Kitchen Remodeling IV

Well, the counter top people came and installed counter tops in the kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom is also getting a face lift but not as major as the kitchen. New counter top (keeping vanity), sink, faucet, shower faucet set, re glazing the tub, new linoleum floor, adding a wainscot of rustic wood and seashore items for a nautical theme.

After the counter top people left, I was anxious to install the new sinks. I was up all night worrying about it because I just knew that the old drains wouldn’t line up. I was right no matter what position I put the sinks and their drain “traps” it couldn’t line up with the old 1962 plumbing. I tried removing the old tail pipe from the wall (in the bathroom) but it was rusted frozen. I tried Jerry-rigging the pipe but the old chrome pipes and washers were shot, and I cracked the tail pipe.

I gave in and called a plumber. Best thing I ever did, he totally replaced the drains, and inlets, under both sinks with modern valves and pipes. Now their set for another 40 years! Plus he hooked up and set the bathroom sink. Cheryl was highly upset with the mess the plumber made, gunk and caulking all over her new counter top and sink and faucet in the bathroom, so we installed and set the kitchen sink our selves, and the plumber hooked up the drains (not lining up there either)

After the stove and dishwasher were installed it is finally finished. Only a few trim pieces and an over head light remain. Here are a few pics of the finished kitchen…

  

We were looking for some sort of antique we could use for a phone stand or desk. I spotted this beauty, a kids role-top desk in great condition!

  

Kitty is checking out the new back savers. Drawers for pots and pans, and our canned goods.

 

Kitchen Remodeling III

Now that the old cabinets have been completely removed, we did some patching and spackling of the sheet rock. I am comfortable with spackle, even filling quite large areas (where the old back splash tore the facing of the sheet rock away) is no problem with my trusty “5-in-1” painters tool but patching the sheet rock with tape and mud was new and a little intimidating to me at first. Good thing that all the areas that we patched will be hidden either by cabinets or the tile back splash we will put in. I first used self sticking mesh type sheet rock tape, covering holes too big for spackle. Then you put a thin layer of sheet rock (s/r) mud over the mesh tape pressing it in to just fill in the mesh. Let that dry over night and sand smooth. (I didn’t use it but there is also a fast or “hot” mud that dries in 20, 45 and 90 minutes if you like.)

Then you put another thin layer over the patch, this time wider and feathering the edges, making sure to not allow any of the tape to show. Wait over night and sand again, trying not to expose the mesh like tape underneath this time. Now for the final coat of mud, this time using an even wider “knife” and feathering the edges of the mud thinner so when it is sanded and painted it won’t show.

 

 

Before the new cabinets were installed, we thought it would be a good idea to paint the areas that would show first, avoiding a possible mess taping and painting the brand new cabinets. Boy are we glad we did! The installers only scuffed a tiny 1 inch area that had to be touched-up after they were through. We also wanted new moulding around the windows and door going into the laundry area, and so I removed the moulding above the sink window before they installed the cabinets so I didn’t risk whacking and scratching the new cabinets with my pry bar. The other moulding will be swapped out later, as it isn’t near the cabinets.

 

Here are the new cabinets just after being installed.

 

 

After the cabinets were installed, the electrician came and finished installing the under cabinet lighting, replacing the outlet cover plates, and the county inspector was already by to approve it all. And the counter top people were by to do their final measurements and should be ready to install next week. It was very reminiscent of the movie “Money Pit” (Tom Hanks, Shelly Long) here yesterday with different people coming in and out.

I have now competed putting on the new moulding around the sink window, installing the new microwave oven-hood above the stove area, and installed a new light over the sink. My wife put her new curtains over the competed sink window and she says it is shaping up very nicely!