Home Improvement Isn't Just An Old Sitcom with Tim Allen

This is a smoke detector.

This is a smoke detector on a 12 foot ceiling or so.

This is a smoke detector that was not fun to install.

So, just a few months ago, we had the pleasant experience of having a smoke detector go off at 2 in the morning.  Not chirping, mind you, but full-on alarm.  There was no smoke, no fire.  Just alarm noises.  A few days later, we had a second smoke detector do the same thing, at around the same time in the morning.
Two things I learned from this experience:  1) Children sleep through smoke detectors.  2) When one goes bad, replace them ALL.  So, after learning this life lesson, we bought a ton of smoke detectors at the "Depot" and I proceeded to install them all.  This one was not nearly as bad as the one I have to lean out off of the stairwell to get to.  Oh, and another thing -all of these are front-battery-loading models, so you don't have to take the smoke detector off of the ceiling and unplug it to change the battery.  I'd call that a major home upgrade.

Since this smoke detector delicious, I have also done several other fun home improvement projects like: Replace multiple light fixtures (no more "this house was built in the 90's" brass lighting) and every ceiling fan, including the 15 foot one on a sloped ceiling.  That was fun.  There are pictures.  Then there was the storm door, a WONDERFUL upgrade to the back entrance to the house, and then we have had a plumber here to replace the kitchen sink and various faucets (I don't do plumbing or climbing on the roof - I have my limits).

So now, we just need to have someone come paint outside (and chimney and maybe the fence) while I clean up some paint inside on my remaining days off and our house will be pretty darn close to exactly how we would like it to be for us to live in.  And then we can put it on the market.  I think that's how this seems to always work according to those I've discussed it with.

Next project!

What I did on my day off - I made the bed

No, literally, I made a bed.  Here's some info on building a King Size Bed based loosely on Ana White's Farmhouse Bed plans.

Purchase List
One 4'x8' sheet of 3/4" plywood (cabinet grade)
20 - 8' 1x4s
5 - 8' 1x3s
2 - 8' 4x4 untreated posts (I found some douglas fir posts, they did not have untreated pine)
5 - 8' 2x4s
2 - 8' 1x6s
2 - 8' 1x12s
4" screws
3" screws
2 1/2" screws
1 1/2" nails
2" nails
wood putty
stain or paint
polyurethane lacquer


Cut List
Headboard plywood cut 77" x 30"
Footboard plywood cut 77" x 15"
8 - 1x4s cut 77" (head/foot top/bottom trim)
6 - 1x3s cut 23" (headboard vertical trim)
6 - 1x3s cut 8" (footboard vertical trim)
2 - 4x4 posts cut 54" (headboard legs)
2 - 4x4 posts cut 21" (footboard legs)
2 - 2x4 cut 84" (headboard/footboard header - cut to fit)
2 - 1x6 cut 86" (headboard/footboard top - cut to fit plus one inch each side)
2 - 1x4 cut 39 1/4" (footboard inside brace - cut to fit)
2 - 2x4 84" (side rail braces)
1 - 2x4 cut 74" (footboard brace)
2 - 1x12 cut 80" (side rails)
4 - 1x4 cut 80" (side rail top/bottom trim)
4 - 1x3 cut 4.5" (side rail vertical trim)
2 - 1x3 cut 80" (side rail top)
8 - 1x4s cut 77" (support slats)

Steps

Attach trim to headboard and footboard panels.

Add upright trim pieces - measure to put the center piece in place.

Do the same trim on the reverse side.

Pre-drill holes in the 4x4s to countersink the screws.

Attach legs to headboard and footboard with 4" screws.

Add 2x4 header along length of headboard (no picture) using 3" screws.
Add 1x6 header - first, mark the width of the headboard (or footboard) on the bottom of the header to help center it when you nail it on with nail gun.

Attach header with nails.

I found that with this modification in design, I had to add additional 1x4 to the BACK/INSIDE of the footboard so I would have a place to attach the 2x4 frame.

Attach 2x4 frame to headboard/footboard. (no picture)
Build side rails and attach to frame. Used 1x4s for top trim and 1x3s for veritcal trim, then a 1x3 header to the whole thing.  Attache to the side cleats using 2" screws.  The slats will end up with 7" on each end and a spacing of about 6" each.

Then use wood putty to fill all of your gaps and nail holes and mistakes.

Finish the project using paint/stain/etc. I recommend using a coat of polyurethane over it (but realize it will be at least one level glossier than you think it will be.  So if you want semi-glossy, use satin, hahaha).

And then reassemble in your bedroom and put the mattress and box springs on it.

As you can see, our bed is now GIANT. So my next project will be to take some plywood and 2x4s and create a pair of "pseudo box springs" that is much shorter to take the place of our box springs and lower the mattress into the bed box a bit. Currently we're like 20 feet off the ground which is not a preferred sleeping height.

Newest fun project

Built a bookcase last weekend for the nursery... still working on the stain/varnish options....but it is dark walnut stained now...  It is based on one I found over at Knock-Off Wood.  However, I chopped it down to a 2-shelf unit, and then had to make some adjustments because the home improvement store person kind of screwed up the ripping job on the plywood back.  So I had to shave a 1/4" measurement off here and there to adjust the plan. Here are some fun pictures:

Here's the finished project (paper's there for a week or so to protect the carpet just in case, but it should be dry.  Waiting on varnish to cure entirely and then I'm going to polish it with furniture wax).