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Posted in Countertops, Remodels & Additions, Tile & Stone | 2 Comments »

Creating Paths and Patios with Pavers

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Beautiful and usable yards are a blend of hardscapes and planted areas, of places to be and places to see. Defining areas is a process of creating outdoor rooms without walls and sometimes with borders that are intentionally fuzzy. Pavers can provide both natural looking patio areas and softer looking paths through a number of design options. Pavers are easier to conform to irregular terrain changes. They aren’t a choice you make to save money over a poured concrete slab, but rather for different looks and options possible. Pavers are more eco-friendly as they allow rainwater to soak in rather than contribute to runoff. Pavers also allow for later changes, redesigns, and access should you need to run a plumbing or electrical line. So, what should you look for in a quality project?

First consider overall yard drainage and contours. You may need to change or improve paths for runoff of excess rain. You might want to consider any needs for French drains. Are there any other changes in terrain that would be more aesthetically pleasing? If you are creating a paver patio you’ll want to end up with an area as flat as possible and in a way that integrates with the rest of the yard.
Excavation. Pavers involve sand over a base, so you will need to remove a lot of dirt. Recently a client of mine was able to have her huge 12 yard pile picked up for free through Craig’s List. Care needs to be taken to assure that the level of the dirt is a fairly consistent (plus or minus 1/4″ is standard, high or low by 1/2″ is still okay) plane that parallels your desired finish plane.
Base. You will want to install a 3″ base which should be compacted with a plate compacter. If you have very solid stable soil, 2 1/2″ will be fine. Less solid and stable can easily use 4 to 5″. If your ground is wet from a spring or high water table you might need to invest in a geotech fabric designed to create buildable soils over near swamps. If you want to drive on your pavers you will want to add an additional 3 to 6″ to what you would otherwise need.
Sand. The sand layer is typically 1 1/2″. A lot of “paver sand” contains a lot of pebbles in the 1/8″, 3/16″ or even the occasional 1/4″ dimension. This makes placing pavers more difficult. As such, you may want to add a thin layer of fine, perhaps “playground” sand. You will also want fine sand to fill cracks between pavers after placement.
Pavers. The least expensive pavers are the 12″ x 12″ or 8″ x 16″, 1 1/2″ thick, concrete paver in grey or “red” (pink). These can look great. If you’re willing to spend more, you can get textured pavers that look almost stonelike, with a variety of colors, and ranging from rough to quite smooth on the feet. Smaller pavers can be placed more quickly. Larger pavers may need adjustment including pulling them up and adding sand. There will always be some edges or corners that are above or below the average plane of pavers. You may want to go over the pavers (gap fill-in sand in place) with a plate compacter to settle pavers into a nice plane. This will not crack your pavers :>}.
Patterns. Similar to creating patterns for tile, you can offset joint lines, or create a random looking pattern that repeats every couple feet incorporating more than one paver size.
Joint size. Some opt for a tight, almost no joint design. One problem to be aware of is when an occasional joint is big in a no gap system it stands out more. The usual minimum gap is 1/8″ which allows fine sand to settle into cracks and makes for a more solid paver and it naturally hides larger joints that occur. Two reasons to use a larger joint is because you like the look with the pavers you have choosen, or in some cases to allow fill-in plants to grow in the gaps. On one project we used a 1″ gap pattern on pavers between a lawn and driveway and put sod in the gaps. This allowed the extra width we were trying to create for the driveway and a green look that blended with the yard.
Cutting pavers. Pavers are cut by a wet saw using a diamond blade. Cuts require a steady hand and the safety practices of a professional. Some homeowners can do this, but care should be taken in accurately assessing your ability.

Depending on the size of your project, the hardness of your soil, and the size of your pavers, this type of project can be quite large. You may want to hire a professional – find a Tile and Stone Professional or find a Concrete and Paving Professional to help.

