Clackamas County toilet rebate

Clackamas Country residents are eligible for a $100 rebate when replacing their old toilet with a new 1.28 gpf Water Sense certified toilet. Below is a link for the guidelines and application.

http://www.clackamasproviders.org/images/stories/CRWP_rebate2010.pdf

Should I add electric floor heat in my bathroom?

Tile floors can be shockingly cold to the feet during the cold Winter mornings.  If this is your case then adding electric floor heat will dramatically improve the comfort of your bathroom or any tile floor.
Here are a few questions to help decide on heating your floor?
1. Is there room in your electrical panel to add a circuit?  Read the specs on the system you are using to see if it will require 120v or 240v.
2. Is your floor square or oddly shaped and chopped up?  If you have separate chopped up spaces then you made need the system that uses a continuous wire to place throughout the floor as needed.
3. Is the bathroom generally colder than the rest of the house?  The continuous wire system can have a gap as little as 2″ between each strip of wire as in the photo above which puts out a little extra heat for the space.
4. Do you want to warm the tile floor of your shower or the tile around your bathtub? There is a special wire to order for wet locations.
5. How accessible is it to run new wire from the electrical panel to the area you are installing the system?  Typically this would be the attic or crawl space.
6. Where would you place the thermostat? I suggest hiding it if possible, once you set the timer you will likely not use it often.

The images show the wire system in a West Linn master bathroom remodel which provides very flexible placement. You can see where it stops in the front of the toilet as your feet never touch behind it, although it is capable of being distributed evenly along small chopped up spaces, angled and curved walls.

Have a patio that gets used year round? Adding floor heat is possible outside.

Transforming old Oak cabinets into a beauty.

Here is a photo of where I am giving a distressed look to some cabinets. This is a cheap way to add beauty and character to your old kitchen or bathroom without investing in new cabinets.

There are many ways to do this and the key is to remember that the less you try at it the better it will look. Most cabinet companies offer this as a finish option for new cabinets which costs even more than standard finishes. It has become a popular look in many million dollar homes.

As you can see in the photo I have painted black over the existing cabinet (but can be any color). Then with only 150 grit sand paper I am sanding down the surface to achieve the antique look. I sand with the grain of the wood being careful to only burn through the edges a little to highlight the profile of the door adding depth to the overall look. I have also exposed the original surface in small areas to add character.

Some tips:
For a real aged look strike the wood with a sock full of nuts and bolts or rocks.
Be sure the base layer is a contrasting color to the top surface for best highlighting results.
Can be done with paint or stain.
Add some contrasting handles and knobs.
Replace the old drawer guides with full extension bearing guides.

Tags, remodel, remodel on a budget,  kitchen design, 

Home Improvement under $1000 #3

Home improvement for under $1000 #3. Add a framed mirror and sconces for lights instead of a light bar over the mirror. This will allow a taller mirror giving the illusion of taller ceilings. Lighting quality is better on the face minimizing shadows and casting an even distribution of light on your face.

Before your tile is installed make sure......

Getting tile to look good takes more than just an experienced tile installer. It all begins with framing the walls perfectly and making sure the floor is level. If the floor and walls are not prepared properly an expert installer will have difficulties setting the tile and the end result may not look good. The following tips will help a finished product look perfect.
Floor tile: When installing tile on the floor be sure the surface is level and smooth before laying down the Hardibacker. Something as little as one nail head protruding could throw off the whole install leaving tiles uneven. If the floor is beyond repair by using shims then consider using a self leveling compound to smooth out any imperfections.
Wall tile:
1. If you have the walls stripped down to old studs or building a new wall check how straight the walls are with a level or straight edge, square and tape measure. Each stud should plane evenly on the side where you will be attaching the backer board. If not then adjust the framing member by moving it, trimming it, or adding furring strips.
2. Next, each perpendicular surface should be square. Or the degree it was intended to be, 45, 22.5 etc. If not then adjust the Framing members again by moving, trimming, or shimming them. Again check that the studs plane out evenly.
3. Lastly before attaching the backer board check the walls (or studs) with a 4' level if they are plum. If the walls are plum your tile will look square, straight, and professional. Otherwise you will be trying to fit square tiles onto a wall shaped like a trapezoid and have grout lines that look unlevel.
One extra tip before laying tile - I always inspect the tile for different thicknesses and make sure they are square, sometimes they vary in size and shape. This is only becomes troublesome when your grout joints are tight leaving little room for any adjustments. If you find the tiles to be inconsistent then make your grout joints 1/4" or larger depending on the variations.

West Linn marble shower in 35 seconds