I have more details about the dishwasher installation, but for now I leave you with this picture.
Tadaa!
March 30, 2009
Labels:
kitchen
On Friday, we had a plumber install the dishwasher. This was something we admitted we could not do on our own and after watching the plumber at work, we're glad we didn't try to attempt it. After we put the 2 cabinets in and put the sink and counter top back on, it looked like a kitchen again!
I have more details about the dishwasher installation, but for now I leave you with this picture.
I have more details about the dishwasher installation, but for now I leave you with this picture.
Moving an Electrical Outlet
March 27, 2009
Labels:
kitchen
We had to move one of our electrical outlets down 2' and under the counter in order to plug in the dishwasher. We read up on it here and it was super easy. The wire came from the basement, so we had enough slack to move the entire assembly down. The only we had to fix up was cosmetic.
Top: old outlet and hole. Bottom: New hole
Fill the hole in with a new piece of dry wall. Spackle, sand, prime and paint.
Next: Installing a new dishwasher (where there isn't an existing one)
Top: old outlet and hole. Bottom: New hole
Fill the hole in with a new piece of dry wall. Spackle, sand, prime and paint.
Next: Installing a new dishwasher (where there isn't an existing one)
Project: Moving a Supply Register
Before installing the cement backer board, we actually made a pit stop to move the supply register that was in the middle of our kitchen floor. It was in the worst possible place. Every time we walked pass the register we would get our socks caught to it. There was nothin' like stunting your toe on hard cold metal either.
Peel away the linoleum around it. Using a little pry bar, pry the edges of the duct fitting up and pry up the nails. Wiggle it to loosen it. It was a real blow to my ego since I'm in HVAC, but have never installed any ductwork personally.
First, you should locate the duct in the basement if you have access and make sure it's okay to move it! We decided to move the supply register 2 bays over, which would put it along the wall next to the fridge. This pretty much went against everything I learned in school and work, but it is what it is. It was really interesting. Remove the duct hanger and take it back to the bend. Reattach a new insulated duct. $25/25 feet - Lowe's
Of course, no project would complete without some immature playing around the hole that is now in our floor. From the basement, looking at me in the kitchen.
From the kitchen, looking into the basement!
When you decide where it's going to go, trace a 4x12 opening which is the size of our register. Drill a large hole at all 4 corners of the rectangle to use as your starting point. With a reciprocating saw, start at one corner and cut along the line.
Put the fitting into the new opening, hammer the edges over the floor and nail down.
Cork the original opening with some scrap wood.
Keith used the rectangle he cut out for the new opening to fill in the old opening. He's so schmart! Screw down until flush.
Tile around the opening leaving the best for last. Take some measurements, measure the opening, mark where you're going to cut.
Using a wet saw, cut the tile to size. I just had to laugh at Keith's trash bag coat.
Perfection!
Then continue to tile and grout.
When the grout is dry and the tile has been buffed, just pop the supply register in (requires no installation). $17 solid Oak - Lowe's
What a beautiful piece of work!
Peel away the linoleum around it. Using a little pry bar, pry the edges of the duct fitting up and pry up the nails. Wiggle it to loosen it. It was a real blow to my ego since I'm in HVAC, but have never installed any ductwork personally.
First, you should locate the duct in the basement if you have access and make sure it's okay to move it! We decided to move the supply register 2 bays over, which would put it along the wall next to the fridge. This pretty much went against everything I learned in school and work, but it is what it is. It was really interesting. Remove the duct hanger and take it back to the bend. Reattach a new insulated duct. $25/25 feet - Lowe's
Of course, no project would complete without some immature playing around the hole that is now in our floor. From the basement, looking at me in the kitchen.
From the kitchen, looking into the basement!
When you decide where it's going to go, trace a 4x12 opening which is the size of our register. Drill a large hole at all 4 corners of the rectangle to use as your starting point. With a reciprocating saw, start at one corner and cut along the line.
