Should I remove the half walls?
Tanya Lopez
2 years ago
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Tanya Lopez
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Should I remove this retaining wall curve?
Comments (30)Karin, I prefer not to landscape across slope. Flaw is probably the wrong word and I'll just assume it wasn't the intention. I apologize but I read your paragraph several times and was unable to interpret your comments regarding the second picture reference. I felt as if I was trying to decipher one of Ink's posts. Bahia, Yeah I went back and forth with the posts. I received confirmation on the wood type so we went ahead and put felt around the posts and buried them with 4" of concrete. The post itself is on a footing. The post next to the retaining wall isn't buried. Pls, Not sure if you're just making a general point about improper grade or not. The only thing I would change is that I'd have the area where the retaining wall is now cored out further past the post. I still might do this...probably not though as the wall following the line of the concrete and ending where the deck ends above looks good to me. I currently don't have any erosion issues and actually happy with the grading. At the end of the day I've gotten some great feedback and will take in certain elements to refine the plan. I'm feeling better about what I have and the changes I plan to make. I'll post an update in a few months. I'll leave you with this. This is what a professional landscape designer put together. I took issue with the boring straight line plantings around the lot lines but took some ideas from the perimeter of the home....See MoreHow much of this wall should I remove?
Comments (3)The Family Room is wider than the adjoining Kitchen.......that usually indicates a change in the roof stucture and the possibility of that wall being Load Bearing......you need a structural engineer or architect to determine a remodel plan...... Also there are HVAC ducts within the lower wall that need reworking............See MoreShould I Remove This Wall?
Comments (7)Do you know what is inside the soffit or are you guessing? I'd want to know for sure because surprises there could get expensive or upsetting. I don't think there is a right or wrong on the half wall. What is your goal -- a visual flow or continuity between rooms or to physically open up the space ? Do you need more than one traffic path? Would you want to change the placement of the table (centered or closer to the kitchen to open up the living space)? Is what bothers you that the white wall jumps out at you with the softer green behind it? You can change that with the treatment of the wall. Does the half wall serve any purpose? It screens the table and chair legs, but not the top or your kitchen counters where the clutter most folks talk about screening tends to gather. I don't see any cookbooks showing in your kitchen and your baker's rack is filled with photos, so it doesn't look like you need a book case or anything more functional there. My kitchen, breakfast and family room are one long hall similar to the way yours would be if you removed the wall, so it wouldn't look funny to me. Some people wouldn't like it, but I've had some kind of open arrangement since we started a family and it fits how we live. I would hate a house where I was isolated in a closed up kitchen now, but other folks wouldn't buy a house that didn't have a closed kitchen. Have you looked into the cost of fixing the floor and is it worth it to you to?...See Morehow do I remove a plaster wall to half?
Comments (9)I agree that a diamond saw (or any decent fine-toothed blade) will cut the plaster without any problem. However, I've been very cautious with cutting plaster so that I don't end up with a lot of patching afterwards. I've had very good luck with a Dremel multi-tool (the one with the end cutting blades) to cut out areas for receptacles, but that may be too tedious for an entire wall. Plaster is quite hard to penetrate, and you will get unpredictable fracturing around the cut line. I would use wood, a long straight edge, or at least a double layer of painters tape to stabilize the surface, and then cut through the plaster with gradually deeper cuts. The first cut would score and penetrate the hard skim coat. Subsequent passes would gradually cut the rest of the layers of plaster. Is there wood lathe behind the plaster, or is it rock lathe (which looks like sheetrock)? If it has wood lathe I might consider first cutting the wall about 6-8" above the final cut line, and then using deep clamps to hold boards on both sides to stabilize the wood lathe as its being cut. Vibration breaks the plaster because it is so inflexible, and you want to keep the wood from moving as you cut. Bruce...See MoreSammie J
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