Potting Shed Restoration: Phase 2, Shiplap and Sinkholes

Wowza, how is it March already?!? And how are we not done with this project yet?!? 

The potting shed has proven to be one of the slowest-moving projects we’ve ever done. Seriously, we added an entire 2nd story to our previous house in less time! Proving that no project, big or small, ever goes quite as smoothly as you hope. The snails pace seems to be due to 3 things:

1- One of our main contractors had to have back surgery (yes, we could have gone with someone else, but I love and trust his work and attention to detail). Thank goodness he is ok, and able to keep going!

2- We ran into a bit of a problem when we decided to tile the floor. Oh, right…. after the new doors were installed, we had an extra 1/4-1/2″ of clearance and were able to tile the floor- yay!

3- We weren’t necessarily pushing on anyone hard for it to be completed. If I have a time sensitive renovation, I am likely checking in with my contractors weekly, and sometimes daily, depending on how large the project is and how far we are from completion. Since this one was in an accessory building (so it did not interfere with our daily lives), and there was no set timeline, we may have let it straggle on a bit.

Now that spring is practically staring us in the face, it’s time to hop to it and wrap this up already. So last time I checked in, at the end of Phase 1, we had demo’d the inside, had all of the mold sprayed and removed, added gutters, replaced all 3 doors and several windows, rerouted some water lines, added additional wiring for lights/thermostat/etc, and insulated with spray foam. Time for phase 2…

PHASE 2 GOALS:

1. Install shiplap walls and trim everything out.
2. Add a heater.
3. Tile floor with bluestone to match existing bluestone pathways and back patio.

1. Shiplap– woo-hoo! I feel like ever since Fixer Upper has been on, everyone has been searching for the perfect place to add shiplap to their homes, myself included. Unfortunately, it does not necessarily go with every style of home. Don’t get me wrong- if I had a place that even slightly resembled a farmhouse or some type of coastal cottage, it would be EVERYWHERE! But I don’t, soooo, I snuck it into the potting shed, thank goodness.

So the last time we left off, the shed looked like this inside…

Tons of insulation, exposed wires, electrical panels and sprinkler system panel. Gorgeous, right? Haha. But add a beautiful cedar ceiling and white shiplap to the walls and viola:

The trim work and floor are not done in these pictures but you get the idea. I love it! I chose cedar for the ceiling not only because it looks and smells amazing, but this is still an outdoor building. The temp and humidity can still vary a bit and cedar holds up well with moisture. The shiplap is also outdoor rated. If you ever chose to use cedar, you can also stain or clear-coat seal it, but I prefer the natural look and color for this project.

2. Heater- I know what you’re thinking (maybe)… how are you going to put a heater in there? Since it is an accessory building and there was no room for a furnace and ductwork, we ended up installing a wall-mount, high-efficiency unit. There are many different brands and models, but we went with a Reznor V3 Series. It requires a power source, a natural gas line, and an exterior vent. Not the most fun part of the project, but a part that will be well worth it (I feel like this “shed” might be a spot for me to sneak off to in the winter for bit of quiet when my kids are losing their minds)! Hmm, maybe I should put in a wine fridge…

The vent is a little large and shiny for me, but it’s either that or risk burning the place down. The other option would be to vent it out the roof, but that did not work in this particular case.

3.Tile floor with bluestone- Sounds like no big deal, right? Just level out the old cement slab a bit and tile right over it, right? Unfortunately, no. As our guys started leveling out the floor, they noticed that it sounded very hollow underneath. It turns out there was a small sinkhole under the slab (at least that’s what we’re calling it). Seriously?!? Of course there is…

I think it was due in part to water draining under the building, but who knows. We ended up having to demo the whole slab under the building, before re-pouring it. Then they were finally able to install the bluestone. Let me just say- totally worth the time delay! It is one of my favorite stones to use. Honestly, if you’re ever going to renovate a great room or a 3 seasons room, you should consider bluestone tile for the floor. Gorgeous alternative to hardwood!

I just love it! Now on to Phase 3 (aka- the most fun and final phase)! Time for cabinets, countertops, shelving, and decor. It won’t be near the grandeaur of Joanna Gaines latest “shed,” but I still can’t wait to show you all when it’s done!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!