<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Level Up House</title> <atom:link href="/category/home-improvement/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>Home is the best place on earth</description> <lastBuildDate>Sun, 11 May 2014 19:06:26 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5</generator> <item> <title>DIY Bathroom: Staining a Bathroom Vanity with Gel Stain</title> <link>/2014/diy-bathroom-staining-a-bathroom-vanity-gel-stain/</link> <comments>/2014/diy-bathroom-staining-a-bathroom-vanity-gel-stain/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 12 May 2014 08:00:03 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Painting & Staining]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bathroom vanity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[DIY]]></category> <category><![CDATA[stain bathroom vanity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[staining]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=3066</guid> <description><![CDATA[This post is part of a multi-post series showing off the DIY renovation of our office (“guest”) bathroom. Here’s how I updated a small, dated bathroom vanity for well under a hundred bucks. This is my very first staining project (though I’ve got plenty of experience with painting wood) so I followed the same steps […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3126 aligncenter" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial.jpg" alt="gel_stain_how_to_tutorial" width="500" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gel_stain_how_to_tutorial-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></p> <p><em>This post is part of a multi-post series showing off the DIY renovation of our office (“guest”) bathroom.<br /> </em></p> <p>Here’s how I updated a small, dated bathroom vanity for well under a hundred bucks. This is my very first staining project (though I’ve got plenty of experience with painting wood) so I followed the same steps demonstrated by Jessie over at <a href="http://imperfectlypolished.com/2012/07/10/stained-master-vanity-a-tutorial/">Imperfectly Polished</a>. I think it turned out pretty good.</p> <h1>Our Vanity “Before”</h1> <p>Here’s our office bathroom’s “Before”, looking pretty much like it has since we moved in 3 years ago.</p> <p>Take it all in: the brass faucet has resisted all attempts to fix its leak, the sink lacquer is chipping, the light fixture is straight out of a 1970’s Hollywood dressing room, and the vinyl floor is from a 1980’s hair salon. Like most of our DIY projects here at Level Up House, this bathroom will evolve over time, starting with the very first step: staining the vanity.</p> <div id="attachment_3068" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3068" class="size-full wp-image-3068 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_before" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3068" class="wp-caption-text">This is not our prettiest bathroom.</p></div> <h1>Vanity Staining Supply List</h1> <p>Staining a bathroom vanity comes with a whole slew of stuff to buy. Here’s a list of everything I used:</p> <ul> <li>Minwax Pre-Stain wood conditioner</li> <li>Minwax Gel Stain in “Walnut” – 16oz can</li> <li>Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane</li> <li>Corner sander with 120 grit sanding paper</li> <li>Painter’s tape</li> <li>Cheesecloth (optional)</li> <li>Old socks</li> <li>Safety goggles & dust mask</li> <li>Plastic gloves</li> <li>Mineral spirits for clean up</li> <li>A roll of paper towels</li> <li>Shop vac + brush attachment</li> <li>Screwdriver/drill for removing the cabinet doors and hardware</li> </ul> <p>I was originally going to buy the smaller size can of stain, but went with the 16oz after realizing it was going to take several coats (and indeed, it took 5 complete coats) to get my vanity’s wood as dark as I wanted. The cheesecloth was recommended to me by the “staining professional” at my local hardware store, but I think it was kind of silly. Any old rag made of thin cloth would have worked fine and would have saved me $7.</p> <div style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_supplies_list.jpg"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_supplies_list.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_supplies_list" width="512" height="384" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">My local Home Depot doesn’t carry Minwax or much variety in gel stains. I had to hit up McLendon Hardware instead, where I found Minwax and an overwhelming selection of colors to choose from.</p></div> <h1>Step 1: Take it all apart</h1> <p>Use the screwdriver/drill to remove doors and cabinet hardware. If you can get your faux drawers off, do that, too. (I couldn’t get mine off for the life of me.)</p> <div id="attachment_3073" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before_taken_apart.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3073" class="size-full wp-image-3073 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before_taken_apart.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_before_taken_apart" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before_taken_apart.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_before_taken_apart-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3073" class="wp-caption-text">Countertop cleared – bathroom is ready to begin its transformation into a work zone.</p></div> <p>Any wood trims around the base of the vanity should come off, too. Oh, and label each one with its location.</p> <div id="attachment_3072" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_remove_wood_trims.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3072" class="size-full wp-image-3072 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_remove_wood_trims.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_remove_wood_trims" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_remove_wood_trims.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_remove_wood_trims-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3072" class="wp-caption-text">Labeling your trim pieces is the <em>best</em> thing you can do for yourself. Don’t ask me how I know this.</p></div> <h1>Step 2: Sanding the vanity</h1> <p>Okay, the first <em>real</em> step here is to put on the goggles, dust mask, and ear plugs. Sanding kicks up a ton of dust and it all goes straight into your eyeballs and lungs if you don’t properly gear up first.</p> <div id="attachment_3071" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dust_mask_goggles_staining_a_vanity.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3071" class=" wp-image-3071 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dust_mask_goggles_staining_a_vanity.jpg" alt="dust_mask_goggles_staining_a_vanity" width="288" height="263" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dust_mask_goggles_staining_a_vanity.jpg 480w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/dust_mask_goggles_staining_a_vanity-300x274.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3071" class="wp-caption-text">Lookin’ chic!</p></div> <p>My corner sander is equipped with 100 grit sandpaper. It took about an hour to sand off the thin layer of clear shininess that currently covers the vanity. Fortunately, the existing varnish (or whatever it was) wasn’t too thick and sanded right off. Corner sanders are great for small projects and tight corners, but if I do another wood staining project I’m going to invest in a circular sander to speed up this process.</p> <div id="attachment_3069" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_corner_sander.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3069" class="size-full wp-image-3069 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_corner_sander.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_corner_sander" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_corner_sander.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_corner_sander-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3069" class="wp-caption-text">Corner sander ENGAGE!</p></div> <p> </p> <p>Go ’round in circles and get all that shiny layer off. Be sure to get the corners and edges, too. For that narrow area above the faux drawers I rubbed a small roll of sandpaper left/right. The doors were detached and sanded separately (I sat on the floor and sanded them in my lap).</p> <p> </p> <div id="attachment_3070" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_sanding_corner_sander.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3070" class="size-full wp-image-3070 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_sanding_corner_sander.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_sanding_corner_sander" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_sanding_corner_sander.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_sanding_corner_sander-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3070" class="wp-caption-text">Sanding my vanity’s faux drawers</p></div> <p> </p> <p>When you’re done sanding vacuum the area clean with a shop vac and the brush attachment. Consider wiping everything down with a wet rag, too. Getting all the dust out of the room is just a good practice – you don’t want the debris getting mixed into your stain.</p> <h1>Step 3: Painter’s tape</h1> <p>If your vanity touches walls or floors that you care about, a few strips of painter’s tape will protect those things. Wipe off any remaining sanding dust before sticking tape to the surrounding walls, interior, and floor.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/painters_tape_staining_vanity.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3083 aligncenter" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/painters_tape_staining_vanity.jpg" alt="painters_tape_staining_vanity" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/painters_tape_staining_vanity.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/painters_tape_staining_vanity-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1>Step 4: Prepping with Pre-Conditioner</h1> <p>I didn’t do a side-by-side to test if this “pre-stain wood conditioner” stuff actually makes a difference, but at $7 a can I figured I’d get it since it was recommended by the how-to guides I consulted before starting this project. Using it is straightforward: open the can, dip a paper towel in, and smear it all over the wood you’ll be staining. You’re supposed to apply stain within 2 hours of applying the pre-stain, so don’t do this step and then go to bed or something.</p> <div id="attachment_3074" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pre_stain_wood_conditioner.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3074" class="size-full wp-image-3074 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pre_stain_wood_conditioner.jpg" alt="pre_stain_wood_conditioner" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pre_stain_wood_conditioner.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/pre_stain_wood_conditioner-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3074" class="wp-caption-text">This is the only time where “pre-staining” is a good thing.</p></div> <h1>Step 5: Mixing the Gel Stain</h1> <p>Gel stain is disgustingly thick and gelatinous, but it has to be stirred into a smoother consistency before it can be applied. I poured half the can’s contents into another container to make it easier to stir in both containers. A good old paint stick was plenty strong for cutting and stirring this goopy stuff.</p> <div id="attachment_3075" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_walnut.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3075" class="size-full wp-image-3075 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_walnut.jpg" alt="gel_stain_walnut" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_walnut.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_walnut-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3075" class="wp-caption-text">Gel stain is goopypoopy. Many, <em>many</em> comparisons to other substances were made.</p></div> <h1>Step 6: Actually Staining Things</h1> <p>Are we staining yet? Yes, yes we are. Dip the cheesecloth or rag into the gel stain – get a small amount, no need to go nuts here because most of it’s going to get wiped back off anyway.</p> <div id="attachment_3076" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_on_cheesecloth.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3076" class="size-full wp-image-3076 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_on_cheesecloth.jpg" alt="gel_stain_on_cheesecloth" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_on_cheesecloth.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_on_cheesecloth-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3076" class="wp-caption-text">Oh, and wear gloves. This was taken 30 seconds before my hands became chocolate colored.</p></div> <div id="attachment_3077" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_smeared_on.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3077" class="size-full wp-image-3077 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_smeared_on.jpg" alt="gel_stain_smeared_on" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_smeared_on.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gel_stain_smeared_on-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3077" class="wp-caption-text">Like a big ol’ poopstain. (Seriously, if you don’t make fun of this DIY stuff you’ll never survive it.)</p></div> <p>Go ’round and ’round in circles, then wipe in the direction of the grain.</p> <div id="attachment_3078" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_cabinet_door_technique.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3078" class="wp-image-3078 size-full" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_cabinet_door_technique.jpg" alt="staining a bathroom vanity stain wiping technique" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_cabinet_door_technique.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_cabinet_door_technique-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3078" class="wp-caption-text">Gel stain application technique: put it on heavy, smear it around around in circles and then wipe in the direction of the grain. Don’t let it pool too much in the corners and crevices.</p></div> <div id="attachment_3079" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_one_coat.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3079" class="size-full wp-image-3079 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_one_coat.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_one_coat" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_one_coat.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_one_coat-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3079" class="wp-caption-text">Before and after: bare vanity door on the left, one coat of Minwax gel stain in “Walnut” on the right. They look like chocolate squares. I wish they were chocolate squares.</p></div> <p style="text-align: left;">I went inside and did the same to the vanity:</p> <div id="attachment_3080" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_coat_1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3080" class="size-full wp-image-3080 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_coat_1.jpg" alt="stain_bathroom_vanity_coat_1" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_coat_1.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stain_bathroom_vanity_coat_1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3080" class="wp-caption-text">Wood vanity with one coat of Minwax gel stain in “Walnut”</p></div> <p>And that’s just the first coat. Now it needs 8 hours to dry, so I clean up for the day and take a shower. Most of the clean up is me removing gel stain from my fingers and hands, but that was easy with a little dab of mineral spirits.</p> <div id="attachment_3081" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mineral_spirits_gel_stain_cleanup.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3081" class="size-full wp-image-3081 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mineral_spirits_gel_stain_cleanup.jpg" alt="mineral_spirits_gel_stain_cleanup" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mineral_spirits_gel_stain_cleanup.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/mineral_spirits_gel_stain_cleanup-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3081" class="wp-caption-text">Mineral spirits nuke gel stain right off your flesh and doesn’t leave you dry or itching.</p></div> <p>At this point, it’s apparent that I’m going to need several coats to reach the level of darkness I desire. It’s also apparent that my wood is resisting the stain more than my paint stick, which turned into 98% dark chocolate in just one coating. I’m no wood expert – in fact, this is the first thing I’ve ever stained, so at this point it’s good to keep realistic expectations. I’m okay with wood grain showing, with a bit of unevenness (isn’t “shabby chic” in style anyway? ugh, that phrase…).</p> <h1>Step 5: Stain coat #2</h1> <p>Second stain coat went on just like the first: rub it in, wipe it off. I have to admit to being a little frustrated at this step: the second coat doesn’t look much darker than the first.</p> <div id="attachment_3082" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/one_coat_vs_two_coats_stain.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3082" class="size-full wp-image-3082 " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/one_coat_vs_two_coats_stain.jpg" alt="one_coat_vs_two_coats_stain" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/one_coat_vs_two_coats_stain.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/03/one_coat_vs_two_coats_stain-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3082" class="wp-caption-text">Wtf? Each coat makes a minimal difference, at best.</p></div> <h1>Step 6: Stain coats #3-6</h1> <p>A lot of staining tutorials go something like, <em>“Just two coats and you’re done, easy peasey!”</em></p> <p>Uh, yeah, my experience was more like needing <strong>6 coats total</strong>.</p> <p>I also had to wait 24 hours between coats, or else the previous stain started smearing around and wouldn’t “stick”. This project stretched out, ultimately taking me just over two weeks to complete it. Partly to blame was my own ennui and dwindling enthusiasm for the project as each coat hardly looked different than the previous. (Each coat DID make a difference, it was just a barely perceptible difference).</p> <p>I persevered and this is where it ended up after 6 coats of stain:</p> <div id="attachment_3120" style="width: 507px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/vanity_done_staining.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3120" class="wp-image-3120" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/vanity_done_staining.jpg" alt="vanity_done_staining" width="497" height="373" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/vanity_done_staining.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/vanity_done_staining-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3120" class="wp-caption-text">It’s chocolate. Oh my god.</p></div> <h1>Step 7: Polyurethane: 3 coats</h1> <p>Polyurethane is just a protective clear coat that goes on over your dried stain job. I waited a full week between my last coat of stain and my first coat of polyurethane, and 24 hours between each coat of polyurethane. You can probably wait less time if you’re in a big hurry, but I wasn’t (and my Dad was in town). Compared to all those stain coats, the polyurethane step is easy.</p> <p>Just blot it on, wipe it off. I used an old sock foot as my “paintbrush”, because I hate buying brand new brushes for this kind of stuff. My sock worked fine.</p> <div id="attachment_3121" style="width: 518px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/polyurethane_coats.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3121" class="wp-image-3121" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/polyurethane_coats.jpg" alt="polyurethane_coats" width="508" height="381" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/polyurethane_coats.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/polyurethane_coats-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 508px) 100vw, 508px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3121" class="wp-caption-text">Polyurethane: wipe on, wipe off</p></div> <h1>Step 8: Reattaching Hardware</h1> <p>Be very careful putting your hardware back on!</p> <p>Your stain and polyurethane coats should be really durable, but it’s easy to scratch things when drills and metal hardware are involved.</p> <div id="attachment_3122" style="width: 525px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/reattach_hardware.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3122" class="wp-image-3122" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/reattach_hardware.jpg" alt="reattach_hardware" width="515" height="386" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/reattach_hardware.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/reattach_hardware-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3122" class="wp-caption-text">Reattaching the cabinet hardware is easy as long as you kept track of the pieces (you put them safely in a ziplock bag, I know you did).