The countdown is on! I have 3 more sleeps before the cabinets are delivered and 11 more sleeps after that before the installers come!
The last few tasks to do before installation:
- Seal the tile and grout -- Check
- Touch up the walls with paint
- Paint the trim
At any point I could be fixing the grout in the bathoom but I think I'll wait until I'm not using the bathroom to wash dishes or prepare food.
In other news, I won a 2GB iPod Nano at the IIBA dinner I attended last night! It is a second generation iPod which means it has a smaller display screen than the new G3 models, but I prefer the look of the G2's.
I decided to splurge on a speaker/docking system as I currently don't have a stereo or anything better than a set of computer speakers. So, I went shopping after work. I saw an Altec Lansing docking station for $149 at Future Shop and a Sony micro stereo on sale for $149 at London Drugs. I wanted one with a usb port so I could still play my Sony mp3 player and charge it at the same time. The Sony micro stereo fit the bill and it had a cd player so I can play regular CD's if I want. I didn't come to the decision on my own though -- Mikey helped me.
Now, if only I can get the iPod to stop saying "Do not disconnect." when I plug it in to the computer. Surely 9 hours was enough to charge it.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Day 95: I'll never do that again
If ever I talk about installing slate tile, or any other unglazed tile for that matter, shake me until I agree to go with lino.
This weekend I grouted and it was only slightly more fun and marginally less painful than actually laying the tile. Because the tiles were so rough and uneven (compared to glazed tile), the grout really stuck to the surface of the tile. This made it very hard to clean the tiles after grouting. About 3/4 of the way through, the pain in my wrists that I got from wringing the sponge and scrubbing became nearly intolerable. The only thing keeping me going was the fact that if I left it it would only be worse. Besides, I had a free meal to attend.
I came home from dinner to finish washing the tiles. There is still a hazy film left behind but I think I'll wait until the grout cures and just mop the damn floor. On my way home I stopped off to buy a heating pad for my poor back. It might be just the thing to train my body to sleep on my back.
I'm sure the floor looks great but I am too tired and sick of looking at it to care.
Before grouting, I installed baseboard moulding. It went in pretty smoothly, and I only mismeasured one piece about three times. I used the old fashioned hammer and nails and borrowed my brothers compound mitre saw. I set it up in the boiler room of my condo so I wouldn't get sawdust all over the heaps of dust covered kitchen stuff in my living room. It was also quieter for my nabours.
Most helpful were my good friends caulk and Durham (as in Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty). Together, they hide a miriad of imperfections! The worst wall was in the front hallway that I didn't even touch. There is about a 1/8" gap between the wall and the baseboards. I went with bulky but plain baseboards so I couldn't simply bend it to fit the concave wall.
Caulking cracks between the wall and trim/baseboards before painting is, for whatever reason, one of the best kept secrets out there. I've known about the trick for about 13 years and will never be without. Be sure you use the paintable stuff! I've even heard of someone smearing a very very very thin layer along the taped edge before painting stripes on the wall (to prevent seepage). I've yet to try it, but when I do, I'll report back.
As for Durham's, it cures quickly into, get this, a rock hard surface that can be sanded. I used it along those mitred edges on the outside corners. Speaking of which, there are a few outside corners that only have half a piece. I'll install the others when the living room and dining room get done...one day...and that day is far far away...
I've nearly settled on a plan for the backsplash -- tile! But not slate, at least not much slate. I plan to lay white 6x6 tiles with a few that have a cut out for a decorative tile. Enter the slate. I have a few thin pieces that, when cut into 1.5x1.5 squares, will be a great insert! I think it will be fantastic and will really tie in the floor. It is a far cry from beadboard which I had planned for the outset, but depending on how much tile there is, I may beadboard most of the backsplash and do the tile detail above the sink.
On a related note, Harbour City Kitchens called and the cupboards are still due for early Dec. They get delivered on the morning of the 3rd but we don't have an install date. I may have to wait until the 10th or as late as the 14th, but I've known that for some time.
