Post your DIY projects here

Reba said:
I wish I lived near you. I would do the project for a couple hundred dollars. I love a challenge! :P It would be fun to include your personality in your room.

I enjoy cleaning, organizing, and decorating thru creativity and necessity. Most places just need organization, color, theme, and texture to make a huge improvement. Paint, fabric, and good lighting make a big difference. It doesn't need to be "fancy". Personally, I prefer clean and simple. I can't stand ruffles, frou-frou, and clutter. I prefer to subtract things from a room rather than add. Negative space has its own value.

To be honest, our bathroom project was expensive. I think it's worth spending more money on permanent upgrades to a house because it increases the value.

But in your situation, a temporary living space, I wouldn't spend a lot of money to fix it up except maybe on stuff that you can take with you and use in your next place.
Click to expand...
How would you make it fit me? ;)
 
Roadrunner said:
Very very nice Reba!! Surely your hubby did an awesome and swell job of putting all this together, even with your help too, I'm sure. ;)
Click to expand...
I'm the "idea" person, and he's the "hands-on" person; we make a good team. :)


What I'm mostly impressed with is the floor of the shower area, that's unique and a bit of work in itself. Also with the signature placement of pebbles on the wall was really cool and very unique!
Click to expand...
The stones are individual but they come on 12-inch mosaic sheets for easier installation. Of course, there is still some cutting and arranging because the spaces are not even squares. We have a special sealer on the stones so they will always have a "wet" look but they're not slippery to step on.

At first I wanted a narrow band of the stones all the way around, about half way up. But I changed the design for more impact with the bigger section instead.


Although, you were able to provide AD'ers with a show of 'before/after' photos, however, like for the floor in the shower area...nothing was 'described' what was used up to the level which those cobble stones or pebbles were placed. What were each part called. Thanks as I'm curious here. I used to be a 'framer' for a short period of time until my knee couldn't handle being up on a roof....anyhow, doing this exposed me to the many various aspects of how a home is put together. ;)
Click to expand...
I didn't think anyone was interested in the "technical" details. :) I'll ask Hubby for some of the details.

Awesome and very beautifully put together!! Pls. be sure to pass along my congrats to your hubby for a superbly well done job! :)
Click to expand...
Will do.
 
Here are some details:

First, he cut out the floor to allow the plumber to change the drain size from 1.5" to 2", and relocate the drain to the center of the floor. Hubby put on 3/4" marine plywood. Then our friend, a professional tiler and "mentor" to Hubby, laid the base. First layer was a rubber membrane (Noble shower pan, chloraloy) that went up across the floor and up the sides of the walls 8". It was held on with roofing nails. He placed small pea gravel stones around the drain to keep the weep holes open in case of any possible seepage thru the floor (just a precaution). Then he poured a layer of bedding cement (Bonsal floor mud) , and allowed it to dry at least 24 hours. Then he placed a wire mesh screen (from the tile store) on top of the cement. Then he placed another layer of the cement on top of that, tapering it down from the sides toward the drain. Allowed that to dry at least one week. Then Hubby put down a bed of thin-set mortar and pressed the stone tiles into place. After it dried, Hubby grouted it. After the grout was completely dry, Hubby applied the sealer "enhancer for natural stones".
 
VamPyroX said:
How would you make it fit me? ;)
Click to expand...
Just for example:

I would ask questions about your personality and preferences. Like, which colors you love, which colors you hate. Do you like modern and clean lines, tranquil or stimulating mood, traditional or trendy, etc. What are the purposes of the space? Sleeping, studying, entertaining....? What is your decorating budget? Zero? Big bucks? Somewhere in between? Do you have any favorite objects that you want displayed? Are you a naturally organized person or a free spirit? What are your interests (hobbies, movies, books, music, clothing style). Those kinds of questions.

Even vampires have individual styles. There's a big difference between Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Brad Pitt's Louis de Pointe du Lac, and Al Lewis' Grampa Munster. :D

Of course I would have to analyze your space size, configuration, and limitations. What are the surface materials? Sheet rock, paneling, block? Carpet, wood, tile? Can we paint? What is the natural and artificial lighting? What kind of storage is available? Where are the outlets and cables located?
 
Wow I love how you did the shower floor, and the bathroom wow that's neat!

Very lovely Reba,
 
Reba said:
Here are some details:

First, he cut out the floor to allow the plumber to change the drain size from 1.5" to 2", and relocate the drain to the center of the floor. Hubby put on 3/4" marine plywood. Then our friend, a professional tiler and "mentor" to Hubby, laid the base. First layer was a rubber membrane (Noble shower pan, chloraloy) that went up across the floor and up the sides of the walls 8". It was held on with roofing nails. He placed small pea gravel stones around the drain to keep the weep holes open in case of any possible seepage thru the floor (just a precaution). Then he poured a layer of bedding cement (Bonsal floor mud) , and allowed it to dry at least 24 hours. Then he placed a wire mesh screen (from the tile store) on top of the cement. Then he placed another layer of the cement on top of that, tapering it down from the sides toward the drain. Allowed that to dry at least one week. Then Hubby put down a bed of thin-set mortar and pressed the stone tiles into place. After it dried, Hubby grouted it. After the grout was completely dry, Hubby applied the sealer "enhancer for natural stones".
Click to expand...

