tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33798731261760959202024-03-05T01:57:13.546-06:00Remodeling and Home Repairs With Peter BalesArticles about remodeling and home repairs from home improvement contractor, Peter Bales in Nashville, TN.Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-35039475181579417682010-06-05T06:52:00.005-05:002010-06-05T07:12:34.557-05:00Upgrade Your Crawlspace Door<div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5McmL8Wl1oNc4tisqvebuYkhCQ1Ds7rffp3rf3Dqp7etOgKV7rHP_hUpMi9RsuTMGSYlFP02J3hzqLjVSTC5dz8Yi4UykVsspsyIvdwtdktiDmZfw1sSeRvCx1j-BwVfMjcWL_w_kKKO/s1600/CrawlspaceDoorfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479259815277895490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5McmL8Wl1oNc4tisqvebuYkhCQ1Ds7rffp3rf3Dqp7etOgKV7rHP_hUpMi9RsuTMGSYlFP02J3hzqLjVSTC5dz8Yi4UykVsspsyIvdwtdktiDmZfw1sSeRvCx1j-BwVfMjcWL_w_kKKO/s400/CrawlspaceDoorfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>I see a lot of homes with a crawlspace door that is either completely disfunctional due to water damage, or just insecure, perhaps held closed by a brick. Sure, it's just a crawlspace, but I'd prefer a door that is secure- so no one can steal all your copper pipes (I've heard horror stories about this) and various animals won't make a home under your house.</div><br /><div>I got to work for a few days recently at an incredible home in the old part of Lockeland Springs in East Nashville. The home had been completely remodeled. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eIiQkayKCxwfjW8EXBnWDqBdc7M68I_LA6m3eE42N5wUDPfa0iLft4rdJqu6Rq9X2aa_7sw6yBh12XuYBCqP1TzJkv-66Z_PqAv2EjZHNk7OFbyEa28ag4DbCT7jxJ8n7b-GsLttcemC/s1600/CrawlspaceDoorbefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479260187455835026" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eIiQkayKCxwfjW8EXBnWDqBdc7M68I_LA6m3eE42N5wUDPfa0iLft4rdJqu6Rq9X2aa_7sw6yBh12XuYBCqP1TzJkv-66Z_PqAv2EjZHNk7OFbyEa28ag4DbCT7jxJ8n7b-GsLttcemC/s200/CrawlspaceDoorbefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>At the back of the home was a large plywood crawlspace door that was somewhat adequate, however, the homeowners had been using the space under the house for additional storage and they wanted something more secure.</div><br /><div>I was to build a new door.</div><br /><div>To begin with, I wanted to use only materials that would handle water fairly well. Crawlspace doors are notorious for getting water damage, so I started with a frame made of pressure treated 2x4's.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIrRbU1oHU6K-2STsb9lIBTcQ6m_dmCZ2uxI6QO9aHGCfyNFJFohqwDQczthJk6QgCgbkutOM6SDuXaBTOzJYvWbRqtySj1e4Rhunba3mVM5CDAJBwjrs1MPrnOPGdOz1rCv6YXPEbvgi/s1600/CrawlspaceDoorinside.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479260085008119106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIrRbU1oHU6K-2STsb9lIBTcQ6m_dmCZ2uxI6QO9aHGCfyNFJFohqwDQczthJk6QgCgbkutOM6SDuXaBTOzJYvWbRqtySj1e4Rhunba3mVM5CDAJBwjrs1MPrnOPGdOz1rCv6YXPEbvgi/s200/CrawlspaceDoorinside.jpg" border="0" /></a>To cover the frame I picked up a large 4 x 8 piece of James Hardie exterior sheet siding. It's similar to their popular lap siding, but it comes in these large pieces that are great for siding a shed or making a door. You can get them with a textured wood grain surface or with a smooth surface, which I used for this project.</div><br /><div>I hung the door before adding the trim and installed the deadbolt. Once I knew where the hardware would end up, I added some 1x4 cedar boards around the perimeter to dress it up and hide the nails that hold the Hardipanel to the frame.</div><br /><div>A door like this can be quite heavy so make sure you use larger hinges and screws so it won't sag on you later. It will get painted later, but in the meantime, a little rain won't hurt...</div><br /><div></div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-75142857937309677112010-05-19T05:28:00.001-05:002010-05-19T09:25:17.616-05:00Easily Install a New Lamp PostWant to add some light to your yard and character as well? How about a lamp post?<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOilMq9kwwL-4KK2-5b6gA6Uju86ucdrPxdxm8yRY4SPHwL2nZTUdwQdyFGZ0cYp2Mb0C7VORogQwmvNU8WOnkCgX8yUlPu81-JZl_wsEhZktXohyDBT91lJAFaE_I1FBq8fg1tbtFvnD/s1600/LampPost.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472810948372209170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOilMq9kwwL-4KK2-5b6gA6Uju86ucdrPxdxm8yRY4SPHwL2nZTUdwQdyFGZ0cYp2Mb0C7VORogQwmvNU8WOnkCgX8yUlPu81-JZl_wsEhZktXohyDBT91lJAFaE_I1FBq8fg1tbtFvnD/s400/LampPost.jpg" border="0" /></a>Some clients of mine in Inglewood wanted me to install a lamp post that they had purchased to illuminate some stairs leading to a parking area at the side of their home. The light will help them not fall down the stairs, and look great in the daytime as well.</div><br /><div></div><div>Installing a lamp post is actually fairly simple. The most complicated part is probably the wiring. It's much like wiring any other light fixture. If that's above your head, of course, call an electrician.</div><div></div><div>Here are the basic steps:</div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">1.</span></strong> Find the perfect location for your new lamp post and dig a hole. Follow the recommended depth in the pole's instructions, but mine was around 18". </div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">2.</span></strong> Put the post in the hole and fasten it to something so it will remain plumb while you do the concrete. </div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">3.</span></strong> Figure out where you want the wire to go. In our case, we could go nearby into the home's basement. I dug a small ditch and buried a 14-2 waterproof wire. (It's the grey stuff). (If you're lost, call an electrician...) Think before you dig so you don't bust a water pipe or something. </div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">4.</span></strong> Connect the wiring. In this case, the lamp actually has a sensor that will turn it on when it gets dark. I guess you wouldn't have to even have a switch for this. Even still, I installed a switch near the front door so the homeowners could turn it off if they wanted to.</div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">5.</span></strong> With the electrical done, let's add some cement to that hole. Go get a bag or two of fast setting concrete that you can use to set posts without mixing. It's great. You just pour the bag into into the hole, then slowly pour around a gallon of water on top and let it seep into the mix. Within approximately 40 minutes, the concrete will set up and you can remove the supports.</div><br /><div>That's about it. Expect to pay $100-150 for the post and fixture, and maybe another $25 if you don't have a post-hole-digger.. :)</div><br /><div>-Peter</div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-6318920688286788392010-05-18T21:15:00.003-05:002010-05-18T21:26:49.148-05:00Leak? Check the Roof Vent FlangesFirst, I'm not a roofer.<br /><div></div><br /><div>There are many usual suspects when it comes to roof leaks. I'd say the most common that I see are either a lack of roof flashing, or a faulty vent flange as was the case for this repair.</div><br /><div></div><div>One of my clients was noticing a water spot on the drywall above the vanity in their half bath. Stepping outside, it was easy to see that it was in the vicinity of a 4" pipe that vents the plumbing system through the roof. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472801567942139426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEmSCwWbuHKUF8MBRyBj27C6WKpzl3eBR5xfieNH0hEzKFe2jHR3dC-GL0HPSg5091HRxuDWK-kbnCUNug6czpzOAvjwXdmPutANHdlwQhcCC4FPedmtzM6LGSs6unQ9EjDx13-WeVxtL/s400/LeakyRoofVentFixed.jpg" border="0" />Once I got up on the roof to get a closer look it was obvious that the old rubber flange had deteriorated and had large cracks that was letting water get into the house with little trouble. </div><br /><div></div><div>Time for a new flange.</div><br /><div></div><div>The key to this is to be careful- not only to make sure you don't fall off the roof, but to carefully loosen and lift the shingles surrounding the old roof flange so you can lift it off of the pipe, install the new one and then nail the shingles back down. The top side of the flange goes under the shingles above the pipe. I can usually do this without damaging the shingles and all is well. However, if you break a shingle, you may need to replace that as well.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I like to seal around the new flange with some good roofing cement, especially the two exposed nails at the bottom of the flange. You can see that this one fits more snugly around the pipe and will keep the water out.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-60982415570818910422010-05-10T05:21:00.001-05:002010-05-13T21:31:33.082-05:00Kitchen Upgrade With Laminate FlooringWhile I was working at the most serene jobsite (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/05/most-serene-jobsite-award-goes-to.html">this post</a> :), I was transforming a kitchen by upgrading the flooring to a new high-quality laminate. <div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXVs4XbIiDuITY43lWMeMT0coPecnLvt_RTMPKYxWAVr_uM9l-WG9cSJzhg1Tla4pu1CdcsyO_lhGQ2MWMJlOLwmn7YBdh6bPbYfXd-C6al18RAHTRUzJOK3MSQbzflqxB3gHRkVGfzeS/s1600/LaminateKitchenFloorFinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468166087088525522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXVs4XbIiDuITY43lWMeMT0coPecnLvt_RTMPKYxWAVr_uM9l-WG9cSJzhg1Tla4pu1CdcsyO_lhGQ2MWMJlOLwmn7YBdh6bPbYfXd-C6al18RAHTRUzJOK3MSQbzflqxB3gHRkVGfzeS/s400/LaminateKitchenFloorFinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>Laminate flooring these days refers to a type of flooring that is often meant to resemble some type of wood flooring, even though it is not. It's quite thin and is actually fairly easy to install. There's much less labor involved than with real hardwood or tile, making it a lower-budget alternative.</div><br /><div>The flooring actually 'floats' which means it's not nailed or glued down to the subfloor. This is important because the flooring is expected to expand and contract with changes in weather and humidity. For this reason, I left at least a 1/4" gap all the way around the edges to give it room for expansion. This gap is easily covered with shoe moulding.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468165960559500866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BT2DX6E7Plppm00w6J4q24zYHNJJWcwEQBPfRlwMqbMP74ma3ni281p3-ouBjcd0BrVYQlscnDOWtFtgFCcfx1uRB5PQJ750LFPsmPtu5otbfsr0ORv3MSKukkyPj9Mvu4zIKkKxpdBw/s400/LaminateKitchenFloorcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>The change in this kitchen from the old vinyl is amazing. The homeowner is going for the cute cottage look but didn't want to go to the expense of tiling the kitchen. Laminate is a great and affordable choice for quickly transforming the entire space.</div><br /><div>This particular flooring was called "Casual Living" from Pergo. I think the homeowner bought it at Lowe's. Anyway, I wanted to report that it went in well and made great connections throughout. With any pre-finished flooring, I think that you tend to get what you pay for most of the time. Some of the less expensive brands tend to have more gaps because they don't fit together as well, at least that's been my experience.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRgUPCJKxTvh2qq2xP-rTwKlwvDOHBqaQ4FNPrQUL2SHSvsbR1mwxtYcGY08Nv8xoRRn8Fs-VxH7NjoMRVCIM0pR-Y0JeAzS5TpIY7EWthJuPtnFKGZL55D0P-WQjtdSotHlAWkdXVw-k/s1600/LaminateKitchenFloorstairs.