</p></div> <h1>All Done!</h1> <p>Here it is: the newly stained bathroom vanity.</p> <div id="attachment_3123" style="width: 465px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stained_bathroom_vanity.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3123" class="wp-image-3123" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stained_bathroom_vanity.jpg" alt="stained_bathroom_vanity" width="455" height="607" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stained_bathroom_vanity.jpg 750w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stained_bathroom_vanity-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 455px) 100vw, 455px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3123" class="wp-caption-text">Staining complete!</p></div> <p>It’s just a humble builder cabinet, so it made for a great First Stain Project Ever.</p> <p>Obviously, there are still a lot of things I would like to update in this room. The sink faucet leaks, the sink is rusting, and the countertop is scruffy/stained, and a tiled ceramic floor would add a lot of appeal.</p> <p>But I had to finish the vanity first to be sure it was worth putting a new countertop onto (vs. replacing the vanity as well). In the spirit of not spending a fortune on this bathroom, I think I’ll be keeping the stained vanity and finding a nice granite remnant to replace the old countertop, along with an undermount sink and new faucet.</p> <h1>Helpful Tips</h1> <p><strong>Cheesecloth was not necessary and too messy. </strong>Everyone’s so excited about cheesecloth but I really hated working with it. It was flimsy and I was going through way too much of it. At $6 a bag, I felt pretty silly wasting perfectly clean and brand new cloth when I had a bin of torn socks upstairs. I switched to paper towels (for staining) and socks (for polyurethane and the last coat of stain) and everything went fine.</p> <p><strong>Carry everything in a box. </strong>Since my bathroom is pretty small, I basically had two workstations: the garage floor (for the vanity doors) and the bathroom itself (the rest of the vanity). Carrying all my supplies in a cardboard box made it easier to move from one workstation to another.</p> <div id="attachment_3119" style="width: 566px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/how_to_stain_a_vanity_supplies.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3119" class="wp-image-3119" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/how_to_stain_a_vanity_supplies.jpg" alt="how_to_stain_a_vanity_supplies" width="556" height="417" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/how_to_stain_a_vanity_supplies.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/how_to_stain_a_vanity_supplies-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3119" class="wp-caption-text">Staining is messy. A box can help.</p></div> <p><strong>Wear a mitt. </strong>Staining is brutally messy and gets into your skin very quickly. I never liked wearing gloves on previous projects, but they were an absolute necessity for this staining project.</p> <div id="attachment_3124" style="width: 567px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/plastic_mitts.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3124" class="wp-image-3124" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/plastic_mitts.jpg" alt="plastic_mitts" width="557" height="418" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/plastic_mitts.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/03/plastic_mitts-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 557px) 100vw, 557px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3124" class="wp-caption-text">Cheap plastic mitts from the dollar store for the win.</p></div> <p><strong>Mineral spirits are essential.</strong> If you don’t know about awesome mineral spirits are, I’m here to tell you: they are awesome. Wiping my fingers and tools down with mineral spirits made cleanup extremely easy and fast. Stain does not come off with soap and water!</p> <p>Okay, that’s it for this staining project! I can’t say I’m eager to rush into another one quite yet, even though there are a half dozen things in my home I’d love to freshen up or change the color of… :)</p> <p>If you found this tutorial helpful, feel free to share your projects or thoughts in the comments! I always love hearing from other DIYers. :)</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2014/diy-bathroom-staining-a-bathroom-vanity-gel-stain/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Get Fit at Home with a DIY Garage Gym</title> <link>/2014/setting-up-a-home-gym-in-the-garage/</link> <comments>/2014/setting-up-a-home-gym-in-the-garage/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 11 Jan 2014 14:00:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Garage]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2675</guid> <description><![CDATA[As we start a new year and everyone resolves to get fit, gyms are on everyone’s mind these days. If you’ve got a bit of space in your garage, here’s what you could do with it! Lifting is one of our favorite hobbies (both of us!), and we’ve always wanted to set up our own […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As we start a new year and everyone resolves to get fit, gyms are on everyone’s mind these days. If you’ve got a bit of space in your garage, here’s what you could do with it!</p> <div id="attachment_2710" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2710" class="size-full wp-image-2710" alt="Setting up a home gym in the garage weight lifting cardio" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21.jpg" width="512" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21-185x185.jpg 185w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/our_home_gym_in_garage21-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2710" class="wp-caption-text">Home is where the gym is!</p></div> <p>Lifting is one of our favorite hobbies (both of us!), and we’ve always wanted to set up our own little home gym. Home gyms don’t have to be expensive or huge – ours cost <em>less than $2500 for everything in it</em>, thanks to buying our major equipment on Craigslist. (If $2500 sounds crazy, the home gym we priced out at Precor’s store was well over $6000.)</p> <p>In this lengthy post, I’ll show you everything that’s in our gym, why it’s awesome, and where we got it. If you’re interested in setting up a home gym in the garage, read on!</p> <h1>Setting up a Home Gym</h1> <p>We like to <strong>lift</strong>. Everything else is fluff! Obviously, the thing we both wanted for the home gym was a <strong>squat rack, </strong>a bench, a 45 lb<strong> Olympic bar, </strong>and a collection of <strong>plate weights </strong>to go with it. Throw in a set of adjustable dumbells and you’ve got all your major lifts covered!</p> <h2>Lifting Equipment</h2> <h3><strong>Power Rack + Olympic Bar + Weights</strong></h3> <div id="attachment_2696" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLRVSC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000VLRVSC&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2696" class=" wp-image-2696 " alt="setting up a home gym in the garage lifting rack" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/powerline_squat_rack.jpg" width="225" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/powerline_squat_rack.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/powerline_squat_rack-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/powerline_squat_rack-185x185.jpg 185w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/powerline_squat_rack-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2696" class="wp-caption-text">I don’t think the dude comes with it, which is too bad, because a built-in spotter would be <strong>sweet</strong>.</p></div> <p>Power racks are awesome: this simple cage positions the bar so you can do squats and bench presses. You can also do deadlifts, pull ups, and dips – heck, you can even stand in the rack doing curls. (Don’t do curls in the rack at a commercial gym. :P)</p> <p>This <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLRVSC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000VLRVSC&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">PowerLine Power Rack</a> isn’t the exact same rack I have, but it’s got the same features that make mine awesome:</p> <ul> <li>pull up bar</li> <li>adjustable safety bars</li> <li>separate set of hooks for squat mode</li> <li>plus, it’s well-reviewed on Amazon!</li> </ul> <p>The only thing I’d miss are the numbered stickers, but you could easily add your own with some tape. (My power rack is a discontinued Tuff Stuff brand power rack.)</p> <p>Find your 45-lb Olympic bar and weight plates at any local used sporting goods store. These equipment pieces are durable and easy to find secondhand for big savings.</p> <p><strong><strong>Power Rack Workouts</strong></strong></p> <p>A power rack is extremely versatile, and a safe way to set yourself up for the three biggie lifts: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sxrlGM2hU2Y#t=20">squat</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sxrlGM2hU2Y#t=20">bench press</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rT7DgCr-3pg#t=8">deadlift</a>. <em>(Links go to YouTube videos showing proper form). </em>A rack is also good for pull ups, barbell lunges, and tricep dips.</p> <h3><strong>Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbells</strong></h3> <div id="attachment_2676" style="width: 189px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home_gym_best_dumbells.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2676" class="wp-image-2676 " alt="setting up a home gym in the garage bowflex adjustable dumbells" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home_gym_best_dumbells.jpg" width="179" height="142" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home_gym_best_dumbells.jpg 425w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home_gym_best_dumbells-300x239.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/home_gym_best_dumbells-185x147.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 179px) 100vw, 179px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2676" class="wp-caption-text">My <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ARYU58/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ARYU58&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbells</a> are absolute treasures. Quickly switch between different weights, from 7.5 up to 52.5 lbs.</p></div> <p>Adjustable dumbells <em>rule</em> because they take up so little space. It’s like collapsing that long row of dumbells at the gym into just one set. Bonus: the only sweat on them is yours.</p> <p>I have a set of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ARYU58/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ARYU58&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbells</a> and they’re worth every penny. They feel great in my hands, change easily, and haven’t broken after several years of near-daily use. (The pictured dumbells are a slightly newer version of the set I use.)</p> <ul> <li><strong>Go from 7.5 lbs to 52.5</strong> with the turn of a dial.</li> <li><strong>They take up almost no space</strong></li> <li><strong>Rugged as hell</strong> (though I don’t make a point of dropping them)</li> <li><strong>Flat “bottom” edge</strong> so they don’t roll away on you</li> <li><strong>Safe to hold over your head</strong> – the plates won’t fly or fall off the dumbell</li> </ul> <p><strong>Dumbell Workouts</strong></p> <p>There’s literally no shortage to the variety of workouts you can do with dumbells:</p> <ul> <li>dumbell bench presses</li> <li>bicep curls</li> <li>flyes</li> <li>upright rows</li> <li>tricep kickbacks</li> <li>lunges</li> <li>one-armed rows</li> </ul> <p>… the list goes on and on, it’s<em> ridiculous</em>. Check out <a href="http://www.dumbbell-exercises.com/top-10/">www.dumbbell-exercises.com</a> for like, a <em>billion</em> dumbell exercise ideas, complete with cute animations.</p> <p><strong>One last note:</strong> Don’t buy those “hand in a box” dumbells, they’re too restrictive on your range of motion and the variety of exercises you can do. You want dumbell-shaped dumbells.</p> <h3><strong>Body Vision Power Tower</strong></h3> <div style="width: 167px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M29CCI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000M29CCI&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" " alt="body_vision_power_tower" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/body_vision_power_tower.jpg" width="157" height="280" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M29CCI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000M29CCI&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Body Vision Power Tower</a>: get a hardcore core workout!</p></div> <p>At first glance a power tower it looks sort of like a seatless chair, but the power tower is a versatile and efficient piece of equipment for your home gym. Back at the commercial gyms, I’d see ripped guys doing dips and chin-ups on these things with weights hanging from their waist – you <em>never</em> outgrow a power tower. It doesn’t have any moving parts – that’s because <em>you’re</em> the weight.</p> <p>Do push-ups, pull-ups, knee-raises, and dips to give your upper body and “core” muscles a pretty brutal workout. When I first got the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M29CCI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000M29CCI&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">my Body Vision Power Tower</a>, I could barely hang from it for more than a few seconds – now I use it for pull-ups and dips.</p> <ul> <li><strong>chin-ups </strong>and<strong> pull-ups </strong>with multiple hand positions for arm strengthening workouts</li> <li><strong>leg and knee raises </strong>for leg and core workouts</li> <li><strong>dip station</strong> for tricep dips, working your triceps and chest muscles</li> <li><strong>foot grips / push up bars</strong> near the bottom for pushups (not that you can’t just do these on the floor…)</li> <li><strong>just plain hangin’ around</strong> because even that’s pretty tough after a while!</li> </ul> <p>This power tower is height adjustable on assembly – it’s not adjustable once it’s put together. At 5’8″ and 170 lbs I fit on it great, but my 6’4″ husband at 210 lbs finds it a bit rocky.</p> <p><em>PS: I can’t believe I got to write “power tower” in complete seriousness!</em></p> <h2>Home Gym Cardio Equipment</h2> <h3><strong>Precor EFX 5.23 Elliptical</strong></h3> <p>Precor is basically the king of elliptical machines, owning most of the patents and the best commercial models. Precor is by far my favorite brand: I’ve tried other brands in gyms and on showroom floors, and they’re just not as good. They wobble, or feel weird, or are missing great features like adjustable incline. My <a href="http://www.precor.com/en-us/commercial/products/commercial/cardio/precor-products/ellipticals">Precor 5.23</a> is a commercial model with static “arms”.</p> <p>Here’s an official photo of it:</p> <div style="width: 262px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="http://www.precor.com/en-us/commercial/products/commercial/cardio/precor-products/ellipticals"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" " alt="precor_home_gym_elliptical" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/precor_home_gym_elliptical.jpg" width="252" height="252" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">My <a href="http://www.precor.com/en-us/commercial/products/commercial/cardio/precor-products/ellipticals">Precor elliptical</a> has seen hundreds of hours of use, and it’s still going strong. Sturdy and rugged, I love this thing.</p></div> <p>And here’s mine in the garage, looking quite a bit more cluttered (but you get the idea!). I set it up to face a multi-tiered shelf, which used to hold a TV (until the TV mysteriously stopped working). Also on the shelf are my speakers, weight lifting gloves, and some household storage.</p> <div id="attachment_2680" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/My_precor_home_gym_elliptical.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2680" class="size-full wp-image-2680" alt="My_precor_home_gym_elliptical" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/My_precor_home_gym_elliptical.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/My_precor_home_gym_elliptical.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/My_precor_home_gym_elliptical-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/My_precor_home_gym_elliptical-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2680" class="wp-caption-text">It’s not as cluttered as it looks, I swear. :)</p></div> <p>If you’re shopping for an elliptical, plan to spend a good deal of time figuring out your preferences.</p> <p>These are my preferences:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Adjustable incline </strong>– Good way to get some variety into your workout</li> <li><strong>Adjustable resistance</strong> – Don’t even consider an elliptical without the ability to crank up the resistance</li> <li><strong>Sturdy design</strong> – When testing, get on an elliptical and go <em>full speed – </em>half the models I tested wobble in a good HIIT workout, but my Precor is solid</li> <li><strong>No swinging arms</strong> – I’ve been smacked by swinging arms enough, and they become especially dangerous on high speed “runs”. I often carry weights when using the elliptical, anyway.</li> <li><strong>Water bottle / iPod shelf </strong>– Essential for a $1500+ piece of equipment, I think</li> <li><strong>Magazine shelf</strong> – for leisurely workouts :)</li> </ul> <h2><strong>Home Gym Accessories</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Cyber Acoustics Subwoofer Satellite System</strong></h3> <p>This <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027VT6V4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0027VT6V4&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Cyber Acoustics speaker system</a> is the same one I bought for my garage gym 2 years ago. It’s been a <strong>#1 best seller on Amazon forever</strong>, and for good reason: the base is thumping, the volume goes louder than most noise ordinances allow for, and it sounds <em>fantastic</em>. The deluxe speaker system hooked up to my computer cost 5x more than this system, but I’ll let you in on a little secret – this one’s <strong>better!!</strong></p> <p>My favorite features:</p> <ul> <li><strong>AWESOME BASE</strong> – my #1 requirement in a sound system. I <em>hate</em> flat sound!</li> <li><strong>Volume adjuster “pod” is on a long wire</strong>, making it accessible unlike, say, a knob on an out-of-the-way speaker</li> <li><strong>Base can be adjusted separate from volume</strong></li> <li><strong>Works with iPod/iPhone/smartphone</strong> – plug one end of an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K1C91W/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005K1C91W&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">aux-in cable</a> into your device’s headphone port and the other end into the control pod’s “AUX IN” port</li> </ul> <div id="attachment_2697" style="width: 370px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027VT6V4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0027VT6V4&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2697" class=" wp-image-2697" alt="cyber_acoustics_subwoofer_satellite_system_best_home_gym_speakers" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cyber_acoustics_subwoofer_satellite_system_best_home_gym_speakers.jpg" width="360" height="197" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cyber_acoustics_subwoofer_satellite_system_best_home_gym_speakers.jpg 450w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cyber_acoustics_subwoofer_satellite_system_best_home_gym_speakers-300x164.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cyber_acoustics_subwoofer_satellite_system_best_home_gym_speakers-185x101.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2697" class="wp-caption-text">Badass sound and all the best features.</p></div> <h3><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Resistance Bands</strong></h3> <p>I collected a number of resistance bands over the years, but if I was starting from scratch I’d get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7245456313/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=7245456313&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">this set of resistance bands by Black Mountain Products</a>.</p> <p>This set is awesome because multiple bands can be combined with one handle. If you’ve ever tried to use multiple handles at once, you know how frustrating (and silly) it can get trying to wrangle ’em into alignment. If you’re new to working out with bands, you’re in for a treat – bands are great at working smaller groups of muscles that get overlooked in larger lifts, travel easily, and can be used while idly doing something else (I often use mine while watching TV or going for a “float” on the elliptical).