Put the fitting into the new opening, hammer the edges over the floor and nail down.
Cork the original opening with some scrap wood.
Keith used the rectangle he cut out for the new opening to fill in the old opening. He's so schmart! Screw down until flush.
Tile around the opening leaving the best for last. Take some measurements, measure the opening, mark where you're going to cut.
Using a wet saw, cut the tile to size. I just had to laugh at Keith's trash bag coat.
Perfection!
Then continue to tile and grout.
When the grout is dry and the tile has been buffed, just pop the supply register in (requires no installation). $17 solid Oak - Lowe's
What a beautiful piece of work!
Project: Tile V
March 23, 2009
Today, we finished up with some grout. Get your materials ready:
Grout and water
Using the grout float, schmear the grout into the crevices between the tiles over a small area (the length of your arm all around). Smooth it out and use as little as you can. Then using a large sponge and clean water, wipe the tiles clean and smooth out the crevice.
Work from the inside out and voila! It looks dull right now because of the grout residue. In 24 hours, we will buff it clean using a dry rag.
Oh what fun! Then we get to move everything back into the kitchen.
- Clean big sponge.
- Grout float.
- Clean bucket of water.
Grout and water
Using the grout float, schmear the grout into the crevices between the tiles over a small area (the length of your arm all around). Smooth it out and use as little as you can. Then using a large sponge and clean water, wipe the tiles clean and smooth out the crevice.
Work from the inside out and voila! It looks dull right now because of the grout residue. In 24 hours, we will buff it clean using a dry rag.
Oh what fun! Then we get to move everything back into the kitchen.
Project Tile IV
Time: 6 hours (including cutting)
After the installing the backer board, vacuum thoroughly once again.
More??!!!
Slap some thinset onto the area you're working on. With a 1/4" trowel, scrap the thinset across a 24"x24" area.
Lay down your first tile along the center line, put in a 1/4" spacer and lay down the next tile. Don't TWIST the tile down. Bang it down with the palm of your hand, so you know it's bonded with the thinset.
Work quickly, so that the bucket of thinset doesn't dry up on you, but don't step on the tile. This took 25 minutes.
Lookin' good.
They did an awesome job going around doorways and leaving room for the pipes.
This part took the longest time because it involved so many cuts.
Next Up: Grout
After the installing the backer board, vacuum thoroughly once again.
- Before you get too excited, do a dry run of the tile pattern and think about what makes sense.
- Snap a chalk line of the very center of the room. You can read an explanation here on This Old House.
- Lay the tile down in all directions from the center of the room. The idea is not only to see what looks good, but to evaluate the spacing. ie. If tiling from the center of the room means you'll be left with cutting tile around the whole room, then move the center line, so you can use as many full tiles as possible and cut tiles for only one side of the room. (Don't forget spacing for grout).
More??!!!
Slap some thinset onto the area you're working on. With a 1/4" trowel, scrap the thinset across a 24"x24" area.
Lay down your first tile along the center line, put in a 1/4" spacer and lay down the next tile. Don't TWIST the tile down. Bang it down with the palm of your hand, so you know it's bonded with the thinset.
Work quickly, so that the bucket of thinset doesn't dry up on you, but don't step on the tile. This took 25 minutes.
Lookin' good.
They did an awesome job going around doorways and leaving room for the pipes.
This part took the longest time because it involved so many cuts.
Next Up: Grout
Project Tile III
March 22, 2009
After clearing out the room, it's time to install the cement backer board.
Area: 120 SF
Decide where you are going to start. Do a dry run before screwing the board down. Here, our friend Tom has one piece overlapping another piece in order to mark where he's going to cut it easily.
Using a jigsaw (and saw horses below), trim the board to the desire dimensions.
Screw the boards down using the epoxy coated screws for floors. A screw is required every 4-6" in order to ensure that the floor does not flex before you tile. You can't have a floor that flexes; otherwise, the tiles will eventually crank or loosen. Using a circle attachment, they cut a circle through the board for the water line to the fridge.
