Mr. Tile Man

Blog posts back-to-back days.  Lucky you!  Here are the finished pictures from the new tile in the master bathroom and kitchen backsplash.  I think it turned out pretty good but judge for yourself.

New green mosaic tile backsplash.

Another view of the backsplash.  Faucet going in tomorrow.

3rd view of the backsplash.

Tile floor in the master bathroom.  New toilet will be installed to the left.

2nd view of new bathroom tile.

3rd view of tile.  It matches the tile in the shower perfectly!

The End is Near!

No, I am not pretending to be Harold Camping with another failed Doomsday Prophecy.  I am talking about the near completion of the renovations at Chamberlain.  


With the exterior curb appeal finished and the near completion of the kitchen renovation, I can begin to breathe a sigh of relief.  This has certainly been much more of an undertaking that I imagined.  My biggest takeaway from this project is that I cannot do it all.  If I try, it will not get done on time, I would never see my wife and I would have to resign from my job.  I had to pick and choose my battles with the overhaul and left a lot of the heavy lifting to the professionals.  I met some really good sub-contractors and some not so good.  However, I learned a lot and I realized I couldn't have done all this without the help of my wife.  Thank you Amanda!


Here are some of the latest photos from my work.

Bright red front door, newly painted trim and fresh mulch.

If you ever wondered what 10 cubic yards of mulch looked like.  Thanks to Steve Brown for the landscaping help.  I bought it from Birch Tree Bark & Stone.  Decent prices and they have coupons.  Plus the salesman wore a MSU hat!

Countertops, appliances and cabinets installed.  All I need is the backsplash.
Previously the refrigerator was on this side next to the range and there was no microwave.

New home for the refrigerator, now across from the range.

New solid surface countertops.  The sink is seamless and was integrated into the countertop when it was manufactured.  Next step is to install the faucet and backsplash.

North view of the kitchen.  Floor trim installation is also on the to-do list.

South view.

Stairs going into the basement.  I updated them with vinyl tiles and added new nose-trimmings.
It looks much more modern than the 1970's linoleum pattern that was there previously.

Big project that went very smoothly with the help of Ron Slocum.
We replaced one of the main water valves.  Make sure you have the right tools for the job!

No turning back at this point.

New valve prior tightening.  I think we even impressed ourselves with how nice it looked and turned out.  Thanks Ron!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like a Kitchen...Well at Least Somewhat.

After completely gutting the kitchen to the subfloor and bare walls, the remodeling work has finally started.  The Thomasville custom kitchen cabinets arrived last Monday that I ordered from Home Depot.  They were installed the next day minus some of the doors that still need to be reattached.

The following day the Staron solid surface countertops were measured in order to build the template.  They will be installed in 16 days - fingers crossed.

The kitchen floor was mortared and tiled also last week along with the slate floor in the the 3 season room.  It was grouted the next day.

Up Next: Paint the kitchen and install the new appliances.

New tile install at the side entrance.  Kudos to Ron Slocum for the diamond layout idea.
Follow him on Twitter @slocumro

New tile floor in the kitchen.
It turned out very well.

Upper kitchen cabinets.

Future home of the dishwasher.

Insert microwave here.

Base cabinets will hug either side of the new range.

The under-mount sink will be installed here. 

The cubby for the new refrigerator!

New slate tile in the three season room.

Another view of the slate.

The finished product turned out great.

Working for the Weekend!

"Working for the Weekend" is a song released in 1981 on the rock band Loverboy's second album Get Lucky. 

Are you cursing my name because this song is now stuck in your head?  Hopefully not and if you haven't already closed this page, check out some of the updates from Friday and Saturday.  The remodel is still on schedule as I prepare for the cabinets to be delivered on Wednesday and installed this upcoming Saturday.  Busy and productive times!

The Hardie Backer board is installed and the joints are taped and mortared.
The floor is now ready for the base cabinets and tile.

Wall and ceiling have been repaired and are now ready for paint and new upper cabinets.
Also, there is now an outlet for the microwave above the range.

Opposite wall also ready for cabinets.
We had to move the outlet 6 inches because we are relocating the refrigerator.

Another view of the drywall work.

12x12 inch vinyl tile in the mater bath suite.
Boom - outta here!

Porcelain tile install is on my to-do list

Half of the slate tiles to be installed in the 3-season porch.
Since it is a natural stone, you need to seal it before installing it.

This is the product I used to seal the slate.  I bought it from Lowe's and it was pretty easy to use.
Just apply it with a brush.  3 coats with 2 hour dry time between them.

New appliances were delivered on Saturday and patiently waiting for the kitchen to be completed.

New fridge!

New sliding door to be installed this week.

We planted 4 pine trees on Earth Day in the backyard.  This one looks like twig but it was a legitimate sapling.

I replaced a broken and dirty window pane in the basement.

I really just wanted an excuse to use my crowbar again.

New pane...big fan of Ace Hardware too!

Done!
 I really included this update so my insurance guy would have proof I fixed the pane per his request.  :)

  

Clean Slate

The kitchen is now completely demo'd after the help of my lovely wife, Amanda, and the strategic consulting of Mr. Ron Slocum.  It is now a clean slate!  The next step is to install HardieBacker cement board on top of the sub-floor.  This will provide the appropriate surface to mortar the porcelain tile floor onto.

The floor was surprisingly the most difficult part of the kitchen demo.  I guess 8 layer of adhesive vinyl tile applied over a 70 year period would build up some resistance.  Despite the stubbornness of the floor, it was comical to see various types of flooring that were once in style!

After about an hour of working hard, I decided it was time to start working smart.  I used my circular saw to score the floor into 12x18" sections, after adjusting the blade just under the thickness of the built up tile floor.  Using my trusty crowbars, the newly scored floor began popping up in easily managed sections.  Success!

It looks a cane but it is just my favorite demo too.
The 'ol 36 inch crowbar.

Standing on top of 8 layers of flooring after removing half of it.

Before I decide to score the floor into manageable pieces using the circular saw...
You can see some of the different vinyl tile types.
It was also a huge mess before I started scoring the floor.

One of the many chucks of scored flooring.

8 layers!
It reminded me of counting the rings of a tree to determine the age.

Clean slate! - North view

Clean slate! - South view

I only remembered to take a picture after half of the truck was already unloaded.
The picture doesn't really do it justice, but I still smile when I think of the words of the associate who helped load it..."No speed bumps!" 

Tile, mortar, grout and backer board left a solid 3/4" clearance in the wheel wells!

The next projects!  Tile flooring installed in the kitchen and master bath.  Slate tile in the 3 season porch.

All the pieces are ordered...now I just have to put the puzzle together.

Opposing side rendering of remodeled kitchen.