Tim Carter tests and demonstrates the features of the YardMax 35-Ton Full Beam Log Splitter. It does VERY WELL.
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DEAR TIM: I’m remodeling my bathroom and want the WOW factor when I see it each day. Regular square tile seem so boring. What would you suggest to create a look that will put someone’s head on a swivel when they see it? What are the best practices, in your opinion, when it comes to installing ceramic tile that will not fall off the wall and not leak? I don’t want any issues and want this tile to look as good as the 100-plus-year-old tile in my grandmother’s distinguished old home. Sara J., Lincoln, MA
DEAR SARA: You’ve given me a tall order to fill. I can remember, as if it happened yesterday, similar questions from my customers. Some knew exactly what they wanted and others required some inspiration. One thing’s for sure. You get but one chance with ceramic tile, so what you decide to do better be right. It’s prohibitively expensive to remove tile and start over!
I’d start the idea process by visiting several ceramic tile showrooms in, or around, your town or city. Some modern showrooms have created full wall panels and even full showers within the showroom that incorporate many of the products they sell. In the old days, you’d look at a few sample boards that had tile pieces affixed to them. You’d have to use your imagination to try to dream up what they all might look like once installed.
If you can stretch your budget you can have fancy ceramic tile in a shower. © 2016 Tim Carter Builder
Some specialty tile stores, and big box home centers, still sell tile this way and I’d avoid them. You need to see several different specialty tiles, as well as different types of tiles all used together in one motif. If this requires an all-day journey to a store many miles away, then call the showrooms to ensure they have full-blown shower and bath enclosures constructed in the showroom.
I’d also spend hours online looking at photographs of ceramic tile showers and bathrooms. You can do this by visiting the websites of ceramic tile manufacturers. Another clever trick is to use image searches on websites that just curate photographs. Use keyword search phrases like: decorative shower ceramic tile, border ceramic tile, tile insets for showers, etc.
In my opinion, the WOW factor happens when you blend different materials, shapes and colors. For example, if you’ve not seen ceramic border tile that looks like the wood trim you see around doors and windows, then by all means get to a showroom. Be prepared to have your eyelids open to the full and upright position! Some of these borders are stunning.
You can achieve a dazzling shower by blending marble, granite, border tile and even some regular ceramic tile in the same shower. Subtle color tones that compliment one another can draw out the color and texture of adjacent materials.
Inset panels surrounded by the border tile within the shower can create a dramatic layered effect on what otherwise might be a flat, plain wall. Don’t forget to incorporate accessory tile for soap dishes, shampoo shelves and any other body care products you want to store within the shower area.
Stop and think for a moment about your grandmother’s bathroom tile that’s not only stood the test of time, but it looks as good as the day it was installed. This didn’t happen by accident. The builder and master tile setter who worked together to create the masterpiece did so using materials that were waterproof.
Behind that tile I’m quite certain you’ll discover concrete made from Portland cement and coarse sand. This concrete mix was was applied to steel mesh that had been fastened to the wood studs. The waterproof tile was bonded permanently to the concrete with a slurry of Portland cement that may have contained fine pure silica sand.
It’s also mission critical for the wall surfaces to be perfectly flat and plumb. The master tile setter achieved this goal by installing the wet concrete with straightedges that created the perfectly smooth surfaces. Tile does not tolerate being placed on wavy surfaces. The glossy surface of most tile will telegraph, due to light reflection, the fact that the substrate is not smooth.
You can obtain the same results today as the craftsmen of old using modern materials. I’d give serious consideration to using steel studs to frame the shower area. These galvanized framing materials are straight and will not twist or bow over time. Water will not harm them should a leak develop. Sheets of cement board, or other fully waterproof material, can be screwed to the steel studs to create the perfectly flat substrate tile desires.
A cross-laminated vapor barrier can be placed on the steel studs before the substrate boards are applied. This will capture both liquid water and water vapor. The liquid water will drop down to the shower pan and eventually travel to the sea. Be sure to also incorporate solid blocking that may be required for shower grab bars. Take lots of photographs that show the location of the blocking. Write on the blocking the distance to the centerline from the floor and be sure you can see this in the photos.
