On several occasions I have noted the benefits of proceeding slowly, methodically on this project. OK, to be honest it’s really just procrastination and If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that procrastination is a symptom of fear. Fear of doing the wrong thing, the unknown and/or of acting foolishly – as if anybody is watching. But it isn’t all bad because my snail-like pace has allowed me to make some useful mid-course corrections. Take porch lighting, for instance. After I finished installing all of my insulation, I realized that I had not wired porch lights. Not only are they useful in illuminating a path to Sparta’s doors, they were also original equipment and their oversight would have devalued my investment. Fortunately. I caught this before installing wood tack strips, so I simply pulled two sections of foam and wired in two switch-operated porch lights.

New switch on the right and wired to the “x” spot
So with all the wiring and insulation finally in place (I hope), it was time to install wood strips to all ceiling and wall aluminum ribs. This process delivered a pleasant surprise. Most of you have probably experienced or heard of the fact that Home Depot’s wood is inferior to that of other lumber yards. Often it is not adequately seasoned, already warped or knotty. Yes, I have run into this so I was not very optimistic when I ordered three boxes (50 ea.) of redwood lath (5/16″ x 1.5″ x 4′) at $25 per box. Because the delivery was to take a week or more, I went to the local “high end” hardware store and bought 50 pieces of the same material that was stored outside in their yard. This was enough to get me started on the ceiling. The pictures below tell the story.

HD product. Harder, cleaner, more uniform and HALF the price.

“Premium” wood at $1.00 ea. Soft, splintery and weathered.

See what happens to soft, inferior wood? Splitsville.
So, the takeaway is don’t always assume the big box store is inferior. In this case it was markedly better at half the cost. These strips were easily applied to the ceiling. First by establishing a perimeter on the harder, galvanized border (it required drilling with a hard bit before screwing) and then the cross ribs which are softer aluminum and went up without drilling first. #6, 3/4 inch screws were used and placed every 6 -9 inches.
EZ Squee-Z.

See what happens when you take a Panorama shot of the ceiling on your back?

Let’s put some meat on these bones!
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