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kitchen remodel on a budget
by：KingKonree
2020-10-19
My wife and I bought our house in 2001 and we knew we would transform our kitchenette at some point.
18 years later (and three kids)
It\'s time for us to decide.
To save money, we know we will do most of the work ourselves.
We know it\'s going to be a whole intuitive job.
Remodeling the kitchen could be a terrible offer
It takes a lot of time, it costs a lot of money, mistakes can be very expensive.
If you have a budget like us (and who isn\'t! )
This can be a real minefield in all design decisions and try to figure out how to get your money to the maximum return.
Based on the photos before and after, I would say that we achieved all the goals and made every dollar meaningful!
Since most photos have comments, be sure to click build photos.
How did we do it!
Organization is the key.
Our kitchen is small and covers an area of about 92 \"x 120 \"-about 77 sq. ft.
My wife and I are always a little laughing when we watch house remodeling/buying shows and you will see buyers walking into the huge kitchen with a 30 square foot room. ft.
The first thing they said was, \"Well, it\'s a little small. . .
\"We have never had any problems cooking for our family or even 20 people in the kitchen --
But there are two people inside. it\'s crowded.
In terms of total storage space, the layout of the kitchen is OK, but it lacks the surface area of the worktop and the storage room is not friendly (
I also keep hitting my head on the shelves)
The door of the refrigerator can\'t open all (
It\'s frustrating for my wife.
You often have to close a cabinet door or appliance in order to get into another area.
There is also a lot of dead cabinet space in the corner.
Another big problem is that the kitchen is really dark and closed inside and the view into the dining/living area is very bad.
It\'s time to make a new plan.
We decided to organize the kitchen to work areas that make sense for how we use the kitchen.
One end of the kitchen is food and dry goods and the other is dishes and pans/pans.
In a small kitchen, just move a few inches here and there and reorganize your workflow to make the world different.
We want to make the most of all of our available storage space, while adding our physical work area to make the kitchen feel even bigger without increasing the footprint --a tall order.
This is what we do: 1)
We moved the fridge to the storage room.
This gave us extra floor space and the refrigerator door can now be fully opened.
You can completely remove the shelves and storage boxes from the refrigerator! 2)
We moved the pantry to the location of the old fridge and split it up and down.
We were able to keep the same pantry shelf/storage area as before, but now we get the extra countertop area next to the oven (
We also moved a few inches to the sink)-
It is very convenient to bake and prepare for cooking.
We can now open the pantry and fridge at the same time, which is very good when storing groceries after shopping. 3)
We moved the dishwasher to the side of the sink.
Old dishwasher location (
Right angle to the sink)
No point-
It\'s always awkward trying to load and unload the dishwasher because you always have to reach out from the open door. 4)
Garbage/recycling moves next to the dishwasher.
Garbage used to be at the bottom of the old pantry, so you always have to go through the kitchen if you open the food or scrape --
It just makes no sense. 5)
We made the sink smaller. Yes-smaller!
By installing a smaller tank cabinet and a bowl sink, we actually have more usable areas inside and around the sink.
A large bowl sink is more suitable for baking pans and pans pots than our old double bowl sink, and we get the countertop space.
The smaller cabinet let\'s move the dishwasher next to the sink. 6)
The removal of the partition wall and the sofa on the top of the head and the extension of the cabinet all the way to the ceiling has had a huge impact.
Even though we removed the overhead cabinet (
See the dining area outside)
We gained storage by extending the remaining wall cabinets to the ceiling.
We also added a cabinet in the new location of the fridge.
The partition wall was removed and the kitchen was really opened
Sight is the difference between day and night.
The kitchen no longer feels isolated from the rest of the house.
If you have a little bit of uncertainty about removing or relocating walls, please consult the structural engineer. 7)
We reduced the countertop area next to the restaurant.
This countertop area is 36 \"deep.
By reducing this number to 26 \", we were able to get a huge increase in the area of transportation at the foot of the kitchen and moved the basic cabinets, enabling us to move the dishwasher to the side of the sink.
The basic cabinets under this countertop can now hold dishes as this is the area facing the restaurant.
Since we removed the partition wall, we stepped back a few square inches at the edge of the table top, pushing the table towards the back, allowing us to better enter the table top/storage area around the sink
The end result is more space available and a larger entrance path to the kitchen. 8)
We added a lazy Susan cabinet to the corner by the fire.
The old corner cabinet makes it almost impossible to use corner space for storage --
Like a black hole.
Everything back there stayed there.
Now, we keep cookers, Coke and other commonly used crumbles in lazy Susan, all available immediately. 9)
The open shelf makes the kitchen feel bigger.
By adding floating shelves to the corner at the edge of the sink, we got some storage space (
Help keep items on the countertop)
It makes the area around the sink feel more open.
At the beginning of our planning phase, I had a contractor friend come over and have a quick look to make sure I didn\'t miss anything unusual --
Sometimes, just having a second set of eyes on things like this big project can lead to coming up with a better layout, or making things you don\'t think of brighter and bigger problems later
I drilled small holes in the sofas and walls and observed the walls with perforated mirrors to ensure that there would be no major electrical equipment, and that pipe or exhaust obstacles would cause trouble with our plans.
We initially considered the possibility of stealing space from the corridor closet, but the flue pipe located in the boxed section of the wall soon ended, as rearranging it was not even feasible.
Now that we have a plan, we have to figure out the budget. . .
Budgeting for such projects is always a double-edged sword.
We don\'t have a cash cow in our backyard, but we still want to buy good quality materials.
In terms of time, the longer our kitchen stops working, the more expensive it will be to work and potentially eat out (
For a family of five, it will really become very expensive soon. )
It is also important to review current building codes and documents to obtain the necessary permissions. Labor plan-
I think I can take 9 days off and don\'t waste too much time on paid leave.
Plus my normal weekly rest day, I do most of the work for 12 consecutive days.
I called a friend of the contractor (
He will help the demo, floor and drywall at a reasonable cost)
We came up with a rough schedule: 2-2 days of demo work
For drywall, floor 3 days, drywall 3 days, Cabinet 1 day, electrical 1 day, plumbingI will order cabinet, we can do it once I have the date of arrival
After doing this, I can measure the kitchen for the countertop (
About 4-
5 weeks total process)
I can finish/trim work, tailgate tiles and shelves on the coming weekend.
This means I can have a work kitchen in 12 days and take the time to finish the work.
The total build time from start to finish is less than 8 weeks.
To save money, we set up a small table with a toaster, coffee pot, microwave and crockpot/instapot.
We also have an outdoor grill for cooking.
We moved the old fridge to the garage so we could still eat the cold food.
We washed the dishes with a sink in the laundry room.
No kitchen sink is probably the most annoying thing to take our kitchen apart.
Disposal costs can also increase rapidly.
We try to rescue as many of our existing kitchens and donated materials as possible (
Old sink, cabinet hinges, etc. )
Our local recycling center
We can put the construction waste in the bag instead of folding the bin.
Material estimation-Cabinets-$5200Flooring-
$300 electrical/lighting-$500Plumbing-$150Drywall-
$350 tailgate tiles-$350Sink-
Countertop $175-$25003300Appliances-
Our dishwasher, oven, faucet and sink are all well handled.
We do need to buy a new fridge and microwave.