Posted in Concrete & Paving, Decks & Outdoor Structures, Landscape Design, Tile & Stone | No Comments »

Flooring to Match Your Life

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Right up there with designer painted walls and furnishings, flooring choices can have a dramatic effect on the ambience of any room. Flooring can communicate warmth, elegance, cheerfulness, sophistication, playfulness–it makes a significant difference! Here are some flooring options to consider for your flooring project:

Engineered wood. This is real hardwood on a plywood backing. It is more dimensionally stable than full hardwood and can resist moisture a little better, and, it’s easier to install. The top hardwood layer can be less than 1/16″ to just over 1/8″. Those with thicker top layers can be sanded to make repairs if needed. The product comes prefinished and looks like solid wood.
Laminates. This is made of a melamine resin infused paper on a wood particle core and often a protective layer containing aluminum oxide for wear resistance. The paper provides the pattern simulating many varieties of wood or even stone. The quality of the core material varies greatly as does to some degree the thickness of the top layer. The best indication of value level is warranty length and price. Products with a 5 year “warranty” and priced at $2 or less may not last two years before considerable nicks and scratches signal replacement time. Products in the $4 to $5 range can have warranties up to 25 years. Laminates are highly dent resistant, and need no refinishing, but require regular removal of dust/grit/dirt which may scratch the surface. Installation and pad are not in these prices.
Solid wood. Long considered the classic investment of quality, solid wood allows refinishing as needed, thereby extending the floors life to that of the home. Base prices for unfinished oak can be in the range of lower end laminates, but this doesn’t include the costs of turning it into a finished product, usually making it more expensive than the higher end engineered products. You have to decide whether its higher cost is offset by having no limits on refinishing.
Cork flooring. Cork is much more durable than one might think, especially if finished with the proper urethanes. It is soft, warm and quiet underfeet. It’s easy on your body, looks great, and is easy to maintain.
Vinyl flooring. Long the standard for kitchens and baths, vinyl resists moisture and makes cleanup easy. It is best not to buy the cheapest products as they may tear easier. In addition to sheet products, tiles are available. The nicer ones can look like ceramic tile.
Carpet. At issue for carpet quality is the material it’s made from. Nylon is resilient, and abrasion and stain resistant and is made in two quality levels. Polypropelene is not as resilient as nylon, and has less abrasion resistance, but has better stain resistance, and is more colorfast. It is also less expensive. Polyester, ranks similar to polypropelene on the above four characteristics, but offers more colors and textures. Wool is excellent but can have mold, mildew and moth problems and can fade in sunlight. Translation: wool is for those who can afford it’s upkeep and replacement when necessary vs. being a “lifetime” carpet.
Ceramic tile. Tile announces a high level of quality in any room. The range of design styles are almost endless through variations of tile size, color, texture, grout options, and intermixing different tiles in a repeated pattern or custom design. It is highly water, scratch, and stain resistant, and has a long life. Downsides can include being slippery when wet, difficulties in keeping grout clean, dishes or glasses breaking when dropped, and overall lack of sound absorption. Still, I love a timeless Italian black and white kitchen floor or a large sized Mexican tile living room.
Concrete. When building a new home or addition, the popularity of concrete floors are growing. Due to its thickness, framing needs to be built appropriately lower (and stronger!), so this isn’t an option for an existing room without significant reconstruction. If concrete will work, options include stamping to mimic stone, brick, or tiles, or even wood, and exposed aggragate or smooth trowel. Coloring can be a single color added to the mix, one or more colors applied after concrete is poured and stamped, but while wet, or staining after it has cured. Urethane sealant will protect the surface and keep it from shedding concrete dust.

Flooring installation is not for every DIY’er – and of course you’ll want your investment to last. As such you may want to find a recommended flooring professional to help with selection and installation.

Posted in Flooring, Tile & Stone | 1 Comment »

Tiling a Bathroom Floor

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Tile can be a wonderfully artistic medium to work with. It can provide nuances of color and texture and looks very natural. Costs of doing a floor are not out of reach for the budget minded–the infusion of beauty into your home far outweighs the expense. What is involved in a tile project and how does one get started?

