Day 21 - DIY Kitchen Cabinets... Continued

Nothing will compliment "The Sink" more than clean, crisp cabinets and some good hardwood floors. Since we now know the floors will be original, I thought to myself... "self, why not refinish the cabinets?" Logical. Economical. Definitely something I could do on my own. This will keep the house close to in the period, since I really didn't have the budget to re-do the entire kitchen. Nor do I have any clue how to design a kitchen around the sink, right now. I'm just having the team renovate the counter top and floors.

The guys ripped out the old counter top (the same linoleum that was one the floor) the previous day. I figured this was my chance to get in there, before the counter top and back splash (ALSO the same damn linoleum) were installed and I had an open work space. Nothing to mess up, nothing to worry about. I borrowed some collapsible saw-horse like things, a small electric/orbital sander, bought some 80 grit sand paper and a mask and started to work. (on Day 20, I was using a block sander... smart, huh?)

I removed half the drawers and cabinets after I decided that sanding them in place wasn't going to work and mainly because the stupid "vintage" stove is still in the kitchen, wedged in front of the sink and beside the refrigerator. I'm calling some one to haul that POS away as soon as possible. At any rate, I removed all the hinges and handles, keeping them in a baggie for reuse or resale. I'm feeling on top of my game. I can do this! LET'S START SANDING! 

Epic. Failure.  Well, not really a failure, per se, but not exactly the outcome I was expecting. 

The first layer of paint, applied by the last owners, either peeled off like Elmer's glue (remember when you were a kid and you glued your palm and then peeled it off like a second layer of skin) or adhered like it was welded on. No in between. 

After about 2 hours, I had managed to get through to the 3rd layer of paint in some spots. The second layer was a gray and the third a (nice) pale yellow. Both of which, I am sure, are lead based paint. Which, FYI, shreds the sand paper like toilet paper. I managed to get through the 2 uppers and 4 drawers when I had to call it a night. This will be my weekend project. Or several weekend projects, including painting. Which I haven't yet made my final decision on. But I was on my way to DIY Kitchen Cabinets. Woo hoo.

On a different topic, when I got to the house earlier, there was a note in my door. None of the neighbors have really been around, so I had no idea what this was about. It was from a guy who, many years ago, had been in an estate sale at the house. (This had to have been pre-2006, which makes me wonder how much awesome stuff was in that sale!) He remembered the built in desk and colonnade and had seen the dumpster and assumed someone was remodeling and "if I (sic) was getting rid of the built-ins" to please call him. Also, if I was going to tear out the Hydrangea Tree out front, would I please let him know first, as he'd like to try to replant it at his place. Needless to say, the answer to both questions was "no", but I called him back and thanked him for his note, but I was keeping both. If something changed, I will call him back, yada yada yada, but those built-in's aren't going anywhere (why would anyone rip those out?!?!). The tree, well...that's a decision for a later time.