I had to do some fixing before the painting started.  The bottom detail was damaged with a bad nail so I took it completely off and turned it around.  The other side didn’t have any problems.  Then I took off part of the back that had a hole cut in it.  I did the same prep work as I did on the entry table in the previous post.  I did some sanding, to take the sheen off of the previous paint.  I skipped the primer because it wasn’t dark paint I was trying to cover.  Then just painted a couple of coats of the same paint as the table.   The original paint was creamy yellow that didn’t match the floor as good.  So I picked a color that was lighter.  Then installed it by screwing it into studs.  I think it turned out good.  Check us out later to see the room as a whole.  Thanks for visiting!

I wanted to share with you one of my summer projects. I took a cheap looking entry table top, and updated it to it’s current condition; bottom.  I bought it at a local thrift store for under $50.

There was some work involved in getting it to look like it does.  I first had to tighten some bolts holding the legs on to make it more sturdy.  The original owners decided to glue on the handles instead of screw them on.  I had to sand down the glue and drill holes.  I figured it would be quite a bit of work to just sand down the black so I bought some paint stripper.  It worked for a part of the table, but wasn’t so easy to work around the curves.  I gave up with the paint stripper and just sanded down the rest to get ready to paint.  I then primed so it would require less coats.  For the paint, I picked a super glossy paint so in case water spilled on it it would be slightly protected.

I really love refurbishing furniture.  I think that this turned out much better than I thought.   I have one more piece of furniture I worked on this summer; this shelf.  Check back later to see how that looks now.  Then later how the room looks as a whole.  Thanks for visiting!

2.  Buy extra.  Preparing for waste, many predict 20% is sufficient to complete a project with a little bit left over to spare.  This is a very smart idea.  You never know if your tile will be discontinued, and you need to account for broken tiles along the way.  We had to make a couple extra stops at Menard’s to get more tiles so ended up spending more time fetching extra materials.  This can cost money.  If you are buying extra tiles, also buy the mortar and grout so then you don’t have to stop by again.

3.  Make sure you have the right tools for the job.  And shop around.  We ended up needing a wet saw, which I predicted beforehand, and intended on renting one from a RentAll or Hardware store.  First place we called would have cost $200.  Second place we called was under $100.  That’s a big difference.  Renting over a weekend is also a good idea.  This gives you extra time for unpredicted mistakes.  And you do need to factor in breaks along the way or you will go crazy.

4.  Don’t wash out your mortar mixing equipment in your utility sink.  Even what the internet says, dissolving this with enough water doesn’t prevent from any backups.  We are proof of this.  Our sink clogged, and also blocked off our kitchen sink, causing us major problems.  We were lucky that Roto Rooters were available to come in about an hour to fix it.  Only $85 later, but this could have been prevented.  Always clean your materials outside!

5.  Always use protection.   I mean goggles and especially a dust mask.   Mixing mortar and cutting concrete board can cause toxic dust particles into the air, and unless you are protected and in a well ventilated area you are not in a safe area.  For the most part I used my dust mask.  But the stress in the idea that I wasn’t as protected as I should have been scared me a bit more.

Hopefully you will not do these same things because you read my blog.  Also, hopefully you know that I have never tiled a floor before you will understand that I am not an expert, by any means.  This list is just problems that I went through, would like to help anyone who is thinking about starting a project like this.

Once all of the tile is down, we are planning on purchasing an antique desk/table for our entryway.  I also have an old wooden ladder I will install above desk for a ledge to hold artwork and pictures on.  Also, I will be able to install the shelf that is sitting in my garage right now.  I am so excited to get this project done.   I will continue updating on the progress on this floor as I go.

1. Remove all carpet, and carpet padding and discard, OUTSIDE.  Getting the smell (urine) has to be completely removed to prevent additional problems.
2. I am anal, so I removed all staples and nails that I could possibly.  Many resources said to make the floor as flat as possible.  I sanded down any high spots to make it smooth.
3. I primed any areas that had the urine smell on it.  Zinser has one that covers all smells and stains. 
4. Since I am tiling up to carpet, you need to plan on some type of transition.  They sell many types of transition pieces at hardware stores.  The one I bought shows little transition.  You tuck the carpet in one side, and tile on the other side.  No needed nailing.  In my case the tile and carpet match up in height.  This is something you want to figure out before you pick the transition.
5. My next step is installing the concrete board.  This will help support the weight of the tiles.  It also makes a smooth surface for the tiles to lay on.  I was told to have at least 1 inch to 1 1/4th inch in underlayment.  I am installing the hackerbacker on top of particle board.  I am installing 1/2 inch concrete board to make sure I have enough support.
6. After that, you can tape the joints of the concrete board.  I will probably do that just to give it less chance to shift.  I am taking any additional steps to prevent tile and grout cracking.
7. Then, you tile.  I need to do some research on the depth of the notches on the trowel, and purchase.  Also there is different types of grout, sanded and non-sanded.  I think there is extra strength in using sanded, but probably more expensive.  But worth it.  This is research I will do once I get to that point.
8. Finally,  I am trying to decide whether I will seal the grout to make it easy to clean spills and prevent stains.  Again, this is nothing I have to decide on right this minute.