Use thinset mortar, it’s waterproof, to adhere your new tile to the substrate. Mix the grout so it’s the consistency of warm cake icing. Squeeze all water out of the sponges you use to strike the grout joints. If you get the grout too wet during the finishing process, the water dilutes the Portland cement in the grout making it weak and susceptible to cracking and flaking.
Column 1169
If you’re a new subscriber in the past two or three weeks, I need to WARN you.
This is by no means a normal AsktheBuilder.com newsletter. If you’re a seasoned subscriber, I believe you’ll appreciate this issue.
A Strange Three Weeks
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but several non-connected events have caused me to get into a deep-thinking mode.
The run up to Halloween was part of it as was my lightening fast trip to and from Dallas, Texas, where I had the pleasure of meeting two great subscribers, Bob and Tom.
Autumn is my favorite season and the leaves this year in New Hampshire were spectacular. I took a hike with two good amateur radio friends of mine in the small period of peak color here just over two weeks ago.
It was surreal. CLICK HERE to see the eye candy I saw that day.
While standing on the bedrock ledge, I did some reflecting.
I knew that Thanksgiving, my favorite meal of the year, and Christmas were roaring at us faster than the Acela races south from New York down to Washington DC.
While standing alone on the ledge that day, an alternative ending scene to the movie Titanic washed over me as I stared out at the mountains and mystic-colored trees.
Parts of this scene are so meaningful to me, I’ve watched it countless times. Two lines of the script are seared into my brain because they pave the pathway to true happiness.
©1997 20th Century Fox - Paramount Pictures All Rights Reserved
In this scene, the old Rose, who’s lived a rich and full life because she listened to what Jack told her, teaches a young explorer in just a few seconds what he should be doing each day. She says to him,
“You look for treasure in the wrong place, Mr. Lovett. Only life is priceless, (pause) and making each day count.”
CLICK HERE to view the scene and be sure to watch it until the end.
If you saw Titanic all those years ago and paid attention to the conversation Jack and Rose had on the deck just after Rose looked at Jack’s pencil drawings, then you know why James Cameron, the director, stopped for those three seconds to view the photo of the younger Rose sitting “like a man” on the horse standing in the surf.
Are you riding horses on the beach in the surf or are each day’s wonders slipping through your fingers?
I was in the right place looking at treasure that day with Jim and Dave. I’m now hyper-focused trying to do it each day.
You should be too.
Heading Into the Maelstrom
Major events each year, and in life, almost always present one of two things depending on how you look at them.
Opportunities or challenges.
Do you look forward to getting together with your family or does it cause your stomach to get tied in a knot of anguish, fear or bitterness?
Did you see the old movie Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman?
In this movie, there’s one line of the script that’s exceptionally powerful.
Chief Dan George says to the young Hoffman after a gruesome event in the movie,
“Your heart may never be as soft as it is today.”
What does this have to do with you?
I think everything, but you’ll be the judge.
The most recent event happened just under 24 hours ago when Kathy and I received news that her father went up to Heaven to be with Kathy’s mother.
Dr. Daniel Whalen, my father-in-law, was a great man. He taught me many things and he’s directly responsible for Ask the Builder, although that’s a long story for another day.
He had a long stay here on the planet - 97 years.
Kathy’s at peace with all of this because we’ve made repeated visits to see him as his health deteriorated.
Suffice it to say the next week is going to be challenging.
Do you harbor ill feelings in your heart that cause great discomfort to others when you see them at special occasions like the holidays, funerals or weddings?
Has your quest for the wrong treasure caused your heart to become harder than granite?
It’s never too late to forgive.
It’s never too late to start a “new life” as did Rose.
It’s never too late to discover the real priceless treasure in life.
Are you making each day count?
Don’t let your fragile ego get in the way and/or distract you.
You’ll be amazed at how refreshed you feel when you dump all that old mental baggage into the sea and it bobs up and down like so much jetsam and flotsam.
I’ll have a normal newsletter for you in a few weeks.
After I click the SEND button so you get this message, I’m editing a wonderful video I shot yesterday about a marvelous log splitter. Wait until you see what this amazing machine can do.
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!
Hello again! Dawn here, from AD Aesthetic, back with another mood board for your decoration inspiration. In previous posts, I’ve shared rustic modern, vintage with a modern twist, southwest modernized, and mid-century modern styles — and today it’s all about modern coastal style!