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468166184002030738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRgUPCJKxTvh2qq2xP-rTwKlwvDOHBqaQ4FNPrQUL2SHSvsbR1mwxtYcGY08Nv8xoRRn8Fs-VxH7NjoMRVCIM0pR-Y0JeAzS5TpIY7EWthJuPtnFKGZL55D0P-WQjtdSotHlAWkdXVw-k/s400/LaminateKitchenFloorstairs.jpg" border="0" /></a>There's a small stairway off of this kitchen that leads down to the basement stairs and the backdoor. Installing the laminate flooring on the stair required a fancy piece of trim called the stair-nosing. The trim has a notch in the back to overlap the flooring and curve around the nose of the step. This trim had to be special ordered and wasn't cheap! However, if you want it to look right, this is the way to go.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-38185243986971011482010-05-08T05:41:00.000-05:002010-05-08T05:41:00.493-05:00Help! The Shower is Spraying on the Walls!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1barPqdR5sZYHLdd9EzKbQ-OP4AjtQj4541_CznsmeJ77ru68m-oDbojh0h3BR0QCkiGO8GP_k7a-b3RUIp5LxNguWmvRe45F4xpOy7fvIyXr3WRSN2aFMVHXF2vi_7WzpwiAGy4AxCza/s1600/ExtendTubSurroundFinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468123888778271522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1barPqdR5sZYHLdd9EzKbQ-OP4AjtQj4541_CznsmeJ77ru68m-oDbojh0h3BR0QCkiGO8GP_k7a-b3RUIp5LxNguWmvRe45F4xpOy7fvIyXr3WRSN2aFMVHXF2vi_7WzpwiAGy4AxCza/s400/ExtendTubSurroundFinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's not that unusual to see an older home with a bathroom originally designed to have just a bathtub with no shower. Often, these are also right in front of a window too, making it that much more fun, right? (See <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/custom-fit-for-tub-and-surround.html">this post</a>)<br /><div><br /><div>This bathroom was built with just a tub, but a shower head was added later. The problem was that the upper walls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqY8OPz9agLdfaCDJdBGprs8wNNlR0bBTI7OWRD5HowAUf-sf0DTn0jyn3Q4EGZHncldVXiUqe5WPn7MlB6WMF8nPnb2N3Jhu6Z_6UtxMRZ3jrJd-53q7_K-MNQ5FL1DkFV0Ff2EfHn7x/s1600/ExtendTubSurroundBefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468123794889238626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqY8OPz9agLdfaCDJdBGprs8wNNlR0bBTI7OWRD5HowAUf-sf0DTn0jyn3Q4EGZHncldVXiUqe5WPn7MlB6WMF8nPnb2N3Jhu6Z_6UtxMRZ3jrJd-53q7_K-MNQ5FL1DkFV0Ff2EfHn7x/s200/ExtendTubSurroundBefore.jpg" border="0" /></a> were still just painted drywall. The homeowner asked me to extend the old bath surround up to the shower head with matching white tile.</div><br /><div>Before laying the tile, I installed Schluter Kerdi over the drywall. It's a waterproofing membrane that will protect the drywall from moisture. It's the same material that is often used when tiling a shower (See <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/waterproof-tile-shower-with-schluter.html">this post</a>). It also saves the mess of tearing out dryall and replacing it with cementboard in this case.</div><br /><div>I was prepping to lay out the tile when I realized that those old tiles were not exactly the same size as my new ones. The old ones were 4 3/16" while the new tiles are 4 1/4". This is only a 1/16" difference, however, this is enough to really mess up the grout lines and change the entire layout. I called <a href="http://www.louisville-tile.com/">Louisville Tile</a> to see if they still made tiles of the smaller size and they said I wouldn't be able to find them anymore. The solution- cut a 1/16" off of every tile!</div><br /><div>Thankfully, the height of the tile was fine because I wasn't matching any old tile on the sides. I just had to cut off 1/16" from one side of each tile. I set fence on my tile saw the right dimension and set out to cut close to 200 tiles. (Not that I was counting, right?)</div><br /><div>With that figured out, the tile went in very quickly, and I was on my way. I grouted it with unsanded white grout and sealed it after that. As expected, you can tell where the new tile starts, but at least the walls will stay dry!</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-14651624713421857842010-05-07T05:30:00.001-05:002010-05-07T05:30:01.214-05:00Most Serene Jobsite Award Goes to...I love spring. I always get the landscaping fever and end up ordering unusual plants to put somewhere around our yard. This year the weirdest is a giant plant called "Dinosaur Food". :)<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRmwUY7WaYJF7_1v5X_JQ-0N1Qhq35NInu7j4p_kkxY_HiXOO7_y_kLYRGASTLsxbxVtEwH5EIl4xFmLI_Oubrx_y9wemb0JgeXHBUACPIHDgfTXpSUcTZg2ueheiONxv9s_GDfwGnFmL/s1600/WorkingInGarden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468119430157627314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRmwUY7WaYJF7_1v5X_JQ-0N1Qhq35NInu7j4p_kkxY_HiXOO7_y_kLYRGASTLsxbxVtEwH5EIl4xFmLI_Oubrx_y9wemb0JgeXHBUACPIHDgfTXpSUcTZg2ueheiONxv9s_GDfwGnFmL/s400/WorkingInGarden.jpg" border="0" /></a>Anyway, I was working last week at an home in the older part of Old Hickory that has to get the award for one of the most pleasant places to work. The yard was just full of all kinds of well-groomed and cared for plants. All of this next to a front porch that spanned the entire front of the house with a very inviting porch swing.</div><br /><div>I was working right in the middle of it all, mixing grout for tile and cutting some flooring for the kitchen.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-38557474032415238302010-05-06T06:18:00.004-05:002010-05-06T06:28:22.833-05:00Makeover the Bathroom With a Tile Floor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cFgWgoyWbAuw6hg6r3_K1Bf9D3tvz4JkRJUjPEREM1PdqxHbBsrlwmvsXDO1cLKk3hhr-UShWIJz4VG4P0XCUvbnuCEb6wEBoj9sh_wCIqccq88R8RxBxhnlk8o80_8IWJXcKTVdpH5/s1600/TileBathroomFloorSellarsfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468117236435235186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4cFgWgoyWbAuw6hg6r3_K1Bf9D3tvz4JkRJUjPEREM1PdqxHbBsrlwmvsXDO1cLKk3hhr-UShWIJz4VG4P0XCUvbnuCEb6wEBoj9sh_wCIqccq88R8RxBxhnlk8o80_8IWJXcKTVdpH5/s400/TileBathroomFloorSellarsfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>This recent project involved laying a tile floor in a new home that was originally built with vinyl around the toilet/tub and carpet around the vanity. This is quite common in newer homes, and it's any easy spot to upgrade and completely change the feel of the room.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMW3EuiYjcmwTpMi46qkMYaVyQpXFtjIjIR4FHzGJv42jcMLOf_CjRyi1rulHbcqVsA0c1_l_5ZIGX1JXdHNvWdSJ_UdXQ3neO9iBo61wCPsIWYx8_R4zgDT3LqCD3k-Zn3AIgEgoiD2u/s1600/TileBathroomFloorSellarsbefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468117120589873410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMW3EuiYjcmwTpMi46qkMYaVyQpXFtjIjIR4FHzGJv42jcMLOf_CjRyi1rulHbcqVsA0c1_l_5ZIGX1JXdHNvWdSJ_UdXQ3neO9iBo61wCPsIWYx8_R4zgDT3LqCD3k-Zn3AIgEgoiD2u/s200/TileBathroomFloorSellarsbefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>The vinyl and carpet had to get ripped out and then I worked on a layout for the tile. The home was built on a cement slab so there was no reason to add extra cementboard before tiling. This makes the project move along quickly and saves the homeowner a little money as well.</div><br /><div>These were 12" tiles, but this shade comes in various sizes. You can get as fancy as you want if you mix others in to come up with a pattern.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-22701367991377780962010-05-04T21:12:00.006-05:002010-05-04T21:40:45.139-05:00How About Some Tile Above the Surround?Many newer homes are built with a standard fiberglass bathtub surround. It still works so you hate to remove it, but maybe you'd like to spruce it up a little. These homeowners asked me to add some tile around the top of theirs as I was working on their floors. <div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467608492038018994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA4fTfx0VIVnO6QebNpkzSoUV1vMcRmm_GZvsvwZXCoyJumRz4ySq1QW6VPo-6j7ZKjyWTuHTFig0hxSqtqhmVUKNiCb0gEXBNFxMShyeZ8atV3Jj0JOUNGCGZQ35fe2sqBTlCnUGudX9/s400/Tileaboveshowerfinalcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bF9EsjH4je7c4yrB1y9Fw6ZecMdzcm7dfduDf5tGaV0iMaRgV42_ZBI7r0GTcQ7KbZUptPJjAlnZeAvuHNqpTAPV1j050P5k5xaGZiZtfbOhdnosi2w0TMiQPHHAa4LVv5W6twTqDYAF/s1600/TileAboveShowerbefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467608110817199410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bF9EsjH4je7c4yrB1y9Fw6ZecMdzcm7dfduDf5tGaV0iMaRgV42_ZBI7r0GTcQ7KbZUptPJjAlnZeAvuHNqpTAPV1j050P5k5xaGZiZtfbOhdnosi2w0TMiQPHHAa4LVv5W6twTqDYAF/s200/TileAboveShowerbefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>The bathroom had been wallpapered, which looks nice, but sometimes tends to curl up around the shower because of moisture. Some tile above the surround will help this as well.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqrN6vDx-1jxU9kjCEzN-9A8YnPNIML2XCuqJd4_MdrXIYaO2Lr2_op5VK79PbIbo-eh8Al7KMOvtfAg5aVj6DluFbDYXiPYJtL51HOTAeSV4E0-8q5xDJaBis8GtldhIqN17FO-UPv8B/s1600/TileAboveShowerduring.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467608731426407042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqrN6vDx-1jxU9kjCEzN-9A8YnPNIML2XCuqJd4_MdrXIYaO2Lr2_op5VK79PbIbo-eh8Al7KMOvtfAg5aVj6DluFbDYXiPYJtL51HOTAeSV4E0-8q5xDJaBis8GtldhIqN17FO-UPv8B/s400/TileAboveShowerduring.jpg" border="0" /></a>To start, I removed the wall paper down to the drywall. The tile I was installing were 4" x 4" squares that matched the tile I would be laying on the floor next. The homeowner had picked up a handful of accent tiles that I staggered around the surround. </div><br /><div>The result was nice, but will be even better when I get the floor done, and that's coming soon!</div><div></div><div>-Peter</div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-17357026988974583082010-04-29T07:00:00.005-05:002010-04-29T07:26:11.721-05:00Grouting Porous TileOne of the things that the homeowner loved about the tile I used for the backsplash (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/tumbled-marble-backsplash-spices-up.html">this post</a>) was the look of the porous tum<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XCjBnu4y_u_PZT3NgCQEXbqYbf5r81IXINnq9m0oP47wHpEEVjh8iXnCBzGxW2vpe3zKv8EyuVBl4FdueH-hjPCnLXiaWn9bUm-2AThXxNlReTniShkkjax5q1XLreRuIh3FtSi5YqtX/s1600/GroutingPorousTilefinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465532998634466418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XCjBnu4y_u_PZT3NgCQEXbqYbf5r81IXINnq9m0oP47wHpEEVjh8iXnCBzGxW2vpe3zKv8EyuVBl4FdueH-hjPCnLXiaWn9bUm-2AThXxNlReTniShkkjax5q1XLreRuIh3FtSi5YqtX/s400/GroutingPorousTilefinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>bled marble. Most of the tiles were very textured, with some having decent sized impressions and holes in them. It's always recommended that you seal the tiles before grouting to help keep the grout out of the tile, however, with porous stone, the grout will still fill all those voids. So there are a couple of ways you can approach grouting these tiles.<br /><div><br /><div>ONE WAY- FILL THE HOLES</div><div>Probably the most common way is to just grout it all and fill the holes. They will still have the character of the porous stone, but the deeper pores will be mostly filled with grout. This is usually the best method because if you don't fill the pores, they will eventually get dirt in them or even food particles if it's around the countertop. These will be a major headache to try to clean later if they aren't grouted. </div><br /><div>If you're filling the pores with grout, I'd suggest using a grout color that matches the stone. If you use a highly contrasting grout color, the filled pores may not look as natural.