</p> <ul> <li>Multiple resistance levels</li> <li>Combine bands with one handle</li> <li>Convenient storage / travel bag</li> <li>Ankle strap for leg workouts</li> </ul> <div id="attachment_2698" style="width: 262px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7245456313/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=7245456313&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2698" class=" wp-image-2698" alt="BMP_resistance_bands" src="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands.jpg" width="252" height="252" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands.jpg 600w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands-185x185.jpg 185w, /wp-content/uploads/2015/01/BMP_resistance_bands-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2698" class="wp-caption-text">Black Mountain Products makes an awesome <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7245456313/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=7245456313&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">set of resistance bands</a> – use ’em alone or combine them for a tougher workout.</p></div> <h3><strong>Bowflex Adjustable Bench</strong></h3> <p>This <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BH7CB2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BH7CB2&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">adjustable Bowflex bench</a> is the exact same one I have in my home gym. I think it’s awesome – if you’re considering a bench, invest in an adjustable bench and open up a huge variety of free weight workouts. Combine with a set of adjustable dumbells and there isn’t much you<em> can’t</em> do with just these two pieces of equipment.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Four positions </strong>– straight upright, leaned back, flat, and decline</li> <li><strong>Sturdy with a rugged vinyl cover</strong> – if you’ve read this far, you know how obsessed I am with durability!</li> <li><strong>Leg pad attachment </strong>– holds your legs in place, essential for some lifts</li> </ul> <div id="attachment_2677" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BH7CB2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BH7CB2&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20""><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2677" class=" wp-image-2677" alt="bowflex_adjustable_bench" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bowflex_adjustable_bench.jpg" width="240" height="223" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bowflex_adjustable_bench.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bowflex_adjustable_bench-300x279.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bowflex_adjustable_bench-185x172.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2677" class="wp-caption-text">Adjustable benches are worth it for the variety of inclines.</p></div> <h3><strong>Mirrors</strong></h3> <p>I got mine free – I found ’em in a neighbor’s remodel garbage heap. Try yard sales or back-to-school season sales for cheap mirrors.</p> <h3><strong>Cork Bulletin Board</strong></h3> <p>I mounted <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D632TA2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D632TA2&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">this simple cork board</a> near our home gym to hang lifting logs and write down rack settings, and a weight cheat sheet.</p> <h1>Advantages of a Home Gym</h1> <p>There are sooo many advantages to having a home gym. Here’s just a few:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Always open</strong> – I used to get mad when I couldn’t work out on a holiday!</li> <li><strong>Private </strong>– I can make all the silly lifting faces I like, no one’s watching.</li> <li><strong>Shower and dress at home – </strong>Showing at the gym sucked, especially for Jim because the showers were open. EW.</li> <li><strong>Eat breakfast at home</strong> – I used to have to eat breakfast at the office because it wasn’t economical to drive back home before work.</li> <li><strong>No waiting for equipment</strong> – That guy curling in the squat rack is not my problem anymore! :D</li> <li><strong>Use it for as little or as much time as you like</strong> – Sometimes I go down for just 10 minutes – not worth driving to the gym for, but easy to do at home.</li> <li><strong>Post logs and records on the wall</strong> – A cheap cork board mounted on the wall near our rack gave me a place to record workouts</li> </ul> <h1>Disadvantages of a Home Gym</h1> <p>Nope, none.</p> <p>Naw, just kidding – the biggest disadvantages of a home gym are the <strong>cost to set it up </strong>and the<strong> space it requires</strong>. At $2200, we were essentially buying a 3-and-a-half-year gym membership upfront. I do not recommend building a dedicated home gym unless you are already an avid gym-goer. We were somewhere in our fifth year of near-daily gym use when we put our home gym together.</p> <p>Some other (minor) disadvantages:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Negotiating gym time – </strong>There’s only one of each thing and two of us, so Jim and I coordinate who is using what and when</li> <li><strong>Less space in the garage</strong> – Many people here in the Pacific Northwest use their garages the way people in the Midwest use their basements – packed to the brim with stuff!</li> <li><strong>Garage can be kinda cold</strong> – but that’s just motivation to lift harder!</li> </ul> <h1>But I’m on a Budget! (Or In a Tiny Space)</h1> <p>I feel for you – I used to work out in my little apartment with equipment that could be tucked away when not in use. Here’s what I used – for less than $300 you can put together a respectable home gym with the following equipment:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EJMS6K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001EJMS6K&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Iron Gym door frame chin-up bar</a> – Exact same model I have, has yet to damage a door frame or fall apart in 4+ years of use</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083QZA6W/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0083QZA6W&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">CAP Barbell Adjustable Dumbell Set</a> – Goes up to 40 lbs, and you’ll run out of steam long before you run out of dumbell workouts</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7245456313/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=7245456313&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Black Mountain Resistance Bands Set</a> – Combine ’em for extra resistance!</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K7EPLS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000K7EPLS&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">GoFit ProBall Stability Ball</a> – Newer version of the stability ball I’ve used for four years (including a couple years of use as a desk chair)</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007IS6ZG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0007IS6ZG&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Valeo Deluxe Speed Rope</a> – For bursts of cardio (heck, jumping in place is pretty effective too, but I like the threat of a spinning rope to keep me going)</li> </ul> <p>The best part? All this stuff is super durable – you’ll use it for years, even if you put together a larger home gym later on. I think small equipment like the above is a great way to get started with home gymming – start small, and work your way up to a larger gym. If you don’t already like to exercise, jumping right into the deep end of a $3000+ home gym might not change that. I’ve seen <em>much</em> nicer home gyms than ours going unused, and I’ve seen crazy buff people whose only equipment is the sidewalk and a few dumbells.</p> <h1>Where’d you learn all this?</h1> <p><a href="http://forum.bodybuilding.com/">Bodybuilding.com’s forums</a> are my absolute favorite resource for nutrition, lifting techniques, equipment recommendations, and motivation. I’ve been a regular reader for six years and I highly recommend this community.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2014/setting-up-a-home-gym-in-the-garage/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>50 Ways to Feel Warmer in Your Freezing Cold House (Without Cranking up the Heat)</title> <link>/2014/50-ways-to-feel-warmer-in-your-freezing-cold-house/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jan 2014 14:00:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Home Improvement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Saving Money]]></category> <category><![CDATA[energy savings]]></category> <category><![CDATA[heating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[saving money]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2726</guid> <description><![CDATA[I love winter, but everyone around me thinks I’m nuts. Do I know the divine secret to keeping warm all winter? Maybe! The over-arching theme to all of these tips is to focus your efforts on keeping heat in your house and warming yourself, not your entire house. Here are 50 ways to feel warmer […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-3035 aligncenter" alt="Winter's here, but it doesn't have to feel that way. Make your FREEZING COLD house way more enjoyable with these heat-saving bill-slashing tips." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips.jpg" width="400" height="400" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/50_ways_feel_warmer_in_your_freezing_cold_house_winter_warmth_tips-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></p> <p>I love winter, but everyone around me thinks I’m <strong>nuts</strong>. Do I know the divine secret to keeping warm all winter? Maybe!</p> <blockquote><p>The over-arching theme to all of these tips is to focus your efforts on <strong>keeping heat in your house</strong> and <strong>warming yourself, not your entire house.</strong></p></blockquote> <p><strong>Here are 50 ways to feel warmer in your freezing cold house</strong> – without spending a fortune. (In fact, most of these tips should <strong>save</strong> you money in the long haul.)</p> <p><strong>LET’S GET WARM!!! </strong></p> <h1>20 Free Fixes</h1> <p>Free ways to be warmer?! <em>Sign me up!</em> Even better, some of these tips can save you more than new windows or appliance upgrades ever will!</p> <h3><strong>1. Lower the thermostat</strong></h3> <p>Sure, every “how to save on heating” list starts with this one, but what does it <em>mean</em>? <strong>It means if you normally keep your heat at 72 F, drop it to 66 instead. You’ll survive.</strong> Heated air is expensive and it likes to escape, so the <em>best</em> thing you can do is to not produce it in the first place.</p> <p><strong>The rest of the tips on this page will help you live with the lower temp.</strong></p> <h3><strong>2. Bundle your butt up</strong></h3> <p>Double up on socks, get some nice thick slippers, wear a hoodie over a short-sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve shirt. <strong>Shirts within shirts, folks, that’s the secret!</strong> You get a choice: be bulky or have a bulky heating bill. The first time I got slapped with a $400 bill for the luxury of wearing a T-shirt in January was the last time <em>that</em> happened.</p> <div style="width: 540px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/chihuahua_scarf.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Level Up House: 50 ways to keep warm in your freezing cold house! Tip #2: BUNDLE UP!" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/chihuahua_scarf.jpg" width="530" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/marktee/" target="_blank">Mark Turnauckas</a></p></div> <h3><strong>3. Close your chimney flue</strong></h3> <p>Is it closed all the way? Our flue is stupid and likes to open itself on its own. Leaving a window or a chimney flue open is like opening your wallet and letting dollar bills flutter out.</p> <h3><strong>4. Lock your windows</strong></h3> <p><strong>Locking windows makes the seal a bit tighter.</strong> Oh, and duh – <strong>don’t leave windows open.</strong> If you do open a window to get some fresh air, shut the door to the rest of the house.</p> <h3><strong>5. Keep outside doors tightly shut</strong></h3> <p>Even if you’re stepping outside for just a few minutes,<strong> pull that door all the way closed.</strong></p> <h3><strong>6. Minimize use of your kitchen and bathroom fans</strong>.</h3> <p>Kitchen and bathroom fans pull lovely heated air out of your home and into the outdoors. (Wallet, fluttering bills…)</p> <h3><strong>7. Wrap yourself in a blanket.</strong></h3> <p>Be a human burrito. It’s winter, no one will judge. <strong>If they do, give them a good kick. Kicking warms you up!</strong></p> <div id="attachment_3043" style="width: 397px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/human_burrito.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3043" class=" wp-image-3043" alt="human_burrito" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/human_burrito.jpg" width="387" height="443" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/human_burrito.jpg 484w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/human_burrito-262x300.jpg 262w" sizes="(max-width: 387px) 100vw, 387px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3043" class="wp-caption-text">You should see her sexy heating bill!</p></div> <h3><strong>8. Rob a bank</strong></h3> <p>Or just <em>pretend</em> you’re going to rob a bank by <strong>pulling up the hood on a hoodie.</strong> It’ll trap heat and keep you warmer. Bank robbers might suck at being kind to society, but they do save a bit of cash on not having to keep the house so warm.</p> <h3><strong>9. Drop and give me 20! </strong></h3> <p>Pushups or jumping jacks will warm you right up – and help negate the effects of tip #14.</p> <h3><strong>10. Move furniture away from vents</strong></h3> <p>If you’ve got any furniture over or near your heat source, it’s probably soaking up that heat instead of letting it float around the room. Try re-arranging your furniture, if feasible, to work better with the heating vents.</p> <h3><strong>11. Open drapes during the day, close ’em at night</strong></h3> <p>If your summers are hot, you’re probably in the habit of covering your windows to try to keep the rooms a bit cooler. The same principle works in reverse for heating a room: open your drapes and blinds during the day to let heat in, then close ’em up at sunset to keep that heat in.</p> <h3><strong>12. Block door drafts</strong></h3> <p>My first apartment’s doors were the first in the hallway to the outside, so anytime someone came in from outside I’d get a <em>whoosh</em> of icy air under my own door. I wised up and <strong>stuck a rolled-up towel at the base of each door</strong>. Instant improvement! <strong> </strong></p> <p><strong>If you’re crafty, Not Martha shows readers how to make a pretty <a href="http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2006/03/01/114123374401718192/" target="_blank">DIY door draft stopper</a>. </strong>And if you’re not crafty, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00078ZJPG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00078ZJPG&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">there’s always something like this As-Seen-On-TV Draft Guard</a>.</p> <div id="attachment_3042" style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/doordraftstopper_350.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3042" class="size-full wp-image-3042" alt="doordraftstopper_350" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/doordraftstopper_350.jpg" width="350" height="401" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/doordraftstopper_350.jpg 350w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/doordraftstopper_350-261x300.jpg 261w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3042" class="wp-caption-text">DIY draft stopper by <a href="http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2006/03/01/114123374401718192/">Not Martha</a></p></div> <h3><strong>13. Take a walk outside</strong></h3> <p>Counter-intuitive, maybe, but a brisk walk in the freezing weather outside warms me up and gives me a new appreciation for the inside temperature.</p> <h3><strong>14. Eat (or drink) something warm</strong></h3> <p>Warm food makes cold temps more tolerable. Food in general kicks up your metabolism, too, so dig in. <strong> That’s what I tell myself as I polish off the last of the Christmas cookies.</strong></p> <div id="attachment_3041" style="width: 398px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/warm_up_with_cookies.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3041" class=" wp-image-3041" alt="warm_up_with_cookies" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/warm_up_with_cookies.jpg" width="388" height="262" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/warm_up_with_cookies.jpg 647w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/warm_up_with_cookies-300x202.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3041" class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.joyofkosher.com/2012/04/5-foods-that-will-make-your-house-smell-great/">joyofkosher.com</a></p></div> <h3><strong>15. Close the door to unused rooms</strong></h3> <p>If you rarely go into a room, close the door and don’t heat it. Cold air from the unused room won’t mix with the heated spaces. Keeping 1500 sq feet warm instead of 1800 sq feet will save you quite a bit of cash.</p> <h3><strong>16. Raise your door thresholds</strong></h3> <p>If you see daylight under your front door, you’re losing expensive heated air through that crack! <strong>That metal bar you step over when you go through the door can usually be made taller to close the gap. </strong>Turn the screws counterclockwise until the daylight is mostly gone. Don’t make the door harder to open and close, just shrink the gap a bit.</p> <h3><strong>17. Plug gaps around electrical boxes</strong></h3> <p>Remove the cover plate from an electrical outlet – is there a large gap between the drywall and the electrical box? Most hardware stores sell <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-Foam-Electrical-Outlet-and-Wall-Plate-Insulating-Kit-OS12H/100184290" target="_blank">little sheets of insulation shaped like the outlet cover</a> itself to stick in here. <em>(PS: Don’t pump caulk or foam into the electrical box, that’s bad advice that sometimes shows up in lists like this).</em></p> <h3><strong>18. Typing gloves!</strong></h3> <p>Don’t heat your whole house just so your tiny fingers can feel warm. <strong>DIY typing gloves:</strong> cut the fingertips off a pair of cheap garden gloves, and you can still use your keyboard, tablet, and phone while your hands stay roasty toasty. Or, get a nice pair of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/160259807/owl-motive-knit-texting-mitten-with?ref=related-3" target="_blank">handmade typing gloves</a> like these from ElenaLittleCreations on Etsy.</p> <div id="attachment_3045" style="width: 352px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/elenalittlecreations_typinggloves.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3045" class=" wp-image-3045 " alt="50 Ways to Feel Warmer in Your Freezing Cold House: #18 - wear typing gloves!" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/elenalittlecreations_typinggloves.jpg" width="342" height="456" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/elenalittlecreations_typinggloves.jpg 570w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/elenalittlecreations_typinggloves-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 342px) 100vw, 342px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3045" class="wp-caption-text">Typing gloves by <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/160259807/owl-motive-knit-texting-mitten-with?ref=related-3" target="_blank">ElenaLittleCreations</a></p></div> <h3><strong>19. Roast a chicken</strong></h3> <p>Fire up your oven and bake something huge – your whole house will smell great and feel warm and toasty!</p> <div id="attachment_3046" style="width: 374px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/kellers_roast_chicken.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3046" class=" wp-image-3046" alt="kellers_roast_chicken" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/kellers_roast_chicken.jpg" width="364" height="243" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/kellers_roast_chicken.jpg 520w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/kellers_roast_chicken-300x200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 364px) 100vw, 364px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3046" class="wp-caption-text">Roasted chicken credit: Elsie Bauer <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/kellers_roast_chicken/" target="_blank">SimplyRecipes</a></p></div> <h3><strong>20. Snuggle up close to someone</strong></h3> <p>The world needs more snuggling.</p> <h1>20 Cheap Upgrades</h1> <p>Easy upgrades that cost less as little as a few dollars and no more than $250.</p> <h3><strong>21. Get a space heater</strong></h3> <p><strong></strong>Drop the thermostat, corral everyone into one room, and <strong>fire up a space heater for $BIG SAVINGS$</strong>. It’s way cheaper to heat just one room via a space heater than it is to heat the whole house.</p> <p>My family used this space heater trick when I was growing up and I use it in my own place now, and it’s seriously the best. It’s below freezing outside as I write this, but I am toasty warm in my heated computer-room cocoon thanks to the space heater pointed at me.