Posts filed under 'construction'
I just finished grouting the tile on my kitchen countertop and backsplash. The whole tile thing had me intimidated for a long time, and I kept avoiding it. I finally did little parts of it at a time. Layout the tile. Cut the tile. Thinset down the countertop. Thinset the backsplash in place. Grout, with epoxy grout. I spread it all out over several days.
The epoxy grout (Laticrete’s Spectra Lock) wasn’t hard to use. Actually it was easier to clean up than the good old grout-grout I used on the floor. Probably because this is porcelain tile and the floor is slate. But still … epoxy grout gets a bad rep.
The countertop and backsplash field tile has a subtle marble pattern, although you can’t see it in the photos. Looks classy in person. Trust me.
One thing about the tile edging baffled me. Those edge pieces hang down 2″. With the standard 3/4″ plywood and 1/2″ cement board underlayment, the bottom of the edging is within 1/8″ of the cabinet drawers. Too close! Sure to chip or scrape knuckles. So I added another 1/4″ cement board with thinset to give it some more room. You’d think that the tile companies would offer edging that doesn’t hang down so far. But no. Grumble. Grumble.
Dig that kitchen sink spout. Swan-like, ain’t it? A Moen Monticello (perfect for me since I live on Jefferson Street).
March 20th, 2007
A lot has happened since my last post … the most important being that I’ve moved into my new house. I moved in last weekend (it took Verizon a while to activate my DSL so I’ve been off-line). Thanks to Sandy, Wayne, Pooh and Tom for the help moving stuff from old house to new. And to Mom for all the cleaning she did on both houses.
I’ve been busy …
- I built and installed the porch railings
- Installed a sliding door at the top of the stairs
- Put a ceiling on the second story porch to keep out the birds
- Hung the microwave over the stove
- Fixed leaks around the tub surround
And lots of other little things like starting to hang window coverings.
Punch list items that still aren’t complete? Tile the kitchen countertop (probably this week) and paint the rest of the porch posts and railings (that will have to wait for spring). Everything else is done … except there are boxes and piles of stuff everywhere. Once those are cleaned up, I’ll post photos of the finished interior.
For now I’m just happy to be home.
February 26th, 2007
My work in the bathroom is done (the plumbers still need to attach the fixtures, toilet, and water heater) but that’s not the surprise. (A bathroom surprise sounds sort of gross, doesn’t it?) No, the surprise is it didn’t quite turn out the way I’d planned.
Weeks ago I started on the floor. Just before laying the linoleum “click” flooring, I noticed in the instructions that it isn’t “appropriate for humid rooms, such as bathrooms.” Rats. So I had one of my “to heck with it” moments and drove to Lowes for some vinyl flooring. I know … vinyl yuck. But I found some big 18″ tiles that kinda sorta look like slate tile. I had to put down vinyl floor underlayment first, because the existing Advantech subflooring wasn’t smooth enough. Instead of the traditional lauan, I used Accuply. It’s supposed to be more durable and long-lasting.
Then I installed the bathroom vanity, medicine cabinet and storage cabinet. They’re more Lowes specials, just about the cheapest ones they sell. But I actually like them — they match my kitchen cabinets and provide lots of storage space. They came fully assembled and were easy to install (just screw to the wall). I swapped out the wood knobs for some brushed nickel ones, just like on the kitchen cabinets downstairs.
Notice the pine accent wall next to the sink? It was built to enclose the water heater, and we used up leftover pieces of pine from the ceiling. Looks much better than drywall.
Next we installed the washer and dryer. I bought stackable front-loading machines from Sears. They’re Kenmores and the washer is energy star rated. It will save energy and water. We had a real time getting them installed. First, Marshall brought his winch and we cranked ‘em up to the second floor (before the spiral stairs went in). Then we had to move the drain-pan, because the plumbers had put it in too close to the wall (no room for the dryer vent). Finally we got the washer into the pan (without breaking the plastic drain pan - a feat) and the dryer on top of the washer. Then we learned that the 4-foot cord I’d bought for the dryer wasn’t long enough because the electrician put the dryer plug down low (where the washer is) and the washer plug up high (where the dryer is). Subcontractors … can’t live with ‘em, can’t shoot ‘em in the head.
The washer and dryer are located in their own little cubby-hole, so I couldn’t reach around them from the sides. So … leaning over the top of the dryer, I fit the pieces of the dryer vent together and replaced the 4-foot dryer cord with a 6-footer. Problems solved and done job.
