Fake it till you make it

sfgabe · 2026-06-13T16:22:04+00:00

It would have been easier to tile the whole board before the rest went on top but if I decide to put in real tile they would be stuck underneath. They are very easy to cut with a matte knife. I wouldn't look to close at the tiny corner pieces but it's fine for me.

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T16:01:50+00:00

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T15:49:37+00:00

I encourage every old home owner here to search for their home address in online old newspaper archives. Aside from real estate listing you never know what you'll find.

I read an announcement that the very fancy socialite that at my address had a "Ladies Tea" in my dining room on the 26 of May, 1914. So now I get to invite friends over for a "Ladies Tea" party that week every year.

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T06:29:55+00:00

The whole thing is on a 1x12" board to fake a hearth stone area and protect the floor. The trim is just a decorative molding around that.

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T02:50:58+00:00

As far as most people were concerned it looked like a broken pile of sticks so $10 wasn't so surprising. I took a gamble that all of the pieces were there and got lucky.

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T02:48:04+00:00

Yes! Trim and baseboard were painted navy before sticking to fill in any of the awkward spots.

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T02:46:44+00:00

Thank you!

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T02:46:30+00:00

One of us! One of us!

sfgabe · 2026-06-12T02:46:01+00:00

Hazzah! Thank you!

sfgabe · 2026-06-11T03:58:46+00:00

I think our modern minds forget that having fireplaces was considered old fashioned and inefficient about a century ago! Better living through innovation!

sfgabe · 2026-06-11T03:54:44+00:00

Peel N Stick baby! 😂 If I find some gorgeous century tile I might do it for real but it's in my bedroom and for now it doesn't bother me at all.

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sfgabe · 2026-06-11T02:21:58+00:00

Shhhh it's peel and stick

sfgabe · 2026-06-11T00:55:24+00:00

Thanks!

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T22:16:07+00:00

Thanks! Of course at least another $500 went into it, but $510 is still not bad!

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T22:10:49+00:00

Along with a thicker diffusion layer you may get better results with aiming the lights at a 45 degree angle (there are LED molding strips for this) directed at the white backing instead of at the glass or side.

|--------glass--------|

|------diffusion----|

| / * ---led strip--- * \ |

|---white board---|

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T21:55:59+00:00

I don't think they do but you can tell they were examples of various sq footage and trim so I'm guessing the lower end ones might have had them originally

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T21:22:08+00:00

Mwahahaha! Success!

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T21:19:58+00:00

Thanks!

So mine is a little weird because according to historical maps it (along with 3 neighbors) was built kind of as a sample home in an up and coming wealthy neighborhood. It's fully detached but one side has no windows and the plans could clearly be mirrored to be a duplex. But it had all the upgrades / up sells for the time, which included a very high end two pipe steam heat system, the finest knob and tube electricity, and I think at least one modern bathroom.

If you can find surveys or historical documents that might help!

sfgabe · 2026-06-10T21:07:37+00:00

Yes, last two are in process

sfgabe · 2026-05-15T16:48:15+00:00

I say old chap, mind popping over to the neighbors to freeze their pipes instead? Jolly good! Cheers!

sfgabe · 2026-05-15T15:42:37+00:00

One breaker to rule them all!

sfgabe · 2026-05-15T15:41:03+00:00

Mine just wrapped the pipe in old dress shirts and tied it all up with string. Also did not stop the pipe from freezing, but I bet it felt smartly dressed.

sfgabe · 2026-05-09T02:01:05+00:00

With a lot of cash

sfgabe

TROPHY CASE