Friday, April 9, 2010

Porcelain tile

I've been working 3 days now on the new floor. Put down 3/4" cement board. I've done 2 baths and 1 kitchen, but this is the first time I put mastic on the backside of the cement board. I don't know if this will make a difference. It was recommended by a contractor (although, I think I should have used masonry mix). The cement board is heavy! Took 2 days to get it down. I have 2 entry ways into the kitchen, so the tile had to be laid so both entryways had a full tile going in. Using 18 X 18 porcelian tile. Cut and laid the first 2 rows to run up to the entryways. The next day laid all the full pieces. Will let those dry over night and then go back and mark and cut the edge pieces. This takes an extra day, but I find that it makes life easier and it is less hectic and stressful. Concerned about the 18" tile that ends up on the seams of the 3' X 5' cement boards. I hope the grout will not crack...

Monday, April 5, 2010

Dust storm

Kids are off to grandparents, so it is time to take down the lathe and plaster! What a dusty mess! Found a couple pieces of drywall under all that wall paper. Have lots of re-wiring to do. Opened up the entryway from the living room to the kitchen. Dumped everything at Boyas. What a scary place! We drove around mounds of concrete. Earth movers everywhere. Picked up all the supplies for the floor, so installation will start tomorrow! Hope I can move tomorrow!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Sticky Parquet floor

Day 2 - My daughters and I spent the good part of the morning chiseling up the parquet squares on the kitchen floor. They were glued down to plywood. It was difficult finding the screws to loosen up the plywood. By late afternoon, my husband came home and brought in the pry bar and "the big guns." He was able to ram the bar under the plywood and break it up. I set the circular saw at sub floor depth and made cris-cross cuts to help with the removal. The chiseling individual pieces was a waste of time...live and learn! There is a black paper that is covering the original tongue and groove wood floor. Not sure if we need to peel that up.

Today the anxiety was gone. I had a panic attack yesterday. I've had these before when starting a big project. I feel so overwhelmed, but getting past an obstacle helps with the confidence levels!

Friday, April 2, 2010

Slow beginning

Today was the first day of the kitchen tear-out. Hubby was working, so I went to work on taking down the molding and the paneling (yep! paneling in the kitchen!). I also uncovered the old entryway from the living room to the kitchen. My 7 year old daughter helped me out. She was fully equipt with swimming googles and rain boots. She has watched a couple Kitchen Renovation shows with me and she hopes not to see any carpenter ants! She found a total of 26 cents instead. I was dismayed to find that the wood floor squares are all glued down. I don't know how I am going to get them all up and find the screws to pull off the plywood underneath!

Kraftmaid Outlet, Warren, OH

I have read a lot about the Kraftmaid Outlet in Warren, OH on the internet. My husband and I have gone the last 2 times they have been open. The first time we went, it was a bust. We had to wait until the first 300 people were called before we could go in. Our kitchen cabinets have to go in an L-shape area, so finding what we needed was difficult. There was few items to choose from in the color we were hoping for. The second time we went, I told myself I was not leaving without buying something! We got lucky and we were able to go in with the first 150 called. We found a tall wall cabinet for our bedroom (I don't have a linen closet) that looks beautiful! We also got a kick plate and a couple shelf supports (I'll find somewhere to use them!). Still only one possible cabinet for the kitchen that we left there. I ended up ordering Kraftmaid cabinets from Modern Builder's Supply. They were WAY more knowledgeable about the cabinets than the box stores. If you need custom cabinets, you will need to order them. It was a fun experience. We plan to go back to get the crown molding for the kitchen and a fill piece. I will also look for the hardware for the doors.

Kitchen Renovations start in Cleveland, OH!

First day of kitchen renovation! I have been preparing for this day for months! First started watching Kitchen Renovations with Paul Ryan on DIY Network. Have learned a lot of good tips and hope to remember and use them! However, as a seasoned DIYer, I have noticed that they "skip" and leave out certain aspects of home renovation in the show...

First of all, you are emptying a kitchen...where do you put all the stuff???? I had to start months ago cleaning out my basement to make room for kitchen items and to set up a mini kitchen area! Paul Ryan cannot just walk in that day and move a few items and then get ready to go to work!

UGH! The time running back and forth to box stores, tile distributors, supply stores, and even the Kraftmaid Outlet in Warren, OH! There are a ton of decisions to make in a kitchen! I guess a kitchen designer would come in handy, but would he/she order the materials and how much more would that cost???

I have worked with a couple contractors and they all swear. They don't laugh off a goof or mix up. My husband is a landscape contractor and he swears all the time! And all contractors work like they are in a race. Time is money. I love Paul Ryan's easy going demeanor. So, how many contractors are working off camera per show? and swearing under their breath?