I did a lot of research on the fridge.
When we initially started planning our kitchen, we thought we might want to put in a refrigerator with a 36 \"wide counter depth as they were quickly becoming the most popular size unit.
After looking at our available space, it makes more sense to use the 30 \"wide standard depth unit.
In the food room area, the depth will be appropriate and the total storage capacity will be the same.
Using the 36 \"wide fridge will cost us about $2500 extra as not only the fridge is more expensive but we also need to hit the wall to make it 6\" we had to move a return pipe on the floor
It\'s just not worth it.
We particularly do not want a water/ice dispenser on the door as the vast majority of complaints are focused on this feature --
French Door Refrigerator in particular.
Finally, we solved this very good single door model for KitchenAid.
We thought we might want to install a hood above the oven, but the microwave has to be placed on the countertop, which doesn\'t make much sense.
Because of this, we installed a ventilated microwave oven above the oven.
We chose this nice ultra-thin massage microwave that will fit all of our needs as it is very slim and can free up a lot of space above the oven.
I found the best price I can find online and my local appliance supplier was able to match it --
Both products are delivered for $2250.
So far, our total budget, including auxiliary labor, is about $16.
The place we want to go is 17 k.
Once the budget has been finalized, it\'s time for the presentation of the cabinets!
After turning off the power and water, we started laying thick building paper on the floor to protect the wood.
The first is to remove the elevated Cabinet and the non-structural partition wall.
Sometimes the best way to do this is to use the saw to go straight through the frame nail --
It\'s faster and safer than hitting the DingTalk with a sledgehammer.
There is no drywall in the area above Soffits (
This is what we expected.
So when we were doing this, the insulation fell to us.
We will definitely be extra careful in any area that contains wires or pipes!
As the partition wall/countertop disappears, we can move the oven and fridge out more easily and then remove all existing cabinets.
The cabinets were so bad that they really broke down in our hands.
Thereafter, any remaining drywall needs to be replaced due to previous damage or removal, as the electrical rewiring and installation of the new box to the wall post.
At this time, we also removed all the old parquet floors.
When we installed wooden floors in the dining area, I had previously met the last fortress designed by 80 and I had my secret weapons ready.
The floor installer tried everything in the sun to remove the very stubborn adhesive tiles (
Including a very large, very loud industrial scraper)
I ground a sharp edge on a garden border shovel and improvised a removal tool.
I found that I could put the sharp edges of the shovels under the wood bricks and they would pop up with just a little leverage.
This temporary tool saves hours of work.
I offered to have the floor installer keep it because he liked it so much!
Luckily, our floor is in good shape and does not require any repair work.
With the demolition of the partition wall and the sofa, we are starting to see that our new kitchen will be more open!
We decided to tile the floor very early.
When we installed wooden floors on the upper floor of the house, we thought we might extend them to the kitchen area.
The wooden floor in the kitchen looks great and the walk is comfortable.
Unfortunately, destroying them only requires an unknown leak.
Many of our friends had wooden floors in their kitchen and each of them said they would never do it again.
So we chose tiles.
The biggest advantage of the tile is cheap and durable-
Having three children, two cats and a big dog makes the most sense for us.
The disadvantage is that it can be cold (
Especially if it\'s on the ground on the flat panel)
If you stand in the kitchen all day, your feet will be very hard.
If I am a professional chef, I don\'t think I want to stand on the tiles all day long.
Another option is vinyl plank flooring
There are some varieties that are very resistant to water damage, it has a variety of finishes, but the cost is high.
The tiles we choose are the same variety as the tiles we use in the bathroom. At $1. 19 per sq. ft.
It is difficult to meet our requirements.
The 12 \"x 24\" tile size is also perfect for our space.
I took home a couple of different color examples and we used concrete gray as it provided a great transition to our wood floor while not too dark for our kitchenette.
Put down the moisture barrier under the back plate and paste the tiles with proper mortar.
It is very important to level the floor as much as possible, as this will make it easier to install cabinets and appliances later.
We also brought in a basic Cabinet and placed it at the end of the peninsula to learn how to transition the tiles to that area
After the tiles are installed, grouting with pearl gray (
I had a little left when our bathroom was remodeled. )
In electrical. . .
As we are moving the fridge we need to move the socket to a new location and the code also needs GFCI protection tampering
From any break on the countertop, the resistance socket will be located within 24 (
In the sink or oven)
And 24 \"from the end of the table against the wall.
We already have two 20 electrical circuits and a 15A circuit for lighting, which is fine.
Refrigerators in residential spaces do not need to be protected by GFCI.
We also need to relocate the light switch and socket located in the partition wall now removed.
When moving items like this, I always take pictures of the existing lines and label everything to avoid confusion later.
When you start remodeling, you often find that a variety of \"fun/creative\" cabling needs to be corrected --
It is usually improper grounding and the lack of strain elimination of the electric box.
When wiring a new box, I always make sure the wire is long enough to reach out 6 from the box\"
There\'s nothing worse than trying to change the socket or switch and not enough wires to manipulate things around.
I also tend to avoid push back Thorn connections in sockets because they have a tendency to fail
I prefer fixing wires with screws.
One thing I did was to replace all the electric boxes anywhere in the tile at a later time.
I installed the box with adjustable depth which is great for tile work as they can make it easy for you to set the box to exactly the same depth as the drywall so when you are later
We wanted something very simple for lighting, so I found some really nice flush mounted LED lights
These lights are amazing!
They are very low profile, the installation is very simple, and there is a separate drive box that is easy to connect, plus you can change the color temperature of the light, which is very good.
They cost $30 each.
I installed these in the existing lighting location.
At this time, we also decided to change the lights on our table (
Not in our budget! )
We will install a light on the kitchen peninsula that matches the smaller chandelier. And plumbing. . .
The pipe is very simple when we go from a double bowl sink to a bowl, so it actually simplifies a few things.
However, I did manage to mess things up and measured the basic cabinet size by mistake, so I had to move the sink scrap line a few inches for the sake of the gap-not a big deal.
Due to the different vertical directions of the new sink, I had to replace everything in front of the elbow that stretched out from the wall.
This means installing \"T\" accessories for vents (
I like the kind of screw in place)
There is a new trap.
The air inlet must be placed at least 4 \"above the water line of the sink trap \".
The relocation of the refrigerator also requires a new water pipe for the ice maker so that it can run.
It\'s a bit time consuming, but it works well.
The cold water line of our water heater is located in the basement under our kitchen, so I just need to drill a hole in the ground floor and route the copper wire along the floor pallet to the valve at the close.
About $30 material, I would love to go.
I must admit that I am not a huge fan of drywall work.
I can cut the drywall and screw it down, but I\'m not very good at finishing it.
Luckily, the guy I hired to help with the project was fantastic in drywall and I learned a lot from him.
It\'s no big deal getting the drywall in place.
Just screw it in and tape the seam with a patch compound.
I keep some of this compound around the house in order to quickly fix the dents and holes on the walls
Great stuff.
Once completed, the finishing begins.
It\'s not difficult to finish smoothly-
This can be a bit tricky when you have to texture a surface to match an existing one.
To do this, this joint compound is diluted and sprayed through a Hopper texture spray gun.
Once it starts to dry, it can be scraped off using a large steel spatula.
If it\'s done right, it just slides a bit from the top, leaving a slightly flat textured surface.