Image Source: Design Hunter | Photo Credit: Joel Barbitta
Image Source: Becki Owens | Photo Credit: Nathan Schroder
Image Source: Front + Main
Image Source: Lexington Company
Image Source: Johner | Photo Credit: Lena Koller
Image Source: Serena and Lily
Image Source: Dot & Bo
Aren’t these rooms just gorgeous and refreshing? I love how light and airy they are, while also looking very modern and comfortable. With so much inspiration, I got to work creating a modern coastal bedroom moodboard:
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Bed
Lamps
Pillows
Rug
Curtains
Mirror
Throw
Ceiling Fan
Print
Striped Bedding
Nightstand
Plant
Basket
Storage Bench
Wall Hanging
Wall Decor
Here are a few things I think are non-negotiables when creating a room with this modern coastal look:
Color • It’s next to impossible to create a coastal inspired room without using cool colors in the decor. Blues, greens, mints, and turquoises are all on the table and mixing these colors is welcomed too! Pair these with light and bright neutrals to create that open, airy feeling.
Texture • Another element not to ignore in a coastal inspired room is texture, specifically natural wood. The color is reminiscent of a sandy beach, and a little distressing is all you need to remind most people of drift wood and beach chairs. Mixing natural wood with smooth, clean glass or sculptural pieces, like the lamps I used above, helps bring in the watery element and balance out the wood.
Clean Lines • To incorporate a modern feeling into your space, choose furniture with clean, crisp lines. This balances out the rougher, cottage style that coastal decor can tend towards, and creates a nice balance of style and sense of organization.
As always, thank you to Cassity and the Remodelaholic team for having me back each month. I’d love for you to visit me over on my site, ADaesthetic.com, or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram for more updates and inspiration. Have a great day, friends!
-Dawn
coastal casual living room style
island/peninsula makeover in a coastal style kitchen
beach-inspired coastal living room
The post Modern Coastal Bedroom Decor Tips & Inspiration appeared first on Remodelaholic.
With so many different food items to prepare and family members to corral, creating the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece is probably the last thing on your mind. Never fear! We’ve rounded up 16 different DIY centerpiece ideas that you can create in a pinch to add an extra little something to your Thanksgiving table. Happy Turkey Day!
Julie Blanner proves all you need to create a lovely centerpiece is a pumpkin, few sprigs of eucalyptus, and blossom or two.
Celebrate the bounty of the harvest season and create a colorful fruit and leaves centerpiece like this one from Hello Glow.
Julie Blanner is back with another simple yet stunning Thanksgiving centerpiece. White pillar candles form the basis of this arrangement accented by red pears and eucalyptus branches.
Put your punch bowl to good use with this easy floating flowers table decoration from I Heart Naptime.
For a more crafty vibe, wrap branches in fall-colored yarn like this arrangement from Design Improvised.
Here’s another idea from Design Improvised: line apothecary jars along your table runner and fill them with mini pumpkins, gourds, moss, leaves, and feathers.
Ask Anna shows how to create a unique pumpkin vase to display a gorgeous fall bouquet at the center of your Thanksgiving table.
The post 16 Beautiful and Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas appeared first on Remodelaholic.
Hi, friends! I’m Lauren from Bless’er House and I’m back with more budget farmhouse decor mischief. If you haven’t kept up with some of my projects around here before, I’ve shared how we installed a wood beam doorway for $80, how we created an industrial factory window shower door for uber cheap, and how we installed a whitewashed faux brick backsplash for a major bargain.
Are you starting to see a theme here? We kind of have an addiction to the rusticy industrialy stuff at our house, but we’re not so keen on the price tag of the real deal stuff.
But you know what? It doesn’t look cheap. And that’s the most important part.
This time around, I set my sights on my daughter’s wall behind her bed. It needed…something.
I technically finished her bedroom last year (you can see the full tour, source list, and tutorials in her ballerina themed bedroom reveal), but I always felt like this one wall needed more.
Lately, the answer to any blank wall, thanks to Joanna Gaines, seems to always be shiplap. And yep, I’m Team Shiplap all the way.
