LOCATING THE LEAK

One of the first steps involved with repairing any leak is to locate the source of the leak. In this situation, I needed to empty the contents of my kitchen sink cabinet so I could get in there for a better view. (Sort of looks like I needed to do some dishes too!)

To locate the source of a leak it’s always best to start with a dry area, if at all possible. After removing the sink cabinet contents, I thoroughly wiped the water supply lines and the inside of the cabinet dry with a towel. Starting with a dry area allows you to easily see new drips.

I turned on the cold water tap and let the water run for about a minute. No leak. Next I tried the hot water tap. Ah hah - there it was! I turned off the hot water tap, and with a dry paper towel, wiped off the current drips, then turned the hot water tap on again to see exactly where it was leaking from. My first thought was that the water was leaking at one of the connections between the faucet and the water supply lines. As it turned out that wasn’t the case. Upon closer inspection, the drips appeared to be coming from within the kitchen faucet itself. Like many people, I turned to the web for repair help, but the only leak repair instructions to be found were for dripping spouts or leaks at the base of the spout. My kitchen faucet was leaking underneath. Looked like I’d be replacing it.

KITCHEN SINK FAUCET SHOPPING

As with the leak repair, once again I went to the internet to begin my search for a new kitchen sink faucet. The options were vast and the prices ranged from dirt cheap to unbelievably expensive! It didn’t take me long to rule out the high end faucets. Math may not be my strong point, but it was pretty easy to figure out that a $300+ faucet was an unnecessary expense.

My kitchen sink faucet shopping advice:

1. stick with a name you know or recognize - like Moen or Delta
2. comparison shop
3. don’t buy a faucet with features you don’t need, they only add to the expense of the faucet
4. buy your replacement faucet before dismantling the existing kitchen sink faucet
5. if buying online, make sure you confirm availability and shipping time

In a small community the selection can be somewhat limited. I live in a small town and for me to buy locally, it meant finding something in one of only two stores. This is where online shopping comes in very handy. You can do your browsing, comparison shopping, and purchasing without ever leaving home. If, however, you are in a hurry and are looking for next day delivery, you may just find it worthwhile to take a trip to a larger town or city and buy in person. Please note points 4 and 5 listed under shopping advice. Yes, I did dismantle the old before having the new. No, I didn’t find anything I liked in the local stores. And yes, it meant a speedy trip to the city to find something to replace it with because delivery would take too long. Although I didn’t follow my own advice exactly, I did still find the internet helpful for looking at the different options and giving me a guide for pricing.

The kitchen sink faucet I chose to buy was a Moen - a one-handle kitchen faucet, model 87485. That’s it pictured above at the beginning of this post. Simple, but stylish with a slight gooseneck faucet appearance. The price - a reasonable $129.00 CAD.

KITCHEN SINK FAUCET INSTALLATION

Installation was a breeze. The installation instructions were clear, and because there were no extra features like a soap pump or a pull-out spray, it was extremely quick too. With my old faucet already removed it was simply a matter of following the diagrams to put the very few pieces together and tighten the connections.

1. The first step to take when replacing a faucet is to turn off the water. In most cases there will be shut-off valves on each of the two water supply lines inside the sink cabinet. Obviously, my water was already turned off because I’d already removed the old faucet.

2. Remove old faucet.

3. Slip supplied round rubber gasket over bottom parts of faucet and slide up into place.

4. Slide base plate up over bottom of faucet parts.

5. Feed bottom of faucet parts through the top of the deck to the inside of sink cabinet.

6. Inside the sink cabinet, place bracket on the underside of deck, align it so mounting stud comes through the hole provided.

7. Connect and tighten nut on mounting stud.

8. Pull copper pipes apart by about 3″. Connect water supply lines using two adjustable wrenches - one to hold the end of the copper pipe (A) steady and the second to tighten the connector (B) on the water supply line.

9. Turn water back on, open tap, and check for leaks.

Kitchen Sink Faucet Installation Advice:

• turn off the water before beginning replacement
• place gaskets carefully
• tighten nuts securely

An extra helpful piece of information I can give you is to tell you to label your hot and cold water supply lines before disconnecting them from your old faucet. This is easy to do with a piece of masking tape. Run your hot water tap until the water is hot and heats up the supply line, then attach a piece of tape to that warm line. That way after connecting the water supply lines to your new faucet you’ll have no worries about crossing the lines and getting cold water from the hot side and hot water from the cold side.

The toughest part of replacing my kitchen sink faucet was removing the old one. The most inconvenient part - rinsing dishes in the bathroom sink until I picked up the new faucet!