If the compound is not dry enough, it will be applied around.
Once everything is completely dry, I smooth on any rough surface with a sanding sponge.
Next, I decorate all the surfaces and finish the paint for all the areas that will not be covered by cabinets or tiles.
The drywall should be patched before installing the tailgate tile.
My favorite paint to use is Valspar Signature because of its reasonable price, wide coverage and good finish.
Don\'t believe \"paint and primer\", though\"
The drywall should still be decorated a new one before painting as you will get a better finish and the unfinished drywall can really absorb the paint.
I used eggshells on the wall.
The ceiling is decorated with a glossy finish.
We are very picky about the cabinets.
Cabinets are the biggest part of our budget and it\'s totally impossible how much you can spend on cabinets.
When we first started planning our kitchen, I did a lot of research, from big home improvement store brands to RTA (
Ready to assemble)
Even build cabinets from scratch.
Most of the things I found were either very expensive or built poor to edge cases at their cost.
Fortunately, I found an online vendor that is exactly the same as the one I am looking --Cabinets.
ComI had to say I was very cautious about ordering cabinets online but I read a lot of good reviews so I ordered a few sample doors (at no charge)
We think they look really good.
All of their cabinets are made of solid plywood housing (
No particle board or medium fiber board)
High quality soft hinges and drawer slides.
When ordering cabinets, you can also choose some custom options such as door opening direction, glass door and cabinet depth.
Drawers and doors are installed in all cabinets.
Free shipping over $2500.
We want to use European cabinets as they maximize cabinet space due to lack of front frame
We need every inch of land in our kitchenette.
The style/color we choose is a white color called lomaple Maple snowflake plaster.
Cabinets are built on order and delivery time is 5-8 weeks.
I ordered them at the end of the year (
When they make a 20% discount sale and add additional promo codes for another 5% discount --
They run them often)
As well as toe kick trim and interval panel suitable for the dishwasher nearby.
When the dishwasher and trash can are turned on, the 3 \"wide spacing panel is necessary for the handle gap.
The total number of our orders (
14 cabinets and trim boards/partitions and toe kicks)came to $5112.
I also ordered our kitchen sink at this time.
We chose a single bowl of stainless steel sink for Dawn 22.
This is the largest sink I can find and still fits the 24-inch wide tank cabinet with very good price/quality.
Cabinet installation time!
One trick I did when installing the drywall was to map the position of our wall post by taking pictures and measuring the distance between the wall posts
This also gives me a good future reference for any electrical and plumbing line.
This way, during the installation, I know the exact location of the cabinet screws.
Before the installation started, I made a vent cover box for the floor vents located under our tank cabinet.
The ventilation box is a sealed housing that drains the air from under the tank cabinet and through the grille in the toe kick.
This is made of waste wood, covered inside with aluminum tape and sealed on the floor.
I didn\'t know at the time, but if you don\'t want to make a box, you can now buy a pipe kit for this.
I start with the wall cabinets because it will be much easier to install them when you don\'t have to touch the base cabinets.
I also removed the doors and racks to make them lighter and reduce the risk of damaging the doors.
I started from a distant corner and screwed a ledger to the wall during the installation to support the wall cabinet.
It\'s definitely two people\'s job to install the closet-
My son holds the Cabinet (
Classification supported)
When I screwed them up
There are very few Square/vertical walls and horizontal floors in the house, so cabinets often need to be filled to make the Cabinet surface even.
The upper back and lower back of the cabinet have anchor slats, so when driving the anchor screws, be sure to let the screws go through any gasket and fix them in place.
The cabinet should also be screwed to each other through the side panel of the Cabinet (
Make sure to use the screw of the correct length so it doesn\'t puncture! )
Basic cabinet installation first check the level of the floor and find any high point
This is where you want to start, preferably in the corner.
I start with lazy Susan cabinets, start my work from there, flash as needed, check the top surface of the cabinets to make sure they are horizontal.
The holes on the back and bottom of the tank cabinet are cut in place to accommodate the pipes.
This is definitely the area you want to measure twice and cut once.
Once the sink was fixed in place with silicone adhesive and the lower sink pipe was installed, I installed the dishwasher and 3 \"wide filler strips \".
Next is the Peninsula base cabinet.
These are anchored on the floor with 1x2 and screws through the base/toe kick area.
Finally, I installed the cabinets above the refrigerator in the old food area.
This is done by using the 1x4 solid wood batten as a filler and tightening the cabinet through the side panel.
Filler is necessary as the cabinet is the same width as the refrigerator (30\" wide)
The fridge needs a breathing room on both sides.
After all the cabinets were inside, I reinstalled the racks and doors and made any necessary adjustments to the hinges to make the doors properly arranged.
If your existing cabinets are in good condition, you can save a lot of money by patching/painting the cabinets and/or installing new doors to update the cabinets.
If the feature is a problem, check out Rev-A-
They made several different types of cabinet pulp, greatly improving storage access.
Now it\'s starting to look like a kitchen again!
To end the peninsula, the side of the end cabinet faces 3/4 \"birch plywood\" and the 1/4 thick finish panel is attached to the plywood on the back of the cabinet and on the side of the end cabinet.
I then installed the toe skirting and did the skirting trim on the back/side of the peninsula as well as around the fridge cut.
Next, I fit the corner mold with the Peninsula corner and the decorative strips along the top edge.
This puts everything together nicely and looks perfect.
Since the tailgate tiles will extend all the way to the ceiling, we decided to install the decorations around the windows so that the tiles have a full edge to dock.
The window ledge is removed and replaced by a longer section that can accommodate the width of the decoration around the window.
For window decoration, we used the same outline as all the doors of our house to tie it together for a coherent look.
The paneling on the back and sides of the peninsula has been done in the same color as our cabinet doors, so all I need to do is paint the remaining wooden trim and skirting boards with prime and paint.
At this point our fridge and microwave are here so they are installed and I took some scrap plywood and put it on top of the cabinet, so that we can use our kitchen again while waiting for our worktop to arrive.
Select the countertop. . .
Decision, decision.
We did a lot of research again.
It is always between availability/durability/Look and cost.
We\'re not big fans of granite.
Soapstone is gorgeous but too dark for our little space-
Bananas are expensive, not to mention
Solid surface materials like lg hi-MACS (
Similar to Kean)
Looks good and the price is good, but the reviews are a bit confusing in terms of durability.
Finally, two competitors --
Butcher\'s Shop.
Quartz stone.
Butcher Blocks can be very durable (
Just like inside it, it will last forever as long as you use the final grain or edge grain variety of quality hardwood floors)
It has a wonderful warmth.
It is softer than a stone or solid surface, which is both good and bad --
It won\'t damage the plate as easily as a stone, it will be quiet when you put the plate on it, but it\'s also easy to scratch, you can\'t get it to have a pool on it, if it\'s not properly maintained, it looks a bit beating (
Although some people call it character. )
Need a little maintenance (
Apply food grade mineral oil every 6 months)
But it can be done easily in the proper place, no professional installation is required.
You can use a knife on it!
This is also very affordable relative to many other options, as long as there is stock, the lead time is zero.
Most pieces of meat are about 1. 5\" thick.
If you install it yourself, you can find good materials for less than $20/square. ft.
Quartz is also very durable and is about the lowest maintenance material.