They did the same thing here for the stove. They did such a nice job going around the doorways. The molding has to be removed.
Here's the finished sub floor! Notice the neat little pieces to fit near the threshold.
Sweep and vacuum again.
Up Next: Tile Time!
- This involved some thought and fore sight. You want to make the most of each board, but piece it together in the most simple way possible.
- This task is also hard on the knees, back and hands, so wear gloves and knee pads.
Area: 120 SF
Decide where you are going to start. Do a dry run before screwing the board down. Here, our friend Tom has one piece overlapping another piece in order to mark where he's going to cut it easily.
Using a jigsaw (and saw horses below), trim the board to the desire dimensions.
Screw the boards down using the epoxy coated screws for floors. A screw is required every 4-6" in order to ensure that the floor does not flex before you tile. You can't have a floor that flexes; otherwise, the tiles will eventually crank or loosen. Using a circle attachment, they cut a circle through the board for the water line to the fridge.
They did the same thing here for the stove. They did such a nice job going around the doorways. The molding has to be removed.
Here's the finished sub floor! Notice the neat little pieces to fit near the threshold.
Sweep and vacuum again.
Up Next: Tile Time!
Project: Tile II
March 21, 2009
It's begun! I'm so excited. I know it's going to look so good when it's done! I would say that it's 75% prep work and 25% tiling. It's always the little things that are the most time consuming and a pain in the behind. Keith and I spent two nights after work just clearing out the kitchen and removing everything. Our friend Tom is helping us tile and teaching us how it's done in exchange for a lifetime of on- call babysitting.
The prep work went something like this:
Time: 7 hours (in 2-3 hr intervals)
Sink and cabinet are gone. Stuff some paper towel into the drain to plug up smells.
This took all the energy out of us for the night. The tiny 1/4" thick rubber grip on the fridge door kept the fridge from going through the doorway.
So we took the door off. I did my part and held the door while they moved the door-less fridge into the living room.
I know you're jealous. Everyone wants a fridge full of beer in their living room.
After shutting off the gas line, using a monkey wrench, remove the gas line pressure fitting behind the stove. If you don't know what you're doing, get a professional.
Removing the linoleum flooring. Original, the plan was to leave it and nail over it, but the top layer of the linoleum was so flaky, it was so easy to peel right up. Think of it like peeling the top part of a price tag sticker leaving the tacky layer of the sticker still on the box.
Then sweep and vacuum THOROUGHLY. My husband is so great at vacuuming ;)
Up Next: Installing the backer board.
The prep work went something like this:
Time: 7 hours (in 2-3 hr intervals)
- Remove EVERYTHING from the kitchen floor - counter tops, cabinets, etc.
- Turn off the water in the basement.
- Remove sink - cut (because we're putting in a dishwasher) and cap pipes.
- Shut off the gas line in the basement.
- Remove flex gas pipe from stove using monkey wrench.
- Peel up linoleum (not always necessary).
- Remove all the molding and trim work along floor including around doors.
- Sweep and vacuum thoroughly.
Sink and cabinet are gone. Stuff some paper towel into the drain to plug up smells.
This took all the energy out of us for the night. The tiny 1/4" thick rubber grip on the fridge door kept the fridge from going through the doorway.
So we took the door off. I did my part and held the door while they moved the door-less fridge into the living room.
I know you're jealous. Everyone wants a fridge full of beer in their living room.
After shutting off the gas line, using a monkey wrench, remove the gas line pressure fitting behind the stove. If you don't know what you're doing, get a professional.
Removing the linoleum flooring. Original, the plan was to leave it and nail over it, but the top layer of the linoleum was so flaky, it was so easy to peel right up. Think of it like peeling the top part of a price tag sticker leaving the tacky layer of the sticker still on the box.
Then sweep and vacuum THOROUGHLY. My husband is so great at vacuuming ;)
Up Next: Installing the backer board.