Subfloor. Hire a quality recommended local carpenter to make your subfloor as solid as possible. If you have a concrete slab this part is already done for you. If you have a wood subfloor, and you have access to the underfloor, he or she will work to eliminate flexing of joists. This may mean adding additional joists, or putting in a midspan girder supported by tight fitting posts on concrete piers. If you don’t have access and your floor flexes you need to take it up and this portion of your structure will be repaired . Screws are used to make sure subfloor is securely attached to joists. I like to see this step accomplished before you go out and buy tile in case you encounter problems.
Toilet Flange. Make sure toilet flange is permanently secured before the tilesetter is on the job.
Buy Tile. Now you can buy tile. Get creative! You might want to make up a repeating pattern that uses a few different sizes of tile or vary colors or shade patterns.
Hardibacker. Back on the job, Hardibacker or equivalent (fiber reinforced concrete sheets) is attached to subfloor with screws. Some are having great success with thinner 1/8″ backing products. The idea isn’t going cheaper, but a different technology. You can trust your tile person with this!
Thinset. Traditionally tile is set with thinset. DIYers need to make sure their notched trowel has large notches to allow for a generous amout of thinset. You might be able to notice in the picture, the use of plastic corner spacers. These are a great way to have a uniform look. Mostly these are popped out, but some get stuck and are buried with grout later. Tiles are placed over spread thinset and tapped down (gently) to make sure good adhesion is achieved.
Alternative Adhesives. Other adhesive mixes are available. The extra costs for one project are not enough to avoid them if you desire. Some other mildew resistance. Some are supposed to have superior adhesion. They are all great products but thinset done correctly works very well.
Curing. No need to rush–practice patience while your tile cures.
Grouting. Procure some good advice on your grout color whether from your tile supplier, installer, or both. It really matters. Grouting is a process of pushing mix into the spaces between the tiles and then wiping it to a consistent level. For those attempting this themselves care needs to be taken to remove any grout from tile. If your tile has a rougher hewn texture, wipe grout down to a lower level. If you don’t, the grout will fill in nooks and crannies worse than jam on an English muffin yielding an unsightly, uneven line. By using a lower grout level you can find the level at which there are no crannies.
Drying. After grout is very thoroughly dried it should be sealed.
Testing. After the project is completed you can rap on any tile with your knuckles: a hollow sound means a bad set; a solid sound means perfection.

Some will want to take this on themselves. Likely most will want to use a professional recommended tile installer.

Posted in Bath & Sink, Tile & Stone | No Comments »

Replacing your Bathroom Sink

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

As part of any bathroom remodel you will likely replace your bathroom sink and countertop. You can add an incredible wow factor by doing something special at this focal point.

What choices are available and what is involved in making it happen?

First, does your vanity sink cabinet need replacing? Decide whether it needs replacing, refinishing, or is fine the way it is.

What type of countertop do you want?

Cultured Marble. A relatively inexpensive option is a cultured marble top with built in molded sink. These have the benefit of being able to wipe water directly into the sink without a lip.
Cultured Granite. Also having this feature are the natural or cultured granite or marble tops with undermount sink. These are currently the most popular options.
Laminates. Laminates such as Formica can be the most economical option. It can also look the cheapest. To use a laminate and still create a good look, consider a vibrant color. Some enjoy patterns that mimic granite or marble. The outside edge can be formed in different styles. The longstanding rolled drip edge will likely make your project seem dated. Upgraded looks might include square edge or mitered, with choices of wood or cultured stone inlays. Separate sinks are top mounted.
Tile. Tile options include porcelain, ceramic, glass, metal, and natural stone. Finishes vary from natural, which is porous and stains easily to stain proof glazes. Some tiles have color ranges only within natural stone tones while others represent the rainbow. Size is a crucial design element. Today’s designs contain every size available from tiny mosaic tiles to large 18″ x 18,” and many designs are created by mixing sizes. Top mount sinks are the most common choice with tile. Some will imbed an undermount sink in a mortar bed and finish around the sink with a matching edge tile.

How do I choose a sink?

If your sink is undermount you will likely choose from porcelain enameled steel, cast iron, or composite material. The choice range is relatively small, but the design idea is to highlight your countertop and understate the sink.
Overmount sinks come in many different styles!

Changing the sink and countertop:

The process begins with disconnecting your plumbing. Drain lines are usually hand tightened plastic and dissemble easily. For water lines turn your water stop valves off, turn faucet valves on to relieve pressure, and then use a wrench to disconnect supply lines. If water continues to flow, your water stop valve has malfunctioned and must be replaced with the house water off.
Now you can remove the countertop and sink. If sink is not integrated with the countertop, remove first. If set in plumbers putty or caulking cut with a razor knife and pull off. If undermount, remove clamps with screwdriver. Countertop may be simply set on cabinet and held by weight, or be attached from underneath.

Raised top:

An inspiring contemporary design can be made by building a 2 x 4 frame that sits on your cabinet and extends over it. This is trimmed out in wood matching your cabinet, and countertop lays on top. This creates a larger surface area and raises the height by 3 1/2″, adding a dramatic look. You will probably find the height is easier on your back. Small children will still need that stool!