If you want a material that looks beautiful and you can install it and forget about it, then quartz is for you.
It has a wonderful high end feeling.
The standard thickness is usually 30mm.
The sink cut usually costs $300 for an extra charge (
The edge of relaxation is usually standard. )
The quartz must be installed by a professional store for around $70/square meter. ft.
What are you thinking?
Is this true? !
So of course we chose quartz.
Because this is what my wife really wants.
She wants a bright white countertop
We chose the white Zeus extreme.
Where do they get these names from? )
To keep the light in the kitchen, we felt that the butcher\'s block was too dark in our space and there would be a bit more maintenance.
She was right as usual, so I went to buy an offer for quartz.
The rule here is to go around, read the proof, wait for the sale (if you can. )
The first sentence I got from a recommended store was an eye-popping $5942
About $156 per square meter. ft.
Beyond our budget.
Although I am sure that the store is doing well, it is impossible for us to afford it.
After wandering around and seriously thinking about the butcher\'s block, I heard that our local Lao has a 20% discount on Sears stone quartz.
I will save another 5% yuan for Labor (
We paid off the money immediately when the bill arrived)
We paid $2594 for the countertop we wanted. roughly $68 sq. ft.
Installation including sink cutouts and relaxing edges.
Before signing online, I found the name of the local vendor/installer and checked their reviews.
When everything was said and done, it took about five weeks in total from ordering to installation, but they did a fantastic job and looked great and exactly what we wanted.
I would say that if there was a slightly larger kitchen and an island, I would be tempted to go with the butcher\'s block of quartz on the surface of the island and anywhere else.
If you mix these two materials together, they have a common advantage (
For example, if you make quartz in the sink area and the butcher area in the neighboring area)
Make sure to adjust the height of the cabinet to accommodate the difference in material thickness.
Now that the countertop has been installed, we can choose the tailgate tile!
Tile is an area that can save a lot of money because the price range can be over $4 to $20 per square. ft.
Initially we thought we would choose the metro tiles of the traditional size, and I took home a variety of samples of different colors and textures, as well as a variety of glass and porcelain.
With white cabinets and white countertops, we want a little color for the tailgate tiles --
Something in the blue/gray area, will pull a little blue out of the floor tiles, but not too dark in general.
The color of the countertop and grouting material will definitely affect the appearance of the tile.
We also looked at the tile with glazed cracked finish as it could be very subtle and beautiful, but we couldn\'t find any tile in the right shape/color combination.
If you use a tile with this surface finish, be sure to apply a sealant to the tile before setting up and grouting, as the cream/thin agent and grouting will enter tiny cracks and remove.
The final winning tile is the night of Havana at Elida Ceramica-
A smaller mosaic subway tile in a very good color, not very gray or green, with only a little blue inside.
Alternating patterns and smaller sizes are more interesting than the larger and more common subway tiles we see, and the size seems to fit our kitchen space better.
Less than $5 per square. ft. (
We need 43 square feet. ft. total)
The price is also reasonable.
One thing you have to consider about the tile is what it will look like next to the trim, and if you have exposed edges, how it will fit into the corner or look.
It is important to consider the overall thickness of the tile and the thickness of the tile adhesive.
Tile installation.
When it comes to adhesives, you basically have two options.
Fragrant or thin
While I will never use mastic in the bathroom or in any area that will be immersed in the water, it is very good for the kitchen tailgate.
The good thing about Mastic is that it is pre-mixed and is faster to use than thinset.
Mastic is super tacky, so it holds the tiles very well on a vertical surface.
If we use glass bricks, then I may use a thin sleeve due to the transparent nature of the glass, as the glass bricks are not compatible with frankincense.
A special adhesive is recommended by many ceramic tile manufacturers.
The tiles were installed on a weekend.
I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a wet saw from a friend to do most of the cutting, saving me time and trouble renting or buying a Saw (
Then resell on craigslist. )
Use a diamond blade in the angle grinder for small trimming cuts in order to cut the tiles to fit around the electric box.
When setting up the tile, I start with the full upper level of the bottom line.
The subway tiles in the corner are set in alternate mode, so it looks more continuous when it\'s around the corner.
Smaller mosaic tiles usually adhere to the mesh material, which makes it easier for them to apply.
You can go through the net with a tool knife in order to make small adjustments to the tile spacing
Sometimes, it is necessary when you work around things like electric boxes and wooden decorations, so that you do not fill the gaps with thin tiles.
It\'s not hard to set up the tile because it\'s time consuming, especially when you have to cut a lot of small trim pieces.
It is usually cheaper to use unpremix grout, but I am pressed for time, so this time I used the premix grout.
The advantage of the ready-mix grouting is that it is very consistent in color and thickness, and the type I use does not require any sealing after that.
When you have to fill a larger gap, sand type grouting is usually used (say over 1/8\")
Unpolished grouting is used for thin gaps.
The last item is to install floating shelves.
Floating shelves have a very good open feel.
To do this, we wanted something more rustic and warm, so we chose recycled wood using the floors of the old factory.
This is basically an edge texture.
5 \"the thick butcher block material is made of a wide variety of hard wood and is in good color and goes well with the pecan floor in our house.
The material has 12 \"wide\" sections, so I first narrowed it down to 10 \"wide \".
Then cut each shelf into 24 \"length.
After that, a little cleaning was done with the planing bed and some holes were drilled to accept the mounting pile.
To provide sufficient support, the nails are screwed on the bolts on the wall.
Of course, that means I have to drill holes in the tiles I just set up!
Drilling on a tile can be a bit painful
I used these Bosch tile drill bits in this job and they work very well.
Just remember to slow down and often dip the drill bit into the water so it doesn\'t overheat.
Let the drill cut-
If you push hard, you can break the beautiful tiles you just set up.
The most difficult part of this project is to find the holes in the nails in exactly the right place so that everything can be arranged correctly --
It does help to make drilling fixtures or templates.
Once the rack is drilled and then pushed to the hook, tap in place with a mallet.
The bottom edge of the pin has a rolling surface that provides a tight friction fit so that the shelf can be firmly fixed on the pin.
If it is screwed to the studs on the wall, these studs are very strong and can withstand considerable weight --
I won\'t put a large bag of dry cat food on it, but they will hold small dishes well.
So far, this is the biggest project I \'ve been involved in.
It\'s a lot of planning and work, but we\'re excited about the results and we now have the bright, open and super functional kitchen we \'ve always wanted.
We are not completely bankrupt in doing so!
You can save a lot of money by doing a lot of work yourself and carefully selecting materials.
I am not a contractor, this is the first kitchen I have remodeled.
The trick is to plan ahead and try to predict things that can go wrong, be flexible if you have to make design changes and know your limits.
There is nothing wrong with hiring help to complete the part you are not comfortable with, or because you need help to do it within a reasonable amount of time.
I read a lot of books and guides before starting this project.
I went to the resources to rebuild the beautiful home for everything.
I find it always the only best resource, especially when I have technical issues with structural work, plumbing and electrical.
The books they publish are excellent guides for DIY home improvement.
When transforming a family, you never know what happens when you start taking things apart, the more knowledge you have, the more you understand how to make cost-effective decisions, whether you do the job yourself or hire someone else to do it.
The problem with a project like this is that it can be a bit addictive --
Now I want to do more family projects!