Thanks for the technical detailed description of how it was done--however, I would also like to know how deep each layer of the cement was? Other than that, you have a remarkably well done end result that surely give you both years to cherish and admire. ;)

Again, I gotta say, very beautiful! :thumb:




~RR
 
Wow, I missed this whole topic! Reba, a few months ago I, too, ripped out an existing three-wall alcove one piece fiberglass shower insert. I mention this because I was unable to ascertain.......but did you replace the shower valve? I replaced ours with the latest in valves, the kind that puts an end to temp changes in water flow when someone flushes a toilet, for example. Know what I mean.?
Anyway, was just wondering if you replaced the old valve.....

Nice work by the way, you two!
 
Reba said:
Good. I want to see them. :)
Click to expand...

Sure, you will see. :)

Thank you. That was my design idea. I don't like bottles on the floor or hanging in view. I wanted shelves that fit our shampoo and shower products. I designed the shelves to face inward to the shower so they don't show from the outside. Very neat.

The shelves and the seat are made with a slight slope so the water drains off them easier.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Yes true, that's what we like about.
 
*DROOOOOOOL* I love your new bathroom!!! What a great creative and so beautiful! You did a great job! :thumb:

We did some DIY around the house too. I think I may have some pictures. I'll need to dig out the pictures lol!
 
Reba
I look at your pix that one show drywall in shower. Question you use proofwater drywall?. I notice that drywall seem not proofwater. But I don't know if actual it was proofwater drywall cause I notice different brand of company make drywall.

PS You and your hubby did a great job.
 
wow that is great you guys did a great job on projects ! i am happy for ya.

i love doing diy projects around my homes. last few months i installed laminate hardwood floorings around 4 rooms and right now i install molding bases and base shoes. after finishing the floorwork, i will design/build wine racks and cabinets. i am holding my woodworking project which is a modern fire screen cuz i have to finish the floorworks.

woodworking is one of my hobbies. i have building several modern furnitures. i love doing with hands. i have a lot of thought of going into furnitures designs business since i left my home/building architecture field ~15 yrs ago.

yes my wife and i are hooked to watch hgtv and diy tv programs or any home remodeling programs. my wife's favorite show is curb appeal. my favorite shows are Freeform Furniture(amy devers) Wood Works(david marks), and reDesign(kenneth brown).
 
TFWFalcon said:
Reba
I look at your pix that one show drywall in shower. Question you use proofwater drywall?. I notice that drywall seem not proofwater. But I don't know if actual it was proofwater drywall cause I notice different brand of company make drywall.

PS You and your hubby did a great job.
Click to expand...
Good question.

Yes, that is "waterproof" drywall. We even used that kind of drywall for the walls in the bathroom itself, not just the shower walls. We had a moisture problem in the past, so I'm paranoid about it. :) That's why we used the moisture resistant drywall on all the bathroom walls. We also squeegee the shower walls after each use and run the exhaust fan (which has a timer so we can keep it running after we leave the room). Later (when we can afford it), we want to install a more "super" exhaust fan.
 
deafclimber said:
wow that is great you guys did a great job on projects ! i am happy for ya.
Click to expand...
:ty:

i love doing diy projects around my homes. last few months i installed laminate hardwood floorings around 4 rooms and right now i install molding bases and base shoes. after finishing the floorwork, i will design/build wine racks and cabinets. i am holding my woodworking project which is a modern fire screen cuz i have to finish the floorworks.

woodworking is one of my hobbies. i have building several modern furnitures. i love doing with hands. i have a lot of thought of going into furnitures designs business since i left my home/building architecture field ~15 yrs ago.
Click to expand...
Ooooh, some pictures please! :P

yes my wife and i are hooked to watch hgtv and diy tv programs or any home remodeling programs. my wife's favorite show is curb appeal. my favorite shows are Freeform Furniture(amy devers) Wood Works(david marks), and reDesign(kenneth brown).
Click to expand...
Heh, heh, we are the same way. I like to tape my favorite shows so I can replay the parts that I want to analyze, and skip the commercials. I use they websites to look up the products. :D
 
LakeTahoe said:
*DROOOOOOOL* I love your new bathroom!!! What a great creative and so beautiful! You did a great job! :thumb:

We did some DIY around the house too. I think I may have some pictures. I'll need to dig out the pictures lol!
Click to expand...
I hope you can find some pictures. :P
 
Tousi said:
Wow, I missed this whole topic! Reba, a few months ago I, too, ripped out an existing three-wall alcove one piece fiberglass shower insert. I mention this because I was unable to ascertain.......but did you replace the shower valve? I replaced ours with the latest in valves, the kind that puts an end to temp changes in water flow when someone flushes a toilet, for example. Know what I mean.?
Anyway, was just wondering if you replaced the old valve.....

Nice work by the way, you two!
Click to expand...
Yes, we replaced both fixtures with matching new ones that have internal thermostats that we set for maximum and minimum temperatures. It holds to those limits even if the pressure changes.

Do you have pictures?
 
TFWFalcon said:
Reba
I look at your pix that one show drywall in shower. Question you use proofwater drywall?. I notice that drywall seem not proofwater. But I don't know if actual it was proofwater drywall cause I notice different brand of company make drywall.

PS You and your hubby did a great job.
Click to expand...
Oops, I need to make a correction.

Hubby says that it's not called drywall. It's called "Durock" cement board. DUROCK Brand Cement Board It's not water "proof" but it is water "resistant" than "green" board drywall, and is used as backing for tiles.
 
Back
Top