</p> <p>Don’t have a space heater? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_384891902_1?ie=UTF8&node=7469342011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=hero-quick-promo&pf_rd_r=16KDM16RFGZQ1HKR435N&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1627864042&pf_rd_i=B002N7O97S" target="_blank">Browse Amazon’s full selection of space heaters to find the right one for you.</a></p> <div id="attachment_3048" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3048" class="wp-image-3048 " alt="lasko_space_heater" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1.jpg" width="288" height="288" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/lasko_space_heater1-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3048" class="wp-caption-text">Here’s a nice <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TKDQ5C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000TKDQ5C&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">portable space heater by Lasko</a>. It doesn’t take a huge space heater to make a room cozy.</p></div> <h3><strong>22. Install a smart thermostat</strong></h3> <p>No, not a programmable thermostat, unless you promise to program it and use it as intended (most people don’t). <strong>Read more about the programmable thermostat energy savings myth <a href="http://smartthermostatguide.com/programmable-thermostat-savings-myth/">here</a></strong><strong> and <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/03/21/do-programmable-thermostats-really-save-money/">here</a></strong>.</p> <p>Keeping the house the same temperature 24/7 is expensive and wasteful, but many people do it. If you have a programmable thermostat, setting it up to lower the temperature during the work day and during the night <strong>could save you hundreds of dollars over the heating season.</strong></p> <div id="attachment_2736" style="width: 256px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GDHYPQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009GDHYPQ&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2736" class="wp-image-2736 " alt="make your home warmer in the winter with a learning thermostat" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nest_learning_thermostat.jpg" width="246" height="235" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nest_learning_thermostat.jpg 246w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/nest_learning_thermostat-185x176.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2736" class="wp-caption-text">It’s crazy popular for a reason – the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009GDHYPQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009GDHYPQ&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">Nest thermostat</a> finds the most efficient heating routine for your home with almost no effort on your part.</p></div> <h3><strong>23. Change your furnace filter</strong></h3> <p>A dirty filter makes the furnace work harder, <strong>which increases the cost to run the thing <em>and</em> wears it out faster</strong>. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGYrVgFSzV4">This YouTube video</a> shows how simple it is to change a furnace filter. Measure your existing filter before shopping, since they come in lots of sizes. Change the filter every 6-8 weeks, or whenever it looks really dirty, for the duration of the heating season.</p> <p><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/b/Heating-Venting-Cooling-Air-Filters/N-5yc1vZc4kw">Shop for furnace filters of every size at Home Depot</a>.</p> <div id="attachment_3040" style="width: 314px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3040" class="wp-image-3040 " alt="furnace_filters" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters.jpg" width="304" height="304" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters.jpg 380w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/furnace_filters-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3040" class="wp-caption-text">The humble furnace filter can save you $$$.</p></div> <h3><strong>24. Upgrade your insulation</strong></h3> <p>You know that fluffy pink stuff that itches like hell if you touch it? Stapling it into your garage, attic, and crawlspace or basement is messy and unpleasant but should save you some cash. Even better, a lot of people have a few rolls of it left over from their own insulation, so ask around – I insulated the walls around my first garage door with some leftover insulation from my parents.</p> <h3><strong>25. Wrap your hot water tank</strong></h3> <p>If your hot water tank is in an unheated part of your home, such as your garage, a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009M3BZBY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009M3BZBY&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">water heater insulation blanket</a> might pay for itself very quickly. Many people also report their water is hotter and arrives faster, so there’s that, too.</p> <h3><strong>26. Replace weather stripping</strong></h3> <p>Weather seals compress and wear out over time, making it easier for expensive heated air to escape. ThisOldHouse offers a <a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20152571,00.html" target="_blank">simple guide for replacing your weather seals</a>.</p> <h3><strong>27. Caulk windows and doors</strong></h3> <p>Depending on your window and door style, a thin bead of caulk applied to cracks between the trim and wall might save you some cash.<br /> <iframe loading="lazy" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-8cXoLV_seA?feature=player_detailpage" height="360" width="640" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <h3><strong>28. Locate and fix air leaks</strong></h3> <p>Warm air escaping through tiny cracks and crevices wastes money. <a href="http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/detecting-air-leaks" target="_blank">Energy.gov offers a guide on detecting air leaks</a>. Keep in mind, though, that you do need some airflow. Blocking everything will cause a moisture build-up, so plug the big ones and then move on.</p> <h3><strong>29. Tape duct cracks</strong></h3> <p>Follow the heating ducts from your furnace: are there any cracks or sags? You may need to seal (or fully replace) your duct work.</p> <h3><strong>30. Give your chimney a pillow</strong></h3> <p><strong>Your chimney(s) are pointed in heat’s favorite direction: up!</strong> Plug that thing with an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001HA8MC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0001HA8MC&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">inflatable draftstopping pillow</a>. It’s basically a glorified pool toy for your chimney, and <strong>it’s much cheaper than retrofits or new fireplace doors</strong>. Sizes vary, so measure before you buy.<em> (PS: Always remove your pillow before lighting any fires.)</em></p> <div id="attachment_2735" style="width: 256px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Chimney_Pillow_Draftstopper.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2735" class="size-full wp-image-2735 " alt="Chimney_Pillow_Draftstopper" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Chimney_Pillow_Draftstopper.jpg" width="246" height="235" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Chimney_Pillow_Draftstopper.jpg 246w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Chimney_Pillow_Draftstopper-185x176.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 246px) 100vw, 246px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2735" class="wp-caption-text">Plug your chimney with a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001HA8MC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0001HA8MC&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">chimney pillow</a> and keep heat inside where it belongs!</p></div> <h3><strong>31. Get a heated toilet seat</strong></h3> <p>One of the worst things about lowering your home’s ambient temperature is having to sit on a cold toilet seat. <strong> A heated toilet seat changes everything.</strong> I got a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RUQFHY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001RUQFHY&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">UltraTouch Heated Toilet Seat</a> several years ago and it is <em>amazing</em>. <strong>One sit and you’re spoiled for life. </strong></p> <h3><strong>32. Apply window film</strong></h3> <p>Heat lost through windows accounts for 10-25% of your heating bill. Covering your windows with clear plastic film (find kits at your local hardware store) can reduce this loss. If you want a <em>really</em> cheap window fix, try this <a href="http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/bubblewrap.htm">bubble wrap window insulation technique</a>.</p> <h3><strong>33. Get a furnace tune-up</strong></h3> <p>For about $80-$100 a technician inspects your furnace to ensure it is performing at its peak. Doing the maintenance is also a great way to avoid being the proud owner of a dead furnace on Christmas Day, scrambling for your city’s only available repairman.</p> <h3><strong>34. Clean and repair your roof</strong></h3> <p>Moss, leaves, and pine needles retain moisture, so get those things off your roof. Also, repair any existing damage while you’re up there. Replacing damaged shingles and repairing flashing around vent stacks and chimneys will both help your roof last longer and make it a bit more energy efficient.</p> <h3><strong>35. Insulate hot water pipes</strong></h3> <p>Pipes that are warm to the touch should be wrapped to help keep that heat where it belongs (inside the pipe). Pre-slit pipe foam is available at most hardware stores. Just cut to size and fasten it in place with duct tape. The catch? Your pipes are probably in your crawlspace or otherwise awkward to access.</p> <div id="attachment_3037" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/wrapped_pipes.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3037" class="size-full wp-image-3037" alt="Level Up House: Wrap your hot water pipes with foam insulation to keep heat where it belongs." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/wrapped_pipes.jpg" width="500" height="372" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/wrapped_pipes.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/wrapped_pipes-300x223.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3037" class="wp-caption-text">I wrapped my own crawlspace pipes – took a few hours and several yards of foam insulation. Totally worth it – our crawlspace is exposed to the ambient temperature, and no busted pipes yet.</p></div> <h3><strong>36. Insulate the attic “access door”</strong></h3> <p>Even if you pumped your attic full of blow-in cellulose, if the access door itself doesn’t lay flat or lacks insulation it’s just another way for hot air to escape.</p> <h3><strong>37. Hang thick curtains</strong></h3> <p><a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/3/thermal-curtains">Room darkening thermal curtains</a> are a real thing and they are awesome. Open ’em wide during the day, then close ’em up at night. The heavier the curtain, the more it will do to retain heat.</p> <h3><strong>38. …or hang thermal liners</strong></h3> <p>I use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BPPPP5O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BPPPP5O&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">Eclipse Thermal Liners</a> on the back of my bedroom curtains year-round. It makes them heavier, but the liners are very effective at keeping winter heat in and summer heat out.</p> <div id="attachment_3038" style="width: 385px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/eclipse_thermal_liner1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3038" class="size-full wp-image-3038" alt="eclipse_thermal_liner" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/eclipse_thermal_liner1.jpg" width="375" height="347" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/eclipse_thermal_liner1.jpg 375w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/01/eclipse_thermal_liner1-300x277.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3038" class="wp-caption-text">My Eclipse-brand thermal liner hangs on the backside of my bedroom curtains, which keeps the room dark in the summer and a bit warmer in the winter.</p></div> <h3><strong>39. Roll out some rugs</strong></h3> <p>Floors can account for <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24757144" target="_blank">up to 10% of your heat loss</a> if they’re not properly insulated. Mitigate heat loss with rugs (or blankets).</p> <h3><strong>40. Hug a heating pad.</strong></h3> <p>A 50-watt heating pad can make winter so much more tolerable for the always-cold among us. This <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FGDDI0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FGDDI0&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20" target="_blank">Sunbeam Heating Pad</a> is a family favorite.</p> <h1>10 Long-Term Investments</h1> <p>Here’s the big upgrades: for just a few hundred or thousand dollars, you can help your freezing house be a bit warmer for the rest of all time. Unfortunately, most of these things take a long time to break even on. Still, buying these things make sense if you’re staying a while, or the one you have is already a complete piece of junk, and will help you sell in a buyer’s market.</p> <h3><strong>41. Live in a small home</strong></h3> <p>The practicality of this tip varies by region. <strong>Ironically, in my area smaller (1200-1600 sq ft) homes cost just as much, if not more, than larger (1800-2400 sq ft) homes.</strong> I think other people are onto this secret. But if you’re choosing between a small home and a larger one, consider the cost to heat the additional space.</p> <h3><strong>42. Replace your furnace</strong></h3> <p>Depending on what you’re replacing, a new model might be way more efficient and could pay for itself in a few years.</p> <h3><strong>43. Install a heat pump</strong></h3> <p>A heat pump isn’t something you just walk into Home Depot and buy – <strong>it’s more like a new furnace. </strong></p> <p>If you live in a climate with mild winters, you’ve probably heard of heat pumps, which <em>move</em> heat rather than <em>generate</em> it. They’re popular here in the Pacific Northwest, and can serve as air conditioning in the summer, but it will will take several years to recover the installation cost.</p> <p><a href="http://www.heatpump-reviews.com/heat-pump.html" target="_blank">Read more about heat pumps at Heatpump-Reviews.com</a>.</p> <h3><strong>44. Insulate your attic</strong></h3> <p>Here’s an easy way to tell if your attic insulation isn’t cutting it: icicles are hanging from the edges of your roof. Ice dams and icicles mean there’s heat escaping from your house through your attic – it goes through the roof, melts the snow, and that snow becomes icicles on your gutters.</p> <p>We insulated our attic with blown-in insulation (it’s a fluffy cellulose material sprayed onto the “floor” of the attic). <strong>Our upstairs used to be “the cold floor” of the house: after the blow-in insulation, it’s now the warmest. </strong></p> <h3><strong>45. Increase your home’s thermal mass</strong></h3> <p>Heavy materials retain heat better. Mr. Money Mustache wrote a comprehensive <a href="http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/09/01/what-is-thermal-mass-and-how-can-it-make-you-money/" target="_blank">guide on the concept of a home’s “thermal mass”</a> – things to keep in mind when choosing materials for your renovations.</p> <h3><strong>46. Replace your windows</strong></h3> <p>New windows are expensive and messy, but <strong>depending on how ancient your windows are you may wait as little as two years for a return on your investment.</strong> But most homeowners will wait a lot longer for a return on their window investment (like, a decade). Figure out what windows you have, and compare them to what you’d replace them with, before jumping into a new windows project.</p> <p>(PS: Windows aren’t just about heat retention. <a href="http://www.andersenwindows.com/planning/diy-library/when-should-i-replace-my-windows/">This guide by Andersen Windows points out some of the other advantages of replacing your windows</a>.)</p> <h3><strong>47. Replace your front door</strong></h3> <p>Is your front door super crappy? It might be beyond simple caulking and weatherstripping – replacing the whole door can also improve your resale value (assuming you pick a nice door that suits the house’s design, but you knew that).</p> <h3><strong>48. Insulate your crawl space</strong></h3> <p>Are your floors cold in the winter? The crawlspace under your first floor might be poorly insulated. Explore <a href="http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_inspections#method2" target="_blank">EnergyStar’s guide on checking your insulation levels</a> for region-specific information. (In the meantime, house slippers help a lot.)</p> <h3><strong>49. Get a tank-less hot water heater</strong></h3> <p>Provides hot water on-demand, and the lack of a tank means hot water isn’t sitting around 22 hours of the day doing nothing. I don’t have a tank-less, but some of my friends do and they love it.</p> <h3><strong>50. Move!</strong></h3> <p>When all else fails, relocate to a warmer climate! I happen to <i>enjoy</i> the cold weather, and I feel bad for people who complain from October to March about the winter season. <strong>Las Vegas and Texas are affordable and booming – check ’em out!</strong></p> <p><em><strong>Note to readers:</strong> Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. They are provided to help you find the recommended product quickly. If you shop through an affiliate link, a tiny % of your purchase (if you make one) helps support this site with a tiny kickback at no cost to you. As always, I encourage you to shop around and price compare to be sure you get the best deal!</em></p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>DIY Kitchen Backsplash (Part 5): Grouting Backsplash Tiles</title> <link>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/</link> <comments>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Kitchen]]></category> <category><![CDATA[DIY]]></category> <category><![CDATA[grout]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tiles]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2404</guid> <description><![CDATA[Here are are in Part 5 of our DIY kitchen backsplash – the homestretch! In this detailed post, I’ll show you all the steps to grouting your backsplash tiles. Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: Part 1 – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash Part 2 – Choosing the Right Tiles for your […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3053 aligncenter" alt="DIY Tiled Kitchen Backsplash: Part 5. How to grout your DIY kitchen backsplash. It's like spreading frosting over little glass tiles!" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting.jpg" width="400" height="400" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_Tiled_Backsplash_Grouting-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Here are are in <strong>Part 5</strong> of our <strong>DIY kitchen backsplash </strong>– the homestretch! In this detailed post, I’ll show you all the steps to grouting your backsplash tiles.</p> <p><em>Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: </em></p> <ul> <li><a href="/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/"><strong>Part 1</strong> – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 2</strong> – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"><strong>Part 3</strong> – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 4</strong> – Installing Backsplash Tiles</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 5</strong> – Grouting Backsplash Tiles</a> (You are here)</li> </ul> <p>The tiles have been mortared to the wall, and after 20 hours of dry time we’re ready to fill the gaps between the tiles with a non-sanded grout.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-3054 aligncenter" alt="grout_before_after" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after.jpg" width="500" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_before_after-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></p> <p>Let’s get started!</p> <h1>Mixing Grout</h1> <p>Just like making mortar, making grout involves a box of grout powder from the local hardware store, water, and a bucket. We cut the box’s formula in half, figuring that our 8 sq feet of tile didn’t need 20 sq feet worth of grout. (We still had plenty left over.)</p> <blockquote><p><strong>Tip:</strong> Don’t start this step unless you have the next 4+ hours available.</p></blockquote> <p><strong>Water + non-sanded grout powder + bucket = grout.</strong> We followed the box’s instructions and mixed it up with a metal scraper. (See the <a href="/2013/11/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/">Supply List</a> for a detailed list of everything we used.)</p> <div id="attachment_2407" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_bucket.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2407" class="size-full wp-image-2407 " alt="DIY Kitchen Backsplash: Mixing grout. If you can make brownies from a mix, you can make your own grout." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_bucket.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_bucket.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_bucket-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_bucket-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2407" class="wp-caption-text">A bucket ‘o grout</p></div> <p>It’s like a thick frosting, except not delicious.</p> <h1>Applying Grout</h1> <p>Get a nice big glob of grout onto the float trowel and smear it on! <strong>Grouting is messy, tiresome business:</strong> apply it with a firm, strong arm so it <strong>squishes into the gaps between the tiles</strong>. Continue around the entire backsplash. Use your fingers to get grout into corners or places the trowel won’t fit.</p> <p>Our 8 square foot backsplash took the two of us well over an hour to get grout into every crack.</p> <blockquote><p><strong>Tip:</strong> Remember, you’re working against time here because the grout is slowly drying and hardening as you work. A sheet of plastic wrap over the grout bucket can help slow the drying. If you have a very large area to grout, consider working in phases or getting more helpers.</p></blockquote> <div id="attachment_2408" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/spread_grout_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2408" class="size-full wp-image-2408 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: spreading wet grout over tiles." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/spread_grout_2.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/spread_grout_2.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/spread_grout_2-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/spread_grout_2-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2408" class="wp-caption-text">It began with a glob of grout.</p></div> <p>I used my fingers to stuff grout into the corner where the tiles meet..</p> <div id="attachment_2429" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouting_corner.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2429" class="size-full wp-image-2429 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: grouting the corner where the tiles meet." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouting_corner.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouting_corner.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouting_corner-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouting_corner-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2429" class="wp-caption-text">Fingers are useful for getting grout into tight areas, such as corners.</p></div> <p>…as well as into the tight area behind the faucet:</p> <div id="attachment_2430" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fingers_grout_gaps.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2430" class="size-full wp-image-2430 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: spreading grout into tiny cracks using my own fingers." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fingers_grout_gaps.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fingers_grout_gaps.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fingers_grout_gaps-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/fingers_grout_gaps-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2430" class="wp-caption-text">Fingers: the other home improvement tool</p></div> <h1>Cleaning Grout off Tile Faces</h1> <p>When about 75% of the cracks were filled, my helper switched to using a moist sponge to wipe grout off tile faces as I continued applying grout to un-grouted areas.</p> <blockquote><p><strong>Tip:</strong> Go slowly and use a moist, not a wet sponge. Remove grout in layers. If the grout in the cracks starts to flow out of the cracks when it gets wet, wait 10 minutes before trying this step again.</p></blockquote> <div id="attachment_2410" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/sponge_haze.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2410" class="size-full wp-image-2410 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: wipe grout off tile faces using a moist sponge." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/sponge_haze.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/sponge_haze.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/sponge_haze-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/sponge_haze-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2410" class="wp-caption-text">Using a moist sponge to slough grout off tile faces</p></div> <p>Once the bulk of the grout was removed from the tile faces, I switched to using moistened paper towels to remove the final thin layers of grout from the tile faces, paying extra attention to the corners. This was tedious, careful work, but it left the tiles looking crisp.</p> <div id="attachment_2412" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_towel.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2412" class="size-full wp-image-2412 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: remove haze from tiles using a moist paper towel." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_towel.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_towel.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_towel-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grout_towel-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2412" class="wp-caption-text">Using a paper towel to remove haze and excess grout from tile faces.</p></div> <p> </p> <div id="attachment_2432" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/polish-tiles.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2432" class="size-full wp-image-2432 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: polish grout off the tile corners so they look nice and crisp." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/polish-tiles.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/polish-tiles.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/polish-tiles-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/polish-tiles-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2432" class="wp-caption-text">Grout is drying as I polish the corners.</p></div> <p style="text-align: left;">Polish, polish, polish – this step is super tedious but 100% worth it. Get those corners sharp, it makes a difference!</p> <h1>Grout Drying</h1> <p>We let the grout dry for just over an hour before returning to wipe any remaining haze off the tile fronts. The grout now has to dry for three days before applying a coat of sealer.</p> <div id="attachment_2433" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kitchen_mess.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2433" class="size-full wp-image-2433 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: another home improvement project, another mess! (Good thing we have Cheez-It!)" src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kitchen_mess.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kitchen_mess.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kitchen_mess-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/kitchen_mess-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2433" class="wp-caption-text">Grouting’s done, but there’s still an hour of clean up work to do.</p></div> <div id="attachment_2427" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouted.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2427" class="size-full wp-image-2427 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: Our 6" backsplash, freshly grouted and looking sharp." src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouted.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouted.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouted-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/grouted-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2427" class="wp-caption-text">Here’s how one of the backsplash edges turned out .</p></div> <div id="attachment_2428" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diy_grout_kitchen.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2428" class="size-full wp-image-2428 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: complete! " src="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diy_grout_kitchen.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diy_grout_kitchen.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diy_grout_kitchen-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2014/11/diy_grout_kitchen-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2428" class="wp-caption-text">Kitchen cleaned up and looking sharp as the grout dries!</p></div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>DIY Kitchen Backsplash (Part 4): Installing Backsplash Tiles</title> <link>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/</link> <comments>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 07 Nov 2013 14:00:26 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Kitchen]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2326</guid> <description><![CDATA[A DIY kitchen backsplash is one of those projects where most of the work is in the planning and preparation. The actual process of sticking the tiles to the wall took less than two hours. Installing backsplash tiles can get tense – Will the tiles fit? Do we have enough of them? Hurry, the mortar is […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-3058 aligncenter" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: In part 4 of our "how to install your own tiled backsplash" series, we glue tiles to the wall using a bucket of mortar. Installing your own backsplash is easy - follow along!" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash.jpg" width="400" height="400" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DIY_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_the_backsplash-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left;">A DIY kitchen backsplash is one of those projects where most of the work is in the planning and preparation. The actual process of sticking the tiles to the wall <strong>took less than two hours</strong>. Installing backsplash tiles can get tense – <em>Will the tiles fit? Do we have enough of them? Hurry, the mortar is drying! </em>But thanks to our (<em>my</em>) careful (<em>OCD level</em>) planning, sticking tiles onto the wall was a success!</p> <p><em>Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: </em></p> <ul> <li><a href="/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/"><strong>Part 1</strong> – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 2</strong> – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"><strong>Part 3</strong> – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 4</strong> – Installing Backsplash Tiles</a> (You are here)</li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 5</strong> – Grouting Backsplash Tiles</a></li> </ul> <h1>Drywall Surface Preparation</h1> <p>We degreased the painted drywall we’d be tiling over with a spray bottle of <a href="http://www.wmbarr.com/bix/default.aspx">Bix TSP</a> and a towel. Just spray it on and wipe – super simple.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bix_tsp1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2383" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: prepare your walls with a bit of BIX TSP and a rag." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bix_tsp1.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bix_tsp1.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bix_tsp1-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bix_tsp1-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1>Cutting the Tile Sheets</h1> <p><strong>Note to self (and everyone else):</strong> cut your sheets to size and <em>trim the excess along the edge</em> before you mix your mortar.</p> <h1><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2356 aligncenter" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: cut tile sheets to the appropriate height. In our case, that height is 6"." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets1.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets1.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></h1> <h1>Testing the Arrangement</h1> <p>A few days before our mortar party I cut up and laid out all the tiles on the living room floor (our hardly-furnished room comes in handy sometimes!).</p> <div id="attachment_2382" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_layout.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2382" class="size-full wp-image-2382" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: test the tile layout before you mix up the mortar to be 100% sure you have enough tile." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_layout.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_layout.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_layout-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_layout-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2382" class="wp-caption-text">Testing the tile layout on the living room floor.</p></div> <p>Testing the arrangement was good for <strong>seeing and fixing unwanted patterns</strong> and <strong>ensuring there was enough tile </strong>(for the third time).</p> <h1>Masking Off the Work Area</h1> <p>If you thought you were ready to get to work, think again! Next up is masking off your work area with painter’s tape. This was a good idea, don’t skip this step. Keeping your mortar contained to a nice little mortar playpen will save you a ton of tedious scraping and repainting later.</p> <div id="attachment_2384" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/masking.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2384" class="size-full wp-image-2384" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: masking off the work area with painter's tape and printer paper." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/masking.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/masking.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/masking-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/masking-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2384" class="wp-caption-text">Before you spread any mortar, mask off the work area with painter’s tape. This will make cleaning up your walls a lot easier.</p></div> <h1>Mixing the Mortar</h1> <p>Finally, a step that makes it look like we might actually put tiles on this wall!</p> <p>The box of mortar promised 20 sq feet, so we guessed that we would need half of its contents for our 8 sq feet project. We used our kitchen scale to weigh out 2.1 lbs of the mortar and halved the liquid measurement. Everything went into our 2-gallon bucket for hand mixing with a metal scraper (the paint stick pictured was useless for stirring).</p> <p>Mixing mortar got tiring, so I was glad to take turns with Jim.</p> <div id="attachment_2357" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/glass_tile_mortar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2357" class="size-full wp-image-2357" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: follow the instructions on the box to mix your mortar." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/glass_tile_mortar.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/glass_tile_mortar.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/glass_tile_mortar-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2357" class="wp-caption-text">Mixing mortar with a metal scraper in a big plastic bucket. (The paint stick was uselessly weak for this task.)</p></div> <p>We let our tile batter sit 5-10 minutes as per the box’s instructions and then mixed it again. Done!</p> <p>The sheer amount of steps pictured on the box had me worried at first, but mixing mortar was butt simple, probably the easiest part of this whole project. <strong>If you can make a brownies from a box mix, you can make mortar. </strong>Tasy, tasty mortar.</p> <div id="attachment_2358" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2358" class="size-full wp-image-2358" alt="installing backsplash tiles bucket of tile mortar mixed" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar1.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar1.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2358" class="wp-caption-text">Big bucket ‘o mortar, made as per the box’s instructions (just add water!)</p></div> <h1>Applying Mortar to Wall</h1> <p>Grab a glob and put it on the wall. Repeat x 100. Use the v-notched trowel to carve lines (and if you have time, dirty words or pictures) into your mortar. Keep the mortar layer thick enough to fully cover the wall, but no thicker than that.</p> <div id="attachment_2359" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mortar_wall.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2359" class="size-full wp-image-2359" alt="installing backsplash tiles spreading mortar on wall v notch trowel" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mortar_wall.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mortar_wall.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mortar_wall-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2359" class="wp-caption-text">Spreading mortar with a metal trowel.</p></div> <p>The grooves will help the tiles adhere without a ton of excess oozing out when you press tiles into the mortar.</p> <div id="attachment_2385" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grooves.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2385" class="size-full wp-image-2385" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: this is how mortar should look when applied to the wall. Quickly stick your tiles to it before it dries." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grooves.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grooves.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grooves-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grooves-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2385" class="wp-caption-text">Mortar on the wall, waiting for sheets of tiles to get pressed onto it.</p></div> <h1>Where to Start Tiling?</h1> <p>The corner seemed like a good place to start because the interior corner is inherently trickier than anywhere else we’ll be tiling. We wanted both sheets to touch in the corner but not overlap. We had measured each wall independently, not realizing we were expecting both sets of tiles to go all the way to the edge – oops.</p> <div id="attachment_2351" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2351" class="size-full wp-image-2351" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash in progress. Figuring out how to meet the tiles in the corner was a brief challenge, and we decided not to overlap them." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter.jpg" width="512" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2351" class="wp-caption-text">Our first few tile sections complete!</p></div> <p style="text-align: left;">Here’s how the tiles fit together in the corner:</p> <div id="attachment_2386" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_corner.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2386" class="size-full wp-image-2386" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: tiles meeting in the corner. We decided not to overlap them and plugged the gap with grout in the next step." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_corner.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_corner.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_corner-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_corner-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2386" class="wp-caption-text">We decided not to overlap the tiles and plugged the gap with grout in the next step.</p></div> <h1>Tiling</h1> <p>Putting sheets on the wall was straightforward and quick from here. We used the level to check our work as we went. It’s ironic that <strong>the part of this project that most looks like actually tiling a backsplash was probably 10% of the total time spent</strong>.</p> <p>Most of the time went into filling the little holes with “one off” tiles.</p> <h1>Filling Gaps</h1> <p>To fill the gaps that inevitably occured, we used the 1×1 squares and the 2×1 rectangles. The gap-patching process was simple:</p> <ol> <li>Cut the “one off” tile free from the mesh and trim excess mesh around edge</li> <li>Butter the backside of a tile with a thin layer of mortar</li> <li>Plug the tile into the gap</li> <li>Mush it around until it’s level and evenly spaced from tiles around it</li> </ol> <div id="attachment_2390" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/spare_square.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2390" class="size-full wp-image-2390" alt="installing kitchen backsplash spare tiles for gaps" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/spare_square.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/spare_square.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/spare_square-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/spare_square-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2390" class="wp-caption-text">Our backsplash had a number of “holes” in it from too-long pieces having to be removed in order to fit to wall edges, corners, and the window ledge. 1×1 and 1×2 pieces were used to fill those gaps.