Let me know if anyone has any questions-thanks!
18 years later (and three kids)
It\'s time for us to decide.
To save money, we know we will do most of the work ourselves.
We know it\'s going to be a whole intuitive job.
Remodeling the kitchen could be a terrible offer
It takes a lot of time, it costs a lot of money, mistakes can be very expensive.
If you have a budget like us (and who isn\'t! )
This can be a real minefield in all design decisions and try to figure out how to get your money to the maximum return.
Based on the photos before and after, I would say that we achieved all the goals and made every dollar meaningful!
Since most photos have comments, be sure to click build photos.
How did we do it!
Organization is the key.
Our kitchen is small and covers an area of about 92 \"x 120 \"-about 77 sq. ft.
My wife and I are always a little laughing when we watch house remodeling/buying shows and you will see buyers walking into the huge kitchen with a 30 square foot room. ft.
The first thing they said was, \"Well, it\'s a little small. . .
\"We have never had any problems cooking for our family or even 20 people in the kitchen --
But there are two people inside. it\'s crowded.
In terms of total storage space, the layout of the kitchen is OK, but it lacks the surface area of the worktop and the storage room is not friendly (
I also keep hitting my head on the shelves)
The door of the refrigerator can\'t open all (
It\'s frustrating for my wife.
You often have to close a cabinet door or appliance in order to get into another area.
There is also a lot of dead cabinet space in the corner.
Another big problem is that the kitchen is really dark and closed inside and the view into the dining/living area is very bad.
It\'s time to make a new plan.
We decided to organize the kitchen to work areas that make sense for how we use the kitchen.
One end of the kitchen is food and dry goods and the other is dishes and pans/pans.
In a small kitchen, just move a few inches here and there and reorganize your workflow to make the world different.
We want to make the most of all of our available storage space, while adding our physical work area to make the kitchen feel even bigger without increasing the footprint --a tall order.
This is what we do: 1)
We moved the fridge to the storage room.
This gave us extra floor space and the refrigerator door can now be fully opened.
You can completely remove the shelves and storage boxes from the refrigerator! 2)
We moved the pantry to the location of the old fridge and split it up and down.
We were able to keep the same pantry shelf/storage area as before, but now we get the extra countertop area next to the oven (
We also moved a few inches to the sink)-
It is very convenient to bake and prepare for cooking.
We can now open the pantry and fridge at the same time, which is very good when storing groceries after shopping. 3)
We moved the dishwasher to the side of the sink.
Old dishwasher location (
Right angle to the sink)
No point-
It\'s always awkward trying to load and unload the dishwasher because you always have to reach out from the open door. 4)
Garbage/recycling moves next to the dishwasher.
Garbage used to be at the bottom of the old pantry, so you always have to go through the kitchen if you open the food or scrape --
It just makes no sense. 5)
We made the sink smaller. Yes-smaller!
By installing a smaller tank cabinet and a bowl sink, we actually have more usable areas inside and around the sink.
A large bowl sink is more suitable for baking pans and pans pots than our old double bowl sink, and we get the countertop space.
The smaller cabinet let\'s move the dishwasher next to the sink. 6)
The removal of the partition wall and the sofa on the top of the head and the extension of the cabinet all the way to the ceiling has had a huge impact.
Even though we removed the overhead cabinet (
See the dining area outside)
We gained storage by extending the remaining wall cabinets to the ceiling.
We also added a cabinet in the new location of the fridge.
The partition wall was removed and the kitchen was really opened
Sight is the difference between day and night.
The kitchen no longer feels isolated from the rest of the house.
If you have a little bit of uncertainty about removing or relocating walls, please consult the structural engineer. 7)
We reduced the countertop area next to the restaurant.
This countertop area is 36 \"deep.
By reducing this number to 26 \", we were able to get a huge increase in the area of transportation at the foot of the kitchen and moved the basic cabinets, enabling us to move the dishwasher to the side of the sink.
The basic cabinets under this countertop can now hold dishes as this is the area facing the restaurant.
Since we removed the partition wall, we stepped back a few square inches at the edge of the table top, pushing the table towards the back, allowing us to better enter the table top/storage area around the sink
The end result is more space available and a larger entrance path to the kitchen. 8)
We added a lazy Susan cabinet to the corner by the fire.
The old corner cabinet makes it almost impossible to use corner space for storage --
Like a black hole.
Everything back there stayed there.
Now, we keep cookers, Coke and other commonly used crumbles in lazy Susan, all available immediately. 9)
The open shelf makes the kitchen feel bigger.
By adding floating shelves to the corner at the edge of the sink, we got some storage space (
Help keep items on the countertop)
It makes the area around the sink feel more open.
At the beginning of our planning phase, I had a contractor friend come over and have a quick look to make sure I didn\'t miss anything unusual --
Sometimes, just having a second set of eyes on things like this big project can lead to coming up with a better layout, or making things you don\'t think of brighter and bigger problems later
I drilled small holes in the sofas and walls and observed the walls with perforated mirrors to ensure that there would be no major electrical equipment, and that pipe or exhaust obstacles would cause trouble with our plans.
We initially considered the possibility of stealing space from the corridor closet, but the flue pipe located in the boxed section of the wall soon ended, as rearranging it was not even feasible.
Now that we have a plan, we have to figure out the budget. . .
Budgeting for such projects is always a double-edged sword.
We don\'t have a cash cow in our backyard, but we still want to buy good quality materials.
In terms of time, the longer our kitchen stops working, the more expensive it will be to work and potentially eat out (
For a family of five, it will really become very expensive soon. )
It is also important to review current building codes and documents to obtain the necessary permissions. Labor plan-
I think I can take 9 days off and don\'t waste too much time on paid leave.
Plus my normal weekly rest day, I do most of the work for 12 consecutive days.
I called a friend of the contractor (
He will help the demo, floor and drywall at a reasonable cost)
We came up with a rough schedule: 2-2 days of demo work
For drywall, floor 3 days, drywall 3 days, Cabinet 1 day, electrical 1 day, plumbingI will order cabinet, we can do it once I have the date of arrival
After doing this, I can measure the kitchen for the countertop (
About 4-
5 weeks total process)
I can finish/trim work, tailgate tiles and shelves on the coming weekend.
This means I can have a work kitchen in 12 days and take the time to finish the work.
The total build time from start to finish is less than 8 weeks.
To save money, we set up a small table with a toaster, coffee pot, microwave and crockpot/instapot.
We also have an outdoor grill for cooking.
We moved the old fridge to the garage so we could still eat the cold food.
We washed the dishes with a sink in the laundry room.
No kitchen sink is probably the most annoying thing to take our kitchen apart.
Disposal costs can also increase rapidly.
We try to rescue as many of our existing kitchens and donated materials as possible (
Old sink, cabinet hinges, etc. )
Our local recycling center
We can put the construction waste in the bag instead of folding the bin.
Material estimation-Cabinets-$5200Flooring-
$300 electrical/lighting-$500Plumbing-$150Drywall-
$350 tailgate tiles-$350Sink-
Countertop $175-$25003300Appliances-
Our dishwasher, oven, faucet and sink are all well handled.
We do need to buy a new fridge and microwave.
I did a lot of research on the fridge.