</div><br /><div>ANOTHER WAY- DON'T FILL THE HOLES</div><div>Okay, you probably aren't going to be able to keep grout out of all the pores, however, you can use painter's tape to cover the faces of the tile if you want to keep the grout out. If you've got the desire and the time, you could actually tape the face of every tile. </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHhh-oBmunFAatR5isLEfFfcAdheKXX4htxMHe4JQN_5-aelD16ulePiIaIG7clM-Aggz1SUrWY14xLQ7EGtzGxPFM_jW7XfnfP7Ozv4fOWwkFrj8_lYAsYgPHmpd9hRHron39LiaMt3i/s1600/GroutingPorousTiletape.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465533126094780178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHhh-oBmunFAatR5isLEfFfcAdheKXX4htxMHe4JQN_5-aelD16ulePiIaIG7clM-Aggz1SUrWY14xLQ7EGtzGxPFM_jW7XfnfP7Ozv4fOWwkFrj8_lYAsYgPHmpd9hRHron39LiaMt3i/s400/GroutingPorousTiletape.jpg" border="0" /></a>I used this method with the backsplash to cover the pores on just a select few tiles that had the most character, trying to have some consistency throughout the backsplash. I used some larger blue painter's tape and cut it with scissors (rather than tearing it). This makes a clean cut that lays flatter against the stone making it easier to grout over.</div><br /><div>After taping the stones I wanted to preserve, I grouted as normal right over the tops. I removed the tape after I had already sponged off the grout a couple times. The tape worked great and the homeowner loved the texture that it left in the tumbled marble.</div><br /><div>Of course, when you're finished it needs to be sealed again, this time focusing on sealing the grout.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div></div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-83224326986493437422010-04-20T05:54:00.008-05:002010-04-20T06:21:26.120-05:00A Tumbled Marble Backsplash Spices Up This Kitchen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEth7a7Jp7gwYAhaauHJjOEHR9qeY9rEAvzyWH8QPa-Tvu8AQY56Q6P-4hoMo0_NmMZ7cb2sMhagOIm4bwExOV9z5qq_-f0ix7E63G7CfaoOdkD-1R2o_Oodbn54uCnWvsUdRDZe8cIhy/s1600/TumbledMarbleBacksplashfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462175642388452034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEth7a7Jp7gwYAhaauHJjOEHR9qeY9rEAvzyWH8QPa-Tvu8AQY56Q6P-4hoMo0_NmMZ7cb2sMhagOIm4bwExOV9z5qq_-f0ix7E63G7CfaoOdkD-1R2o_Oodbn54uCnWvsUdRDZe8cIhy/s400/TumbledMarbleBacksplashfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>Sometimes a kitchen can be quite nice and still lack a little 'wow-factor'. It was time to add some of that to this kitchen with a new tumbled marble backsplash.<br /><br />The homeowners have great taste and had picked out a handful of various tiles that they liked. We talked over the layout and tried a few combinations before coming up with the final design.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy413-5YEyGN6T2cz27x1vJ61CpHKSYmJE5IFNt49v2rQ2qH70_0IzvViiLf_OPHc6L4UJ3aiOSLkNgActhFxeftlPagbnd2vJ8yqiFlgjJ9jSo-PV_dxsXOmbwk2_uSwY5-wdC5plRFuC/s1600/TumbledMarblebacksplashpattern.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462176344988254290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy413-5YEyGN6T2cz27x1vJ61CpHKSYmJE5IFNt49v2rQ2qH70_0IzvViiLf_OPHc6L4UJ3aiOSLkNgActhFxeftlPagbnd2vJ8yqiFlgjJ9jSo-PV_dxsXOmbwk2_uSwY5-wdC5plRFuC/s200/TumbledMarblebacksplashpattern.jpg" border="0" /></a><p>The bottom 6" features a mosaic pattern made up of various shapes and colors of the stone. Above that I would use 4" square tumbled marble set on the diagonal. I was excited to get started.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF-XduIQv17BUs-FmiVmw3NCbBY5iSCjYnat0T5eAx8Gc73pZKyQO4fibdLZcaau-I96B4FG2r3QyIpTZzPZYgmXBXsOeTRrEQ5ruFk3_tQd7ozYFCbKpd-HTOKZBbuoiGTFI_QgHKcPW/s1600/TumbledMarbleBacksplashbefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462175509037076914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiF-XduIQv17BUs-FmiVmw3NCbBY5iSCjYnat0T5eAx8Gc73pZKyQO4fibdLZcaau-I96B4FG2r3QyIpTZzPZYgmXBXsOeTRrEQ5ruFk3_tQd7ozYFCbKpd-HTOKZBbuoiGTFI_QgHKcPW/s200/TumbledMarbleBacksplashbefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>The backsplash tile can be installed right over the drywall, provided that it is smooth and not damaged. This saved some prep time and I jumped right into getting the layout right. With this many different tiles involved it's tricky to not end up with small pieces of tile somewhere in the layout.<br /><br />I laid the tile out on the countertop with spacers to get an idea of the design and measure the actual size of things. Then I installed the mosaic tile all the way around. It actually came on a 12" x 12" sheet that I cut in half. The slowest part is always cutting all those pieces that go around the outlets.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462175747935773426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80zA5bNurRwDGnxpWcDw-FuSV85Z1N_2Q6t-kZ3Gd_y-cKOpfWk2LwtDbWC4k1rwSAhGJo0FqkAy_PCMAm216T4blKaNkPhO73wQCxbrP-ICkO8VqPnxkqryVBpcP0djPWbCF1QGxaQva/s400/TumbledMarbleBacksplashduringcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br />With the bottom tiles ready, I started laying out the top tiles on the diagonal. The second row of 4" tiles would alternate between the natural white and a chocolate-colored tile to add more interest. I wanted this to lay out so that the spacing of the accent tiles would not look awkward.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gUBakRoBz6PR7yb1V1s-blE9EML-ClP_ed-3Kmwtik4xKszWZoP19reHjFHU5P6swdNKRfvx8PwVLKTWybd-5MKn3lang1SPwQWV6TMXfaC4nSX0SjHchil7O1EudlEP2gqrhvUDKrqC/s1600/TumbledMarbleBacksplashfinal2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462175517915745442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gUBakRoBz6PR7yb1V1s-blE9EML-ClP_ed-3Kmwtik4xKszWZoP19reHjFHU5P6swdNKRfvx8PwVLKTWybd-5MKn3lang1SPwQWV6TMXfaC4nSX0SjHchil7O1EudlEP2gqrhvUDKrqC/s200/TumbledMarbleBacksplashfinal2.jpg" border="0" /></a>I used a sanded grout to finish it up. This is recommended because even though some of the joints are 1/8" or less many of the spaces are much larger because of the rough, uneven edges of the tiles. I sealed the tiles with two coats of sealer before grouting which is supposed to help the grout not get absorbed into the face of the tiles as much.<br /><br />In the end, the backsplash looked remarkable and the colors blended perfectly with the maple cabinets and the solid surface counter.<br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-42005168091550222002010-04-12T20:45:00.011-05:002010-04-12T21:20:47.883-05:00Tile and Finish the Shower Floor Repair<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTyfjBgceUs7ZAJTPeIN0xLoIoccg4h1GEc9OLA2hvESeQ5CaIGh6vE5j_lhj3OvF28qS-f2bkFDOP0t9fpIhxjwchZ_tQhycwa-zPA3UV6ahN3OVG1wjWvL8lEZFojSrP28msUYNBGy2/s1600/TileShowerRepairFinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459437636690800882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTyfjBgceUs7ZAJTPeIN0xLoIoccg4h1GEc9OLA2hvESeQ5CaIGh6vE5j_lhj3OvF28qS-f2bkFDOP0t9fpIhxjwchZ_tQhycwa-zPA3UV6ahN3OVG1wjWvL8lEZFojSrP28msUYNBGy2/s400/TileShowerRepairFinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>I covered the basics of waterproofing a shower using the Schluter Kerdi system in my last post (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/waterproof-tile-shower-with-schluter.html">click here</a>). Now it's time to lay the tile and grout it all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehcIPAohpwdr1AIi8N0ShTJzAntoOsqvAD_YRQ9uQgYkqV_TGX1OsjmuVxf6z60TDy8APzBWuR2LrEUrLuOuDcZ87LT8PpGxbb29eJ8T4_ITR10bpviCE06w85JCZe616QWXds35UmJx/s1600/TileShowerRepairBefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459437796169689042" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehcIPAohpwdr1AIi8N0ShTJzAntoOsqvAD_YRQ9uQgYkqV_TGX1OsjmuVxf6z60TDy8APzBWuR2LrEUrLuOuDcZ87LT8PpGxbb29eJ8T4_ITR10bpviCE06w85JCZe616QWXds35UmJx/s200/TileShowerRepairBefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>The goal of this project was to just to replace the bottom rows of tile and the shower floor. The older system was leaking and needed to be torn out (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/redo-tile-shower-floor-tearout.html">this post</a>). In addition to leaking, the old tiles weren't looking very good and some dirt had been collecting in areas that had been caulked several times in an attempt to fix the leaks.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pJm2HJi-dKXOyIAhqAyuDiFlDPuCHqtbTJmiWIv_Ez2-HlJSJhwWkeqFWSXgR0n-fRsiS61y2dCb1Fggeyfm9kSOZvN4mWBvj7b1oP0QwJOXoYC6PZ7CArKDbMwGDyUnFwmBrbSUZ_pk/s1600/TileShowerRepairLayTile.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459439117118502978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4pJm2HJi-dKXOyIAhqAyuDiFlDPuCHqtbTJmiWIv_Ez2-HlJSJhwWkeqFWSXgR0n-fRsiS61y2dCb1Fggeyfm9kSOZvN4mWBvj7b1oP0QwJOXoYC6PZ7CArKDbMwGDyUnFwmBrbSUZ_pk/s400/TileShowerRepairLayTile.jpg" border="0" /></a>The layout for the tile was already dictated to me by the original tiles that I didn't remove. I would be using a rounded base tile at the intersection of the bottom of the wall with the floor. This piece would get cut to fit after I installed the wall tiles.<br /><br />In this case, I would need to start laying tile at the top and go down from there. If you start at the bottom, the weight of the tile is supported by the floor. Starting at the top, I had to tape each piece to the tile above so that they wouldn't slide down the wall and out of place.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AdlXrbrrA8lu_bDdnisK_Fk4QlEfuKvWUST_AGUJXhUqkf86MoZhAQJUrIpPZemFCipJsq6kM-OMh-3aFTdHIG5Y3LgAAtAp4AYJAgEtsnSYnzUDciHX2zHrcxR9Ueb6_trshXqKYXjH/s1600/TileShowerRepairCurbFinal.jpg"></a>One great thing about the Schluter Drain is that is a 4" square. It's perfectly sized for most tile installations where you are using either 1", 2", or 4" tiles. In my case, I installed 2" square white tiles by cutting out the center of one sheet of tile and installing this first (see the picture below). Then I installed all the tile sheets around the perimeter.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459437919541945490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3L8Gj6MtBxIrrH78GytzJTY0LJ5g6Of-oVNHEMMudCdsGx_E5z3csZpnUn3QuQV3TGlfD7bGuETqj0osBNPcOVcySNDdHiqRVZfQSBpoRmbGMvaSFYxNv1nJ87KonPtwqtwzUoJOsPbh/s400/TileShowerRepairDrainFinalCombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-DzZAoQYENPEw7k8wPmoTCOfwm2hPmREMP8_ajKT4JlU7pDkdDTEmK5CFROB7PBRXb5GhqdPBKILQlC8MeEKLZV-aEY2OrOu1TzsnbUAd5WIthRqAyVhMJZHWDDjxwJdzRQEEQUhYIVJ/s1600/TileShowerRepairCurbFinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459439425107253042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-DzZAoQYENPEw7k8wPmoTCOfwm2hPmREMP8_ajKT4JlU7pDkdDTEmK5CFROB7PBRXb5GhqdPBKILQlC8MeEKLZV-aEY2OrOu1TzsnbUAd5WIthRqAyVhMJZHWDDjxwJdzRQEEQUhYIVJ/s200/TileShowerRepairCurbFinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>The small ledge across the bottom of the doorway is called the curb. It keeps the water contained in the bottom of the shower. I used some curved edge pieces of tile on the corner of the curb to avoid any sharp corners.<br /><br />After grouting with white unsanded grout and sealing, this shower was ready for business. Hopefully, it will last for decades to come with no more problems.