</p></div> <h1>Tiling Behind the Range Oven</h1> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/gecafe.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright" alt="gecafe" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/gecafe-150x150.png" width="150" height="150" /></a>Our current range oven has a big built-in backsplash (with control panel), but we’d like to upgrade our range to a gas model with controls in front (the GE Cafe is our favorite pick right now).</p> <p>The “controls in front” type of range typically lacks a built-in backsplash, so we continued our tiled backsplash behind our existing range, even though it won’t be seen until we upgrade. We even tiled a couple inches below the top of the range to keep it looking seamless behind the appliance.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/gecafe.png"> </a></p> <div id="attachment_2387" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_below_range.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2387" class="size-full wp-image-2387" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: tiling behind the range in anticipation of a future range upgrade." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_below_range.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_below_range.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_below_range-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tile_below_range-185x138.jpg 185w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2387" class="wp-caption-text">You should probably tile behind your range.</p></div> <h1>Letting it Dry</h1> <p>The easiest step of all.</p> <div id="attachment_2361" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dry_24_hours.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2361" class="size-full wp-image-2361" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash: the easiest step of all is letting it dry." src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dry_24_hours.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dry_24_hours.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/dry_24_hours-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2361" class="wp-caption-text">With all the tiles mortared to the wall, all we had to do was wait 24 hours before the grouting could begin.</p></div> <p>We’ll be back in a day to grout and finish ‘er off!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>4</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>DIY Kitchen Backsplash (Part 3): DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</title> <link>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/</link> <comments>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 04 Nov 2013 14:00:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Kitchen]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2331</guid> <description><![CDATA[In Part 3 of our DIY kitchen backsplash series I’ll show you all the stuff I bought to make this project possible. Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: Part 1 – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash Part 2 – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash Part 3 – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List (You are […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In <strong>Part 3</strong> of our <strong>DIY kitchen backsplash series </strong>I’ll show you all the stuff I bought to make this project possible.</p> <p><em>Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: </em></p> <ul> <li><a href="/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/"><strong>Part 1</strong> – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 2</strong> – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"><strong>Part 3</strong> – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</a> (You are here)</li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 4</strong> – Installing Backsplash Tiles</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 5</strong> – Grouting Backsplash Tiles</a></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2373" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash supply list" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1-300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1-185x185.jpg 185w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1-120x120.jpg 120w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/diy_kitchen_backsplash_supply_list1.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p><a href="/2013/11/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/">With tiles in-hand</a>, all that was left was to accessorize our them with stuff for the actual installation. Turns out, buying the tiles was just the first 10% of the battle. :D We needed so much more than just tiles. To save you a bunch of separate trips to the store, here’s our all-inclusive <strong>DIY kitchen backsplash supply list: </strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002X2GQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00002X2GQ&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Tape measure</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067F5M0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00067F5M0&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Level</a></li> <li>Backsplash Tiles</li> <li>Glass Tile Thin-Set Mortar</li> <li>Grout</li> <li>Scissors</li> <li>White paper</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4CP/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00004Z4CP&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Painter’s tape</a></li> <li>Terrycloth and paper towels</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J9LT1O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002J9LT1O&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">2 gallon plastic bucket</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J9LT1O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002J9LT1O&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Metal scraper</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DQA726/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DQA726&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">V-notch Trowel</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goldblatt-G02368-6-Inch-Margin-Pro-Grip/dp/B0061Z1EFS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1383539986&sr=8-3&keywords=float+trowel">Float trowel</a>(s)</li> <li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ULVF5Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004ULVF5Y&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Grout sponge</a></li> <li>Sealer</li> <li>Eye protection & breathing mask</li> </ul> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002X2GQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00002X2GQ&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Tape Measure</a></h2> <p>Essential for <a href="/2013/10/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/">planning your DIY kitchen backsplash</a>… and picking a tile that will actually fit under your windowsill, and confirming that yes, you do indeed have enough tile…</p> <div id="attachment_2347" style="width: 260px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002X2GQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00002X2GQ&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2347" class="size-full wp-image-2347 " alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list tape measure" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/stanley_tape_measure.jpg" width="250" height="193" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2347" class="wp-caption-text">This tape measure is indestructible.</p></div> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067F5M0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00067F5M0&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Level</a></h2> <p>A level is essential for determining if the gap you just bridged over your range area is actually level, and for checking your tile work as you go. Uneven tiles are immediately noticeable, so check your work as you go with a small level.</p> <div id="attachment_2346" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067F5M0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00067F5M0&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2346" class="size-medium wp-image-2346 " alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list level" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/small_level-300x129.jpg" width="300" height="129" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/small_level-300x129.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/small_level.jpg 385w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2346" class="wp-caption-text">I use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067F5M0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00067F5M0&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">small level like this one</a> for tile work.</p></div> <h2>Backsplash Tiles</h2> <p><strong></strong><a href="/2013/11/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/">Read more about choosing the right tiles for your budget and kitchen.</a></p> <div id="attachment_2287" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2287" class="size-medium wp-image-2287 " alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list tiles" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2287" class="wp-caption-text">Without tiles, your backsplash is going to be pretty shitty. :P</p></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Glass Tile Thin-Set Mortar</strong></h2> <p>We used CustomLite Technology’s Glass Tile Thin-Set Mortar product (in white) which we purchased at The Home Depot. We cut the mix formula in half (the box holds 4.2lbs, we used 2.1 lbs) and used every last drop for our 8 sq ft backsplash.</p> <p>If you aren’t sure what kind of mortar you need for your tiles, ask Google or your friendly local tile store. (FYI: Mortar is sometimes called “mastic”.)</p> <div id="attachment_2332" style="width: 317px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2332" class=" wp-image-2332 " alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list thin set mortar" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar.jpg" width="307" height="307" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/thin_set_mortar-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 307px) 100vw, 307px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2332" class="wp-caption-text">Glass tile mortar for our glass tiles. Your mortar may vary.</p></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;">Grout<strong></strong></h2> <p>Grout is the goop that goes in between your tiles to fill in the gaps. For our glass tiles, we chose non-sanded grout. (The little bits of sand would likely scratch the tile faces.)</p> <div id="attachment_2350" style="width: 240px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HE9SKC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000HE9SKC&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2350" class=" wp-image-2350 " alt="DIY kitchen backsplash non sanded grout polyblend" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/poly_blend_grout.jpg" width="230" height="307" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2350" class="wp-caption-text">There are about as many grout color choices as there are people on the planet, but I always say you can’t go wrong with white.</p></div> <h2>Scissors</h2> <p>For cutting tile sheets in half and trimming excess mesh off the edges)</p> <div id="attachment_2348" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2348" class="size-medium wp-image-2348" alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list scissors" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cutting_tile_sheets.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2348" class="wp-caption-text">Scissors were necessary for cutting sheets in half, trimming mesh edges, and filling gaps with one-off tiles.</p></div> <h2><strong>White paper</strong></h2> <p>We used it to protect the countertop underneath the tile edges</p> <div id="attachment_2351" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2351" class="size-medium wp-image-2351" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash paper to protect countertop" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter-120x120.jpg 120w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/paper_protect_counter.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2351" class="wp-caption-text">Paper used to protect the few inches of counter top adjacent to our work area.</p></div> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4CP/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00004Z4CP&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><strong>Painter’s tape</strong></a></h2> <p>We used Scotch blue painter’s tape to secure protective sheets of paper between the tile and the countertop. We also used the tape to mask off the top of the mortar area to protect the painted wall above the backsplash.</p> <div id="attachment_2335" style="width: 368px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4CP/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00004Z4CP&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2335" class=" wp-image-2335 " alt="diy kitchen backsplash supply list painter's tape" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/scotch_blue.jpg" width="358" height="155" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/scotch_blue.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/scotch_blue-300x130.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2335" class="wp-caption-text">This stuff is completely worth it.</p></div> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Terrycloth and Paper Towels</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: left;">Used throughout the installation to wipe our fingers and clean up smudges.</p> <h2><strong>Two Gallon Bucket</strong></h2> <p>Used to mix our mortar. Our 8 square feet worth of mortar hardly began to fill the bucket:</p> <div id="attachment_2339" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2339" class="size-medium wp-image-2339" alt="Don't use your prom bucket for mixing mortar, it's going to get messy and scratched. " src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar-300x225.jpg" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bucket_mortar.jpg 512w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2339" class="wp-caption-text">Don’t use your prom bucket for mixing mortar, it’s going to get messy and scratched.</p></div> <p> </p> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J9LT1O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002J9LT1O&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Metal Scraper</a></h2> <p>Our all-purpose metal scraper was used to mix the mortar in the bucket (it gets pretty stiff, a paint stick won’t cut it) and spread the mortar onto the wall.</p> <div id="attachment_2336" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J9LT1O/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002J9LT1O&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2336" class="size-medium wp-image-2336" alt="metal_scraper" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/metal_scraper-300x111.jpg" width="300" height="111" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/metal_scraper-300x111.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/metal_scraper.jpg 385w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2336" class="wp-caption-text">Get a tough one, you’ll use it in every other DIY project you do.</p></div> <h2><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DQA726/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DQA726&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">V-Notch Trowel</a></strong></h2> <p>The v-notch trowel was essential for carving thin lines into the mortar once we’d applied the mortar to the wall. The lines help the tiles squish onto the wall and adhere using a thin, even layer of mortar.</p> <div id="attachment_2334" style="width: 241px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DQA726/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DQA726&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2334" class=" wp-image-2334" alt="v notch edge trowel for DIY kitchen backsplash installers" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/trowel1.jpg" width="231" height="150" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/trowel1.jpg 385w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/trowel1-300x194.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2334" class="wp-caption-text">Don’t skip this tool like I almost did, the little notches of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DQA726/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001DQA726&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">v-notch trowel</a> make a HUGE difference in how nicely your tiles squish onto the wall.</p></div> <p> </p> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goldblatt-G02368-6-Inch-Margin-Pro-Grip/dp/B0061Z1EFS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1383539986&sr=8-3&keywords=float+trowel">Float Trowel</a></h2> <p>Your float trowel is for spreading grout over the delicate tile surfaces. A float trowel is smooth and soft to protect your tiles from scratches. We had two: a wide one and a narrow one (for fitting the short area under the window ledge).</p> <div id="attachment_2341" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goldblatt-G02368-6-Inch-Margin-Pro-Grip/dp/B0061Z1EFS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1383539986&sr=8-3&keywords=float+trowel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2341" class="size-medium wp-image-2341" alt="float_trowel" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/float_trowel-300x212.jpg" width="300" height="212" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/float_trowel-300x212.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/float_trowel-1024x724.jpg 1024w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/float_trowel.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2341" class="wp-caption-text">Not to be confused with the metal scraper (which might scratch your tiles) or your v-notch trowel (which will definitely scratch your tiles).</p></div> <h2><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ULVF5Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004ULVF5Y&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20">Grout Sponge</a></h2> <p><strong>Question:</strong> What’s the difference between a normal sponge and a grout sponge?<br /> <strong>Answer:</strong> About $6.</p> <p>Your grout sponge is for gently wiping grout off the face of your tiles as it cures. These cost somewhere between a buck and ten dollars. We used one that cost somewhere in the middle of that range and everything went fine.</p> <div id="attachment_2342" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ULVF5Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004ULVF5Y&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2342" class="size-medium wp-image-2342" alt="cheap grout sponge" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sponge-300x134.jpg" width="300" height="134" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sponge-300x134.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/sponge.jpg 385w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2342" class="wp-caption-text">Amazon’s cheapest grout sponge – $2 for this bad boy</p></div> <div id="attachment_2343" style="width: 219px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003B5Q7S0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003B5Q7S0&linkCode=as2&tag=diy07a-20"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2343" class="size-medium wp-image-2343" alt="pro_plus_grout_sponge" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/pro_plus_grout_sponge-209x300.jpg" width="209" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/pro_plus_grout_sponge-209x300.jpg 209w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/pro_plus_grout_sponge.jpg 357w" sizes="(max-width: 209px) 100vw, 209px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2343" class="wp-caption-text">A fancier grout sponge with built-in haze buffer.</p></div> <p>Whether you splash out on a Cadillac sponge or get one from the dollar store, <strong>use a clean, new sponge</strong>. You don’t want particles from your last sponge project getting into your nice grout or marring your pretty tiles.</p> <h2>Sealer</h2> <p>For sealing your tiles against stains and other unpleasantness. Match the sealer type to your type of tiles. Our tiles are some kind of stone (quartz, maybe?) and glass.</p> <div id="attachment_2367" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_and_tile_Sealer.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2367" class="size-medium wp-image-2367" alt="grout_and_tile_Sealer" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_and_tile_Sealer-225x300.jpg" width="225" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_and_tile_Sealer-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/grout_and_tile_Sealer.jpg 384w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2367" class="wp-caption-text">We used a spray bottle of grout and tile sealer from Home Depot</p></div> <h1>Eye Protection & Breathing Mask</h1> <p>Mixing the mortar is dusty but unless you’re mixing a ton of it, it probably won’t be a problem. <strong>Protection is up to you</strong> – I wore science class goggles and a cloth breathing mask, but my two helpers went without and everyone was pleased with their choices.