Bathroom remodeling is a wonderful thing. New tub, new shower, new sink, new tile, new bathroom fixtures - it’s all new! Sometimes, however, after getting all those new important bathroom items installed, the small or inconsequential finishing touches get left undone. You are so overwhelmed and (hopefully) happy with the completion of the big renovation picture that little things like trim and molding fall by the wayside. They may be small, but those little bits of untrimmed areas can make a big difference to the overall finished appearance of your bathroom. Left with unfinished or incomplete trim and molding, your bathroom renovation or remodel just doesn’t shine as brightly as it could.

Today I finished the trim in my bathroom! (It’s only been about 18 months since the major work was done.)

My bathroom renovation involved moving a wall to expand the square footage, installing a new 2 piece shower, adding storage space and a laundry chute, putting in a new bathroom vanity cabinet with vessel sink, and laying new resilient flooring. The (almost) finished product was fabulous except for one tiny thing - the trim at the base of the shower. The 2 piece shower was the first thing to be installed. The flooring was put down after. No matter how precisely resilient flooring is marked and cut, it never seems to meet up perfectly with the base of the shower. Initially, I used a silicone caulk to close the gap. Caulk is great for some jobs, but in this particular case caulk alone just wasn’t cutting it.

HOW TO INSTALL PVC TRIM IN FRONT OF A SHOWER

Before beginning this trim work in my small bathroom, I cleaned the floor. Hey, it’s a bathroom and it’s small - the toilet is beside the shower. Not to say that my house isn’t clean, but I do have a four year old boy!

Materials List

plastic/pvc quarter round trim/molding
scraper
silicone caulk
miter box & miter saw (or cut-off saw)
utility knife
clean, damp rag

Steps to Trimming Shower Base

1. Use a scraper to remove any existing caulk. Be careful not to gouge the flooring or scratch the acrylic shower.

2. Wipe down the area to clean up any bits or small particles of caulk.

3. Carefully measure the distance at the base of the shower where trim is to be installed.

4. Cut trim to length using a saw - miter saw or cut-off saw - whichever.

5. Run a bead of clear silicone caulk along the top, bottom and side edges of the trim piece. (Read and follow instructions for use on tube of silicone.)

6. Press trim piece in place at the base of shower.

7. Use a clean, damp rag to immediately wipe up any excess caulk.

I chose to use a pvc trim/molding because of where I wanted to install it - in front of the shower. The silicone caulk will prevent any shower spray or stray water from seeping down between the trim and the shower base and the trim and the resilient flooring where it could damage the wood sub floor.

The end result of installing pvc trim in front of my shower base - a neat, clean and waterproof barrier that truly finishes off a successful small bathroom remodel.

I like to save this particular job for late spring - after all the dirty trees have shed their litter and the spring rains have washed that debris off the roof shingles.

Cleaning rain gutters can be a pretty dirty job. Depending on the types of trees you have growing around your house, your gutters could be full of pine cones, pine needles, leaves, discarded blossoms or maple keys. Too much dirt and debris will plug the downspouts and prevent rain water from draining properly. Instead it will flow over the sides of the eaves troughs like a waterfall, which totally defeats their purpose. If you missed cleaning your gutters in the fall and your downspouts are blocked, you’ll be scooping out handfuls of tree dirt that has turned into a disgusting sludge from sitting in rain-filled troughs. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?!

Helpful Tips For Cleaning Gutters

• Start at the top and work your way down.
• If you’ll be walking on the roof, wait for a dry day. (asphalt roof shingles can be slippery when wet)
• Use a bucket to collect and contain the debris. If you simply toss everything to the ground you’re making more work for yourself as you’ll then have to rake too.
• To speed up this messy process, make sure you have everything you need close at hand in the area where you’ll be working.
• If you must work from a ladder, tie your bucket to the ladder to keep both of your hands are free.

HOW TO CLEAN RAIN GUTTERS

Step One

Gather required equipment and get prepared:

Heavy Duty Rubber Gloves
Gutter Scoop
Ladder
Plumber’s Snake/Drain Auger
Bucket
Hose
Rope

Heavy duty rubber gloves will keep your hands clean and dry, as well as provide protection for your hands from sharp metal edges and screws.

The Plumber’s Snake/Drain Auger is used to remove blockages from the downspouts. Sometimes the pressure of the water isn’t strong enough to clear downspouts/drainpipes. A Plumber’s Snake/Drain Auger is flexible so that it can be maneuvered through curves and bends to get to a blockage.

Luckily for me, I have a door in my bedroom that leads to a small roof balcony. It’s easy access that doesn’t require climbing up and down a ladder.