But part of me is starting to wonder… is our current shiplap craze going to one day become the 1970s knotty pine paneling? Some people will love it forever, but I can already sort of tell the luster will fade with the general population, maybe even myself included, one day. Gasp!
So if you have commitment issues and have absolutely no spare change or grunt labor hanging around, this faux shiplap method is awesomesauce! And it’s free. #winning
A couple of years ago, I tried out this method of drawing lines on a bookcase to mimic planking that I knew I wanted to eventually try out on a wall, and I finally gave it a go. So it can be done on bookcase backings too, if you feel like taking it for a test drive first.
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That’s it! I guess technically it wouldn’t be free if you didn’t have a level and tape measure already in your stash, but I figured it was pretty standard for toolbox supplies. Oh, and a stepstool might help too.
I decided on making my “planks” 8 inches wide, so I ran my tape measure up the wall and taped it to the ceiling to keep it in place, making sure it was hanging completely vertically.
Then I marked every 8 inches on the wall with my pencil.
Using my level, and the measurements I marked as a guide, I started drawing my lines with the regular pencil first so that I could erase any mistakes, to be on the safe side.
And I had to sharpen my pencil pretty often.
After I had the lines drawn with pencil, I went back over it with the black colored pencil to darken it. You could certainly start with the black colored pencil to begin with, if you wanted. But I took into account that I’d probably end up making some mistakes the first time around with the regular pencil.
Sure enough, I had to do a little erasing at first, so I felt like it was best to be on the safe side.
It took a little over an hour and that was it!
Even though we have 3 real wood shiplap walls in other rooms of our house (above our fireplace, in our foyer, and in our master bedroom), I can honestly tell you that this drawn one looks very much like the real deal unless you are really analyzing it up close. And really… who does that anyway?
Plus, one day, if we ever decide we are no longer fans of shiplap (say it’ll never happen!), it will be easy to paint over without any demolition involved at all.
So are you Team Shiplap all the way? Or not so much? If you can’t make up your mind, at least you can try it out with this method and not have to worry about staying committed, right?
Blessings,
Lauren
plus 100 more ideas for creatively painted accent walls
The post How to Shiplap a Wall for Free appeared first on Remodelaholic.
The amazing Jenny is back again today to show how she completely transformed and upgraded her hall closet storage — so many smart organizing ideas in just one closet! See Jenny’s other brilliant and beautiful ideas here.
Our home has plenty of living space for our family of 6, but insufficient storage space for all of our stuff. I’ve been thoughtfully renovating the closets in our home, one by one, to maximize the available space. (You can see how one closet became a pantry here.) And now it’s the front hall closet’s turn for a makeover!
The front hall closet in our home is a workhorse. I use it to store umbrellas, vacuums, backpacks, coats, jackets, shoes, lunchboxes, winter boots, and snow bibs, year round. Everything you see in the picture below has to fit in a cramped, odd-shaped hall closet…
When we purchased our home, the closet came with a single wire shelf and one hanging rod—hung too high for my children to reach, which meant they couldn’t hang up their own coats. That simply wouldn’t do!
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(will vary depending on the scope of your project)
I drew out a sketch of what the closet would look like if there was a space for everything and most importantly, space that was accessible to my 4 kids. (The look of the closet and the floating shelves were inspired by the wonderful “Sawdust Girl” closet you can find here.)
And then I built it.
To start, I ripped out the existing wire shelf and hanging rod.
Then, just to make it pretty … I put up sheets of beadboard on the closet walls. (I bought the beadboard paneling that comes in 4′ x 8′ sheets for around $20/sheet at my local hardware store.) So it would better fit in my car, I had the hardware store employee cut a few pieces to size on the panel saw at the store and then I cut the rest using my table saw at home. To attach the beadboard paneling, you can use a strong construction adhesive or brad nails. I nailed the beadboard sheets to the studs in the wall using my 18-gauge finish nailer. (Note: I did not rip out my baseboards as the beadboard sheets rested flush on the lip of the baseboards).
I also added some crown molding. You know, just to make it pretty.
I used wood filler on the nail holes and caulked all the seams between beadboard sheets and the trim.
Knowing it would be much easier to paint at this point than after I’d installed the shelving, I painted the baseboards, crown molding, ceiling, and beadboard panels.