At long last, some pictures:
This weekend I grouted and it was only slightly more fun and marginally less painful than actually laying the tile. Because the tiles were so rough and uneven (compared to glazed tile), the grout really stuck to the surface of the tile. This made it very hard to clean the tiles after grouting. About 3/4 of the way through, the pain in my wrists that I got from wringing the sponge and scrubbing became nearly intolerable. The only thing keeping me going was the fact that if I left it it would only be worse. Besides, I had a free meal to attend.
I came home from dinner to finish washing the tiles. There is still a hazy film left behind but I think I'll wait until the grout cures and just mop the damn floor. On my way home I stopped off to buy a heating pad for my poor back. It might be just the thing to train my body to sleep on my back.
I'm sure the floor looks great but I am too tired and sick of looking at it to care.
Before grouting, I installed baseboard moulding. It went in pretty smoothly, and I only mismeasured one piece about three times. I used the old fashioned hammer and nails and borrowed my brothers compound mitre saw. I set it up in the boiler room of my condo so I wouldn't get sawdust all over the heaps of dust covered kitchen stuff in my living room. It was also quieter for my nabours.
Most helpful were my good friends caulk and Durham (as in Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty). Together, they hide a miriad of imperfections! The worst wall was in the front hallway that I didn't even touch. There is about a 1/8" gap between the wall and the baseboards. I went with bulky but plain baseboards so I couldn't simply bend it to fit the concave wall.
Caulking cracks between the wall and trim/baseboards before painting is, for whatever reason, one of the best kept secrets out there. I've known about the trick for about 13 years and will never be without. Be sure you use the paintable stuff! I've even heard of someone smearing a very very very thin layer along the taped edge before painting stripes on the wall (to prevent seepage). I've yet to try it, but when I do, I'll report back.
As for Durham's, it cures quickly into, get this, a rock hard surface that can be sanded. I used it along those mitred edges on the outside corners. Speaking of which, there are a few outside corners that only have half a piece. I'll install the others when the living room and dining room get done...one day...and that day is far far away...
I've nearly settled on a plan for the backsplash -- tile! But not slate, at least not much slate. I plan to lay white 6x6 tiles with a few that have a cut out for a decorative tile. Enter the slate. I have a few thin pieces that, when cut into 1.5x1.5 squares, will be a great insert! I think it will be fantastic and will really tie in the floor. It is a far cry from beadboard which I had planned for the outset, but depending on how much tile there is, I may beadboard most of the backsplash and do the tile detail above the sink.
On a related note, Harbour City Kitchens called and the cupboards are still due for early Dec. They get delivered on the morning of the 3rd but we don't have an install date. I may have to wait until the 10th or as late as the 14th, but I've known that for some time.
At long last, some pictures:
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Day 87: My Slate is Sealed
At long last my floor is sealed. I got to it pretty late today because I was procrastinating. Once at it, the task wasn't that bad. The rich colours really come through with the colour enhancer/sealer so it was instant gratification. I'll know tomorrow morning if I need a second coat, and if so, whether I can apply that other product on top of the sealed tiles and grout.
Here is the view coming down the stairs:
Compare that with the unsealed picture from the last post.
The floor looks really good, but there are a few imperfections in my installation that are nagging at me. I'm a perfectionist, but at the same time, I just wanted to get the tiles laid. I'm thinking the extreme back pain had something to do with that. So, I'll just have to live with the few tiles that sit higher/lower than others, and the too big or too small gaps between some tiles. I'm hoping they all blend away when the grout is in.
One of the remaining tasks while I am waiting for the cupboards to arrive is to install baseboard trim. That will make a huge difference in finishing off the floor. I am really pleased with how the walls turned out, so I am actually not that keen on installing the panelling I originally had in mind. I guess I should decide pretty soon. Maybe a glance at my bank account will help me decide.
Here is the view coming down the stairs:
Compare that with the unsealed picture from the last post.
