop and begin application of our finish. This is what we'll use. And picture 2, from our home, shows results of a same treatment - Golden Oak stain over fir 1x4 boards (quite different from the birch in Lil' Queeny), and finished with the same Olde Maple tinted poly.
Well yesterday I worked with the kids hanging sheetrock. We got 6 sheets of 4.5' by 12' hung on the ceiling with use of a jack. Looks real nice and they now have some sheetrock confidence they didn't have before. That's what it's all about!
So I didn't get any work done on Lil' Queeny, but I thought I'd take this opportunity for a couple other finish thoughts and pics.
Here's a picture of the primer we're using. As I said before, it has a great dried surface; very tough! I've used Kilz, but I like this better. You just want to get tools cleaned up every so often. It's not as easy to remove once it starts to dry as is latex house paint.
DW has saved us LOTS of money by shopping the "Oops" shelf. Those are (generally) high quality paints at highly reduced prices. People come in for a color match and for one reason or another don't like the results. So the store marks it down and sets it aside. DW takes several of these "correct proximity colors" for her given color palette and mixes her own color in a five gallon bucket. The results are usually fairly rich colors in a bit of muted tone, just what we like!
So when it came time to shop for exterior finish for Lil' Queeny's under wings and lower box I found rubberized undercoat online for about $35 quart, and brush/roller applied bed-liner for maybe $45 gallon, and some online advice saying high ventilation needed - maybe for a week or more! Then we went over to the big box stores to check their Oops shelf and regular shelf. The first store we found this "sanded" deck/concrete paint in a color that will look quite nice I think (maybe better than the black I was leaning toward). I guess I'd have to call it Olive Drab with a little less olive and a little more drab.
Yes, $9. The same stuff on the regular shelf is $35 gallon. I was pleased. For the same reason stark white doesn't work with our color scheme (except inside utility cabinets for example as a "function over style" design) black might not exactly work either. Olive Drab - with a lean toward drab, might be just the ticket! And the sample swatch on the lid feels extremely durable.
Today I'll regroup in the shop and begin application of our finish. This is what we'll use. And picture 2, from our home, shows results of a same treatment - Golden Oak stain over fir 1x4 boards (quite different from the birch in Lil' Queeny), and finished with the same Olde Maple tinted poly.
