Operation: Take Back Our Home – Part 2
Last time in Take Back Our Home – Part 1 I talked about how linoleum floor tiles can be used to update a bathroom floor for under $25. Before I continue with the rest of our home “takeover” in Part 2, I wanted to thank a reader for her suggestion and post a picture of our floor with the new tiles:
The brand we picked was Cryntal. One reason we chose that brand is because the tiles’ edges are designed to look like grout. This gives the floor a ceramic tile look, without the ceramic tile install. Another reason is because the tiles are thick and don’t have a “supermarket floor” feel when you walk on them.
Now back to Take Back Our Home – Part 2……
As with many of the home improvement projects that we have completed at our house, things did not go as planned.
My husband was excited to start laying down the floor. In preparation, he removed the shoe molding from around the baseboards and vanity only to discover a problem.
Water damage from Hurricane Ivan years ago had made its mark. One section of our baseboard was warped and needed repairing, and even better, the wood underneath our vanity was crumbling. This meant a new baseboard AND a new vanity. I was not excited at this prospect, but it wouldn’t be bad – just pop the old vanity out, put a new one in, and install a new baseboard, right?
The vanity was attached to the wall with glue and caulk. It didn’t come out easily. I was now thrilled to add drywall repair to the to-do list. Plus, there was no baseboard behind the old vanity, so we were now going to have to replace more baseboards than we thought. We agreed it would be easier to replace ALL the baseboards at once, rather than try to piece together edges that weren’t sharp and then caulk.
As for the floor, it was now uneven since there was no flooring under the old vanity, just concrete slab. The existing floor had to be pulled up and the concrete cleaned before new tile could go down.
Five hours after our original trip to Lowe’s, we had stripped our bathroom of everything but the tub. (The toilet came off and was placed in the shower to be put back when finished.) Some things I learned in the process that might save you some struggle – and money – if you ever decided to tackle removing and replacing a vanity and baseboards are:
- Have the right tools on hand before you get wrapped up in the project. You’ll need to have things like a razor or box cutter, screwdriver, and hammer to help you get the job done.
- Score your vanity and baseboards first, before you try to remove them. Run a razor along the top edge of the baseboard and vanity (where it meets the wall) to loosen the grip the caulk has on keeping your items attached to the wall. They will come off much easier if you do this, thus possibly preventing you from unnecessary dry wall repairs.
- Vacuum and clean your walls and floor thoroughly after demolition. Particles left behind can make it harder for new materials to be installed properly. You also won’t track dust throughout the rest of your home, saving you from future vacuuming nightmares.
- Figure out a plan to get rid of your trash. You’ll be generating a lot of garbage in the process (vanities are large!). Know your local trash pick-up policies and/or utilize a public landfill. Realize that if you are going to a landfill you’re going to have to bring your items there. If you don’t have a truck or van, make plans to have someone with one help you before you start the project. (Are you noticing there’s a key word here – before???) Paying a hauling service to come to your home and pick up your junk can be pricey.
Part 3 will talk about our quest to find a new vanity and show how choosing a certain style can help save you money. I’ll also follow up with what happened to the freestanding cabinet that had seen better days, along what I did with all the items that were stored in it!