The floor looks really good, but there are a few imperfections in my installation that are nagging at me. I'm a perfectionist, but at the same time, I just wanted to get the tiles laid. I'm thinking the extreme back pain had something to do with that. So, I'll just have to live with the few tiles that sit higher/lower than others, and the too big or too small gaps between some tiles. I'm hoping they all blend away when the grout is in.
One of the remaining tasks while I am waiting for the cupboards to arrive is to install baseboard trim. That will make a huge difference in finishing off the floor. I am really pleased with how the walls turned out, so I am actually not that keen on installing the panelling I originally had in mind. I guess I should decide pretty soon. Maybe a glance at my bank account will help me decide.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Day 85: Getting Ready to Seal the Tile
I had to go into work Friday and because I couldn't make a reservation the night before, I didn't get home from Van until 11:30 pm. Needless to say, I was tired most of the day.
I came home, ate a piece of cheese, and proceeded to scrub the floors to get all the mortar off the tiles. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought. There are a lot of gaps between the tiles that got filled up by mortar which means the grout won't have far enough to go to get good contact. I really wish I had watched out for that more carefully while the mortar was still wet. I'll dig it out in the high traffic areas and proceed with the sealing tomorrow.
Even though I didn't get around to sealing the tiles last weekend, I'm not really that far behind. I'll grout next weekend and if there isn't goint to be enough time for the grout to be sealed before the cabinets go in, then I can seal it after the fact.
It is very exciting that I am to the point where I just have to turn one page in the calendar to see the approximate date that the cabinets will go in.
Here is a pic of the tiles without the enhancer:
Day 85-ish: Renos? What Renos?
I have just returned from Vancouver where I was at the PM/BA World Conference. I stayed in the very swanky Pan Pacific Hotel which was such a treat I forgot all about my renos.
Well, I didn’t completely forget. I closely inspected the marble tile job in the bathroom and was glad I had a whole ¼ inch forgiveness…I mean grout line…to work with. See, marble only needs 1/16 of an inch for grout so your alignment has to be bang on.
The reality of my kitchen sank in as I bade farewell to my posh hotel room with a 21-story view and pristine carpet that has never been scratched by a cat, the super rapid talking elevators with a monogrammed carpet for every day of the week, and the very yummy breakfast biscuits. I would soon be back to the dirty, cluttered, and non-glamorous condo I call home. Back to the toaster breakfasts and microwave dinners. Ho hum.
The conference was really great. I saw a few former ACD’ers (Vince and Meghan) and some Schneider-ites (Charmaine) so got to visit and reminisce. The “Track Sessions” (1-hour long sessions on various topics) were interesting but it was the 2-day BA Crash Course that was the real reason for being there. The facilitator/teacher was great and clearly enjoyed the topic and teaching. When I go back, I won’t bother with the track sessions unless there is a speaker/topic I must see.
I came away from the conference almost completely convinced I will proceed towards the BA stream. I get to get my hands a little dirty and use both my PM and QA background. In fact, my QA background is going to be quite useful even if I have yet to get any formal training in QA.
The highlight of the trip might have been the fact that David Beckham was staying in the hotel but I honestly couldn’t pick him out of a lineup. His presence sparked a modest gathering of loud people outside the hotel which woke me up. But the real highlight of the trip really was the crash course, but I won’t lie when I say I also enjoyed the shopping. I ventured out Wednesday night to Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and IKEA. I would have liked to go to Tiffany’s and the craft fair at the conference center but I didn’t want to risk being stuck on the mainland Thursday night.
When I got home at 11:30, I was thoroughly exhausted and glad I made it home without falling asleep at the wheel. I fed the cats and climbed into bed. Evin was either very rested or glad to see me (or both) because he ran around on the bed like a village idiot. It was nice to get such a warm welcome.
Well, I didn’t completely forget. I closely inspected the marble tile job in the bathroom and was glad I had a whole ¼ inch forgiveness…I mean grout line…to work with. See, marble only needs 1/16 of an inch for grout so your alignment has to be bang on.