<br /><br /><blockquote><em>HINT: John Bridge (Tile guy extraordinaire at </em><a href="http://www.johnbridge.com/"><em>www.JohnBridge.com</em></a><em>) says that for a maintenance-free shower, take a minute after each use to wipe down the tile with a towel. This will greatly reduce any mildew over time and keep it cleaner as well.</em></blockquote><br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/"><span style="color:#0000ff;">www.CarpentryGuy.com</span></a>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-4278347275128279672010-04-08T06:46:00.000-05:002010-04-07T08:05:27.718-05:00Waterproof the Tile Shower With Schluter Kerdi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAsQHVQxfcPTAwuBGWTGjo2jGlCJyGIaNOfJZi0A0jNlyvuONFzVkeheMunzy46wrYHaRnO0qcp83Q4CnBVRpwdyoDyCjofzllE-cKyyFkWc00nY7nbJmGcOAWz2UUgabPRbB5k3sQXZ2/s1600/TileShowerRepairAfterKerdi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457373496254102946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAsQHVQxfcPTAwuBGWTGjo2jGlCJyGIaNOfJZi0A0jNlyvuONFzVkeheMunzy46wrYHaRnO0qcp83Q4CnBVRpwdyoDyCjofzllE-cKyyFkWc00nY7nbJmGcOAWz2UUgabPRbB5k3sQXZ2/s400/TileShowerRepairAfterKerdi.jpg" border="0" /></a>What the heck is Schluter Kerdi???<br /><p><br />It's a fairly new system for waterproofing showers that involves installing a membrane (the Kerdi) throughout the shower and over their special Kerdi drain. When finished you'll have a completely waterproof, sealed shower. In fact, it's so waterproof that you can install the Kerdi right over regular old drywall. That says a lot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cckxnuhg17aBjYopMfS8dG2V5PEV-X1eJ_6QGWZkueBvT10wdzOmZQyKvBN4mMhgAMfP07Y48x8HmqNme9I2ii-ggcnU31Xs8yvUGl94sOptNKK_dkobiVmEU4hzGOufCnj4rFv8iRmL/s1600/TileShowerRepairHardibacker.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457373605484615858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cckxnuhg17aBjYopMfS8dG2V5PEV-X1eJ_6QGWZkueBvT10wdzOmZQyKvBN4mMhgAMfP07Y48x8HmqNme9I2ii-ggcnU31Xs8yvUGl94sOptNKK_dkobiVmEU4hzGOufCnj4rFv8iRmL/s200/TileShowerRepairHardibacker.jpg" border="0" /></a>Let's look at how I installed the Schluter Kerdi shower system when I was repairing and old leaky shower pan liner that was decades old. In my last post (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/redo-tile-shower-floor-tearout.html">this link</a>), I tore out the old tile down to the framing. Next, I replaced the subfloor with new plywood and added 1/2" Hardibacker on the walls. (Yes, I <em>could</em> have used 1/2" drywall, but I had the Hardibacker on hand...)<br /><br />INSTALL THE PRE-SLOPED SHOWER TRAY<br />The older method to doing a shower floor included making a sloped bed of mortar that would direct water toward the drain. This needed more time, labor and expertise. For this shower, I used a Schluter pre-sloped shower tray. It's made out of some kind of foam and is easily cut to fit your particular shower.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457373405646138002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 99px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUug083_rvN0iZEG-F0pSfmz7soz7Lj5oLbNtZdumPBUp1IpNRCleHhLoxdDUg_QmejLDK0g0BYU66BRYzboXcFxjQ0xZ29dnkNWYncnmwfuOr8_OWfUg9KQv99kp53d0kvR_QZG4_2mC/s400/TileShowerRepairSetTraycombo.jpg" border="0" /><br />After cutting the tray to size, I dry-laid it in place to mark the spot for the drain. Once the drain hole was cut out, I covered the floor with unmodified thinset mortar using a 3/16" v-notch trowel. The shower tray sets in this. You can walk around on it to make sure it's well embedded in the mortar. Just be careful not to crush it with your knees as you are working- it is foam after all.<br /><br />INSTALL THE KERDI MEMBRANE<br />I'm not going to go through every detail of installing the membrane. If you are interested make sure to get the Schluter installation DVD and check out <a href="http://www.schluter.com/">www.Schluter.com</a>. The DVD comes with the shower kit and is great at showing every step along the way.<br /><br />Basically, the membrane is installed over a thin layer of mortar and then flattened out and embedded using the straight edge of your trowel. The edges must all overlap by a minimum of 2". I started by using something they call Kerdi-Band in all the bottom corners. (It's just a thin pre-cut strip of the Kerdi material.)<br /><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKs6MfAAtl2_IChxwyMxqlSxHqeinodf7uvxg2vuKKM5QjvCm_j8Q546uglBd0OD5L6nvw2H2Pa0vvkHMgiBTIr7puAtc3Yv-z5xUYS3-9VxmUltIq2LB01DTBRITo5vWl0MWDyE1jbIl/s1600/TileShowerRepairTwoTrowels.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457374257654124578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKs6MfAAtl2_IChxwyMxqlSxHqeinodf7uvxg2vuKKM5QjvCm_j8Q546uglBd0OD5L6nvw2H2Pa0vvkHMgiBTIr7puAtc3Yv-z5xUYS3-9VxmUltIq2LB01DTBRITo5vWl0MWDyE1jbIl/s400/TileShowerRepairTwoTrowels.jpg" border="0" /></a>It helped to have two trowels or a putty knife so you can hold the membrane in the corner with one trowel while you smooth out the other side with the other one. It's important to have tight square corners so that your tile will fit together correctly.<br /><br />Once all the corners are done I installed larger pieces of Kerdi on the walls that overlap the corner pieces. Smooth them out to make sure there aren't any air bubbles underneath. Schluter also makes special corner pieces that a pre-formed to fit into corners and over the curb corners.<br /><br />INSTALL THE KERDI DRAIN<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NIbADQV5ly48nbL52tMGtkT6O_Vxs93ebzRefzRcXP9hkbhzyq78rKrOf-Qwm_tbJYgi-4QpoLvLeQLRCaKzZzV_ghYu9tP0MvZsOfNT9dtUyoifgx5OoQG3FSHedorvyraT7Sxu0Bga/s1600/TileShowerRepairKerdiDrain.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457374347868141634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NIbADQV5ly48nbL52tMGtkT6O_Vxs93ebzRefzRcXP9hkbhzyq78rKrOf-Qwm_tbJYgi-4QpoLvLeQLRCaKzZzV_ghYu9tP0MvZsOfNT9dtUyoifgx5OoQG3FSHedorvyraT7Sxu0Bga/s200/TileShowerRepairKerdiDrain.jpg" border="0" /></a>The walls are done- let's do the floor. I covered the floor with a layer of mortar and then pressed the Kerdi Drain into place. The flange has openings that will help it firmly integrate into the mortar. I spread a little more mortar around the flange and installed the Kerdi membrane, making sure to fully embed it, especially around the drain.<br /><br />That's it! Let it set overnight and we'll be ready to install the tile.<br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-28789558659254359672010-04-06T06:55:00.007-05:002010-04-06T07:22:29.672-05:00Redo a Tile Shower Floor- Tearout<div><div><div>Tile shower floors are nice, unless they are leaking! This is the case for a Nashville homeowner that asked me to repair their shower floor. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoK2ptaVfU8VyYG3yNf3PDWKpun0XZ5govkJrTONlz6YraJWtRscf04oAK40PXVRSxohdGFhYmb3R8sd1-2djE49d__bPvnHWSZCgYfdvJ7pSbPeJAWT4j34Fzz8JXqQhWrNzSJ8aXCkt/s1600/TileShowerRepairBefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456997519839332514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoK2ptaVfU8VyYG3yNf3PDWKpun0XZ5govkJrTONlz6YraJWtRscf04oAK40PXVRSxohdGFhYmb3R8sd1-2djE49d__bPvnHWSZCgYfdvJ7pSbPeJAWT4j34Fzz8JXqQhWrNzSJ8aXCkt/s400/TileShowerRepairBefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>This was an old shower that was likely 40-50 years old. The way of installing a shower back then (and still today in some cases) was to first install a waterproof membrane that goes around 8" up the walls all the way around. Then, a sloped bed of mortar or 'mud' is installed before tiling the floor. A specific type of drain is used that makes a seal with the membrane. </div><div><br /></div><div>Many people have the misconception that grout is waterproof. This is not true. Most of the water is deflected and just goes down the drain, however, a small amount is absorbed through the grout and mortar. When it gets to the waterproof membrane the water is funneled to the drain and through tiny 'weep holes' that send the water down the drain.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhHsh894KqPBVZlP90QARRI5jHaHZ6cjElG7nbaTV3DCMRnMt1-Xe5oUXr4cdiVR8jQfWKPnJZs0QW7oXqluxRMndXBg7jI6ZdSPdMjBpvPj6ChjtajasthWytToBu1ipoTBuVHGyW6g_/s1600/TileShowerRepairBeforeUnder.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456997654206957714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhHsh894KqPBVZlP90QARRI5jHaHZ6cjElG7nbaTV3DCMRnMt1-Xe5oUXr4cdiVR8jQfWKPnJZs0QW7oXqluxRMndXBg7jI6ZdSPdMjBpvPj6ChjtajasthWytToBu1ipoTBuVHGyW6g_/s200/TileShowerRepairBeforeUnder.jpg" border="0" /></a>My guess is that the weep holes were clogged with this shower. This meant that the mortar bed was saturated with water and it was full enough that it was dripping over the top of the membrane around the sides. I saw evidence of this when I started removing the bottom tiles and water started pouring out from behind.</div><div><br /></div><div>TEAR IT OUT</div><div>The homeowners didn't want to replace the entire shower and I can't blame them. This is expensive work. Instead I would just be tearing out the bottom few rows and installing a new waterproofing system called Kerdi from <a href="http://www.schluter.com/">Schluter Systems</a>. First, I had to get dirty.</div><div><br /></div><div>Getting started was easy because many of the tiles were loose anyway and came right off. After that I went around with my hammer and a flat bar and busted out the tile. Of course, I was careful not to damage the tile above that I wanted to keep.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456997300042817042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 99px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjOP35wE1Zy01j-W5L43zLLkOnIkDmVoJSKcX_WlEbO7y1OsbMANV752G_Eps_Is_iRH7RiLmNMOo3mX6R-S6iAaU-M6m2bVPrLO9S4B66Xw9qxrmV4KSwJiKAGNh-JGbNMl8ybIZk1zz/s400/TileShowerRepairTearoutcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrWzxpcRY1XMrjzc92VbvkDFLa_MN19aQeMwDia5Q36x9DWzv76h3espKt-HwwEfDbONKKrjWvFTc5-5UNPZSf1WE7OLMDEBeCZhnBGe4cK9JbqmClM4MIVP_JHiELjuyF1ItbQSpWo6c/s1600/TileShowerRepairTornout.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456997525197862386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlrWzxpcRY1XMrjzc92VbvkDFLa_MN19aQeMwDia5Q36x9DWzv76h3espKt-HwwEfDbONKKrjWvFTc5-5UNPZSf1WE7OLMDEBeCZhnBGe4cK9JbqmClM4MIVP_JHiELjuyF1ItbQSpWo6c/s400/TileShowerRepairTornout.jpg" border="0" /></a>The wall tiles were set on a mortar bed containing wire mesh for strength. Below that was the black shower membrane that had to go. It all chipped away fairly easily exposing the thick mortar bed under the floor of the shower. This mortar didn't contain any mesh and broke apart into pieces that I could just scoop up and dispose of. </div><br /><div>Finally, I had worked my way down to the subfloor that was wet and needed to be cut out. It wasn't long before I was looking into the basement and ready to start putting it all back together. </div><br />-Peter</div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a><br /><div> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-11175616245676565472010-04-01T06:32:00.009-05:002010-04-01T07:05:51.084-05:00Finishing Up the Marble Floor and StepsI knew when we were first talking about this bathroom project that there would be some interesting details to think about as we proceeded. Adding a set of winder stairs to a confined place in the bathroom was at the top of the list, especially when I heard that the homeowner wanted to cover them with marble tile.