So, I have a plan.  I am picking up the saw today, Friday and plan to start after work.  I have never used a saw, except in junior high maybe 15 years ago.  I have tiled a wall, but not comfortable doing a floor, yet.  So far, during this project I have hit quite a few road blocks.  It’s great to go through this, and to learn because next time I will be ready.  First, some saws are not allowed to be used in masonry/concrete work.  Now I have to rent one.  No biggie, but would have been nice to know earlier.  I didn’t know whether I should use 1/4 or 1/2 inch concrete board.  I had already purchased the former, when I found out I needed the 1/2 inch instead.  Required lots of extra lifting than needed if I would have been prepared.  Second, look at all home improvement stores and tiling stores for your tiles.  The specialty stores are expensive, by 4 times.  I ended up finding tile that worked at Menard’s.  I had no intention of going to Menard’s at all, but glad I did.

Hopefully these tips helps any novices at trying to begin a project like this also.  I am still working on it but as it’s seen, it’s good to plan ahead.  Please leave any tips  if you have worked on a project like this before.

I have been living a green lifestyle for quite some time.  What does this have to do with Yellowstone?  Living a green lifestyle limits the number of resources we use, those of which come from the earth.  If we tread lightly on the earth we protect places like these.  Think of the hundreds of acres of forests that are used each year to make paper for junk mail.  Forests like Yellowstone are logged to make junk people throw away anyways.  Simple things we  do can protect places like these.

There is always a time where you need to give a gift, not just around Christmas.  After Christmas, though, I started thinking of different types of gifts I can either make by hand, re- purpose or reduces the amount of waste created by purchasing.   I came up with a small list, that I can start working on earlier in the year, but even if I need to buy a birthday gift, I will have this list handy.

1.  First thing, is one thing I rely on when it get’s close to the deadline; giftcards.  These things are very green.   They come with either a trifold, which is already wrapped, or without.  Even with out it, you can just throw it in a card and call it done.

2.  You can buy the recipient a book.  I think this is a very good idea because there really are indefinate number of books you can purchase, for any reader.  Plus don’t come with any extra packaging.

3.  Re-purpose all of those Christmas cards or Birthday cards into something useful.  You can make them into postcards, stationary, gift tags or even a set of Christmas ornaments.

4.  Knit a scarf.  Usually around winter anyone can use one of these.  Knitting may be a hard skill to learn, but once you learn, you never forget.  Plus there are a wide array of patterns or gift ideas you can use to make for people.

5.  You can also make a quilt or other bedding.  All you need is a sewing machine and several types of fabric.  You can also use any left over fabric from other projects you may have lying around.

6.  Make a wooden picture frame.  We are lucky to have a local Habitat ReStore in our area you can purchase scrap wood or any other materials at cheap prices. This is just a different type of thrift stores, and you can keep an eye out for items someone you care about is looking for.  Making picture frames may take some patience, but it doesn’t require a lot of hardware to complete.  We purchased a miter saw, a manual one, and most of the picture frame material you can find at a hobby store.

7.  Homemade cooked goodies.  Who doesn’t like getting fresh baked cookies or a pie.  I have even seen in stores all of the dry ingredients for a particular recipe in a Ball canning jar; including a recipe.  This would be a unique way to personalize something.  Plus you can buy the jars at a local thrift store so you don’t have to spend unnecessarily.

8.  You can also make a one of a kind photo book from one of many online companies.  You don’t have to go out and drive anywhere to purchase.  You can stay in the comfort of your own home and design.  Some companies like Shutterfly, Snapfish and Kodak are just a couple out there to check out.  They all offer a slightly different product.

That is my list of possible gifts I will be revisiting this year when I need an idea.  This only includes purchased or homemade goods, you could always offer your services like babysitting or yard work.    The possibilities are absolutely endless.  I would love to hear of your creative ideas on gifts you have given.

I did get some things done on my day off today.  One important thing was to finish the base coat on my Inspiration Room, which I have been postponing for a while.  I can say, we have made some progress.  Once it dries I will check it out to see if I need some touch ups.  I used the same roller I used for my kitchen cabinets which gives a nice smooth finish, but you can see the marks from the edge of the roller, if you roll hard like me.  Since I purchased a satin finish on the paint it has a shiny finish already, but this may have been a bad decision.  Since I still have stenciling to do I may have to prime the stencil then paint it.  Silly me.  All for some extra shine.   Stay tuned to see what I write about next time!