Drywall and Burning Plot Screen

I have taken 2 trips to the cabin since my last blog post. I headed down by myself on Sunday, March 29 with a bucket of joint compound and supplies to start finishing the drywall. I worked for 10 straight hours but managed to get the first coat of mud on the entire cabin.

Before getting started

Done with 1 half of the cabin

Ready to start the other half of the cabin

Done with the 2nd half and ready to clean up

I did run out of joint compound with 3 seams remaining on the back wall but it was too late in the day to run into town for more, especially since I was returning the following weekend to work again. 

On my way to the cabin on the following Friday, I stopped at Des Moines Feed to pick up my order of fertilizer. This is my first year getting fertilizer from them, but I like that they have it already packaged in 50 lb bags and the price is only a little more than what I have been paying at the co-op. I arrived at the cabin with enough time to unload the fertilizer, move most of the stuff in the cabin out onto the porch, and finish up the 3 seams that needed a first coat of mud. 

Pile 'O Fertilizer

Finished up the last 3 seams

The next morning, I got to work early on sanding. My buddy, Justin, arrived by 8:30 to help for the weekend. We made fairly quick work of the sanding but working over head took a toll on my shoulders. After lunch, we applied a 2nd coat of mud then made a quick trip into Menards for some plywood for the bathroom wall. 

Sanding is a messy job

Finished with the 2nd coat of mud

We arrived back at the cabin with enough time to get the plot screen burned. The conditions were nearly perfect as winds were light and the ground was wet but the duff had dried enough to burn. We quickly ran our 700 feet of hose down to the big field plot screen and got set up for the burn. After we finished there, we pulled the hose around to the small field and made quick work of burning that off as well. 

Burning off the big field plot screen

Burning off the small field plot screen

After getting everything cleaned up and put away for the night, we ate some dinner while sitting by the fire. It had been a long but very successful day. 

Any day that ends with a camp fire is a good day

We weren't up quite as early on Sunday morning, but once we got up, we headed for the ridge with chainsaws in hand to clear up 2 trees that had fallen on the food plot. Afterwards, we again made quick work of sanding and then cleaning up the entire cabin. We finished the trip by assembling the new bathroom wall and hauling everything  back inside the cabin. 

Walls are ready to prime and paint!

New bathroom wall

The biggest lesson that I have learned as part of this remodel so far is how much I hate drywall work. It is very tedious and messy work. Doing the ceiling was the worst part and I now see why people try to avoid extra corners and angles when possible. A big shout out and thank you to Justin for agreeing to help and working so hard all weekend! 

I will be back to the cabin for a 5 day trip mid-April with a 2nd season turkey tag in my pocket. I am hoping to get the entire cabin primed and painted and get everything put back together in preparation for installing flooring and being ready to start planting food plots in May.