The Fort
Well, here we are… four months after we started the remodel for our kids fort. There are a few minor things to finish with The Fort, but for the most part, we have been enjoying this space for the past month. Yes. Even in Winter. In Minnesota. When it’s 1 degree F outside.
The Fort has been finished on the outside since we originally built it years ago when our kids were young. At the time, we left the inside unfinished – open stud walls and plywood floors – it was a cool play space for our boys. A place for them to use their imaginations and make The Fort into whatever they wanted it to be at the time.
Now that our boys are older, we wanted to finish the inside of The Fort to make it into a comfortable hang-out space for all of us.
The Remodel
Since The Fort was really just a shell of a building, remodeling it into a relaxing hang-out space was basically starting from raw framing. Everything from wiring, insulation, to walls, ceilings, and flooring needed to be done. My husband is the absolute handiest person I know. He is very good at all things construction! He was the main laborer in this construction project, spending weekends and evenings to get it done. I love helping him and working with him – it made for a lot of laughter and good memories!
Here are the projects that needed to be accomplished in order for us to get to the decorating stage.
Make sure to watch for Part 3 of The Fort remodel, where I’ll take you on a tour and show you the decor! And if you missed Part 1, click Fort Renovation – Turning Our Kids Fort into a Tiny Guest House.
Wiring
We knew we wanted to have electricity in The Fort so we could watch movies out there, play games with our family, and work on fun projects, so wiring was the first stage. A breaker panel was installed and switches and outlets were wired to it. In addition to electrical wiring, we also ran ethernet cable so we could have access to the internet and have WiFi in the fort – both necessary for streaming movies and for being able to communicate with our main house (we don’t have cell coverage where we live – it’s too remote).
Insulation, Walls, and Ceiling
Since we knew we wanted to use The Fort year-round, we installed batted insulation for the walls and ceiling, then added plastic vapor barrier. We plan on insulating the floors beneath the building in the Spring. My husband bought 4″ thick x 4′ x 8′ industrial styrene foam insulation panels at a great price from a local person through an online marketplace. This stuff has a super R-value, and will really help to keep the building warmer in colder temperatures!
To finish off the interior, we hung beaded wood panel on the ceiling (no shiplap for us!). We like the dramatic effect it lends to the space, making the ceiling appear longer and taller. On the main level, we left the joists from the loft floor above exposed for an industrial look.
We hung sanded hardwood plywood for walls versus sheetrock, because we like the warm, clean look of the woodgrain. Hanging plywood was more difficult than sheetrock; pre-measuring and cutting openings around doors and windows, keeping mating edges clean and tight, and keeping fastener spacing even was tedious and time-consuming. But unlike sheetrock, there was no extra, messy work of taping, mudding, sanding, priming, and painting needed.
The walls on the main level have been painted matte black, and they look so good! I wanted black walls so the focus would be on the windows and the scenery beyond. The black walls do just that – it kind of feels like the walls aren’t even there.
The walls on the second level and loft are still unfinished wood. In the Spring, we’ll coat the second level walls with a matte finish urethane to keep the wood look, and we’ll paint the third level loft walls white.
We kept the stud wall from the main level to the second level open but added shelves in this space. I wanted the shelves to be made of 2×4’s to match the upright studs to keep the entire wall uniform in size and shape. I painted this ‘grid wall’ matte black. I love how this wall acts as a perfect divider between levels, yet it also keeps the entire space open and airy.
Trimwork
Instead of traditional contoured moulding, we opted for clear pine 1x3s for baseboards. We like the hard-edged contemporary look this provides. To make the windows appear as large as possible, the surrounding trim is simple 1″ outside corner moulding, which finishes off the opening, but is barely noticeable. Small plain square rosettes finish each corner versus mitered ends.
Main Level Floating Steps and Railings
We wanted to replace the original “ladder” steps from the main level to the second level with something different – and “floating steps” were mentioned in our brainstorming session. My husband, the engineer, designed and built the unique steps using iron pipe fittings! These steps are one-of-a-kind, and are simply amazing! For safety, we added handrails made from iron pipe and fittings. They look perfect in this space and add to the industrial look.
Loft Ladder Steps and Railings
We kept the railings on the loft bare wood, but will clear-coat them in the Spring. We also left the ladder steps to the loft bare wood. We like that industrial look. An iron pipe fitting handrail was also used on the loft steps.
Main Level and Second Level Flooring
The main and second level flooring is a beautiful dark grey slate tile-look engineered floor. It provides a dramatic, but industrial look to the floors. I found this flooring on a local online marketplace as remnants from someone else’s flooring project. We spent 1/10th the cost of buying new… and kept these remnants from ending up in a landfill. Eco-friendly!
Loft Flooring
The loft will be used as a sleeping space. I wanted a warm, soft feel to the floor without using carpet – Ugh! I cannot stand carpet! We found the perfect padded vinyl flooring for this space. The pattern is made up of arcs in light and medium grey against a soft white background. The greys in the flooring coordinate well with the flooring on the other levels.
Main Level Lighting
For overhead lighting, we choose an Edison bulb LED light string hung from the joists, along with a pair of sconces flanking the couch. The sconces are made from wooden mannequin hands (used for drawing forms) flush mounted to the wall, holding corded LED Edison bulbs. They add a quirky, unique touch to the space. The hands remind us of Thing from The Addams Family!
Second Level Lighting
With a high ceiling on the second level, we added an unusual ceiling fan and light. When the fan is off, it’s an industrial hanging light with LED Edison bulbs and a metal cage. But when the fan is turned on, clear blades pivot out of the light and invisibly spin around it. Very cool!
Loft Lighting
With the low ceiling over the loft, there wasn’t room to mount an overhead light. Instead, we repurposed a 17-year old contemporary chrome lamp base and added a “cloud” shade, which was originally designed as a hanging light. This unique lamp sits on a small vintage bedside table – one I’ve had since I was a baby.
Now you’ve seen part of what has kept us busy for the past four months. Next up – the decor!!!
Stay tuned for Part 3 for the decor reveal!
The links in this post may contain affiliate links. I’ll receive a small commission (at no expense to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