<br /><br />STAIR NOSING<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfdTU-LJNNRJX2YFOWm1u10rzEssncxeRpqCgyg84JtA0vB76N-KmtrxJO3TYsa8EqHFKQUXMnnLK4_Nu5KL0WnzYRheawa2qPYRmyfN9MPUzoCLR89J7Xo86dsRHR4yoi0BylQT0THXn/s1600/MarbleBathStairsFinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455137158112526482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfdTU-LJNNRJX2YFOWm1u10rzEssncxeRpqCgyg84JtA0vB76N-KmtrxJO3TYsa8EqHFKQUXMnnLK4_Nu5KL0WnzYRheawa2qPYRmyfN9MPUzoCLR89J7Xo86dsRHR4yoi0BylQT0THXn/s400/MarbleBathStairsFinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>Though marble is a natural stone and is very heavy and durable, it's also somewhat brittle. For this reason it was very important to protect the tile at the front edge of the steps with a piece of <a href="http://www.schluter.com/">Schluter</a> trim. If we didn't do this, it would surely wear down faster or possibly break and crack because of the foot traffic to the back door.<br /><br />Schluter trim comes in a wide variety of colors and styles depending upon what your using it for. It's great for making transitions from horizontal to vertical surfaces or corners where the appropriate tile trim piece is unavailable. The trim remains permanently flexible so it's great for corners that might otherwise crack over time with just grout or caulk.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455136025008616738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVxqK5N6FpWFBSIB8K7v2SPkxgEC8DpmvQxGBTyYAkAwtzAnAmiI9RIQwLeVrG3U0KTjlREkKBaO4SOSIWZcVZ2e7sJ1jXNwrKtlOpJwUfGHFbbrVma7-YQo6gM8-EpdPM8E5AoohN3P4/s400/MarbleBathSchluterTrimcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br />You can see a sample piece of the trim I used in the picture. It's easily cut with a hacksaw and then set into the thinset mortar just before I lay the tile. The grout fills the seams between the trim and the tile and provides a very professional looking installation as well as some protection to our lovely marble steps.<br /><br />MITERED CORNERS<br /><em>Mitering</em> is a term often used when doing trimwork that refers to cutting the trim at an angle (usually 45 degrees) where the corner pieces intersect. This can be done with tile as well and is most often used where there is an outside corner that is receiving tile. With these stairs, I used quite a few miter joints where the angled pieces came together.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455136018595899538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Aj5GUoj4xY0iWxzPKaESqwraerikhYUs2YsSxEjuXF_tzjHS7XC37BYPtv4xGsNurmgL4p4UndGkqk49GcHjykejM8SXj0D4qhTQk1X5NhpXHjrjh2Ddv4xW2pTuH92ovsSqLeIINKaf/s400/MarbleBathMiteredJointscombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnbfmIvZiaT_5TG77Mr2WTW0Cl2uWd3TxyQnmHy_gzyhwpUP7gEdwcnAgb2UMJ0UjTgP7vjL6q__aOGV9wnIYcRuhOVAbSOH994UT_nwr3jjupoNYuHPoUU_kOdj7LkzA6pVg4PgvcOSQ/s1600/MarbleBathMiterCut.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455135827503805458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnbfmIvZiaT_5TG77Mr2WTW0Cl2uWd3TxyQnmHy_gzyhwpUP7gEdwcnAgb2UMJ0UjTgP7vjL6q__aOGV9wnIYcRuhOVAbSOH994UT_nwr3jjupoNYuHPoUU_kOdj7LkzA6pVg4PgvcOSQ/s200/MarbleBathMiterCut.jpg" border="0" /></a>A mitered cut on tile is not difficult provided that you have a tile saw that has this feature. My smallest tile saw is an MK 4" benchtop model and even it will cut miters by raising the cutting platform up to 45 degrees on one side. My larger Felker saw has an attachment that holds the tile at 45 degrees on the sliding tray which makes the cuts fairly simple once you get the hang of it.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455137290365686466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLYlrAhqwjUOVQSqBHROiMRGTlqUxhWn-RtAM97HYCrT5WGY6nXtdmiZ1xyu9iVw2qZjghjpWGqR7O7AvFdaozIWGfC6VVCNT_VSFW2IVn3WBPiXsZ-YZdzKQ-qWTeXGtY7xzbvPXFG-c/s400/MarbleBathstairsFinalcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br />The marble floor is grouted and sealed and ready for business. It will be slippery, though, so the homeowner will want to have plenty of rugs for wet feet. :)<br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-55525901323908432982010-03-31T05:17:00.000-05:002010-03-30T17:59:20.343-05:00The Beginning of a Marble Bathroom FloorAfter adding a bathroom to this home (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Bathroom%20Addition">these posts</a>) by removing a closet and raising the floor, I had two small stairways to consider finishing. One, in the hall to the den, received pre-finished red oak hardwood flooring (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-install-prefinished-oak-flooring.html">this post</a>). The bathroom, with a set of winding stairs to the back door, would get marble tile.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2C0hQk-kScaFGmZriit-yj4UYormQa2PpOlRtgiXktSZvKq_waZmQuSKUc9i0-0wmerWAAfrrkpENY1Gc69XoUuEsPI0Nx5pAQ2m799IyUrAAcFbG5un9N_h8eyA9EcscrZdET7lvSA-/s1600/MarbleBathFloor.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454560806158680466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2C0hQk-kScaFGmZriit-yj4UYormQa2PpOlRtgiXktSZvKq_waZmQuSKUc9i0-0wmerWAAfrrkpENY1Gc69XoUuEsPI0Nx5pAQ2m799IyUrAAcFbG5un9N_h8eyA9EcscrZdET7lvSA-/s400/MarbleBathFloor.jpg" border="0" /></a>When I think of marble tile I think of luxury, like a Roman bath from ancient times, right? I guess that was the idea here as well. The homeowner picked out a black marble that had accents of yellowish-green throughout. I always enjoy using stone materials because of the amazing colors and hues that naturally occur in the rock. Most of the time it's covered up with dirt, but now we get to put it in our homes and enjoy it!<br /><br />Using marble isn't that much different than any other tile, except that the framing does need to be stronger to support the stone material. I had this in mind as I framed the floor so there were no concerns with this on this project.<br /><br />Stone tiles, like marble, slate, travertine or granite also call for a different kind of thinset. Be prepared, it costs nearly double the price of the cheap stuff! This is not the time to skimp, if I'm going to all this trouble to install flooring, I want to make sure I do everything possible to keep it looking great for many years.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454560044726099666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cCwoUVUIPDkp7E3fq7DmFzk6LUWkxF2edNCUNOMlNaitIvju4UIeJOtC2-4_U2pwfH2M04_7xYHe6bIGm9hbUzocu2XRwXBXka6ypwpozcKx07xLI8LRZF9PfAsN0LC3P7sDSNygEXNh/s400/MarbleBathHardibackercombo.jpg" border="0" /><br />I started by installing Hardibacker cementboard throughout to provide a solid foundation that would not be susceptible to expansion or moisture absorption the way plywood would. It goes down over a layer of thinset and is nailed throughout with galvanized roofing nails.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo5VxVlc-wvcFK6MRCy3asWZjwHJWimMIqbN58hv_Gnr0syR0lPDKcLx_wW_nloj4-GYRNru4DNlRXw3BJzmM0_WIqw_5bMll3YnGwCSLRYP8C1FDyQOkvG9a2pndhGjsCb7IY0JM8dB0/s1600/MarbleBathCuttingTileHalf.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454560229394098786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo5VxVlc-wvcFK6MRCy3asWZjwHJWimMIqbN58hv_Gnr0syR0lPDKcLx_wW_nloj4-GYRNru4DNlRXw3BJzmM0_WIqw_5bMll3YnGwCSLRYP8C1FDyQOkvG9a2pndhGjsCb7IY0JM8dB0/s200/MarbleBathCuttingTileHalf.jpg" border="0" /></a>By far, the trickiest part of this project was how to approach the winder stairs. They were to be tiled all the way down to the backdoor. We would also be doing a 6" marble 'baseboard' all the way around the room on the walls. The tiles were 12" squares so I cut them in half to use as the wall tile.</p><p>A heavy-duty professional tile saw is really useful for cutting stone tile like this, especially if you need straight cuts! </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454560051549779106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_puneeRolnlNxpF8jFYOFMdlgkVAeNXgNxGFSGpEa5PGkn-9ZE-CZP_RzphMpSWvptl71KeQQqNhDrQGLg_L9g_1nHlskn9d9rpMQpLQLvGpLPKAG-2m65gO1asvTyBiHb0fpdfkpQTz/s400/MarbleBathStairsTapedcombo.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>In order to not 'tile myself into a corner' I needed to start at the top of the steps and make my way down and out the back door. I used a tile spacer on the treads while I placed the tiles on the risers and taped them in place. Then, I could take the spacer out and install the tread tiles as I worked my way down.</p><p><br />I gave quite a bit of thought to the layout because I didn't want any weird grout lines going down the steps. I preferred to have a whole piece at the top of the steps and was able to achieve this without having any tiny pieces around the edges of the room. In the end the layout worked great, even with those crazy steps!<br /><br />To be honest, the steps took extra time to cut and install, but it was a blast! I enjoyed the challenge of making them durable and safe as well as looking great.<br /><br />Tomorrow, I'll cover a couple other details that were unique to this installation- stair nosing trim, and the mitered corners.<br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </p>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-14798118526943289152010-03-30T05:51:00.004-05:002010-03-30T06:08:19.539-05:00Work Outside Rain or Shine with a CanopyWith the spring rains coming, I new that I would need to get some weather protection or I would start getting rained out and my project would get off schedule. Nobody wants rain delays so I started looking into getting a small roof over my head, a.k.a. a canopy.<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgSVPaAwEfvvykuiNNcX1NWPp4Jh_sppU44HmzcgVzPwb46X0t-flPn89seXbzsjr8TGWzdPaTJJTYJIOViCiBxhtBJGZquBwwXsalXppkcg8KzxWLL3ROsmaLMKNnSM-mqTbryo6LBn3/s1600/RainCanopy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454380512456610178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgSVPaAwEfvvykuiNNcX1NWPp4Jh_sppU44HmzcgVzPwb46X0t-flPn89seXbzsjr8TGWzdPaTJJTYJIOViCiBxhtBJGZquBwwXsalXppkcg8KzxWLL3ROsmaLMKNnSM-mqTbryo6LBn3/s400/RainCanopy.jpg" border="0" /></a>I was surprised to find so many offered. Most of them are called tents or 'wedding canopies' because they are most often used for outdoor parties. I just wanted a place to set up some tools so that I could still work, unless it was really storming.</div><br /><div>I settled on the 10 x 10 Smart Shade canopy from Swiss Gear. They are the same folks that make Swiss Army Knives and their stuff is usually higher quality so I went for it. </div><br /><div>I wasn't disappointed. </div><br /><div>One day last week I needed to finish some trim and a light rain was forecasted all day. Time to give it a try! There was a break in the weather and I got it set up all by myself fairly quickly, probably less than 15 minutes. It would be easier with two people, but I was able to do it by going around and moving the legs out a little at a time. It didn't take long and I had a roof to keep me dry. It also came with a nice case that even has a couple wheels on it too.</div><br /><div>I'm completely pleased with the purchase and thought I'd share in case you were considering one as well. I must admit that at first I felt like I was taping a TV show because they are always working under tents like this... :)</div><br /><div>BTW- I'm also planning to use this as the summer starts heating up. I know I won't mind a little shade to keep me working with a smile.