bathroom home improvement
I haven't told a home improvement story for a while, so here goes... It starts with our house inspection - 2 1/2 years ago. During the tour, the inspector showed us a soft spot in the guestroom bath floor and said, "I wouldn't stand there, your foot will go right through." We pointed it out and got a $100 credit. We moved in and found, sure enough - the floor was damaged, likely due to some sort of leak. It was ok though as the room is really ugly - REALLY UGLY - olive green fixtures with nasty olive & red flowered wallpaper. Vintage early 70s. I turned off all the water in the room - we'd deal with it when we needed to. Fast forward 2 years. We have NEVER used this bathroom.
Several months ago I was between projects in the house and I was bored. I wanted something substantial to do, but the CFO wouldn't release the funds for any significant projects. As I recall, she wanted to paint or some such nonsense. I wanted to DO something. I've mentioned, we never use the room... I realized that breaking stuff is free... I did the demolition of the bathroom. Removed the sink, toilet, floor tiling, tub tiling (down to (and including) the wallboards). Everything but the tub. The bathroom is small - exactly 5' wide - precisely the width of our tub - and it was wedged in there pretty well. Cast iron tubs weigh about 250#. I understand that when they build houses they bring the tubs in before the drywall, doors, etc. Once they're in, there is no way to get them out... Anecdotal conversations with friends indicate that mine is a common problem. The most common resolution involves a sledgehammer. My need for accomplishment satisfied...
I'm not against using brute force to solve a difficult problem. Some might think that this would be my preferred type of resolution. Not true. I really wanted to get the thing out in one piece.
Six months pass.
Well my ardor for the bathroom has cooled. My new object of desire is the basement. I really want to put up some walls and finish it. A couple, three rooms, carpeting, etc. Most importantly a really big play area (ok, most importantly, a little play room for Rob's toys, but we've got to convince the CFO). Funding has suddenly become available from an unexpected bonus at work. We're on.
"Not so fast." cautions Tracey. "Shouldn't we be finishing the bathroom first?"
Doh! OK, get me that sledgehammer.
Eye protection, ear protection. Let's give this thing a good hard whack and be done with it. I had expected a very brittle tub. One good hard whack and it cracks in two. Not so much the case. Brittle yes, but it's 1/4'' - 1/2'' cast iron. Thirty minutes of whacking at the thing breaking pieces off bit by bit. Shattering porcelain chips flying everywhere (I highly recommend both types of protection - I got a couple cuts from flying glass things). Finally, I bludgeoned it to death - split it in two. Dragged the thing out and cleaned up.
With the tub gone, I can see the floor. The problem (hole & rotten wood) is limited to that one spot between joists - good news. I now need to learn how to cut the old floor to remove the bad, and then cut a piece to match. This project will also be the one that we learn how to do tile work. I'll get to that basement play room (aka Rob's computer room) by the winter.
Also today, Tracey and I made our first attempt at a faux finishing painting technique. Simple:
1. Pick two colors 3 steps away from one another on a paint strip
2. Poor the paints into a two reservoir paint tray
3. Dip a double headed roller (http://www.woolie.com/Products/woolie2roller-big.jpg) into the paint tray
4. Roll. Don't reroll too many times.
We're pretty happy with the results.
Ah, this is what labor day is all about.
Several months ago I was between projects in the house and I was bored. I wanted something substantial to do, but the CFO wouldn't release the funds for any significant projects. As I recall, she wanted to paint or some such nonsense. I wanted to DO something. I've mentioned, we never use the room... I realized that breaking stuff is free... I did the demolition of the bathroom. Removed the sink, toilet, floor tiling, tub tiling (down to (and including) the wallboards). Everything but the tub. The bathroom is small - exactly 5' wide - precisely the width of our tub - and it was wedged in there pretty well. Cast iron tubs weigh about 250#. I understand that when they build houses they bring the tubs in before the drywall, doors, etc. Once they're in, there is no way to get them out... Anecdotal conversations with friends indicate that mine is a common problem. The most common resolution involves a sledgehammer. My need for accomplishment satisfied...
I'm not against using brute force to solve a difficult problem. Some might think that this would be my preferred type of resolution. Not true. I really wanted to get the thing out in one piece.
Six months pass.
Well my ardor for the bathroom has cooled. My new object of desire is the basement. I really want to put up some walls and finish it. A couple, three rooms, carpeting, etc. Most importantly a really big play area (ok, most importantly, a little play room for Rob's toys, but we've got to convince the CFO). Funding has suddenly become available from an unexpected bonus at work. We're on.
"Not so fast." cautions Tracey. "Shouldn't we be finishing the bathroom first?"
Doh! OK, get me that sledgehammer.
Eye protection, ear protection. Let's give this thing a good hard whack and be done with it. I had expected a very brittle tub. One good hard whack and it cracks in two. Not so much the case. Brittle yes, but it's 1/4'' - 1/2'' cast iron. Thirty minutes of whacking at the thing breaking pieces off bit by bit. Shattering porcelain chips flying everywhere (I highly recommend both types of protection - I got a couple cuts from flying glass things). Finally, I bludgeoned it to death - split it in two. Dragged the thing out and cleaned up.
With the tub gone, I can see the floor. The problem (hole & rotten wood) is limited to that one spot between joists - good news. I now need to learn how to cut the old floor to remove the bad, and then cut a piece to match. This project will also be the one that we learn how to do tile work. I'll get to that basement play room (aka Rob's computer room) by the winter.
Also today, Tracey and I made our first attempt at a faux finishing painting technique. Simple:
1. Pick two colors 3 steps away from one another on a paint strip
2. Poor the paints into a two reservoir paint tray
3. Dip a double headed roller (http://www.woolie.com/Products/woolie2roller-big.jpg) into the paint tray
4. Roll. Don't reroll too many times.
We're pretty happy with the results.
Ah, this is what labor day is all about.
Comments