A Man's Man's Pad
March 17, 2009
My husband has a home office devoted to his business and HOBBIES! It's your typical man's man's pad - golf paraphernalia, bowling trophies, tools, computer stuff, and a picture of his beautiful wife (eh hem), but it needed something to finish up the room and tie it together.
My husband's uncle gave him this rocking chair. It's INCREDIBLY comfortable and just needed a new cover. I was surprised how easy this seat cover was. Each cushion took 1 yard of fabric. I kinda just "eyeballed" it, used some 3 dimensional thinking and sewed it together hoping it would work, and it did!
Valance: I actually ran out of fabric to make full on drapes, so I only did a valance which worked out well since the hubs wants to put up some bamboo blinds. I wish I had a pattern because I think it would have been easier. Again, I "eyeballed" it, took some measurements, made some guesstaments, and voila!
With the scrap pieces, I made a runner for the bookshelf. The fabric was such nice quality that the finished product came out really nice. All the edges are nice and crisp.
(Leather "B" and P51D Mustang from Home Goods, beautiful framed wife from Your Dreams :D)
My husband's uncle gave him this rocking chair. It's INCREDIBLY comfortable and just needed a new cover. I was surprised how easy this seat cover was. Each cushion took 1 yard of fabric. I kinda just "eyeballed" it, used some 3 dimensional thinking and sewed it together hoping it would work, and it did!
Valance: I actually ran out of fabric to make full on drapes, so I only did a valance which worked out well since the hubs wants to put up some bamboo blinds. I wish I had a pattern because I think it would have been easier. Again, I "eyeballed" it, took some measurements, made some guesstaments, and voila!
With the scrap pieces, I made a runner for the bookshelf. The fabric was such nice quality that the finished product came out really nice. All the edges are nice and crisp.
(Leather "B" and P51D Mustang from Home Goods, beautiful framed wife from Your Dreams :D)
Project: Tile
March 13, 2009
I love the shows on NJN like This Old House. They have really practical projects and every time I turn on the TV, they are doing a project we're doing! Today, they were tiling a floor and so are we! We called a plumber to put in the dishwasher and he recommended that we tile the floor first, so now we're in a mad rush to get the floor tiled. It works out since this really puts a fire under us to get this project done and over with!
Area: 113 SF (add 10% and round up)
Materials:
Coffee and cinnamon sprinkled elephant ear $3
Tools: ~$25 We made the investment in purchasing the tools since we plan on tiling the bathroom floor and someday half bath. Tools really add up quick and can be a tough pill to swallow especially if you need 2 of each.
Flooring: This stuff is extremely heavy, so bring your muscles when you get ready to purchase.
Thinset $36/bag - This is the bond that will go between the tile and the sub-floor. This is white, but I think we should have gotten the gray color, so you can see the notches in it as you lay it down.
Before: The dishwasher will go to the right and the cabinets will be replaced. The sink will be removed.
Stay tuned!!!
Area: 113 SF (add 10% and round up)
Materials:
Coffee and cinnamon sprinkled elephant ear $3
Tools: ~$25 We made the investment in purchasing the tools since we plan on tiling the bathroom floor and someday half bath. Tools really add up quick and can be a tough pill to swallow especially if you need 2 of each.
Flooring: This stuff is extremely heavy, so bring your muscles when you get ready to purchase.
- Backerboard $8.99/3x5 sheet
- Tile $1.14/SF - Tile was on clearance from .49+. We spent a little more for this tile which had a varied pattern with touches of grey in it. Also, the tile had a slate-like finish that we liked the look and feel of.
- Grout $13/bag - Grout comes in different color options. We went with the "marble beige".
Thinset $36/bag - This is the bond that will go between the tile and the sub-floor. This is white, but I think we should have gotten the gray color, so you can see the notches in it as you lay it down.
Before: The dishwasher will go to the right and the cabinets will be replaced. The sink will be removed.
Stay tuned!!!
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