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div><br /><SCRIPT charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/wwwinspired0d-20/8001/b86c01a0-a98c-4470-8504-b4241fbab8b9"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT><A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fwwwinspired0d-20%2F8001%2Fb86c01a0-a98c-4470-8504-b4241fbab8b9&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A></NOSCRIPT>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-88142415187388345512010-03-23T06:33:00.004-05:002010-03-23T06:54:37.396-05:00Open Up The Kitchen Please!<div><div><div>Sometimes the biggest changes to your home aren't the most expensive. For example, you could spend $10k remodeling your kitchen and upgrade everything and still feel cramped in a small room. For these homeowners in the Brentwood area, their budget was much lower, but the change was remarkable.</div><br /><div>The split-level home was built with a kitchen wall that divided the kitchen from the living room. The problem was that the wall seemed to 'stick out' and make the rooms feel too divided. The homeowners also wanted more room for setting up a large dining room table for family gatherings. The solution was to remove part of the wall.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451795410107724546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9BwSEcNlvbW2F8n3Arm-FGvtO_Ul_o0srxXww1RPon3xvCPe_vNGRdpnj-5vbCj879USImZ4hI-bXANoDw-L6sdsZOqDZqY7n8Xp0rSHdDUbfDQIy8vv52eRoJzj3pJlBW2x_gg5jSNG/s400/KitchenServingWindowbeforeafter.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>Unlike a couple of my other recent projects, this wall was load-bearing, supporting the ceiling joists from the two adjacent rooms. This meant that I would have to carefully build temporary walls along each side before tearing out the old framing and putting in a beefy 2x10 header. The header would extend all the way across the space to the outside wall. To save a little money, we decided to leave the header exposed and covered with drywall than to cut out ceiling joists and conceal it in the ceiling.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451795418815943634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAf_Zmnd-S8mKgywNxyZxq8WsRxayppugbpk8f2tKUjOCOncQIEBu8UyodCSufXdBKfZRma4DCSw1eZ5i_qtlePFaF2baE84zNaD6RbIm_8aaISgDhWZts5ABnoRHVgcKxSb2SV-WGpFWj/s400/KitchenServingWindowbeforeafter2.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>There was very little trim to do because I finished all the edges with drywall, however, I did make a small shelf for the serving window out of nice piece of 1x6 poplar. I notched the ends so that the board would seem to extend wider than the opening and give the effect of a window sill.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451795423615515650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC9SsNnLdhSf2yCNB3zNy06n25c7eq1d5_UGByuWLQ9epj0XjY6r1ZAztnJLxmJL0ZiGaiSvLWj01LXmY2zxl1KaWAY8r6Wu_h1gsXto9aCUHVgMo32pULFjTU1oSpB8CO0cVW7RHVdhT/s400/KitchenServingWindowshelfcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>After removing around 32" of the wall, there was a little bit of hardwood flooring to patch in. It's always tricky to match the color of 50 year old hardwood floors perfectly, but this one seemed to blend in well with a coat of "natural" stain on some red oak. </div><br /><div>The change made an incredible difference in this kitchen which now seems more integrated into the living room and ready for family!</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-90195115238986795602010-03-20T05:12:00.002-05:002010-03-21T08:31:41.156-05:00How To Install PreFinished Oak FlooringIt's time to install the hardwood flooring in the hallway outside the new bathroom that I added to this home in Donelson. The homeowner wanted to match the hardwood in the rest of the home as much as possible so he picked out some pre-finished 3/4" red oak flooring<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__PAVR3PwNUdcDeL6dFlnbbspSI0HvoX8WxKNMlI4oThbCBDRtnth52vRK1Dj9y9h3LVUL2bDf05df0XeDaW-P2zIegKBQ-OJZwxybbSep_aSER8vUOA6gBqh5wmvQ4pRIKu0XZNs3o3C/s1600-h/PrefinishedOakFloorfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450029329384280018" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 289px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__PAVR3PwNUdcDeL6dFlnbbspSI0HvoX8WxKNMlI4oThbCBDRtnth52vRK1Dj9y9h3LVUL2bDf05df0XeDaW-P2zIegKBQ-OJZwxybbSep_aSER8vUOA6gBqh5wmvQ4pRIKu0XZNs3o3C/s400/PrefinishedOakFloorfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a> for me to install.<br /><br />The process for installation is very similar to installing unfinished hardwood. Here are the basics:<br /><br /><br />PREPARE<br />Before you begin, get the hardwood ahead of time and let it acclimate to the humidity inside the home. It's important to have a flat and solid subfloor to install the hardwood over. Over the subfloor I installed 15 lb felt paper underlayment across the floor, making sure to overlap the courses by several inches. Staple it down in a few places and make sure there's not anything trapped underneath that will make a 'hump'.<br /><br />LAYING THE FLOOR<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVlqFYrypEd3J5y8HzNGmeyXrD8etRxnmk3aLaX8gNogiTqkllymtk3xU3iwq9uFB0nb_fp-Ani7JE5Dhm6J-7CiW915bIVZCqOmWmRoYD0VqfMgcTTOgJaakLDQvWA0QAZxGjBZs4-3Y/s1600-h/PrefinishedOakFloorstart.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450029640712105186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVlqFYrypEd3J5y8HzNGmeyXrD8etRxnmk3aLaX8gNogiTqkllymtk3xU3iwq9uFB0nb_fp-Ani7JE5Dhm6J-7CiW915bIVZCqOmWmRoYD0VqfMgcTTOgJaakLDQvWA0QAZxGjBZs4-3Y/s200/PrefinishedOakFloorstart.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's time to install the first piece of hardwood. Measure out from the starting wall and make a chalk line. It's good to use the straightest or longest wall as your guide. In my case, I wanted to make sure the line was parallel to the bathroom wall where I would end up. Select the longest pieces that you have and face-nail the first run in place all the way along your chalk line. It's important that your first piece is straight because it will be the guide for the rest of the flooring.<br /><br /><blockquote><em>What's FACE-NAIL? Face-nail means that you nail through the 'face' of the board or the top where it will be seen as opposed to most of the flooring that will be nailed through the tongue so the nails are hidden.<br /></em></blockquote><br />Before I start laying the rest of the flooring I like to sort a batch of it by length. Usually, I would sort a couple cases at a time. You can see in the picture how I would divide it up. This just makes it easier to grab the pieces that I need without sorting through a stack of lumber each time.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450029463403880530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7gta2ikP0K-AboBZBS_od9outLAdPHJzWL2zp1hlPw-jPrb93oZ-r1AM7DBLXBHKbMShOXMkJNSVNMLoGvDoNlDfhxTX9hlqRLrb5GSUFYp7JNnyanc_QUQRcW0Pk7BKgtJVkrpMzX58/s400/PrefinishedOakFloorlayout.jpg" border="0" /><br />With the flooring organized, grab one of the longest pieces and then a series of pieces that are each 6-8" shorter. When you lay them out like the picture above, it will stagger the seams as they are installed. By the way, if you are working with a helper, one of you can organize the stacks and pull the right wood while the other person nails it down.<br /><br />Here's a trick to measuring the pieces that need to be cut: Take a piece that's approximately the right size (from the well-organized stack, right? :), and flip it around so the tongue is on the wrong end against the wall. Then you can just mark the length on the piece where it needs to be cut. This method will save you having to use a measuring tape for this cut and it will go a little quicker.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450027201477099746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHDeVBKuUWdwqnjtkkm4JvVhrh42lNpS0Anx7KFwAWFzQqZrVS4zpe0fjo3drPgzeHGE0Ki_RX9DYlCqarVCsnzGZCGxoYE3ep_WkovGSeruZGopzyXDNoLiAfL450uePI1gEWhcVNTg_/s400/PrefinishedOakFloorBlockcombo.jpg" border="0" />For each piece of hardwood, I started at the end where the tongue is and used a small block to make sure the pieces are super-tight. The block is a small piece of flooring with tongues and grooves. Using this prevents damage to the pieces I'm installing. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDOunmLsffYRNqSuqPBocK6UwqXSAEgD7cThs7GDtPsscBfq6JapicGxy8vMLd7kWzzB9-tyUiv5388dh7Pl2ZtC_CpWGxpqhn5-UG_Uy78LO236fzXm2oJFo_-8WCh1qIm9Cs2RekA1s/s1600-h/PrefinishedOakFloornailing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450029639145765650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDOunmLsffYRNqSuqPBocK6UwqXSAEgD7cThs7GDtPsscBfq6JapicGxy8vMLd7kWzzB9-tyUiv5388dh7Pl2ZtC_CpWGxpqhn5-UG_Uy78LO236fzXm2oJFo_-8WCh1qIm9Cs2RekA1s/s200/PrefinishedOakFloornailing.jpg" border="0" /></a>Nailing through the tongue with my angled finish nailer, I work my way toward the other end, using the block as I go to make sure everything is tight.<br /><br /><blockquote><em>NOTE: When installing a larger area of flooring, you'll want to use a special flooring nailer. It's better in two main ways: 1) It uses special flooring nails that have 'teeth' on them that makes a very strong bond and 2) It shoots the nails when you hit it with a rubber mallet. The force of the mallet ensures a tight fit while you're nailing.</em></blockquote><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2qpvTbOggSrk5uU1K5yopiMQ2wTpvH_Xs3neuOYfhOm3JFmn6G9oDj8KwxfaNnf3SQx-hqEdGmT6vTHDo_FrfWuxQqu-GjfXnJoTH4uKhMqqogERNVbZi4_C97d1bCLTZn7lW_3ONTVi/s1600-h/PrefinishedOakFloorfacenail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450028999100088482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2qpvTbOggSrk5uU1K5yopiMQ2wTpvH_Xs3neuOYfhOm3JFmn6G9oDj8KwxfaNnf3SQx-hqEdGmT6vTHDo_FrfWuxQqu-GjfXnJoTH4uKhMqqogERNVbZi4_C97d1bCLTZn7lW_3ONTVi/s200/PrefinishedOakFloorfacenail.jpg" border="0" /></a>As you get closer to the wall, you won't have space to use your nailer so that last three courses or so will need to be face-nailed. To get a tight fit, I like to use a couple blocks and then use a small flat bar to pry against the wall and squeeze the pieces together. Make sure you don't pry directly on the pieces you are installing!<br /><br />The last pieces will likely need to be ripped on the table saw. Consider how wide the baseboard trim will be so you don't have a gap left later.<br /><br />One of the noticeable differences between prefinished flooring and unfinished flooring is that there will be slightly more imperfections. Before an unfinished floor is sanded and sealed, the small gaps will be filled with woodfiller to hide them. There's also a difference in the quality of some of the brands of hardwoods. The differences are in how well they are milled to fit tightly together. The low-quality (cheap) brands will probably have more gaps because the milling wasn't as good.<br /><br />I'm not one to tackle installing a whole house of hardwoods by myself, but this hallway was a lot of fun. Mainly, it's just cool to work with finished wood and see the amazing colors and designs in the grain. It looks great and it will last for many decades and more...<br /><br />-Peter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-60068906328013117822010-03-18T10:13:00.006-05:002010-03-18T10:43:39.098-05:00Now for the Oak Steps<div><div><div>When I added a bathroom to this home in Donelson I raised the floor from the den to match the rest of the home. That meant that there would be three steps to build going to the den (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/adding-some-steps-into-den.html">this post</a>).