Lastly, I tackled the walls around the tub. I planned to tile them, but when I looked online for installation tips, I learned that tub/shower tile should only be installed over cement board. Well, my drywall subcontractor (I hate subcontractors) had convinced me that greenboard (a moisture resistant drywall) was the way to go. My options were to rip out the greenboard or switch from tile to a tub surround, which is meant to install over greenboard. I went with the tub surround. Another trip to Lowes got me a surround that only cost 99 bucks (not the cheapest one — these things are cheap). Installation was easy — Sandy helped me cut the flat pieces to fit, glue them to the wall, then glue in the molded corner pieces. Those corner pieces didn’t exactly fit well, but with some careful caulking the end result looks good. It will be easier to keep clean than all those grout lines anyway.
The bathroom surprise? Vinyl and a tub surround instead of linoleum and tile. Changes the look a bit. Doofus subcontractor screw-ups really weren’t a surprise at all.
Note: lots of other stuff is done too … cork flooring in living room, railings built for the porches, “instant” closets for the bedroom, etc. More posts coming up!
January 26th, 2007
The spiral staircase is in! I’m really going to miss climbing that ladder to the second floor.
I bought a black steel spiral staircase kit from Salter Industries. It’s a sturdy and good-looking unit so I’m happy with the purchase. Installation isn’t quite as easy as they claim though. Read all about my spiral stairs over at my website (I don’t want to duplicate all that here).
Spiral stairs are naturally photogenic.
January 11th, 2007
Between the holidays, my brother and I put down the cork floor in my bedroom. It’s a laminate flooring that just snaps together. No glue or nails. It’s so simple to install that I’m sure more people will try cork floors in the future.
We started at the back left corner of the room and laid the first course along the wall. Leave an expansion gap along the edge. Luckily, the last piece was approximately cut in half, so we used the rest of it to start the second row. The first piece of the second course snaps into the first. Then you’re making connections on two sides of each plank, but it’s not hard. Snap the side into the previous piece, lay it down, and tap it gently into the first row with a board and a hammer.
The joints are all very tight and are difficult to see. Quality of the product is high — only one piece had a defect (in one corner). Planks measure roughly 1′ x 3′ (they’re a metric size). Under the finished top is a thin board (MDF?) and a rougher layer of cork on the bottom for cushioning.
My cork flooring is made by Stepco in Portugal and I ordered it from FastFloors.com. It cost a little less than $4 per square foot.
The bathroom floor is also done, but I’ll save that tale for next time.
January 2nd, 2007
My small house now has its own unique front door. The house is a “Charleston Single House” design, so the front door actually opens onto the porch. Mine’s a louvered screen door. Here are outside and inside views … (click to see larger uncropped photos)
Yes, that one wall of the porch is white while the others are green. Don’t ask why; it’s art.
Details around the front door are in place too … the house number, the fancy nickel screendoor latch from VanDyke’s (which looks great but works crappy), the stainless steel post caps (copper is just so … common … don’t you agree?).
Inside the house, I now have heat. Yesiree! It’s simple baseboard electric heat. I bought programmable thermostats to help keep heating costs under control. The thermostats are line-voltage units, which aren’t easy to find. I ordered mine online from Atlanta Supply. They’re made by Honeywell, are nice and compact, and easy to use.
More big news … the kitchen cabinets are here! Made by KraftMaid and installed by Peninsula Cabinets today. They’re cherry in a sort-of Shaker style. I’ve got quite a bit of storage in the kitchen — more than I expected in an 8×8 room. The upper cabinets go all the way to the ceiling.
That’s all for now. The next steps are to finish the trim in the kitchen, tile the shower, lay the bathroom floor, and install the bathroom vanity. All in preparation for the plumbers to do their thing.
Merry Christmas!
December 19th, 2006
I still haven’t grouted the kitchen’s slate tile, due to other things going on (and some apprehension over doing it). But the tile is in place, and here are a few pics of how we did it. First, Sandy sealed the tiles so the grout will release from the surface. Meanwhile, I cut, glued and screwed half-inch B/C underlayment plywood to the subfloor. Then we mixed up thin-set, troweled it on, and set the tiles in place. We didn’t have to cut any tiles because they fit perfectly in the 5×8 space.
Yesterday, the electrician (Rick Burke) installed many of the light switches, plugs and other electrical stuff. Walls suddenly look “done”. Even the outside porch lights are up.
Today, the pine-board-ceiling in the stairwell was completed. Some paint and trim will finish the stairwell — the spiral stairs will arrive in a few weeks.