</p> <p style="text-align: left;"> <em>To help you find the right products quickly, links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. As always, LevelUpHouse and I encourage you to shop around, shop local, and shop wherever you like. If you decide to shop at Amazon, your purchase through any of these links helps support LevelUpHouse! </em></p> <p> </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>DIY Kitchen Backsplash (Part 2): How to Choose Kitchen Backsplash Tiles</title> <link>/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/</link> <comments>/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 01 Nov 2013 13:00:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Kitchen]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tiles]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2283</guid> <description><![CDATA[Welcome to Part 2 of our completely modest, totally DIY kitchen backsplash project! In this post, I’ll tell you what to think about when picking out tiles and how to choose kitchen backsplash tiles for your DIY kitchen remodel. Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: Part 1 – Planning a DIY […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">Welcome to Part 2 of our <strong>completely modest</strong>, <strong>totally DIY kitchen backsplash project!</strong> In this post, I’ll tell you what to think about when picking out tiles and how to choose kitchen backsplash tiles for your DIY kitchen remodel.</p> <p><em>Catch up on our DIY kitchen backsplash series through these links: </em></p> <ul> <li><a href="/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/"><strong>Part 1</strong> – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 2</strong> – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a> (You are here)</li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"><strong>Part 3</strong> – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 4</strong> – Installing Backsplash Tiles</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 5</strong> – Grouting Backsplash Tiles</a></li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">When I was researching kitchen backsplash ideas, I found that most of what I was reading assumed I had a sky-high budget and a kitchen straight out of Better Homes & Gardens.</p> <div id="attachment_2284" style="width: 608px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dreamkitchen.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2284" class=" wp-image-2284 " alt="high end kitchen" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dreamkitchen.jpg" width="598" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dreamkitchen.jpg 997w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dreamkitchen-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2284" class="wp-caption-text">Gasp-inducing kitchen is lovely but so not in my budget! Photo credit: <a href="http://suturi.com/?p=8890">suturi.com</a></p></div> <p dir="ltr">My kitchen’s from 1977, and it’s about what you’d expect from a single family standalone home built 30+ years ago.</p> <div id="attachment_2285" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dec12_kitchen.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2285" class="size-full wp-image-2285" alt="level up house kitchen solid surface countertop mint color" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dec12_kitchen.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dec12_kitchen.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/dec12_kitchen-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2285" class="wp-caption-text">My actual kitchen!</p></div> <p dir="ltr">Contractors we discussed possibilities with wanted to tear out walls and completely change the layout of our downstairs to “modernize” it, but I can’t afford that. So we’re facelifting this kitchen instead of gutting it, spreading the costs out, and doing as much as we can ourselves.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>This DIY kitchen backsplash project’s goals are:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Simple design – like Legos!</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Easy DIY installation</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">No tile cutting</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">No tools we don’t already own</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Under $400 for the whole shebang (most of the cost is in the tiles themselves)</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">I don’t want (and can’t afford) those crazy counter-to-ceiling tiled walls with glittery tiles cut from slabs found in the enchanted quarry. :)</p> <p dir="ltr">If yours is too, then read on for Part 2 of our DIY Kitchen Backsplash series: choosing the right backsplash tile!</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Your Tile Budget</h1> <div id="attachment_2393" style="width: 160px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1mil_sq_meter.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2393" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-2393" alt="expensive tile" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1mil_sq_meter-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1mil_sq_meter-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1mil_sq_meter-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2393" class="wp-caption-text">This <a href="http://www.luxuo.com/most-expensive/diamond-floor-wall-or-ceiling-tile.html">diamond tile</a> will set you back just $1 million per square meter</p></div> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Your tiles will be the single largest expense of your DIY kitchen backsplash. </strong>Tile is usually priced by the square foot, and most prices we found were<strong> between</strong> <strong>$18/sq foot </strong>and<strong> $90+ sq/foot</strong> (<em>omg</em>).</p> <p dir="ltr">If you haven’t yet, take a minute to <a href="/2013/10/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/">estimate how much square footage of tile you actually need</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Next, figure out how much you’re willing to spend. The cheapest you’ll probably get away with is $250-$500 (USD) for a modest, short backsplash.</p> <p dir="ltr">Divide your budget by how many square feet you’ll need. <strong>If your budget is $300 and you need 15 square feet, your sheets should cost about $20/each. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/budgetformula.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-2394" alt="budgetformula" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/budgetformula-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/budgetformula.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/budgetformula-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">Figuring this out before you step into a tile store will save you a ton of time: you can just look at the price first, and if it’s too much, keep looking. You won’t waste time on tile you can’t afford.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Where to Shop for Tiles</h1> <p dir="ltr">We’re in the Pacific Northwest, and our favorite places for tile are <strong>The Home Depot</strong> (which is where we got our bathroom tiles from) and <strong><a href="http://www.tileforlessnw.com/">Tile for Less</a></strong> (which is where we shopped for this project). If Home Depot is the McDonalds of tiles, then Tile for Less is the Olive Garden. Neither are particularly expensive, and both have enough variety for just about anyone, but it’s a lot easier to “splash out” and spend a fortune at Tile for Less.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are two more reasons to visit Tile for Less.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Reason #1 –</strong> This awesome Tile for Less mosaic sign:</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2286" alt="Tile for Less sign mosaic tiled" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Reason #2 –</strong> This faux dinosaur fossil mosaic I pay homage to every time I visit Tile for Less:</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less_dinosaur.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2290" alt="tile_for_less_dinosaur" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less_dinosaur.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less_dinosaur.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/tile_for_less_dinosaur-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">There are also tons of online tile stores. I didn’t shop for tiles online; I just wanted to see the tiles in person and find something locally, but I would have ended up online if Tile for Less couldn’t deliver the goods.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">What Kind of Tiles To Buy</h1> <p dir="ltr">There are about as many choices in tiles as there are people buying tiles, so a lot of this is up to personal preference.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>This is my advice to anyone trying to choose tiles:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Neutral colors</strong> (white and grey in our case) because I hate experimenting with expensive things that get glued to the wall. <em> Bland colors for things that are permanent,</em> that’s my motto. :)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Under $30/sq foot</strong>. Just a simple budget preference. Some sheets we liked were $70+ per sq. ft which I think is just insane for a bunch of rocks you glue to a wall. Your mileage will vary here.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Must fit under our window sill</strong> which is 3 ¾” because I don’t want to turn a countertop project into a window project as well</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Must include 1” tiles for filling in gaps</strong> because I don’t want to cut tiles if I can avoid it</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Flat surfaces</strong> because I don’t want to scrub grime out of wavy tiles or sculpted designs</p> </li> <li dir="ltr">It’s hard to go wrong with <strong>subway tiles</strong></li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">So, with all that in mind, you’d probably be surprised to know those criteria didn’t severely limit our choices.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Our Tile Choice (and Runners-Up)</h1> <p dir="ltr"><strong>This is the tile I liked as soon as I stepped into the store. </strong><a href="http://www.bellavitatile.com/products/categoryList.aspx?catID=928">Bellavita Boulder Series</a> in “Snow” checks all our boxes. I love it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2287" alt="bellavita_stone" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/bellavita_stone-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>But just to be sure, we wasted another 2 hours</strong> <strong>looking at more tiles</strong> to make sure it was <em>The One</em> (it was).</p> <p dir="ltr">In the interest of sharing our decision-making process, here are some runners-up that didn’t make the cut. The one on the left was nice, and the 1″ tiles were perfect, but it was way more expensive. The one in the middle was ultimtely too dark and also too many fiddly bits to deal with individually for the edges/corners.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/runners_up.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2288" alt="runners_up" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/runners_up.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/runners_up.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/runners_up-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">I super loved the look of this <a href="http://www.modenus.com/catalog/c/tile-stone/t/glass-tile/m/stone-pewter-accents/p/gendai-meier-silk">Meier tile</a> but I didn’t super love its price, which if I recall was like $60 a square foot or something crazy. But I did seriously consider it for a few minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/meir_tile.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2289" alt="meir_tile" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/meir_tile.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/meir_tile.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/meir_tile-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">We also brought a sample home to look at it there, because I like to be super-duper sure <strong>before I spend $300 on a nonrefundable box of rocks</strong>. Finally, we bought our 9 sheets and left satisfied with our decision. Our grand total for 9 sheets+tax came to $320.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since these tiles are stone, we’ll have to seal them as well. (We’ll talk more about sealing when we get to the supply-buying and installation steps.)</p> <h1 dir="ltr">The Tiles Arrive!</h1> <p dir="ltr">Tile for Less had our tile order ready for pickup in like, four days, so they arrived weeks ahead of our planned November installation. The tiles came in a square box and none of the sheets were broken or chipped.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Our box of rocks is home!</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Stay tuned for Part 3,<a href="/2013/11/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"> where we stick our box of rocks to the wall</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>7</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>DIY Kitchen Backsplash (Part 1): Planning a Kitchen Backsplash</title> <link>/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/</link> <comments>/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:00:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Kitchen]]></category> <category><![CDATA[tiling]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2260</guid> <description><![CDATA[Welcome to Part 1 of our DIY tiled kitchen backsplash project! This first post is about planning a kitchen backsplash. See the entire DIY kitchen backsplash series: Part 1 – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash (You are here) Part 2 – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash Part 3 – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List Part 4 – Installing […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2883 aligncenter" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash tiling project" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1.jpg" width="500" height="500" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1-150x150.jpg 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1-300x300.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/diy_kitchen_backsplash_tiling_project1-120x120.jpg 120w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">Welcome to Part 1 of our <strong>DIY tiled kitchen backsplash project!</strong> This first post is about <strong>planning</strong> a kitchen backsplash.</p> <p><em>See the entire DIY kitchen backsplash series:</em></p> <ul> <li><a href="/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/"><strong>Part 1</strong> – Planning a DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a> (You are here)</li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 2</strong> – Choosing the Right Tiles for your DIY Kitchen Backsplash</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-supply-list/"><strong>Part 3</strong> – DIY Kitchen Backsplash Supply List</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-4-installing-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 4</strong> – Installing Backsplash Tiles</a></li> <li><a href="/2013/diy-kitchen-backsplash-part-5-grouting-backsplash-tiles/"><strong>Part 5</strong> – Grouting Backsplash Tiles</a></li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">A year ago we replaced our kitchen’s old with a super nice <a href="/2012/04/countertop-awesomeness/">Staron solid surface countertop</a> from Home d’Pot and planned to tile our own backsplash. <strong>Now it’s time to finish the backsplash!</strong></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/new_backsplash.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2275" alt="DIY kitchen backsplash planning a kitchen backsplash" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/new_backsplash.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/new_backsplash.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/new_backsplash-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">To be frank, the idea of permanently gluing little bits of ceramic and glass to our kitchen walls is <em>super intimidating</em>. We’ve only tiled one thing before (a stripe down our bathroom wall) and that was a messy and intense experience. You just don’t get much room for messing up when you’re working with tile (but everything went fine in our bathroom tiling project).</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/previous_tiling_experience.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2276" alt="our previous tiling experience in a bathroom" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/previous_tiling_experience.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/previous_tiling_experience.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/previous_tiling_experience-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">It took us some time (and a bunch of YouTube videos) to get the confidence that we could tile our own kitchen backsplash.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Kitchen Ambition</h1> <p dir="ltr">The best place to begin is to determine <strong>how ambitious</strong> (translation: <em>expensive</em>) the project will be. This is true of virtually any kind of project you might plan, but it’s especially true when working with expensive materials that the store won’t let you return.</p> <p dir="ltr">We decided to keep our kitchen backsplash project very modest. Our backsplash will be 6” tall with varying width tiles, which should allow us flexibility to fill in gaps and avoid cutting tiles. Hopefully, simplicity will pay off in the end.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Why not tile the whole wall?</strong> Well, for one, it’s a trend I just don’t like that much. I think a wall of tile is overwhelming, and it doesn’t let you repaint the kitchen walls (which is something I like doing :D).</p> <p dir="ltr">Two, it’s expensive. To tile our entire wall would require 66 square feet of materials, which <strong>would cost over $2000 in materials alone</strong>. Our 6” backsplash materials came in around <strong>$320</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_entire_wall.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2278" alt="cost to tile entire kitchen wall is too expensive" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_entire_wall.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_entire_wall.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_entire_wall-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr">Three, we probably couldn’t do a fully tiled wall ourselves. We would have to remove and re-install the range hood over the tile, and cut the tiles to accommodate the electrical outlets.</p> <p dir="ltr">So I’ll leave the fully-tiled-wall look to the pros and I’ll stick with what I can actually do myself.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_6_inch_backsplash.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2279" alt="6 inch backsplash is much more affordable " src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_6_inch_backsplash.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_6_inch_backsplash.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cost_to_till_6_inch_backsplash-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Figuring these things out before you begin is super important.</strong> Knowing the scope of your project lets you estimate costs, which is usually why we DIY these things in the first place. We got two professional quotes for the kitchen backsplash, and both came at around $650 and $800. Yeah, thanks, but we’ll pass on that. Doing it ourselves should come in under $400, for a savings of at least $250. (I don’t know about you, but I think that stuff adds up. That’s like, a quarter of the way to another trip to Disneyland!)</p> <p dir="ltr">I also highly recommend figuring out what you want in terms of color and style before you go to a tile store where you’ll get overwhelmed by the possibilities. Spend an hour on Google figuring out what you like and what you hate. Virtually everything looks nice in the tile store, so make sure you know what looks right in <em>your kitchen</em> before you go there.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Determine Your Backsplash’s Height</h1> <p dir="ltr"><strong>This part’s easy:</strong> how high do you want your backsplash to be? Some go halfway up the wall, some go to the ceiling, and some are a little more modest and stop about where we’re stopping ours.</p> <p dir="ltr">We chose 6” because it would let us cut our 12”x12” tile sheets evenly in half and because 6” is slightly lower than our electrical outlets. Not having to cut tiles to fit around outlets sounds like a good time to me.