The reality of my kitchen sank in as I bade farewell to my posh hotel room with a 21-story view and pristine carpet that has never been scratched by a cat, the super rapid talking elevators with a monogrammed carpet for every day of the week, and the very yummy breakfast biscuits. I would soon be back to the dirty, cluttered, and non-glamorous condo I call home. Back to the toaster breakfasts and microwave dinners. Ho hum.
The conference was really great. I saw a few former ACD’ers (Vince and Meghan) and some Schneider-ites (Charmaine) so got to visit and reminisce. The “Track Sessions” (1-hour long sessions on various topics) were interesting but it was the 2-day BA Crash Course that was the real reason for being there. The facilitator/teacher was great and clearly enjoyed the topic and teaching. When I go back, I won’t bother with the track sessions unless there is a speaker/topic I must see.
I came away from the conference almost completely convinced I will proceed towards the BA stream. I get to get my hands a little dirty and use both my PM and QA background. In fact, my QA background is going to be quite useful even if I have yet to get any formal training in QA.
The highlight of the trip might have been the fact that David Beckham was staying in the hotel but I honestly couldn’t pick him out of a lineup. His presence sparked a modest gathering of loud people outside the hotel which woke me up. But the real highlight of the trip really was the crash course, but I won’t lie when I say I also enjoyed the shopping. I ventured out Wednesday night to Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and IKEA. I would have liked to go to Tiffany’s and the craft fair at the conference center but I didn’t want to risk being stuck on the mainland Thursday night.
When I got home at 11:30, I was thoroughly exhausted and glad I made it home without falling asleep at the wheel. I fed the cats and climbed into bed. Evin was either very rested or glad to see me (or both) because he ran around on the bed like a village idiot. It was nice to get such a warm welcome.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Day 79: Back Breaking Labour
Laying the tiles was quite a painful process. I was at it all day Saturday and was too tired/busy Sunday to do anything about cleaning and sealing the tiles.
I have a new line on some sealer that does both tile and grout so I may get to wait until the grout is in which would save some time.
I'm on my way to Van and don't have time to post pics, so here is a temporary album: http://www.sendpix.com/albums/07110423/kdymw12bgs/
I have a new line on some sealer that does both tile and grout so I may get to wait until the grout is in which would save some time.
I'm on my way to Van and don't have time to post pics, so here is a temporary album: http://www.sendpix.com/albums/07110423/kdymw12bgs/
Friday, November 2, 2007
Do Cats Go To Heaven?
This month's picture in the New Yorker Cat Calendar is "Cat Heaven"...a bunch of tattered arm chairs with cats clawing them. Of course, the cats are drawn with cute little angel wings and halos. I looked at it and remarked to my coworker - "That sure is a lot of cats that made it into heaven" after which I paused, and then added "Evin won't be going to heaven. My luck he'll be stuck in purgatory so he can bug me the rest of my life." We got a chuckle out of my fate and I headed home for the day.
Evin is a great cat and has amazing spirit, but he can be really annoying when I am busy doing cat-unfriendly things like laying tile, making the bed, preparing a sandwich...the only thing he watches me do from a safe distance is get ready for work. He perches on top of the cabinet above my toilet where he can see me doing everything, including showering, but is well out of my way.
Evin is a great cat and has amazing spirit, but he can be really annoying when I am busy doing cat-unfriendly things like laying tile, making the bed, preparing a sandwich...the only thing he watches me do from a safe distance is get ready for work. He perches on top of the cabinet above my toilet where he can see me doing everything, including showering, but is well out of my way.