I also made a shopping excursion to Salisbury today. I bought the baseboard heaters, bathroom vanity, medicine cabinet and a small storage cabinet that will mount above the toilet.
Want to see something cool? Google updated its satellite images for my part of the world, and now you can view detailed images of my town … and my house under construction! Go to this page to view the satellite image, then ZOOM in. The pointer isn’t exactly on my house, but it’s close. My house is slightly to the left and up a bit.
December 7th, 2006
Today’s high temperature was 37, with strong winds too. That may sound mild to readers in the mid-west, but it’s brrr cold for us. The wind rattled the vents in the kitchen and bathroom and I could feel a draft around them (I should stuff something in them until the ventilation fans are connected). And the heat won’t be installed until later this week.
Luckily, the sun came out mid-morning and the house warmed up quickly. The temperature inside got up to about 58 degrees, which was fine for working. That 20-degee heat gain is also a good sign for the (basic) passive solar features I designed into the house.
My east-facing patio doors pick up lots of morning sun, and my 4 big south-facing windows gain heat all day. My plan is to put tubes filled with water (like these) inside the south windows to gather the sun’s heat all day, then slowly release it into the house at night. The windows will get insulated covers to prevent the heat from just leaking back outside.
December 5th, 2006
We installed the pine “roofers” on the bedroom and bathroom cathedral ceilings. The things they call “roofers” locally are pine boards, 3/4 inch thick and 5.25 inches wide. They are tongue-and-groove and have a beveled edge. The color is warm, the grain is interesting, and knots add character.
I needed almost 80 of them at 8-feet 6-inches long for the bedroom and almost 40 at 6-feet 6-inches for the bathroom. I cut, sanded, and finished them all using a clear semi-gloss water based poly-acrylic. That’s a nice product — it doesn’t smell bad, is easy to clean up, and leaves a hard finish. The bedroom boards got two coats and the bathroom got three.
Installation: we screwed furring strips horizontally across the roof rafters. Then we put trim screws through the tongue of each roofer into the furring strips. The roofers run vertically up the ceiling. The pieces fit together fairly easily. When we ran into a warped board we just wedged it to bend it to our will. Notching them around the exposed ceiling joists took more time than anything else. We’ve cut cap-trim pieces to cover the gap at the very top, but haven’t installed them yet.
The louvered screen door that will act as a front-door at the end of my porch has received stain and polyurethane. Dark mahogany stain and three coats of “spar” urethane that should hold up pretty well outside. It doesn’t look like a cheap pine door anymore!
I’ve ordered a brushed-nickel screen door latch set from VanDyke Restorers. Once it arrives, we’ll put it on there and install the door.
Otherwise, there’s been a lot of boring painting with plenty of help from my sister and brother. Thanks! It’s a never-ending task … the downstairs trim still needs more paint. I hate painting, but a high-density foam paint roller sure makes painting trim faster and easier. You should give it a try.
I painted over the orange paint in the bathroom. It’s back to classy white now. Whew.
Oh yeah — Sandy and I put down the slate tile in the kitchen yesterday. I’ll make another post about that after it’s grouted. KraftMaid shipped my kitchen cabinets to the local dealer three weeks early (!) so we’re racing to get the prep work done in there.
December 4th, 2006
A photo tour and progress update on my new small house:
We’ll begin in the livingroom downstairs. The photo (click to enlarge) shows the south wall with paneling and trim in place. The windows still need to be primed and painted, and the wall needs finish paint. To the right you can see my louvered front door, which as been cut to fit but not painted or installed. The wall behind it has its first coat of green paint.
Another view of the green paint downstairs; looking toward the kitchen. The kitchen walls have been primed but not painted. They’ll be white. All the downstairs ceilings have been painted white.
This is a sample of the cork flooring I’m going to install. The patterned color looks good with the white trim and pale green wall.
A view straight up the stairwell. Yes, that’s more green paint!
The upstairs paneled wall. One more coat of white paint to go.
The green paint upstairs is finished. A done job. Fini. The color actually got more pale and “chalky” after the second coat. I’m glad — it looks good. The trim is all up and primed, but needs paint.
Okay, who put orange paint in the bathroom?!? It looked more like terra cotta on the paint chip (and the color is called “Clay Concept”). I liked it at first … then not so much. I’m tempted to go back to white, but that would mean two more coats of primer to cover the orange and then white paint. Laziness will probably dictate that I end up with a “clay” bathroom. Just don’t call it orange.
That ends our tour for today. Thank you for coming.
November 3rd, 2006
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