When we initially started planning our kitchen, we thought we might want to put in a refrigerator with a 36 \"wide counter depth as they were quickly becoming the most popular size unit.
After looking at our available space, it makes more sense to use the 30 \"wide standard depth unit.
In the food room area, the depth will be appropriate and the total storage capacity will be the same.
Using the 36 \"wide fridge will cost us about $2500 extra as not only the fridge is more expensive but we also need to hit the wall to make it 6\" we had to move a return pipe on the floor
It\'s just not worth it.
We particularly do not want a water/ice dispenser on the door as the vast majority of complaints are focused on this feature --
French Door Refrigerator in particular.
Finally, we solved this very good single door model for KitchenAid.
We thought we might want to install a hood above the oven, but the microwave has to be placed on the countertop, which doesn\'t make much sense.
Because of this, we installed a ventilated microwave oven above the oven.
We chose this nice ultra-thin massage microwave that will fit all of our needs as it is very slim and can free up a lot of space above the oven.
I found the best price I can find online and my local appliance supplier was able to match it --
Both products are delivered for $2250.
So far, our total budget, including auxiliary labor, is about $16.
The place we want to go is 17 k.
Once the budget has been finalized, it\'s time for the presentation of the cabinets!
After turning off the power and water, we started laying thick building paper on the floor to protect the wood.
The first is to remove the elevated Cabinet and the non-structural partition wall.
Sometimes the best way to do this is to use the saw to go straight through the frame nail --
It\'s faster and safer than hitting the DingTalk with a sledgehammer.
There is no drywall in the area above Soffits (
This is what we expected.
So when we were doing this, the insulation fell to us.
We will definitely be extra careful in any area that contains wires or pipes!
As the partition wall/countertop disappears, we can move the oven and fridge out more easily and then remove all existing cabinets.
The cabinets were so bad that they really broke down in our hands.
Thereafter, any remaining drywall needs to be replaced due to previous damage or removal, as the electrical rewiring and installation of the new box to the wall post.
At this time, we also removed all the old parquet floors.
When we installed wooden floors in the dining area, I had previously met the last fortress designed by 80 and I had my secret weapons ready.
The floor installer tried everything in the sun to remove the very stubborn adhesive tiles (
Including a very large, very loud industrial scraper)
I ground a sharp edge on a garden border shovel and improvised a removal tool.
I found that I could put the sharp edges of the shovels under the wood bricks and they would pop up with just a little leverage.
This temporary tool saves hours of work.
I offered to have the floor installer keep it because he liked it so much!
Luckily, our floor is in good shape and does not require any repair work.
With the demolition of the partition wall and the sofa, we are starting to see that our new kitchen will be more open!
We decided to tile the floor very early.
When we installed wooden floors on the upper floor of the house, we thought we might extend them to the kitchen area.
The wooden floor in the kitchen looks great and the walk is comfortable.
Unfortunately, destroying them only requires an unknown leak.
Many of our friends had wooden floors in their kitchen and each of them said they would never do it again.
So we chose tiles.
The biggest advantage of the tile is cheap and durable-
Having three children, two cats and a big dog makes the most sense for us.
The disadvantage is that it can be cold (
Especially if it\'s on the ground on the flat panel)
If you stand in the kitchen all day, your feet will be very hard.
If I am a professional chef, I don\'t think I want to stand on the tiles all day long.
Another option is vinyl plank flooring
There are some varieties that are very resistant to water damage, it has a variety of finishes, but the cost is high.
The tiles we choose are the same variety as the tiles we use in the bathroom. At $1. 19 per sq. ft.
It is difficult to meet our requirements.
The 12 \"x 24\" tile size is also perfect for our space.
I took home a couple of different color examples and we used concrete gray as it provided a great transition to our wood floor while not too dark for our kitchenette.
Put down the moisture barrier under the back plate and paste the tiles with proper mortar.
It is very important to level the floor as much as possible, as this will make it easier to install cabinets and appliances later.
We also brought in a basic Cabinet and placed it at the end of the peninsula to learn how to transition the tiles to that area
After the tiles are installed, grouting with pearl gray (
I had a little left when our bathroom was remodeled. )
In electrical. . .
As we are moving the fridge we need to move the socket to a new location and the code also needs GFCI protection tampering
From any break on the countertop, the resistance socket will be located within 24 (
In the sink or oven)
And 24 \"from the end of the table against the wall.
We already have two 20 electrical circuits and a 15A circuit for lighting, which is fine.
Refrigerators in residential spaces do not need to be protected by GFCI.
We also need to relocate the light switch and socket located in the partition wall now removed.
When moving items like this, I always take pictures of the existing lines and label everything to avoid confusion later.
When you start remodeling, you often find that a variety of \"fun/creative\" cabling needs to be corrected --
It is usually improper grounding and the lack of strain elimination of the electric box.
When wiring a new box, I always make sure the wire is long enough to reach out 6 from the box\"
There\'s nothing worse than trying to change the socket or switch and not enough wires to manipulate things around.
I also tend to avoid push back Thorn connections in sockets because they have a tendency to fail
I prefer fixing wires with screws.
One thing I did was to replace all the electric boxes anywhere in the tile at a later time.
I installed the box with adjustable depth which is great for tile work as they can make it easy for you to set the box to exactly the same depth as the drywall so when you are later
We wanted something very simple for lighting, so I found some really nice flush mounted LED lights
These lights are amazing!
They are very low profile, the installation is very simple, and there is a separate drive box that is easy to connect, plus you can change the color temperature of the light, which is very good.
They cost $30 each.
I installed these in the existing lighting location.
At this time, we also decided to change the lights on our table (
Not in our budget! )
We will install a light on the kitchen peninsula that matches the smaller chandelier. And plumbing. . .
The pipe is very simple when we go from a double bowl sink to a bowl, so it actually simplifies a few things.
However, I did manage to mess things up and measured the basic cabinet size by mistake, so I had to move the sink scrap line a few inches for the sake of the gap-not a big deal.
Due to the different vertical directions of the new sink, I had to replace everything in front of the elbow that stretched out from the wall.
This means installing \"T\" accessories for vents (
I like the kind of screw in place)
There is a new trap.
The air inlet must be placed at least 4 \"above the water line of the sink trap \".
The relocation of the refrigerator also requires a new water pipe for the ice maker so that it can run.
It\'s a bit time consuming, but it works well.
The cold water line of our water heater is located in the basement under our kitchen, so I just need to drill a hole in the ground floor and route the copper wire along the floor pallet to the valve at the close.
About $30 material, I would love to go.
I must admit that I am not a huge fan of drywall work.
I can cut the drywall and screw it down, but I\'m not very good at finishing it.
Luckily, the guy I hired to help with the project was fantastic in drywall and I learned a lot from him.
It\'s no big deal getting the drywall in place.
Just screw it in and tape the seam with a patch compound.
I keep some of this compound around the house in order to quickly fix the dents and holes on the walls
Great stuff.
Once completed, the finishing begins.
It\'s not difficult to finish smoothly-
This can be a bit tricky when you have to texture a surface to match an existing one.
To do this, this joint compound is diluted and sprayed through a Hopper texture spray gun.
Once it starts to dry, it can be scraped off using a large steel spatula.
If it\'s done right, it just slides a bit from the top, leaving a slightly flat textured surface.
If the compound is not dry enough, it will be applied around.