</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUbIr4yjvaouXIR3nscPYwExVaKANg5GFgyxmvY4Kmmcy2J61OWScJK7jgLhchH9DPcMETBfKhWHutjCfCKmzKi6xExtMf2Q3k4pkG9ENFxVw05i1_eVEyoyshvLsv0LpOfF4J2zyrt0f/s1600-h/OakSteps.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449999015496864210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUbIr4yjvaouXIR3nscPYwExVaKANg5GFgyxmvY4Kmmcy2J61OWScJK7jgLhchH9DPcMETBfKhWHutjCfCKmzKi6xExtMf2Q3k4pkG9ENFxVw05i1_eVEyoyshvLsv0LpOfF4J2zyrt0f/s400/OakSteps.jpg" border="0" /></a>The homeowner has decided to have me add hardwood flooring to the hallway, but before I do that, I need to install the oak treads and risers on the steps.</div><br /><div>There's usually a section at the home stores where they sell all kinds of stair parts like the treads, risers and balusters in basic red oak. That would have worked fine, except that these steps were 51" wide. </div><div> </div><div>To find the wider cut treads and risers I went to <a href="http://www.jeffcoflooring.com/">JeffCo Flooring</a> downtown. It's the super-secret place where the pros shop for hardwood flooring, including stair parts. They had just what I needed.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449999165819004834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rQm_uDR6Lty2eA7-ljpT6_dnR2CChwIB8cNHXlAA0-bKhkIqD17DuZziSgOpTIydgABV4Hghm-6kgX15FQzKOCdhK0BZsnObHX8oB0kC9eI3Rm7Kup50db5GrjhxoD9FOXbml_Z_IVMO/s400/OakStepsinstallcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>I started with the bottom riser and worked my way up. These steps will not have any trim on the sides to cover any gaps so I had to be exact with my measurements. I usually cut the pieces a little long and trimmed it to make sure it fit well. I put it all together without any fasteners and then took all the pieces outside for a good sanding.</div><br /><div>Some people finish the wood before installation, but I like to install them before I finish. After a healthy dose of liquid nails, the treads were nailed in place with the risers. The top step gets a piece called stair nosing that is rounded on the front, but the back has a groove where the end-tongue from the flooring will fit. The stair nosing is sold by the foot, so you can just buy as much as you need.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo3hnYuM3UthQfrBEfeVMh9KvH4xvKZnhyphenhyphenjO-IkLiGpib0EHm1xe1PUCQKcQfyNp8K5ZJFqEtLgpo5h_XrxXazTySk2JRNHTuDQkLh6F8RDfJGGBu9kdCZf8oCASuoMFkJLo6xe7_RRH2/s1600-h/OakStepsstaining.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449999261281830034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzo3hnYuM3UthQfrBEfeVMh9KvH4xvKZnhyphenhyphenjO-IkLiGpib0EHm1xe1PUCQKcQfyNp8K5ZJFqEtLgpo5h_XrxXazTySk2JRNHTuDQkLh6F8RDfJGGBu9kdCZf8oCASuoMFkJLo6xe7_RRH2/s400/OakStepsstaining.jpg" border="0" /></a>I put a little painters tape on the wall to keep from making much of a mess and then applied the stain. These steps were stained with a Minwax color called "Natural". It's nearly the same as just using a clear coat, but I thought it was a slightly better match to the pre-finished red oak flooring that the homeowner wanted to install in the hall.</div><br /><div>Letting it dry overnight and lightly sanding between coats, the steps will get two more coats of polyurethane after this stain.</div><br /><div>Next comes the hardwood flooring...</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div><br /><div></div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-16293982185446334722010-03-15T05:09:00.001-05:002010-03-15T18:10:38.896-05:00Inglewood Cottage Kitchen- Before and After<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl3eF_w-zt4uRvxVET3AYAZm25PhCC5tUeWyJAFAiy5maKqY2GZ9hJvaq8S_mrkPOLkHxW-GLTjW1C_lI4CHWs4SnHFLaPg4Bm8a_5B5v2Rf0aGT904L71eo_oDC7ApBa0mIKcczOWsTR/s1600-h/InglewoodCottageKitchenAfterZach1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448325418243381554" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl3eF_w-zt4uRvxVET3AYAZm25PhCC5tUeWyJAFAiy5maKqY2GZ9hJvaq8S_mrkPOLkHxW-GLTjW1C_lI4CHWs4SnHFLaPg4Bm8a_5B5v2Rf0aGT904L71eo_oDC7ApBa0mIKcczOWsTR/s400/InglewoodCottageKitchenAfterZach1.jpg" border="0" /></a>The kitchen at my Inglewood Cottage project needed some creativity to get to the shape it's in today- fabulous!!<br /><br /><em>(Professional photos by </em><a href="http://www.zachgoodyear.com/"><em>Zach Goodyear</em></a><em>.)<br /></em><br />Here are some of the challenges that were overcome:<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">1.</span></strong> Open the wall up between the kitchen and dining area and make it an arch to match the other doorways in the home (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/drywall-for-arched-doorway.html">this post</a>).<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">2.</span></strong> Make a spot to install a dishwasher next to the sink (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/add-dishwasher-and-save-cabinet.html">this post</a>).<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">3.</span></strong> Add counterspace on the wall next to the range where there previously was none.<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">4.</span></strong> Build a cabinet next to the dishwasher and over the range to hold the new hood (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/build-basic-cabinet.html">this post</a>).<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">5.</span></strong> Level the floor around the back door (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-level-floor-before-you-tile.html">this post</a>).<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">6.</span></strong> Make it all look like it fits with the character of the house.<br /><br />I'd say we accomplished our goals.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448329294212781650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCERGiiDet1IjWltSBHaXxoTb7B4bLmwzlBT-PbN015E4sHD21xDsbBSKserlllzQKTTRx_33_dcbc8rvpJdJ27Vo31PwTKxTKq7R84WDvMKkutcRsjQnhEvFvDPiFfgOBO0j8EyM6r-Dq/s400/InglewoodCottageKitchenBeforeAfter.jpg" border="0" /><br />The old kitchen had some good parts, namely, the cabinets. They were build to last and there was no reason to replace them. Instead, everything else is new- floors, counters, backsplash- but the cabinets just got some fresh paint and new hardware. Actually the cabinets are probably better built than many of the budget cabinets available today.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDVYPe-q5ym6bpa_sQD8kVa-teA-a1NQQ_m-G_YUBbLDc9W4vbgN_6ieKycD-5PjFm32ePC7nTRobAFRVyHQU_TvEK547-8G4_UX3e8iXWlYDyZKtBGBdjSAxxHIfQMgTGm3J0P1M_97b/s1600-h/TileforKitchensubwayfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448326246125278226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDVYPe-q5ym6bpa_sQD8kVa-teA-a1NQQ_m-G_YUBbLDc9W4vbgN_6ieKycD-5PjFm32ePC7nTRobAFRVyHQU_TvEK547-8G4_UX3e8iXWlYDyZKtBGBdjSAxxHIfQMgTGm3J0P1M_97b/s400/TileforKitchensubwayfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>The subway tile backsplash is one of my favorite parts of the renovation, as well as the cabinets I got to build for above the range and next to the dishwasher. Nothing fancy, but it was fun to build a new cabinet and try to make it match the old so well that you wouldn't think it was new.<br /><br />In addition to the cosmetic changes, the kitchen also got all new wiring and plumbing. It's ready for business!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPhNO91m4R9AsusSwQxnxMia5wgKomLVgio4mQKHcVAHh9PnxfAi01yLGUAKnXH9DLmSDzTbY-FMgp6n_j-iwzkm8U4DsBYIitX-ltTlMrrpdSZNbpK70-s0SchhQvYRhdVnIgIcJ5nC-/s1600-h/InglewoodCottageKitchenAfterZach3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448325630250834114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 160px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPhNO91m4R9AsusSwQxnxMia5wgKomLVgio4mQKHcVAHh9PnxfAi01yLGUAKnXH9DLmSDzTbY-FMgp6n_j-iwzkm8U4DsBYIitX-ltTlMrrpdSZNbpK70-s0SchhQvYRhdVnIgIcJ5nC-/s400/InglewoodCottageKitchenAfterZach3.jpg" border="0" /></a>By the way, when we got finished the homeowners listed the home for sale on a Friday and had it under contract before the open house on Sunday! Wow! I new it would get some attention, but that's an amazing story, especially in our current real estate market.<br /><br /><br />Check out all the articles related to this project at <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Inglewood%20Cottage%20Project">this link</a>.<br /><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-50469596082630693172010-03-14T08:34:00.000-05:002010-03-14T08:34:00.442-05:00Inglewood Cottage Bathroom- Before and After<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60ogveYNFWRxfn0cDbSvChvxjEw2Er-yXR5t-ETbcqRq7T_ZzC-l04be87k19p7Uu3t0pJkBAfaqhzFq_5_iiS2rd74kF1lmRKks5troctyUHekR5cRaugh6Kt4zymdd_DXLZpT0lI48t/s1600-h/InglewoodCottageBathafterZach.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448318151568077778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60ogveYNFWRxfn0cDbSvChvxjEw2Er-yXR5t-ETbcqRq7T_ZzC-l04be87k19p7Uu3t0pJkBAfaqhzFq_5_iiS2rd74kF1lmRKks5troctyUHekR5cRaugh6Kt4zymdd_DXLZpT0lI48t/s400/InglewoodCottageBathafterZach.jpg" border="0" /></a>The project that I'm calling my "Inglewood Cottage" project has wrapped up and I wanted to feature a few before and after photos. Most of my work on this project was focused on two different rooms, the kitchen and bathroom. Let's look at the bathroom transformation first. <div><div><br /></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Professional photography (right) by </span></em><a href="http://www.zachgoodyear.com/"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Zach Goodyear</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span></em><p>This bathroom was nearly completely redone, however, most of the walls did not need to be gutted. However, I needed to remove quite a bit of the walls just to get that old cast iron tub out of there! The new surround was custom fit to go around the existing window that will let in natural light even though it will need to be covered with a curtain when showering. <p>When I started, there wasn't much appealing about this room. It did have a huge cabinet behind the door which we left alone and painted. Otherwise, all the fixtures had to go as well as the deteriorating vinyl flooring.<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-yHEvcHCbShQ-q00nZDaIRExvGqETg8bOjxJpHflto0vMulbZq8K5BTOaqOHslH_aq1e4MxxZgua5zkscUVq0-wQyxeQr21HQ0xyk9PlXMCuomy0VJwciiwzHovzRgiaSOKqNfnKCEH2/s1600-h/BathroomBefore.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448318534106965778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-yHEvcHCbShQ-q00nZDaIRExvGqETg8bOjxJpHflto0vMulbZq8K5BTOaqOHslH_aq1e4MxxZgua5zkscUVq0-wQyxeQr21HQ0xyk9PlXMCuomy0VJwciiwzHovzRgiaSOKqNfnKCEH2/s200/BathroomBefore.jpg" border="0" /></a>By the time I was finished, the bathroom had a lot of my favorite details- wainscoting, pedestal sink and small floor tiles. The black and white tiles turned out great and really fit the period feel of this room. In a room with so much white trim, the black tiles add some interest and are a highlight of the bathroom.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448318322171451906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKFt7LtNYyptaGCAaS0_rMcAY7s41ZvafKEYeRgqLdTf1Dvxx_hKRiVBWfDqSr4LVwlKpGaGiIDjp3lSl3VZxqHdClvwj-sETT9WqNUmmfAWGrec3RmGuv-piPCo0c7y5sV5KnSkN-ryS/s400/InglewoodCottageBathaftercombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>This bathroom is quite different than when I started and that's a very good thing! I really enjoyed being part of the changes in this small, but popular room of the house.. :)</div><br /><div>See all the related posts to this project at <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Inglewood%20Cottage%20Project">this link</a>.