To better facilitate cleaning the rain gutters on my 1-1/2 story home, I take my rope onto the roof, tie one end to the balcony railing and lower the other end down to the ground. Then I go back downstairs and outside where I tie the rope to the garden hose below. When I’m ready for water I just pull the hose up with my rope. From that balcony access spot I can clean all of the gutters at the front of the house - second story and first story. Cleaning the rain gutters at the back of my house is done from a ladder on the deck.

Step Two

Scoop all visible debris into the bucket.

Step Three

Rinse the gutters with water from the garden hose.

Take a peek at the ends of the downspouts to see if the water is running freely. If not, you’ll need to employ that snake.

Step Four

Run the snake down the drainpipe/downspout to the point of the blockage.

Push the snake up from the bottom of the drainpipe/downspout to the source of the blockage.

Use an auger-type action to free the plugged up gunk.

Step Five

Do a final rinse from above.

Step Six

Clean and put away all of your equipment. (Don’t forget where you put it ’cause you’ll need it again in about six months.)

Dirt & Debris Prevention - Gutter Guards/Filters/Screens

This spring, after cleaning my rain gutters, I installed gutter guards in an attempt to keep them litter free. I’m hoping that they’ll significantly reduce the amount of summer and fall build-up. Obviously, it’s too soon to tell if this strategy is effective, so I’ll have to get back to you in the fall once the leaves are off the trees.

More Reasons For Cleaning Rain Gutters

• allowing rain water to drain away from your house means there’s less chance of it entering your house
• keeping the gutters clean helps to eliminate standing water, thereby preventing mosquito breeding grounds

Stay tuned for cleaning rain gutters, fixing a leak at the kitchen sink, repairing a nail pop, and trimming around the base of a shower.

If you said the gap between the cabinets over the kitchen sink, you’d be 100% correct! The other thing that’s been driving me crazy is the lack of lighting above the sink and over the counter top work areas on either side of it.

I’ve decided to bridge that gap and add some lighting to the kitchen while I’m at it. The kitchen cabinets aren’t necessarily to my liking, but one step at a time folks! This is a quick fix intended to improve the appearance and efficiency of my kitchen until such time as I can afford to do a more major renovation (or I move).

The Whole Process Including Pictures

Because the kitchen cabinets are melamine, I chose to use that same material for my mini renovation. Before buying any material, I carefully measured the gap and planned not only the design of the bridge, but also how I would support it between the two wall mount cabinets. With my plans formulated I headed to the closest Home Depot.

List of Materials

1 pc melamine shelving 5/8″ x 12″ x 97″
4 steel mending plates
package of 4 steel corner braces
small package of 5/8″ #10 flat head wood screws

In order to fit the shelving in my vehicle, I had it cut in half at the store. The length I required for my bridge was just under 48″ so this worked out perfectly. After returning home, I used the table saw to cut one piece of the melamine shelving to the exact length required. Using the table saw again, I cut the other piece of shelving length wise so that I had a piece 4-1/4″ x 48″, which I also cut to the exact length.

Building the Bridge

With materials ready, construction began. The plan was to slip the bridge into place. Steel mending plates would overlap the existing upper cabinets and hold the bridge at the same height as those cabinets. Using the wood scews, the steel mending plates were attached to the 12″ wide melamine shelf - 2 on each end.

I’ve had a set of Ikea NON lights hanging around for quite some time just waiting for the right application and this was it. The placement of the lights was marked on the underside of the bridge and holes were drilled to accommodate the power cords.

The narrower piece of melamine would serve as a type of apron for the bridge. This is where I used the corner braces.

With down lights installed and the apron in place, the bridge was ready to be suspended.

And here it is in place. What a difference! The upper kitchen cabinets now look complete and I have light to work by.

All of the hardware is either concealed or invisible. Here’s a closer look.

Now all I have to do is make a new Roman Shade for the kitchen window. I think I’ll make it as wide as the outer edge of the window frame and mount it right up under the bridge. It will hide that small section of wall that is currently exposed and give the illusion of a larger window.

This is in response to a reader’s inquiry about using the color black on a beadboard backsplash in her kitchen. Specifically, she wanted to know if a black beadboard backsplash with oak kitchen cabinets and a sunset gold granite countertop would work with off-white trim and baseboard molding. My response is a definite yes!

The golden oak of the cabinets would be picked up and repeated in the color of the granite countertop and a black backsplash would be an amazing and dramatic break between the two. I would recommend using a semi-gloss paint finish on the beadboard for a soft sheen - make sure that any surface imperfections are sanded smooth before priming and painting because they will be amplified by the gloss finish.

Installing undercabinet lighting will ensure that there is enough light for working at the counter and will also serve to highlight the backsplash area.