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/6_inch_tall_kitchen_backsplash.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2277" alt="6 inch tall backsplash avoids electrical outlets" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/6_inch_tall_kitchen_backsplash.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/6_inch_tall_kitchen_backsplash.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/11/6_inch_tall_kitchen_backsplash-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1 dir="ltr">Determine Your Backsplash’s Width</h1> <p dir="ltr"><strong>This part’s easy, too:</strong> measure the width of the area you’ll be tiling. In our case, the window wall is 113″ wide and the oven’s wall is 82″ wide.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Calculate the area</h1> <p dir="ltr">Multiply your width by your intended backsplash height to get the square inches you’ll need to fill with tile (in inches). Divide it by 12 to convert the square inches into feet, and then divide by 12 again to convert into square feet. (Unless you’re using metric, in which case you can probably do the math in your head…)</p> <p dir="ltr">I bought one full extra sheet to be safe, so <strong>10 sheets total</strong>. (At $30 a sheet, I didn’t want to go crazy buying extra sheets.)</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/backsplash_math.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2262" alt="planning a kitchen backsplash" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/backsplash_math.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/backsplash_math.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/backsplash_math-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <h1 dir="ltr">Figure out what you want over the stove</h1> <p dir="ltr">We left the area above the stove empty – it will just be the painted wall it already is. We chose this to save money (less tile to buy) and because I’m not convinced it needs a backsplash. We’re daily cooks and I haven’t felt the need for an elaborate backsplash behind the stove yet, so we’ll leave that to the magazines.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you do want something over your stove (something taller than the rest of your backsplash, perhaps), be sure to calculate its dimensions as well. If you want it to use a variety of tiles (say, a border or a special design), also calculate the area of those special features.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Any special cases?</h1> <p dir="ltr">Our “special case” is the space between the counter and the window ledge. The space is just a TEENY TINY BIT less than 4″, so we’re gonna try to make it work with 1″ tiles.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Ready to Shop for Tiles!</h1> <p dir="ltr">With our quantity and budget determined, we’re ready to go to the tile store and see what they’ve got! I know we’ll be looking for tiles that can fit under the window ledge and match our countertop.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What to bring with to the tile store:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Measuring tape</strong></p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong></strong><strong>Counter sample</strong>, if you have one, for comparisons (a painted sample of your wall color and a cabinet door wouldn’t hurt, either)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Kitchen measurements</strong></p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Once the backsplash was planned, the next step was <a href="/home-improvement/kitchen/diy-how-to-choose-kitchen-backsplash-tiles/">visiting a tile store and choosing tiles</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/planning-a-kitchen-backsplash-part-1/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>11</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Preventing Yard Ornament Rust!</title> <link>/2013/preventing-yard-ornament-rust/</link> <comments>/2013/preventing-yard-ornament-rust/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:00:38 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category> <category><![CDATA[FISH]]></category> <category><![CDATA[yard ornaments]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2248</guid> <description><![CDATA[Updated 4/2014! The clear Rustoleum did nothing to slow the rust, but I found an even better technique to prevent yard ornament rust. Alas, it does involve painting the ornaments. I updated this post with all the details! I’m not usually into yard ornaments, but I might have discovered my gateway drug when I found […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><strong>Updated 4/2014! </strong><em>The clear Rustoleum did nothing to slow the rust, but I found an even better technique to prevent yard ornament rust. Alas, it does involve painting the ornaments. I updated this post with all the details!</em></p> <p dir="ltr">I’m not usually into yard ornaments, but I might have discovered my gateway drug when I found <strong>these big metal salmon-shaped yard ornaments</strong> at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/bad-blanche-collections-poulsbo">Bad Blanche in Poulsbo, WA</a>.</p> <div id="attachment_2250" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_rust_treatment.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2250" class="size-full wp-image-2250" alt="yard_ornaments_rust_treatment" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_rust_treatment.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_rust_treatment.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_rust_treatment-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2250" class="wp-caption-text">YARD. FISH.</p></div> <p dir="ltr">The acquisition of one’s first yard ornament is probably where the path into old ladyhood begins, but I don’t care,<em><strong> I</strong></em> <em><strong>freaking LOVE my yard fish</strong><strong>!</strong></em></p> <p dir="ltr">Alas, you don’t have to be a metal fish expert to know my new yard ornaments are probably going to start rusting the moment I put them into my yard. Here’s what I did to prevent yard ornament rust and keep my yard fish looking adorable.</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Supplies</h1> <ul> <li><strong>Metal yard ornament(s)</strong> (up to you! Obviously, I am partial to fish)</li> <li><del><strong>A can of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-224284-Stops-Inhibitor-10-25-Ounce/dp/B002BWORQS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382302018&sr=8-1&keywords=rustoleum+rust+inhibitor">Rustoleum Rust Inhibitor</a></strong> (mine was about $3.50 from the Home d’Pot, check your local stores)</del> This stuff was useless crap!</li> <li>A can of <a href="http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/rusty-metal-primer-spray">Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer Spray</a></li> <li>A can of <a href="http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/universal/univeral-forged-hammered-spray-paint/">Rustoleum Hammered Spray Paint</a> in any color (or whatever paint you like… I hear chalkboard is popular)</li> <li>A pot of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BPSVJ6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BPSVJ6&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Turtle Wax car wax</a></li> </ul> <h1 dir="ltr">Here’s what DIDN’T work…</h1> <p dir="ltr">The vast majority of Rustoleum products are actually <strong>paints</strong>. But I didn’t want to paint my yard ornaments a different color, I just wanted to give them a coat of anti-rusting goodness. I tried this Rustoleum “Rust Inhibitor” stuff first – I followed all the directions and gave them plenty of time to dry. I stuck ’em in my yard and within 24 hours they were rusting worse than ever before. DID NOT WORK! If anything, it made them rust faster.</p> <div id="attachment_2249" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Clear_Rustoleum_Spray.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2249" class="size-full wp-image-2249 " alt="preventing yard ornament rust Rustoleum rust inhibitor spray" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Clear_Rustoleum_Spray.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Clear_Rustoleum_Spray.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Clear_Rustoleum_Spray-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2249" class="wp-caption-text">Rustoleum Rust Inhibitor spray: all that stands between my metal fish and the water that will ruin them. How ironic.</p></div> <h1 dir="ltr">Round 2: Preventing Yard Ornament Rust with PAINT and CAR WAX</h1> <p>I brought my fish indoors and let them dry. Meanwhile, I went back to the Big Orange Box and bought a can of <a href="http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/stops-rust/rusty-metal-primer-spray">Rusty Metal Primer Spray</a>. Each fish (I have four now, btw – I went back to Bad Blanche and covered each one in several coats. You know what’s ironic? Covering rust with rust-colored paint. But it looked so good, I considered stopping here.</p> <h1 dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_paint_1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3106 aligncenter" alt="rust_yard_ornament_paint_1" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_paint_1.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_paint_1.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_paint_1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a></h1> <p>The rust primer step took several days, since I had to paint one side and let it dry before flipping the fish over to paint the back side.</p> <p>I did 2 coats of rust primer on each side before switching to the Rustoleum hammered metallic paint. I had both a silver-colored paint and a black-metallic paint, and I couldn’t decide which one I liked better so I just alternated and got a nice blend. The can promises a “hammered” look but all that really means is you get little splurts of uneven paint, which worked well for fish but maybe not for things that are actually supposed to be smooth.</p> <p>Here’s my fish with a couple coats of the metallic outdoor paint:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_metallic_Hammered_paint.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3107 aligncenter" alt="rust_yard_ornament_metallic_Hammered_paint" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_metallic_Hammered_paint.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_metallic_Hammered_paint.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_metallic_Hammered_paint-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_closeup.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3108 aligncenter" alt="rust_yard_ornament_closeup" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_closeup.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_closeup.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rust_yard_ornament_closeup-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a></p> <p>I gave the fish a good hour+ between coats and I split this project up over the course of a couple weeks (if you were in a hurry, I imagine the whole thing could be done in as little as 2 days).</p> <h1 dir="ltr">Workspace Preparation</h1> <p dir="ltr">My first workspace was a neat little box that I carried outside in the grass.</p> <div style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_before_rust_treatment.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" " alt="preventing yard ornament rust workstation" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_before_rust_treatment.jpg" width="512" height="384" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">My high-budget elevated workstation allows for moving the fish without touching them.</p></div> <p dir="ltr">On round 2 of this project, I knew I’d have to do a LOT more painting so I brought the whole thing into my garage. My second workspace was a giant mess of newspaper and paint inside my garage.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/fish_yard_ornaments_getting_painted.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3109 aligncenter" alt="fish_yard_ornaments_getting_painted" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/fish_yard_ornaments_getting_painted.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/fish_yard_ornaments_getting_painted.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/fish_yard_ornaments_getting_painted-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a></p> <h1 dir="ltr">No time to explain, help me wax this fish!</h1> <p>Right about the time I was finishing my last coat my dad suggested I wax them like a car. <em>Damn, that’s a good idea!</em></p> <div id="attachment_3110" style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/turtle_wax.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3110" class=" wp-image-3110 " alt="turtle_wax" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/turtle_wax.jpg" width="350" height="263" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/turtle_wax.jpg 500w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/turtle_wax-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3110" class="wp-caption-text"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BPSVJ6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BPSVJ6&linkCode=as2&tag=leveluphouse-20">Turtle Wax</a> goes on my cars AND my fish.</p></div> <p>Too bad we didn’t think of it <em>before</em> I spent hours painting the fish! I bet car wax alone would have been enough to keep these fish from rusting. I wax my cars with Turtle Wax, so I already had a pot laying around.</p> <p>I applied the car wax to both sides of the fish and their posts.</p> <div id="attachment_3111" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/car_wax_metal_fish.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3111" class="wp-image-3111 " alt="car_wax_metal_fish" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/car_wax_metal_fish.jpg" width="600" height="450" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/car_wax_metal_fish.jpg 1000w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/car_wax_metal_fish-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3111" class="wp-caption-text">Finally, a chance to use my degree.</p></div> <p>Once the wax was buffed off, it was finally the moment we’ve all been waiting for: time to put the fish in the yard! Best of all, thanks to the wax, the water just beads up and runs off ’em.</p> <div id="attachment_2255" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_metal_fish_salmon.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2255" class="size-full wp-image-2255 " alt="preventing yard ornament rust coated salmon" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_metal_fish_salmon.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_metal_fish_salmon.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/10/yard_ornaments_metal_fish_salmon-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2255" class="wp-caption-text">All that’s missing is MORE FISH?</p></div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2013/preventing-yard-ornament-rust/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Yardmageddon 2013: Watering New Arborvitaes</title> <link>/2013/watering-new-arborvitaes/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 07 Sep 2013 13:00:31 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category> <category><![CDATA[arborvitaes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[yard]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=2063</guid> <description><![CDATA[I couldn’t find a good guide online for watering newly planted arborvitaes, so I’m writing one! Since the arborvitaes have survived the dry Seattle summer, I thought I’d talk about my technique for watering new arborvitaes. New Arborvitaes?! It’s been four months and our new arborvitaes are still alive! Even better, they seem to be thriving. […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;">I couldn’t find a good guide online for watering newly planted arborvitaes, so I’m writing one! Since the arborvitaes have survived the dry Seattle summer, I thought I’d talk about my technique for watering new arborvitaes.</p> <h1 style="text-align: left;">New Arborvitaes?!</h1> <p style="text-align: left;">It’s been four months and our new arborvitaes are <em>still alive! </em>Even better, they seem to be thriving. (Last May, we <a href="/2013/05/yardmageddon-2013/">planted three emerald green arborvitaes</a> in our partially-shaded Seattle-area backyard.) They’re bright green and standing perfectly upright. For two landscaping n00bs, the success of the arborvitaes is perhaps proof that we’re not <em>completely</em> incapable when it comes to landscaping.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Why watering new arborvitaes? Because all the advice I found online was different or not Seattle-specific, leaving me to guess at what was best for my arborvitaes. So here it is – this is what worked for me! I live in the <a href="http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-washington-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php">hardiness zone 8a</a>,planted the trees in May and watered regularly through September (when the natural rains finally returned).</p> <h1>Watering New Arborvitaes</h1> <p><strong>I watered twice a week, 10-12 minutes per arborvitae. </strong>My watering schedule worked to be<strong> Saturday</strong> (anytime, usually mid-morning) and <strong>Wednesday</strong> (evening after work).</p> <p>I set the hose to a steady small stream and placed the end of it at the arborvitae’s root ball. I waited 5-6 minutes then moved the hose to the other side of the root ball. (I sat in a lawn chair and read the Internet while I waited, it’s not a bad arrangement.)</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/water_arborvitae_water_pressure.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" alt="water_arborvitae_water_pressure" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/water_arborvitae_water_pressure.jpg" width="512" height="384" /></a></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_water.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter" alt="watering new arborvitaes hose trickle" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_water.jpg" width="512" height="384" /></a></p> <p>Each arborvitae got a good soaking, and the mulch seemed to do a good job of holding the water close to the plant’s roots. Watering advice is all over the place on the Internet (use a hose! use a sprinkler! water daily! water weekly!), but a hose pointed right at the root ball is worked for me and required no special tools or hose attachments.</p> <p>I watered the new arborvitaes deep and then let them dry out for a few days before watering again.</p> <h1 style="text-align: left;">Full Sun for Arborvitaes?</h1> <p style="text-align: left;">We <a href="/2013/05/yardmageddon-2013/">planted the arborvitaes</a> in May specifically to take advantage of the uninterrupted stretch of sunshine over Seattle from June to September. We figured we could water them ourselves and have a sort of “best of both worlds” thing going on: <strong>sky provides sun, we provide water.</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_update.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2064 aligncenter" alt="arborvitae_update" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_update.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_update.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arborvitae_update-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left;">They ended up needing<em> quite a bit of water</em> to get through the long dry spell. After about the third month without any rain I was starting to give up hope that we’d ever see rain again. (It has since returned, raining nearly every day of September so far this year. Woohoo!)</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The arborvitaes’ tags say they require “partial to full sun”. <strong>Why would anyone sell a plant that requires “full sun” in the Seattle area?</strong> Surely there’s some wiggle room on the full sun requirement.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">Besides, I see plenty of healthy arborvitaes around my neighborhood. The arborvitaes get about 4 hours of sunshine on a summer day, so I hope the they soaked up enough sun to carry them through the cloudy winter.</p> <h1 style="text-align: left;">Arborvitae Growth Rate?</h1> <p style="text-align: left;">If the new arborvitaes have grown at all, I can’t detect it. They’re exactly as high as the fence right now. I suspect they don’t do much growing in the winter so it might be several years before these arborvitaes start serving their true purpose, which is blocking the view of the neighbor’s yard (and their mysterious room full of jars).</p> <h1>What’s Next?</h1> <p>I’m going to let the natural rain take over the watering business, and I’ll write an update in the spring on how the arborvitaes are growing. Yardmageddon 2013 is drawing to a close, but I have a few more updates about our grass growing adventure and the suddenly-blooming rhodys to share in the coming days, so stay tuned! (I can’t believe growing grass counts as an adventure.)</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>