Day 78: Blinding Progress
I plan to lay the tile Saturday so I did some prep work tonight. Laying out the tiles is essential if you want straight lines and as close to full tiles as possible when you get to the threshold between rooms. I have a few thresholds to contend with, but things look pretty good. I used my handy dandy laser level which does right angles on the wall or the floor. So there I am, laser levelling away and making marks on the floor when I looked up. There was Evin sitting with the laser line going straight up his face. I stopped what I was doing, shut off the light, and sat down with disbelief at how innocent he looked with the red line going up between his eyes. He obviously wasn't blind, but it just goes to show you how dumb cats can be when it comes to home renos. I'll be mounting large cardboard panels across the stairway so he can't get into my way when I am tiling. If that fails, I guess I could pull one of my bedroom doors off the hinges and lean it up in front of the opening into the staircase.
Speaking of Evin. I just had to go see which box of food he was just now getting into. I tried to pull him off the box of cereal he was rooting around in but his claw got stuck on the inner bag. It is like living with a raccoon some days. Heck, it is like living with a raccoon most days.
Prepping for tile laying also meant moving upstairs. I am now confined to 500 square feet for the next few weeks. My microwave and toaster are in my bedroom and the dish rack continues to live in the bathroom. So far living out of the bathroom is not that bad. I could really use a table to prepare the bit of food I have, but keeping Evin off it is probably more work than it is worth.
Back to the tiles. The mortar will set up in 24 hours, and the sealer needs up to 72 hours to cure. I'm in Vancouver all next week, so I hope all the tiling gets done Sat so I can seal the floor late Sunday. That way it can be curing away while I am in Van. And apparently I only need to put one coat of sealer on slate, so I'll be grouting next weekend and grout sealing the middle of the week following (14th-ish). That leaves about two weeks to go before the cabinets arrive! December 8th is probably when the cabinets will go in. That marks 114 days since the first 2x4 went up and the drywall installed over top of the hole in the wall!
Speaking of Evin. I just had to go see which box of food he was just now getting into. I tried to pull him off the box of cereal he was rooting around in but his claw got stuck on the inner bag. It is like living with a raccoon some days. Heck, it is like living with a raccoon most days.
Prepping for tile laying also meant moving upstairs. I am now confined to 500 square feet for the next few weeks. My microwave and toaster are in my bedroom and the dish rack continues to live in the bathroom. So far living out of the bathroom is not that bad. I could really use a table to prepare the bit of food I have, but keeping Evin off it is probably more work than it is worth.
Back to the tiles. The mortar will set up in 24 hours, and the sealer needs up to 72 hours to cure. I'm in Vancouver all next week, so I hope all the tiling gets done Sat so I can seal the floor late Sunday. That way it can be curing away while I am in Van. And apparently I only need to put one coat of sealer on slate, so I'll be grouting next weekend and grout sealing the middle of the week following (14th-ish). That leaves about two weeks to go before the cabinets arrive! December 8th is probably when the cabinets will go in. That marks 114 days since the first 2x4 went up and the drywall installed over top of the hole in the wall!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Day 77: Oh my aching back
A day off schedule but the orange waterproofing membrane has been laid in the kitchen and front hall closet. Mixing the mortar was probably my least favourite part, but I decided to do away with the wooden spon and just mix it with my gloved hands. I will look into buying an attachment for my drill so I don't have to do that again.
The entire job was really quite unenjoyable but I sure am glad I cut the pieces to size before hand. It would have gone better if I locked the cats away before starting. That way I wouldn't have had to deal with Evin walking through the mortar I was spreading out. I grabbed him and chased Cleo up into my bedroom and shut the door. An hour and a half later I have a larger bare spot in the carpet near my door!
Well, I need to head out to Survivor. Besides, I am not really in the mood to write.
Here are some pics. The latter of the sacrificial bucket.
The entire job was really quite unenjoyable but I sure am glad I cut the pieces to size before hand. It would have gone better if I locked the cats away before starting. That way I wouldn't have had to deal with Evin walking through the mortar I was spreading out. I grabbed him and chased Cleo up into my bedroom and shut the door. An hour and a half later I have a larger bare spot in the carpet near my door!
Well, I need to head out to Survivor. Besides, I am not really in the mood to write.
Here are some pics. The latter of the sacrificial bucket.
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