Home Project: Kitchen walls
Retired Administrator
True Car Nut
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,906
Likes: 194
From: Williamsport, PA
I would just do a transition strip. They are made to adjust for the height change. These are often used in bathrooms where it is to labor intensive to pull up the old tile, so they just put a sub floor on top of the old tile and tile again. Nobody trips. raising the rest of the floor will be costly, but you could always go with a second layer of underlayment. I did this on the main floor simply to double the quiet and supposedly add to the wearability of the laminate. It worked for me. I estimate you are around 1,000 sq feet, so additional underlaminate of high thinkness will be a pricey thing (you just would not add the additional layer in the dining room). Actually, that might work real well....... Not much help, sorry.
Thread Starter
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 30
From: Enfield, CT
Talked to neighbor/contractor that is putting in the beam for removing the wall. He said the beam may already be sitting in the yard. 
He'* pretty serious about getting this thing in this week. 
He'* pretty serious about getting this thing in this week.
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Green River wy
Do not drop anything semi heavy on it . I have a few chips and divets in mine and also some water damage swelling . Go with a darker color laminate it will not show as much water spotting . I have the lite oak . Will be going to tile next .
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,284
Likes: 20
From: New Milford, CT
The Plan:
Open up the kitchen by removing the corner walls to the dining/living room. Add an island and overall make the house flow better and be overall nicer.
1. Take down walls
2. Change hallway closet into kitchen pantry (thanks for the mention on the cabinets.) This will work in conjunction with enlarging the fridge spacing to the normal 36"
3. Flooring in living room/hallway/kitchen (will be all laminate now that we've discussed)
4. Island with two levels (I was already doing this, but like that you've mentioned it as well)
5. Recessed lighting in the kitchen
6. New fridge to match all the other white appliances.
7. Take the wall by the counter back a bit further.
Open up the kitchen by removing the corner walls to the dining/living room. Add an island and overall make the house flow better and be overall nicer.
1. Take down walls
2. Change hallway closet into kitchen pantry (thanks for the mention on the cabinets.) This will work in conjunction with enlarging the fridge spacing to the normal 36"
3. Flooring in living room/hallway/kitchen (will be all laminate now that we've discussed)
4. Island with two levels (I was already doing this, but like that you've mentioned it as well)
5. Recessed lighting in the kitchen
6. New fridge to match all the other white appliances.
7. Take the wall by the counter back a bit further.
Got it.
Can't wait to see the end result! Keep the pictures coming.
Thread Starter
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 30
From: Enfield, CT
LVL'* actually not LDL'* arrived on Tuesday and I hauled a 1.5" x 22' x 18" lvl into the house myself. Get a helper ... it'* much easier.
Anyhow, I called in sick yesterday and work began at 6am. Apparently it was a short commute for Mike. (2 houses down)
LVLs:
2011-02-22_15-52-21_645.jpg
Down went a tarp on the dining room floor.
The sheetrock was cut out
A temporary wall was put up to hold the load
The old beam and wall were cut out
The first LVL was lifted into place and nailed to the joists (3 nails each)
The second LVL was lifted and sledged into it'* new home with a caulk gun of glue between the two and then nailed to the first with 5 nails every 16".
Joist hangers were then reinstalled (chiseled the ends of the joists for the sheetrock to fit better. )
Most of this stuff was caught with the regular camera before it'* batteries died. Those pics didn't get loaded.
Temp wall with LVL'* in place
2011-02-23_10-59-18_156.jpg
No more walls
2011-02-23_14-03-15_369.jpg
Last pic I have
2011-02-23_15-42-53_171.jpg
Closet finished losing it'* sheetrock, electrical was reinstalled (not fully done with that.), insulation mostly put back in place. Next up is sheetrocking and moving the closet a little to give the fridge the proper spacing. I then cleaned up and went to bed...it was 11pm. :Thumbs
Anyhow, I called in sick yesterday and work began at 6am. Apparently it was a short commute for Mike. (2 houses down)
LVLs:
2011-02-22_15-52-21_645.jpg
Down went a tarp on the dining room floor.
The sheetrock was cut out
A temporary wall was put up to hold the load
The old beam and wall were cut out
The first LVL was lifted into place and nailed to the joists (3 nails each)
The second LVL was lifted and sledged into it'* new home with a caulk gun of glue between the two and then nailed to the first with 5 nails every 16".
Joist hangers were then reinstalled (chiseled the ends of the joists for the sheetrock to fit better. )
Most of this stuff was caught with the regular camera before it'* batteries died. Those pics didn't get loaded.
Temp wall with LVL'* in place
2011-02-23_10-59-18_156.jpg
No more walls
2011-02-23_14-03-15_369.jpg
Last pic I have
2011-02-23_15-42-53_171.jpg
Closet finished losing it'* sheetrock, electrical was reinstalled (not fully done with that.), insulation mostly put back in place. Next up is sheetrocking and moving the closet a little to give the fridge the proper spacing. I then cleaned up and went to bed...it was 11pm. :Thumbs
Thread Starter
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 30
From: Enfield, CT
Thanks guys.. yesterday was a busy day. It'* nice to have lights again..lol Still need to run the dining room light and the recessed cans for the kitchen. Those will happen when the project is nearly done and time allows. Right now the concentration will be on sheetrock.