Here’s a helpful hint: Wrap your roller and paintbrush—and even your tray—in Saran wrap to keep it from drying out when you take a break from painting.
When the paint dried, I measured and cut the boards for my hooks. Being careful to get everything level, I nailed the boards in place—temporarily—with my 18-gauge nail gun to test the fit of the corners where the boards meet. Once everything was level and in place, I used 3″ screws to secure the boards to the studs in the closet walls.
Then, I turned my attention to the shelves. Now, I could have done what I did for the storage shelves I built for my kids’ Lego collection (see photo immediately below)—attach cleats to the walls and put a piece of plywood down on top for the shelf, but I decided to try my hand at something new this time—floating shelves.
I took my measurements and then cut 2 x 2 boards to size. I nailed them in place first, using a level and a nail gun, just to be sure all the angles in the corners fit together properly.
I used 3″ screws to secure the 2 x 2 frames to the studs in the closet walls.
And then I added 2 supports to the center of each 2 x 2 shelf frame for added support, screwing in both ends to the existing 2 x 2 shelf frame.
I used 1/2″ plywood for the top and 1/4″ plywood for the bottom of each shelf. I made a template by putting a large piece of paper across the shelf and using a crayon to trace each shelf’s outline. If the shelves had been squares or rectangles, a template would have been unnecessary—I could have just measured the dimensions and easily cut the shelves. However, my shelves had wonky angles and I determined a template would be the easiest way to get the job done.
I cut the paper template along the crayon lines and laid it over the shelf one last time to make sure it was accurate.
Then I taped the template to my plywood (be sure you keep in mind which side of the plywood you want facing up when tracing the template) and traced the outline. You can see that I also numbered the templates so that I would know which template was for which shelf. I made a top (out of my 1/2″ plywood) and a bottom (out of my 1/4″ plywood) for each shelf.
I test fit each shelf as I went along and sometimes had to trim a little off an edge here or there to get the right fit. (Keep in mind, that if this is a painted project, it doesn’t have to be as precise as you might think because caulk and wood filler can make small gaps or inconsistencies disappear later on when you’re doing the finishing work.)
Next, I sanded and primed the one side of each board that would be visible. Remember to number your boards on the side that won’t be painted so that you know which shelf they belong to. (I often paint on my lawn because the grass grows so quickly where I live that none of the paint that gets on the grass during my paint job will remain after the next lawn mowing).
I attached the tops and bottoms of my shelves to the shelf frames with wood glue and a 16-gauge nail gun.
I used a nail gun to then attach the shelf face to each shelf frame, taking care to ensure each piece was level. (The shelf face is 1 x 3 pine).
Then I used wood filler on the nail holes, caulked all the seams, and painted. (The paint is Benjamin Moore White Dove in semi-gloss).
Now, for my closet’s secret weapon …
I wanted to make the most of the 2′ x 3′ space above the door and decided it would be the perfect space to store winter boots (since they’re only used 2 or 3 times a year). I made peg boards and hung them above the door—space that would otherwise go unused. (I was inspired by Organize-n-Store’s great ‘how-to’ post HERE). My pegs are spaced 3.5″ apart—perfect for storing boots, but the pegs can also be used for regular shoe storage, too.
I added 30 double-hooks to the closet, too. Plenty of room to hang umbrellas, hats, coats, jackets, and whatever else needs a home. (I found the hooks at Lowe’s hardware store). I maximized the space by installing hooks immediately below the crown molding, all the way around the perimeter of the closet and on all sides of the closet.
Just the right size!
Now, the vacuum no longer competes for space with the coats hanging above it. My kids can hang their own coats and don’t have to use hangers to do it. I can open and shut the closet door freely without having to shove everything back in the closet first. There are shelves for storing gloves and hats and scarves, all within reach of my kids. And, in the summer months, I can hang the heavy winter coats up high, out of the way. And, in the winter months, I can move the kids’ backpacks to the side hooks and bring the heavy winter coats down to the lower hooks where they can be easily accessed. A place for everything and everything in its place.
creating a boutique style closet
master closet renovation with mini mudroom
plus 14 more creative closet solutions
The post Tips and Tricks Maximizing Hall Closet Storage appeared first on Remodelaholic.
