July, 2011 - A Busy Month for Our Little Cabin
Fourth of July Weekend - Cabin Projects Prohibited!!!
Sayonara, Swamp Thing Bathroom!
It was just grosser than gross, and almost kept me from buying our little cabin. Navy blue paint. A missing wall. A FRIGHTFULLY sloping floor. Filth. Holes in the genuine plastic shower surround. And did I mention filth? But then I realized that this Swamp Thing Bathroom was no match for Dad, me and our Makitas. Bring it, bathroom!
July 22nd - Demo Day
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When I got to the cabin, the old stupid vanity and sink were waiting on the front porch and the toilet was in the living room. My dad had beat me there and started the demo! He had emptied the bathroom and torn out the floor. We discovered solid plank flooring underneath with only a little bit of damage near a corner of the tub. Our solution: Great big floor shims screwed over the floor joists and a new 3/4 inch plywood subfloor. We headed over to Meek's that afternoon but no one was available to cut the shims. They referred us to Diamond Door & Cabinets, and busy as they were, they cut 4, 69-inch shims for us - one exactly two inches thick on one end! That's how caddy-whompus the floor was.
July 23rd - Chiseling Unspeakable Stuff
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We got the new, wonderfully level floor in, tore out that hideous shower surround, and Dad installed a new fan, cleverly concealed behind the toilet but vented high so as not to blow stink into a winter snowbank. We also took advantage of the potty being in the living room by paneling that corner of the bathroom. Notice the hammer and chisel on the edge of the tub; I spent a good part of this day chiseling garbage off the edge of the tub. The Lowe's truck delivered our materials today - everything except the grout and thinset - 150 lbs. of the stuff! They waived the delivery fee in apology, which I greatly appreciated. I also primered the ceiling, door, and all the walls which will not be paneled. I had to head back to Folsom on Sunday because I had to move my office the following day (and because there was no toilet!) My cousin Larry (of Larry Dotson Custom Tile fame) and his family came up Tuesday. I put them up at the Stardust while he tiled the shower, installed the radiant floor heat, and tiled the floor. I got back up on Friday and was AMAZED by his handy work!!!
July 29th - Go, Larry!!!
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Can you believe it's the same shower? Larry did an awesome job! He not only did the floor and shower, but he was also tremendously helpful when I arrived with the granite vanity top - which was transported behind the seat in the cab of my dad's truck! He totally knew how to set the sink in slats, cut the plywood layer perfectly around the sink, and install the granite. Dad and I would have been totally lost without him, and what took him about 30 minutes and a tube of adhesive would have taken me and dad all day and five trips to the hardware store! The toilet also went back in today - woot! We celebrated with a trip to the Bear Beach Diner. Thank you, Larry Bubba!!! (Larry and I are only six months apart in age and we grew up in the same town - often attending the same school and twice we were in the same class! Our poor, poor teachers...)
July 30th: Keep Tahoe Blue - Not My Bathroom
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We paneled today - which sounds easy, until you have to measure very crooked walls, get vertical lines straight, and cut around light fixtures, switch plates, and outlets. What a pain - but the bathroom is looking so much bigger and brighter and cleaner! We took this picture of my dad as he prepared to put up the last piece of paneling - banishing all the blue except for a tiny spot above the door that I've left for the kids - I want them to have the honor of painting over and forever banishing the Swamp.
July 31 - Mitering Mama
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Today was about trim, caulk, and wiring. Dad set the switch for the vent fan and wired up the thermostat for the radiant floor heat. He also installed the other light fixture. I knew he had his hands full so decided to take over the lion's share of the trim work - but I had to learn to use the radial saw! Before long I was beveling with the best. I made lots of mistakes but found that caulk works magic! By the end of the day, the bathroom was down to needing paint, decorations, and a few odds and ends like fatter shower faucet flanges. I absolutely cannot believe how far we've come in just a few days. And next month, the fully finished bathroom - I hope!!!