Bathroom Done!

We started the bathroom project during our 2009 Christmas Vacation. Now that it is Labor Day 2010, we can finally say that the project is finished. Here are some before and after photos.

Seven Springs - Memorial Day

Cendy and I spent the Memorial Day Weekend at Seven Springs Mountain. One of the highlights was the Alpine Slide. You sit on this plastic cart with a stick that controls the brake and "accelerate" as you roll down a fiberglass chute down the mountain. I was having a blast flying down the mountain and leaning into turns until I caught up to the young lady (probably 8 or 9) who was in front of me. Here's a video:

Another highlight was the UTV tour. I got to drive a Polaris RZR UTV on some off-road trails, while Cendy was my co-pilot. A tour guide led five UTV's on an hour ride around the mountain. Here is some of Cendy's video handywork.

Hello from Southwestern PA

I thought I'd share some images from my temporary work assignment in Denbo, Pennsylvania which is about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh.

Here's the current progress of the bridge which crosses the Monongahela River. Abutment 1 will be in the foreground. Pier 2 is a deck level, Pier 3 is about 2/3 finished, Pier 4 is at the footing, Pier 5 is at deck level and the Pier 6 is complete.

One of the first bizarro sightings - a portion of a deer leg in our office trailer parking lot.

The water in the office trailer is not safe to drink...

Here's the older development adjacent to the bridge site. I have not heard many good things about this neighborhood. To the right, a train full of coal cars rolls by.
This is Main Street Denbo. The mighty Mon River is on the right. There's a barge company across the river. Main Street Denbo consists of a one-person Post Office, a Church, a few houses (some occupied, some abandoned) and a closed Marina.

I didn't take this pictures, but it was another bizarro sighting - a turkey vulture!

Other bizarro sightings include a woman pushing a 30-pack of Beast Ice in a baby carriage and tweens smoking at the bus stop in plain view of everyone including parents.

Bathroom Project Week 9

With Cendy's party this weekend, the rush was on to finish the bathroom. There was tile placing and grouting, painting, electrical, new toilet, sink, faucet and vanity to be installed if the bathroom was to be usable for the ladies.

On Tuesday, it started with the tile. I was very grateful that my boss lent me his tile saw. Hopefully I don't break it.
At the last minute, we decided a 45 degree tile pattern would look nice. Although it was more difficult, we felt it would look much nicer.

I laid out the pattern without the mortar to visualize the placement and make sure we cut the first pieces correctly. We snapped a chalk line to make sure we kept a straight pattern.

The first tile is set.

There were more tiles that needed to be cut than not.
We're about a quarter of the way finished in this picture. These are 12"x12" tiles. Tile spacers are used to keep 1/4" gap in between tiles.
Almost there...
Done! It was about 4am at this point.
On Wednesday, I start with a little touch-up painting. Since no tape was used, a steady hand is needed. I am an ar-teest!
Next up - electrical! These are three 60w bulbs...bright! I think we'll downgrade to 40w. We didn't need a flash when this light was on.
GFCI and switches are done.
Shower recessed light and fan are installed.
Now that electrical is finished, it's time to grout the tile joints.
I work in sections, going back and scraping off the excess grout and wiping the residue with a damp sponge.

Grouting went rather well. The last step is to buff the haze off the tile a few hours after grouting is finished.

On Friday, we start with the medicine cabinet. It needed extra encouragement to fit, so this took way longer than needed. The opening didn't have any wiggle room.
I managed to not break the mirror while installing.
Now the wainscoting is glued in place and the trim is nailed to the studs. The 1x4 in the picture is holding the piece under the sink drain in place while the glue dries. The trim over the wainscoting (floor and chair rail) hold the larger pieces in place.
It's Saturday, the day of the party, and we're getting short on time. I started by putting a coat of paint on the wainscoting and trim.

Now onto the toilet. I don't have to tell you that scraping off the old wax seal ring was pretty gross. I wore rubber gloves for this part. I think I'll throw out that putty knife.
The new wax ring is put in place with new bolts.
Now that the bowl is in place, tank is prepared.
Cendy takes it for a test drive.
The ladies arrived as I worked on the sink. Sadly, a piece was missing for the faucet and I needed to make a run to the hardware store for a new drain, so I could not finish in time.

Here is our current progress.

Bathroom Project Week 8

First on the agenda was to get the painting done before the tile is installed.

Two coats of primer are used on the drywall. We didn't worry about painting the bottom of the wall because it's getting covered by wainscoting.

Here's the future home of the medicine cabinet.

Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards. We had a few issues to fix before proceeding.

I noticed that the tub was rocking very slightly, so we had to screw this side of the tub into the masonry exterior wall. Initially I had thought that fastening the other two flanges would be sufficient, but I was mistaken.

I had to cut out a portion of the floor so that I could access the area behind the tub and wedge a 2x4 between the flange and exterior wall.

Here's a view from the basement looking up at the tub with the new 2x4 in place. With this in place, I can screw through the flange into the wall.

Here's another boo-boo that we had to fix. There was a bubble underneath a piece of drywall tape so I removed it with a razor. This is the aftermath of scraping the spackle from my first attempted repair of the bubble.
Hopefully a couple layers of spackle will do the trick. After sanding, the ceiling will be ready for paint.
Next is a layer of plywood for the subfloor. I thought I had cut this piece perfectly, but it was just a tad too long. I almost got stuck between it and the tub when it got wedged against the back wall and door opening.
After escaping, I returned with the circular saw so that I could cut the piece free.
After a few dozen galvanized nails are hammered home, the plywood is finished.
Now some fun work - paint! We chose a warm blue color (Glidden "Soft Sapphire" semi-gloss, to be exact).
After two coats, the walls are finished. This color will complement the shower tile nicely.
Before we tile the floor, we need to install the backerboard. With a floor installation, the backerboard needs to rest on a bed of tile mortar.

First, a skim coat of mortar is applied.
Then the notched side of the trowel is used.
Then the backboard to placed on the mortar.

And, then it's pressed into place.

Using special backboard screws, it's secured to the subfloor,
A strip of fiberglass mesh tape reinforces the backerboard joints.
The tape is embedded in mortar.
And we're done!

Stay tuned for a busy Week 9 as Cendy's party is less than 7 days away. The goal is to have the bathroom facilities 'functional' for the ladies' visit.