As for the off-white trim, I’d temper the contrast between the black backsplash and the off-white trim by using a mid-tone color on the walls.

For more visual inspiration, here are some kitchen pictures that illustrate wood cabinets with a dark colored backsplash. These backsplashes aren’t beadboard, but I think you’ll get the idea.

Photo from Pacifica Tile Art Studio

Photo from Homescape

Photo from Post-Gazette

Hope this helps, Anita - good luck with your kitchen renovation! I’d love to hear and see how it turns out.

Good Vibes

For many of us, our first foray into the world of home furnishings and decor took place at an Ikea store. Ahhh, remember that heady sense of new-found independence as you went in search of the perfect Poem chair for your first home away from home?! Now, it’s some twenty years later (has it really been that long?) and the prospect of a trip to the mecca of Swedish home furnishings excites us still. With the addition of many new locations, the trip may have been shortened somewhat, but the possibilities remain endless.

Opening the first page of the annual catalog is viewed as a sacred ritual, reserved for a special time and place completely removed from distraction or interruption. Opening the doors of an actual store and stepping inside, whether it’s for the first time or the fifty-first time, is an exhilarating experience.

Yes, there are Ikea-haters in this world. They are the people who choose to dislike anything that the masses adore. If you say up, they’ll say down - you say right, they’ll say left. Hate all you want people. With your self-imposed ban, you are the ones missing out!

Good Prices

Sometimes you just have to ‘make do’ with what you have or what you can afford. This doesn’t necessarily change with time. Luckily, the selection of what we can afford has been greatly expanded thanks to Ikea. From starter kits for the kitchen, to furniture and decorative accessories for every room in your home, Ikea gives us a broad range of home outfitting and decorating products at good prices. So while you’re waiting until you can afford those Eames chairs to go with your dining table, it’s good to know that Ikea’s Gilbert chairs will provide you with an inexpensive and stylish alternative to eating on the floor.

Good Quality

While a large number of people use the word ‘cheap’ as a positive reference in place of ‘low-cost’ or ‘inexpensive’, for me, cheap is a word more aptly used to negatively describe quality. You’ll hear or read numerous comments that bring the quality of Ikea goods into question. Speaking from personal experience, all the products I have purchased from Ikea over the years have not only met, but exceeded my expectations for stability, longevity, and quality. The negative connotations of ‘cheap’ simply do not apply.

Good Inspiration

Where do you go when you need some real life inspiration? Beyond the flat pages of magazines or computer screens the choices are few. Sure you could traipse through decorated model homes, but in many cases the furniture and accessories are way beyond your range and the design style doesn’t match what you have in mind. Ikea stores provide inspiring display rooms and fully furnished apartments in a variety of decorating styles from modern to traditional. There’s no better way to try before you buy.

In case you haven’t already figured it out, I am an Ikea advocate. For the reasons outlined above, you have and will continue to see Ikea products featured on the pages of SuzyRenovator.

To make the cut, the vessel sinks had to be small and white (hence the title - Small White Vessel Sinks), but they also had to be priced under $150 and be somewhat unusual or unique. I’ve broken my selections down into two categories - Round Vessel Sinks and Square Vessel Sinks.

You might think that a vessel sink would only be suitable for a bathroom with modern decor, however there are several choices in the round vessel sink category that would complement a more traditional decorating style. Check out the vitreous china vessel with the scalloped edges and the elegant design of Laurel. A definite plus for anyone wanting to convert an antique washstand, dresser or cabinet into a functional lavatory feature.

Round Vessel Sinks - Prices, Sources

1. White Leaf Motif Vessel Sink $129.99 USD
2. Scalloped White China Vessel $129.99 USD
3. Laurel White Vessel Sink $119.99 USD
4. Fontaine Round White Porcelain Vessel $129.99 USD
5. Fontaine Single Post Porcelain Vessel $119.99 USD
6. Serenity & Zen Round Vessel Sink $139.99 USD
7. Ribbed White Vitreous China Vessel $123.49 USD

The square vessel sinks offer clean, simple styling that would work well in a contemporary bathroom. For someone looking to decorate a children’s bathroom, the whimsical design of the curvy white vessel sink would be a terrific choice. And at only 4.53″ high, it’s not too tall for those often vertically-challenged users!