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div></div><div> </div><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a><br /><br /><div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-62562088536108415362010-03-13T09:17:00.005-06:002010-03-13T09:47:27.955-06:00Tile for the Inglewood Kitchen<div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj9QaXWVLtX1bma1N4wCCFNwV4VKQIIzdET8ds732FviYMXANIxN28mKayJXSfjc1xWzwF2bAQ9B4iqIJzn81-pW55R8n_ow2hv9wMGuLpbxIX94vhlP68OUCFwg8RvHSMK3wMt4U2AV8/s1600-h/TileforKitchensubwayfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448143077452387714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj9QaXWVLtX1bma1N4wCCFNwV4VKQIIzdET8ds732FviYMXANIxN28mKayJXSfjc1xWzwF2bAQ9B4iqIJzn81-pW55R8n_ow2hv9wMGuLpbxIX94vhlP68OUCFwg8RvHSMK3wMt4U2AV8/s400/TileforKitchensubwayfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's been a while since I wrote about the <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Inglewood%20Cottage%20Project">Inglewood Cottage project</a>. I finished my part to let the homeowners get everything painted before they put it on the market. I wanted to wait until after they were finished to get some final pictures.<br /><br />Somehow, this home from the 1940's has retained much of it's character by still having the original hardwood floors and even the unpainted trim and doors. (A rare thing in this part of Inglewood). To continue the character into the remodeled kitchen, the homeowners wanted me to install a white subway tile backsplash and a ceramic tile floor.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448143322074388210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfBVLVSzP87nScgffMmeFJtKME2WPDaWZQZ7M5aaWakBiYWJDW2YgROpsJoaeZyv78OaRJaiiMciweQ2B5bGuVlKAwhHRwFpDs3sQVerHVPuujBd8ZtYT28FkCFMBtf7yXbGD5_8gP4MM/s400/InglewoodCottagekitwallbeforeafter.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>When I got to it, there was an old backsplash made up of 4" off-white tile with a laminate counter that had actually been installed right over the top of the original countertop! I took it all apart and installed the new high-grade laminate counter (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/tips-for-cutting-and-installing.html">this post</a>) over the new dishwasher and custom cabinet that I built to fill it out. (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/build-basic-cabinet.html">this post</a>)</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrNj3SrWDXp9GmmDz24UkKiAj1qFsZ0ffn72-C8ey_4JrMShTGzyR5zWkBfTS0BkOyAPmwFMFi4-RZzttRHfDMRCEeXTdGeFsbf1yt1awR5uWYAxyKhtWdPP72Ntf-vdqxX4LXeXCwmKc/s1600-h/TileforKitchenfloorfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448143485575605250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrNj3SrWDXp9GmmDz24UkKiAj1qFsZ0ffn72-C8ey_4JrMShTGzyR5zWkBfTS0BkOyAPmwFMFi4-RZzttRHfDMRCEeXTdGeFsbf1yt1awR5uWYAxyKhtWdPP72Ntf-vdqxX4LXeXCwmKc/s400/TileforKitchenfloorfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>The new flooring tiles are 12" glazed porcelain, but they have the look of marble. I think it's a nice look for this older home. Part of the floor had to be leveled before tiling (see <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-level-floor-before-you-tile.html">this post</a>) and that turned out great.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-77445620655674134392010-03-12T05:10:00.000-06:002010-03-11T07:08:44.339-06:00Open Up My Kitchen Wall- Before and AfterWhen I started, the kitchen and dining room were t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vrjbTKz9kpSYMcXS2O8ijQfCWVLVacLOXYsXXZfqv5kYXz3fxS0Cq_VEp_T5bO0sfX8nmb8DrrL6CbY8qt4rRWNtCsRaRSLVqQM6XgdFewlvtaVDo_M4wwrhvlb0Nz_HzfkU40pVqdPH/s1600-h/OpenWallWallCounter.jpg"></a>wo separate entities, now they are combined into one open space joined by the fantastic maple countertop that rests on the new half-wall in the middle.<br /><div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447360576080433602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi73E1dauJcjT3uxPQQbF1VxAbgCx62gJB4AggbYCEXfcaR_MBjjHdPFnDtq6hVXTPrBdAOI8dj9rcyjVm7KqPDALb9S7lBubGMwIkk2ouqYUIQ_OS1lzH20ktt4rlL5nhAI14X2A81YgVh/s400/OpenWallWallAfter.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjTxKBMuKdLeo-y4s00bNF_23eETP8nypK7YvFl-2fcaP7gpPOyaKtJlsD8O3EBAYi5pKfusATHba8WHbgzKbWEL-_zj5SjwviEqbZx9oDUNjNU9XoNod54xQ3-qL5Ge7JCViiVzaY4_s/s1600-h/OpenWallWallCounter.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447361305757486178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjTxKBMuKdLeo-y4s00bNF_23eETP8nypK7YvFl-2fcaP7gpPOyaKtJlsD8O3EBAYi5pKfusATHba8WHbgzKbWEL-_zj5SjwviEqbZx9oDUNjNU9XoNod54xQ3-qL5Ge7JCViiVzaY4_s/s200/OpenWallWallCounter.jpg" border="0" /></a>I say it all the time, but I enjoy projects like this that really transform a home and add to my client's lifestyle. <p>See all the articles related to this project <a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Widening%20a%20Doorway">here.</a></div><br /><div>Now, on to the next project!</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-37288212226196938232010-03-11T05:59:00.005-06:002010-03-11T06:46:32.331-06:00Add a Decorative Newel Post<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1i39HyMUGvSgHOfErZjqX0aYGEwSN45mOEG5bPkO9VAs5TM38jTg4ei4hqnJD7_zd_ppNoqGCSm3X7tGFprC84x6E8L4iHywcB-yWg-8FBvfBEXCYTk9hjcJMWJlYQ5SNOSo_Ik8WWsz/s1600-h/AddaPostfinal.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447355503782285506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 383px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1i39HyMUGvSgHOfErZjqX0aYGEwSN45mOEG5bPkO9VAs5TM38jTg4ei4hqnJD7_zd_ppNoqGCSm3X7tGFprC84x6E8L4iHywcB-yWg-8FBvfBEXCYTk9hjcJMWJlYQ5SNOSo_Ik8WWsz/s400/AddaPostfinal.jpg" border="0" /></a>After the maple countertop was installed (<a href="http://carpentryguy.blogspot.com/2010/03/install-maple-countertop.html">this post</a>), it was time to finish up by adding the trim. For the most part, I was able to reuse the casings and jambs from the old doorway that was here except for across the top of the new opening. In addition to the casings, the homeowners wanted me to add a decorative post at the end.<br /><div><div><br /><div>For the post, I used a poplar newel post that is normally used as part of a stairway handrail. Ahead of installation I cut off the ball on top and then primed and painted it. </div><br /><div>I hated to write on or put screws into the beautiful countertop, but alas, it had to be done! First, I taped a scrap of building paper to the spot so that I could mark my guidelines and make sure that I didn't make any unnecessary pencil marks on the counter. I left this here through the installation and just tore off the paper after the post was in place.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447355658997360802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlbDuJGNbUQYx5ls7OiNCjLXDFgG4dbJLh9cvwe6_D0Rnu0nxKoBw-ASAN6Dj3zhXUY0Tp0FVMXx5JJ0fFAYwUIR1_nAyRhuOVc5B1GMqKfaNz0JCuTE64maqO5XmilJ8NqXb2by8XQcJ/s400/AddaPostcombo.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>I bought a 'newel post bracket kit' to install the post. The kit includes four brackets to attach the post and then some decorative trim that is pre-cut and meant to cover the brackets. (I painted these ahead of time as well.)</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYAxTcA1UIDYTtcUqIW1x89Ek18AvNlUvYFuWwqpWXrsPkf_vveHiJE9migrblNMaiJEJdUJcxnL8ZlLKJgTwav3v86JHxuvGvKkI-102iYRaONI0C4WAv37a3omcXcLd2_liIVan5bnl/s1600-h/AddaPosttrim.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447356477217195618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 135px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYAxTcA1UIDYTtcUqIW1x89Ek18AvNlUvYFuWwqpWXrsPkf_vveHiJE9migrblNMaiJEJdUJcxnL8ZlLKJgTwav3v86JHxuvGvKkI-102iYRaONI0C4WAv37a3omcXcLd2_liIVan5bnl/s200/AddaPosttrim.jpg" border="0" /></a>I cut the post around 1/8" short and then used shims underneath to press it snugly up against the top jamb. The gap on the bottom will be covered by the brackets and this prevents it from being so tightly fitting that I risk any scratches to that countertop. (Yes, I'm being very protective of that counter, they aren't cheap to replace!! :)</div><br /><div>I fastened the top of the post with some finish nails and then covered the holes with putty and paint. </div><br /><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a> </div></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3379873126176095920.post-89030688181313129832010-03-09T06:58:00.001-06:002010-03-11T06:49:18.966-06:00Install the Maple CountertopIn deciding to open up the wall between the kitchen and dining room, you'll have another decision to make: What to do with the wall? You could remove the wall completely, make a serving 'window', or make a half wall with a countertop.<br /><br /><div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7H3F89SiD_1mgRqQ6h6G0LZomgF5gclWksoynwGgI0vIBpNnRriNj1o_W3ACOlxLG3-lXtBtsPhFSUepNxId-w3yA3gZOSLFqN19w0BP5KNr2G8k8RoafhAKLM3h3DZqME7fhE948dZI/s1600-h/MapleCountertopBarberWoodworking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446250802075285778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7H3F89SiD_1mgRqQ6h6G0LZomgF5gclWksoynwGgI0vIBpNnRriNj1o_W3ACOlxLG3-lXtBtsPhFSUepNxId-w3yA3gZOSLFqN19w0BP5KNr2G8k8RoafhAKLM3h3DZqME7fhE948dZI/s400/MapleCountertopBarberWoodworking.jpg" border="0" /></a>If you want to install a countertop, the next question becomes, "What kind?".<br /><br /><div>There are a multitude of options for countertops these days and for an application such as this where it is away from the water and food prep areas you can be even more flexible.</div><br /><div>Some people might want to match their existing kitchen counters which are solid surface in this case. However, in my last three projects like this, the homeowners decided to instead have a custom-made wood countertop made just for their kitchen.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9eWNLXud32heYToOaQIKX890LCsUzuWAF94kvimpwZJGHTVHRs3TRAZBW0CdtYZNXho7jxbx1h5y9b_HGX7iLycYrk2kgDEi4VfNqNu_tQmEfiOBuHGGOOJKVPUbkHJrgxGxPkC6iGJL/s1600-h/MapleCountertopBarberWoodworkingInstall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446250923077730738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9eWNLXud32heYToOaQIKX890LCsUzuWAF94kvimpwZJGHTVHRs3TRAZBW0CdtYZNXho7jxbx1h5y9b_HGX7iLycYrk2kgDEi4VfNqNu_tQmEfiOBuHGGOOJKVPUbkHJrgxGxPkC6iGJL/s200/MapleCountertopBarberWoodworkingInstall.jpg" border="0" /></a>I get my friend Chris Barber at Barber Woodworking to craft these fine counters for me. He is an artisan to be sure with most of his projects involving custom cabinetry of some kind. If you'd like to see more of his woodworking art check out his website at <a href="http://www.barberwoodworking.com/">www.BarberWoodworking.com</a>.</div><br /><div>At this current project, the homeowners wanted to coordinate the counter with their maple kitchen cabinets and a maple table in their dining room. Chris once again did a fabulous job and the homeowners were quite pleased with the result.</div><br /><div>Now, it's time to finish things out with some trim and paint.</div><br /><div>-Peter</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.carpentryguy.com/">www.CarpentryGuy.com</a></div></div>Peter Baleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15394045158937328002noreply@blogger.com0