Spring Remodeling: Pine Paneling

It's finally done. When we got home last Thursday night, John had completed everything. It was so great to come home to a really clean home. John even used my teeny tiny Shark vacuum (it may be tiny but draws 1000 watts and requires a generator to operate) to suck up every stray particle of dust and wood shavings.


As I mentioned in my last post, I decided on pine paneling to cover our old water stained paper-covered particle board. Now instead of fake wood, I have the real deal.


We used pine paneling to cover the three main walls of the great room, our main living area and kitchen. John installed the new tongue and groove paneling strips over our existing wall covering for several reasons. One, it was easier to do. Two, it was much less messy than tearing out the old paneling. And three is the charm, it gave is more insulation to hold in heat during the winter.


John was extremely careful to cut each piece to fit against window and door frames. Junctions at corners were covered with moulding, and he hand made several to cover trouble spots.

I spray water when I use the sink's hand pump to draw water up from the lake. We found a small piece of maroon Arborite (formica) for a backsplash. John and I were lucky to get a bargain leftover in Rona's cutting area.

Spring is a great time for cleaning. This year I got so much more, a clean and new main living area and bedroom. Thanks John for all your hard work. -- Margy

Spring Remodeling: Loft Bedroom

In addition to downstairs, John worked in our loft bedroom. I've always thought cabins with pine paneling look so homey.

When we went shopping (yes, John let me go with him), I didn't like the cottage grade. There were so many knots, breaks, and blemishes. I opted to pay more for the next higher grade, and I'm so glad I did. It has just enough variation to make it interesting.


The 8-foot tongue and groove strips made installation relatively simple (that's easy for me to say). John cut each strip perfectly, and used a nail gun followed by wood filler to hide the evidence. He applied two coats of clear Varathane to seal it against any future water leaks. It also brought out the wood grain and gave it a nice luster.

It's important to be weight conscious living in a float cabin. The lightness of the pine boards made it a good choice.

I originally wanted a vertical installation, but John convinced me otherwise.  One, it made my wood frame cabin look more like a log cabin (at least on the inside). Two, it could be installed over our existing paper-coated paneling, giving us more insulation and less construction mess.  Thanks John, you helped me make the right decision as usual. -- Margy

Spring Remodeling: Painting

Old stained paper-covered wall paneling.

Yesterday you read about our new ceiling panels. The next step in our spring remodeling project was to tackle the interior paper coated paneling of the kitchen and great room.

The paneling was stained near windows, doors, and the woodstove chimney. To match the new white ceiling panels, and to keep bright, we used white semi-gloss paint on the upper portion of the front wall.

Semi-gloss paint over paneling to refresh the front cabin wall.

First John removed the thin vertical decorative cedar strips. Then he put on three layers, primer and two coats of paint. The semi-gloss should make wiping off water stains easier. While he was at it, John repainted the window sills and door frames. When he put the decorative strips back up, he used wider spruce ones. We left the upper window frame and beams natural. I like the way the exposed wood breaks up the large white expanse. And, have you ever seen a cleaner storage loft? Getting that was worth a lot. Thanks John! -- Margy

Spring Remodeling: Ceiling Insulation

Stained ceiling insulation panels.

Spring is a time for renewal. It's also a time we take trips to warm places like Arizona. During our absence, our good friend John has been working hard back at the cabin with several spring remodeling projects.

When we became Canadian Permanent Residents in 2008, we briefly thought about building a larger cabin. But we love our place, it just needed a few modifications. We added a bathroom, a covered side porch, a new colour for exterior paint, kitchen appliances, and John made custom furniture to maximize space.

New ceiling hard plastic insulation.

This spring I mentioned the possibility of some remodeling. Wayne didn't seen too enthusiastic, but to my surprise asked me to tell John about it.

Over the 16-year life of our cabin (time flies), the ceiling insulation panels became stained from woodstove condensation. When John built our cabin, his first priority was minimal weight. Extra weight pushes the cedar log float down, causing them to waterlog.

Plastic will not absorb moisture, clean easily.

John decided to install new twin-walled plastic panels over the existing Styrofoam, a messy and hard job. Each panel had to be cut to specification, and working over your head is never easy. Plus, dust in our storage loft was a huge mess. It all had to come down to give John access to the full length of the ceiling.

New ceiling panel installation complete.

This time, John extended the insulation all the way to the peak. That should give us extra heat-keeping properties in winter. And, the rigid plastic surface will be easier to clean. To hold the panels in place, John added pine strips to the open beams. These will match my new pine paneling, to come in a later step. Doesn't it look great? -- Margy

Planting Marigolds with Saved Seeds.

Last fall I let the last of my Marigold flowers go to seed on the plants.  Once they were brown and withered, I pinched the dried seed heads off and left them on a cookie sheet to dry out completely.

I stored them in a saved blueberry container.

Last week after I worked up my soil, I pushed the seed heads into the soil to see if they would sprout.

I tried it last summer to fill in a few empty spots and was pleased with the results. Hopefully it will turn out as well this spring.

But if Bill C-18 passes here in Canada, our rights to save and plant seeds might be hindered. For more information, head on over to Susan's blog As Long As You Have a Garden for more information. -- Margy

Lund, BC

Lund is a small village 28 kilometres (17 miles) north of Powell River on Highway 101. One claim to fame is that it's Mile 0 of Highway 101, the Pan-American Highway that runs all the way to the tip of Chile. Lund is a popular stop for boaters heading to Desolation Sound and points north.

In addition to fuel, Lund has the Historic Hotel including a restaurant, a small grocery store (with lots of supplies boaters need and want), and a few other establishments. It is also the jumping off point for people traveling to nearby Savary Island. You can take your own boat, or ride the popular Lund Water Taxi.

The Boardwalk Restaurant sits gracefully on pilings over the shallow bay behind the Lund Marina.  Look for a Sunflower Seastar in the clear water, and investigate the old waterwheel along the way. Cap off your walk along the scenic boardwalk with a wonderful meal.

Along the way you will pass another popular eatery called Nancy's Bakery. Cinnamon buns are a favourite of mine. But you can also get full breakfasts and lunches.

Your visit to Lund wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Tug Ghum Gallery below the Lund Hotel restaurant. Debra, the owner, make gorgeous polished stone sculptures. She also has many items from local artists and books, including some of Wayne's Coastal BC Stories.

Come visit Lund. You'll love the people, natural beauty, and great food. -- Margy

Now you see him. Now you don't.

Living in Coastal British Columbia we are surrounded by water. That's a good thing for a Pisces like me.


Even in winter we enjoy going out on the chuck. That's what we call the ocean. It's also called the salt chuck. The name is of Pacific Northwest and Canadian origin in the mid-1800s. It is a combination of English (salt) and a Chinook word (chuck) meaning water.


Wayne, John, his dog Bro, and I went for a tin boat ride on the chuck. Wayne and Bro shared the bow while moving through the shallows. When Wayne moved back to his seat, Bro remained as our lookout. -- Margy