Once everything is completely dry, I smooth on any rough surface with a sanding sponge.
Next, I decorate all the surfaces and finish the paint for all the areas that will not be covered by cabinets or tiles.
The drywall should be patched before installing the tailgate tile.
My favorite paint to use is Valspar Signature because of its reasonable price, wide coverage and good finish.
Don\'t believe \"paint and primer\", though\"
The drywall should still be decorated a new one before painting as you will get a better finish and the unfinished drywall can really absorb the paint.
I used eggshells on the wall.
The ceiling is decorated with a glossy finish.
We are very picky about the cabinets.
Cabinets are the biggest part of our budget and it\'s totally impossible how much you can spend on cabinets.
When we first started planning our kitchen, I did a lot of research, from big home improvement store brands to RTA (
Ready to assemble)
Even build cabinets from scratch.
Most of the things I found were either very expensive or built poor to edge cases at their cost.
Fortunately, I found an online vendor that is exactly the same as the one I am looking --Cabinets.
ComI had to say I was very cautious about ordering cabinets online but I read a lot of good reviews so I ordered a few sample doors (at no charge)
We think they look really good.
All of their cabinets are made of solid plywood housing (
No particle board or medium fiber board)
High quality soft hinges and drawer slides.
When ordering cabinets, you can also choose some custom options such as door opening direction, glass door and cabinet depth.
Drawers and doors are installed in all cabinets.
Free shipping over $2500.
We want to use European cabinets as they maximize cabinet space due to lack of front frame
We need every inch of land in our kitchenette.
The style/color we choose is a white color called lomaple Maple snowflake plaster.
Cabinets are built on order and delivery time is 5-8 weeks.
I ordered them at the end of the year (
When they make a 20% discount sale and add additional promo codes for another 5% discount --
They run them often)
As well as toe kick trim and interval panel suitable for the dishwasher nearby.
When the dishwasher and trash can are turned on, the 3 \"wide spacing panel is necessary for the handle gap.
The total number of our orders (
14 cabinets and trim boards/partitions and toe kicks)came to $5112.
I also ordered our kitchen sink at this time.
We chose a single bowl of stainless steel sink for Dawn 22.
This is the largest sink I can find and still fits the 24-inch wide tank cabinet with very good price/quality.
Cabinet installation time!
One trick I did when installing the drywall was to map the position of our wall post by taking pictures and measuring the distance between the wall posts
This also gives me a good future reference for any electrical and plumbing line.
This way, during the installation, I know the exact location of the cabinet screws.
Before the installation started, I made a vent cover box for the floor vents located under our tank cabinet.
The ventilation box is a sealed housing that drains the air from under the tank cabinet and through the grille in the toe kick.
This is made of waste wood, covered inside with aluminum tape and sealed on the floor.
I didn\'t know at the time, but if you don\'t want to make a box, you can now buy a pipe kit for this.
I start with the wall cabinets because it will be much easier to install them when you don\'t have to touch the base cabinets.
I also removed the doors and racks to make them lighter and reduce the risk of damaging the doors.
I started from a distant corner and screwed a ledger to the wall during the installation to support the wall cabinet.
It\'s definitely two people\'s job to install the closet-
My son holds the Cabinet (
Classification supported)
When I screwed them up
There are very few Square/vertical walls and horizontal floors in the house, so cabinets often need to be filled to make the Cabinet surface even.
The upper back and lower back of the cabinet have anchor slats, so when driving the anchor screws, be sure to let the screws go through any gasket and fix them in place.
The cabinet should also be screwed to each other through the side panel of the Cabinet (
Make sure to use the screw of the correct length so it doesn\'t puncture! )
Basic cabinet installation first check the level of the floor and find any high point
This is where you want to start, preferably in the corner.
I start with lazy Susan cabinets, start my work from there, flash as needed, check the top surface of the cabinets to make sure they are horizontal.
The holes on the back and bottom of the tank cabinet are cut in place to accommodate the pipes.
This is definitely the area you want to measure twice and cut once.
Once the sink was fixed in place with silicone adhesive and the lower sink pipe was installed, I installed the dishwasher and 3 \"wide filler strips \".
Next is the Peninsula base cabinet.
These are anchored on the floor with 1x2 and screws through the base/toe kick area.
Finally, I installed the cabinets above the refrigerator in the old food area.
This is done by using the 1x4 solid wood batten as a filler and tightening the cabinet through the side panel.
Filler is necessary as the cabinet is the same width as the refrigerator (30\" wide)
The fridge needs a breathing room on both sides.
After all the cabinets were inside, I reinstalled the racks and doors and made any necessary adjustments to the hinges to make the doors properly arranged.
If your existing cabinets are in good condition, you can save a lot of money by patching/painting the cabinets and/or installing new doors to update the cabinets.
If the feature is a problem, check out Rev-A-
They made several different types of cabinet pulp, greatly improving storage access.
Now it\'s starting to look like a kitchen again!
To end the peninsula, the side of the end cabinet faces 3/4 \"birch plywood\" and the 1/4 thick finish panel is attached to the plywood on the back of the cabinet and on the side of the end cabinet.
I then installed the toe skirting and did the skirting trim on the back/side of the peninsula as well as around the fridge cut.
Next, I fit the corner mold with the Peninsula corner and the decorative strips along the top edge.
This puts everything together nicely and looks perfect.
Since the tailgate tiles will extend all the way to the ceiling, we decided to install the decorations around the windows so that the tiles have a full edge to dock.
The window ledge is removed and replaced by a longer section that can accommodate the width of the decoration around the window.
For window decoration, we used the same outline as all the doors of our house to tie it together for a coherent look.
The paneling on the back and sides of the peninsula has been done in the same color as our cabinet doors, so all I need to do is paint the remaining wooden trim and skirting boards with prime and paint.
At this point our fridge and microwave are here so they are installed and I took some scrap plywood and put it on top of the cabinet, so that we can use our kitchen again while waiting for our worktop to arrive.
Select the countertop. . .
Decision, decision.
We did a lot of research again.
It is always between availability/durability/Look and cost.
We\'re not big fans of granite.
Soapstone is gorgeous but too dark for our little space-
Bananas are expensive, not to mention
Solid surface materials like lg hi-MACS (
Similar to Kean)
Looks good and the price is good, but the reviews are a bit confusing in terms of durability.
Finally, two competitors --
Butcher\'s Shop.
Quartz stone.
Butcher Blocks can be very durable (
Just like inside it, it will last forever as long as you use the final grain or edge grain variety of quality hardwood floors)
It has a wonderful warmth.
It is softer than a stone or solid surface, which is both good and bad --
It won\'t damage the plate as easily as a stone, it will be quiet when you put the plate on it, but it\'s also easy to scratch, you can\'t get it to have a pool on it, if it\'s not properly maintained, it looks a bit beating (
Although some people call it character. )
Need a little maintenance (
Apply food grade mineral oil every 6 months)
But it can be done easily in the proper place, no professional installation is required.
You can use a knife on it!
This is also very affordable relative to many other options, as long as there is stock, the lead time is zero.
Most pieces of meat are about 1. 5\" thick.
If you install it yourself, you can find good materials for less than $20/square. ft.
Quartz is also very durable and is about the lowest maintenance material.
If you want a material that looks beautiful and you can install it and forget about it, then quartz is for you.