Square Vessel Sinks - Prices, Sources

1. Curvy White Vessel Sink $119.99 USD
2. Courtyard White China Vessel Sink $129.99 USD
3. Parisan White Vessel Lavatory Sink $99.99 USD
4. French Petite White Vessel Sink $129.99 USD
5. Villa White Lavatory Vessel $149.99 USD

For some bizarre reason it’s hard to find a modern bathroom vanity cabinet at a reasonable price. Modern vanity cabinets alone run into multiple hundreds of dollars. Add onto it the cost of the bathroom sink and faucet and it’s no wonder that bathroom renovations come in near the top of the list for most expensive home improvement projects. With this proposed hack of Ikea’s Bestå shelf unit, you can have a modern bathroom vanity sink cabinet for less than $150 dollars. Even with the addition of a small vessel sink and a vessel sink filler faucet, you can still put it all together for under $400. (Don’t forget the pop-up drain and mounting ring.)

A drawer front on the upper section of the shelf unit will hide the majority of the plumbing. The middle and lower sections of the vanity will offer storage for bathroom products behind a frosted glass door.

1. Tall Lavatory Faucet $129.99 CAD
2. Drawer Front $7.00 USD
3. Glass Door $29.00 USD
4. Small White Vessel Sink $129.99 USD
5. Bestå Shelf Unit $59.00 USD
6. Underframe $35.00 USD

More money-saving bathroom remodeling ideas:

Bathroom Remodeling - Money Saving Tips

(a) Close the door and never set foot in it again.
(b) Burn it.
(c) Post toxic warning signs and string yellow caution tape across the doorway.
(d) Remodel.

You know I’m going to pick (d) ! This isn’t my bathroom, but for the purpose of walking through the important factors and considerations to keep in mind when thinking about a bathroom renovation / remodel, it’s a perfect example. The bathtub and shower don’t match the toilet, the toilet itself is disgusting, the vanity cabinet and the mirrored medicine cabinet are dated, and the sink faucet and the tub/shower faucet are less than appealing.

Make A Plan - Do Your Research

They say that on the list of the most expensive rooms to renovate, bathrooms are pretty close to the top. I say, it doesn’t have to be that way! And who are ‘they’ anyway?

Before making any changes or starting any demolition, it’s important to make a plan. Part of the plan-making process includes doing research into the costs associated with a bathroom remodel or renovation.

Money-Saving Bathroom Remodeling Tips

1. One of the easiest ways to avoid spending extra money on a bathroom remodel is to not move any of the plumbing. Don’t change the location of the sink, toilet or tub/shower.
2. Next, shop ’til you drop - go on a price shopping spree. The only way to find out what bathroom fixtures cost and to find the best products at the lowest possible prices is to shop around. Make a list of the items you’d like to change and start scoping out replacement costs.
3. Save money on labor costs by doing all or most of the work yourself.
4. Save money on disposal fees by donating old fixtures to re-use stores.
5. Put together an inspiration board for a little perspective on the direction in which you’d like to go with your bathroom remodel.

Set A Budget for Renovations

It’s way easier to set a budget after you’ve familiarized yourself with the possible costs of a bathroom renovation. Let your price shopping guide you. Prioritize your list of needs, then pick and choose the areas or items where you can splurge or save. Add all potential costs to your bottom line. Prepare for the unexpected by adding at least another 10% to your total cost estimate. Don’t begin renovations if you don’t have the budget to complete them!

Look at the Whole Picture

Not only do you have to make individual product choices, but you also need to look at the effect those choices will have on other decisions. In the world of renovating and remodeling, one thing often leads to another, and one question often leads to another.

Analyze

Look at the list of changes you’d like to make and think about what those changes will involve.

If you take out the tub and shower surround, chances are that the drywall behind it is going to be ruined. Removing the existing ceramic wall tile will undoubtedly ruin that drywall too.

Ask Yourself Questions

Do you want to replace the drywall behind the tub and shower surround and then cover it over again with a new combination tub and shower surround?

Is there a less expensive option?

Aside from the fact that removing the ceramic wall tile will likely cause excessive damage to the drywall it’s mounted on, is there any other logical reason for removing that drywall?

How to keep the mess of a bathroom remodel / renovation at a minimum?

Answer Your Own Questions

A new combination tub with shower surround can be cost prohibitive. A less expensive option would be to remove the existing tub and shower surround, replace the damaged drywall with cement backer board, install a basic tub, and then create a new tile shower surround.

Removing the tub/shower and drywall will allow you to inspect, repair and/or replace bathtub and shower water supply lines and drain plumbing.

Removing the drywall sections covered by ceramic wall tile will make getting rid of the existing ceramic tile a whole lot easier and a lot less time consuming. If you’re planning to use new wall tile, you’ll want to install new cement backer board anyway. If you plan to paint the walls, you’ll want to install new moisture-resistant greenboard.

Keep the mess at a minimum by doing all your demolition work at the same time and then doing all your wallboard replacement at the same time.