It has a wonderful high end feeling.
The standard thickness is usually 30mm.
The sink cut usually costs $300 for an extra charge (
The edge of relaxation is usually standard. )
The quartz must be installed by a professional store for around $70/square meter. ft.
What are you thinking?
Is this true? !
So of course we chose quartz.
Because this is what my wife really wants.
She wants a bright white countertop
We chose the white Zeus extreme.
Where do they get these names from? )
To keep the light in the kitchen, we felt that the butcher\'s block was too dark in our space and there would be a bit more maintenance.
She was right as usual, so I went to buy an offer for quartz.
The rule here is to go around, read the proof, wait for the sale (if you can. )
The first sentence I got from a recommended store was an eye-popping $5942
About $156 per square meter. ft.
Beyond our budget.
Although I am sure that the store is doing well, it is impossible for us to afford it.
After wandering around and seriously thinking about the butcher\'s block, I heard that our local Lao has a 20% discount on Sears stone quartz.
I will save another 5% yuan for Labor (
We paid off the money immediately when the bill arrived)
We paid $2594 for the countertop we wanted. roughly $68 sq. ft.
Installation including sink cutouts and relaxing edges.
Before signing online, I found the name of the local vendor/installer and checked their reviews.
When everything was said and done, it took about five weeks in total from ordering to installation, but they did a fantastic job and looked great and exactly what we wanted.
I would say that if there was a slightly larger kitchen and an island, I would be tempted to go with the butcher\'s block of quartz on the surface of the island and anywhere else.
If you mix these two materials together, they have a common advantage (
For example, if you make quartz in the sink area and the butcher area in the neighboring area)
Make sure to adjust the height of the cabinet to accommodate the difference in material thickness.
Now that the countertop has been installed, we can choose the tailgate tile!
Tile is an area that can save a lot of money because the price range can be over $4 to $20 per square. ft.
Initially we thought we would choose the metro tiles of the traditional size, and I took home a variety of samples of different colors and textures, as well as a variety of glass and porcelain.
With white cabinets and white countertops, we want a little color for the tailgate tiles --
Something in the blue/gray area, will pull a little blue out of the floor tiles, but not too dark in general.
The color of the countertop and grouting material will definitely affect the appearance of the tile.
We also looked at the tile with glazed cracked finish as it could be very subtle and beautiful, but we couldn\'t find any tile in the right shape/color combination.
If you use a tile with this surface finish, be sure to apply a sealant to the tile before setting up and grouting, as the cream/thin agent and grouting will enter tiny cracks and remove.
The final winning tile is the night of Havana at Elida Ceramica-
A smaller mosaic subway tile in a very good color, not very gray or green, with only a little blue inside.
Alternating patterns and smaller sizes are more interesting than the larger and more common subway tiles we see, and the size seems to fit our kitchen space better.
Less than $5 per square. ft. (
We need 43 square feet. ft. total)
The price is also reasonable.
One thing you have to consider about the tile is what it will look like next to the trim, and if you have exposed edges, how it will fit into the corner or look.
It is important to consider the overall thickness of the tile and the thickness of the tile adhesive.
Tile installation.
When it comes to adhesives, you basically have two options.
Fragrant or thin
While I will never use mastic in the bathroom or in any area that will be immersed in the water, it is very good for the kitchen tailgate.
The good thing about Mastic is that it is pre-mixed and is faster to use than thinset.
Mastic is super tacky, so it holds the tiles very well on a vertical surface.
If we use glass bricks, then I may use a thin sleeve due to the transparent nature of the glass, as the glass bricks are not compatible with frankincense.
A special adhesive is recommended by many ceramic tile manufacturers.
The tiles were installed on a weekend.
I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a wet saw from a friend to do most of the cutting, saving me time and trouble renting or buying a Saw (
Then resell on craigslist. )
Use a diamond blade in the angle grinder for small trimming cuts in order to cut the tiles to fit around the electric box.
When setting up the tile, I start with the full upper level of the bottom line.
The subway tiles in the corner are set in alternate mode, so it looks more continuous when it\'s around the corner.
Smaller mosaic tiles usually adhere to the mesh material, which makes it easier for them to apply.
You can go through the net with a tool knife in order to make small adjustments to the tile spacing
Sometimes, it is necessary when you work around things like electric boxes and wooden decorations, so that you do not fill the gaps with thin tiles.
It\'s not hard to set up the tile because it\'s time consuming, especially when you have to cut a lot of small trim pieces.
It is usually cheaper to use unpremix grout, but I am pressed for time, so this time I used the premix grout.
The advantage of the ready-mix grouting is that it is very consistent in color and thickness, and the type I use does not require any sealing after that.
When you have to fill a larger gap, sand type grouting is usually used (say over 1/8\")
Unpolished grouting is used for thin gaps.
The last item is to install floating shelves.
Floating shelves have a very good open feel.
To do this, we wanted something more rustic and warm, so we chose recycled wood using the floors of the old factory.
This is basically an edge texture.
5 \"the thick butcher block material is made of a wide variety of hard wood and is in good color and goes well with the pecan floor in our house.
The material has 12 \"wide\" sections, so I first narrowed it down to 10 \"wide \".
Then cut each shelf into 24 \"length.
After that, a little cleaning was done with the planing bed and some holes were drilled to accept the mounting pile.
To provide sufficient support, the nails are screwed on the bolts on the wall.
Of course, that means I have to drill holes in the tiles I just set up!
Drilling on a tile can be a bit painful
I used these Bosch tile drill bits in this job and they work very well.
Just remember to slow down and often dip the drill bit into the water so it doesn\'t overheat.
Let the drill cut-
If you push hard, you can break the beautiful tiles you just set up.
The most difficult part of this project is to find the holes in the nails in exactly the right place so that everything can be arranged correctly --
It does help to make drilling fixtures or templates.
Once the rack is drilled and then pushed to the hook, tap in place with a mallet.
The bottom edge of the pin has a rolling surface that provides a tight friction fit so that the shelf can be firmly fixed on the pin.
If it is screwed to the studs on the wall, these studs are very strong and can withstand considerable weight --
I won\'t put a large bag of dry cat food on it, but they will hold small dishes well.
So far, this is the biggest project I \'ve been involved in.
It\'s a lot of planning and work, but we\'re excited about the results and we now have the bright, open and super functional kitchen we \'ve always wanted.
We are not completely bankrupt in doing so!
You can save a lot of money by doing a lot of work yourself and carefully selecting materials.
I am not a contractor, this is the first kitchen I have remodeled.
The trick is to plan ahead and try to predict things that can go wrong, be flexible if you have to make design changes and know your limits.
There is nothing wrong with hiring help to complete the part you are not comfortable with, or because you need help to do it within a reasonable amount of time.
I read a lot of books and guides before starting this project.
I went to the resources to rebuild the beautiful home for everything.
I find it always the only best resource, especially when I have technical issues with structural work, plumbing and electrical.
The books they publish are excellent guides for DIY home improvement.
When transforming a family, you never know what happens when you start taking things apart, the more knowledge you have, the more you understand how to make cost-effective decisions, whether you do the job yourself or hire someone else to do it.
The problem with a project like this is that it can be a bit addictive --
Now I want to do more family projects!
Let me know if anyone has any questions-thanks!
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