Sunday, August 18, 2013
Stained Old Playset
Today I spent a few hours staining an old playset we got from my brother in law. I used a solid stain and am brush to apply it. Didn't think it would take long but their are a lot of surfaces to cover. I also had to make sure I got everything from above as well. Our windows on the second floor can see the top.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Solar Cover Holder
Our first summer project was a solar cover holder to attach to the pool. We have never used the cover because when the kids get in to use the pool they can't do anything with the cover. They end up pushing the cover to one side which takes a lot of room. I looked up this project on Pinterest and then made it. Works pretty good.
I added a bar across the middle. This new version holds the cover up better by not allowing the cover to sag through.
Made from 2 inch PVC pipe screwed directly into the plastic pool columns.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Basketball hoop on the garage
Years ago our garage had a basketball hoop on the garage. It wasn't installed at the right height and, as it turns out, was just a piece of plywood with a metal hoop. When I resided the garage I took that hoop down. It took me most of last summer to get the garage into the shape I needed to finish the siding. I put up sheets of plywood to strengthen the sides, wrapped it in left over Tyvek and then began the siding towards the end of the fall. We couldn't decide on a stand alone basketball hoop or to put one on the garage. Last summer ended and no hoop.
My boys really wanted to shoot hoops so a garage hoop was chosen.
Now I have a lot of experience with many projects under my belt. When the guy at Dick's Sporting Goods said the install was pretty easy, I believed him. He was wrong. Putting the basket together was easy but installing it on the garage was a different story. I bought a 3 in 1 basketball bracket. That thing had so many parts. Three configurations meant there were holes stamped in all the metal parts. Wouldn't have been bad if the directions were better. Written in five different languages didn't really help--especially if all the written direction were as crappy as the English ones. The drawings were very hard to read making it even more difficult to tell which hole to put the different bolts. All of that said, it got done.
To install the backboard at exactly ten feet I was not too excited to carry the backboard up a ladder. Instead, I backed my minivan up to the hoop site and stood on top of that. Good thing I did that. The backboard slipped and I was just barely able to catch it before it fell completely off. I would have been flat on my back in the drive way. It took a little bit of work to get the bolts in place and I had to buy a large socket but it went together nicely.
This was definitely not an easy install- Mr. Dick's salesman.
My boys really wanted to shoot hoops so a garage hoop was chosen.
Now I have a lot of experience with many projects under my belt. When the guy at Dick's Sporting Goods said the install was pretty easy, I believed him. He was wrong. Putting the basket together was easy but installing it on the garage was a different story. I bought a 3 in 1 basketball bracket. That thing had so many parts. Three configurations meant there were holes stamped in all the metal parts. Wouldn't have been bad if the directions were better. Written in five different languages didn't really help--especially if all the written direction were as crappy as the English ones. The drawings were very hard to read making it even more difficult to tell which hole to put the different bolts. All of that said, it got done.
To install the backboard at exactly ten feet I was not too excited to carry the backboard up a ladder. Instead, I backed my minivan up to the hoop site and stood on top of that. Good thing I did that. The backboard slipped and I was just barely able to catch it before it fell completely off. I would have been flat on my back in the drive way. It took a little bit of work to get the bolts in place and I had to buy a large socket but it went together nicely.
This was definitely not an easy install- Mr. Dick's salesman.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Fireplace Stone is Finished!
The stone veneer for the fireplace is completely finished. I had just a few more pieces to put up and then I gave the entire stone a treatment of stone enhancer.
As it turned out I ordered exactly the amount of veneer I needed. Not like the stuff cost billions of dollars it was just none of it could be returned. This was a special order product which means they ordered it from their warehouse in Syracuse. The tile store's policy is they do not take returns on special order items. To me a special order item would be one that was custom in some way (ordered from Italy, cut to fit, a color made especially for me). I would have like to return the four I have left over as I have no need for them anywhere in my house.
Today I was able to clean the stones and then apply a stone enhancer. The stone enhancer was called One and Done. I applied it with a stain brush and worked it into the cracks and crevices. I had to make sure the get under the stones that hung proud and on the sides of stones. The directions state the product should sit on stone for a few minutes and then the excess wiped off.
The picture below shows the difference between the enhanced and the natural look. I think the enhancer really brings out the colors in the different stone and pushes back the grey stone colors. I really like all the golds and reds in the stones.
The second picture shows the finished stone project.
In the coming weeks I will be building the mantel. We are still deciding whether to go with a white painted mantel or natural cherry. Either way the plan is to build the mantel so it wraps around becoming the top to bookshelves I will build. I'm hoping to make the bookshelves removable so I can get access to behind the fireplace, just in case I need to for some reason.
As it turned out I ordered exactly the amount of veneer I needed. Not like the stuff cost billions of dollars it was just none of it could be returned. This was a special order product which means they ordered it from their warehouse in Syracuse. The tile store's policy is they do not take returns on special order items. To me a special order item would be one that was custom in some way (ordered from Italy, cut to fit, a color made especially for me). I would have like to return the four I have left over as I have no need for them anywhere in my house.
Today I was able to clean the stones and then apply a stone enhancer. The stone enhancer was called One and Done. I applied it with a stain brush and worked it into the cracks and crevices. I had to make sure the get under the stones that hung proud and on the sides of stones. The directions state the product should sit on stone for a few minutes and then the excess wiped off.
The picture below shows the difference between the enhanced and the natural look. I think the enhancer really brings out the colors in the different stone and pushes back the grey stone colors. I really like all the golds and reds in the stones.
The second picture shows the finished stone project.
In the coming weeks I will be building the mantel. We are still deciding whether to go with a white painted mantel or natural cherry. Either way the plan is to build the mantel so it wraps around becoming the top to bookshelves I will build. I'm hoping to make the bookshelves removable so I can get access to behind the fireplace, just in case I need to for some reason.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Stone Veneer For the Fireplace
This week I will be working on the stone veneer for our fireplace. To begin this project my wife and I had to settle on the type of product we wanted to use. We wanted a product that had a stones with various colors (greys, reds, oranges, browns). Many of the products at Home Depot or Lowes had tan shades. We were interested in a product from Lowes, from the name brand Stone Craft. This type of stone is traditionally used the exterior as siding. It rages in width from one inch to two and one quarter inches. It must be installed, stone by stone. We found a pattern we liked but I decided to check a few tile stores to see what they had to offer. The second tile store had a stone veneer with all the colors above. The veneer is a stone product that ranges in widths from one and a quarter to half an inch. The stones are epoxied together to make a ledgerstone. It cuts like tile and installs like tile. See the pictures below.
To attach it to the wall I put up a board to represent the mantel. That will give it support has the mortar dries. The mortar is a polymer blend recommended by the manufacturer. I mixed it to a peanut butter consistency or until it wouldn't fall off my trowel easily.
The manufacturer suggests using a 1/2 inch notched trowel on the wonderboard. They also suggest back buttering each piece. I started by installing one entire row, the row that would be just above the mantel. The corners are created with a special type of the rock product. The corner stones have rough edges. I cut the corner tiles in half and over lap them on the corners.
Installation of the product was a lot like regular heavy tile. Professional would have started from the top and worked their way down. This is done to avoid dropping mastic on the finished part. I wasn't confident in how the bottom would turn out if I started at the top. As it happened, the top was uniform and straight. I left a gap at the top that will allow me a space to add drywall for the ceiling (ceiling should have been down first but we are still living in this room so..).
To attach it to the wall I put up a board to represent the mantel. That will give it support has the mortar dries. The mortar is a polymer blend recommended by the manufacturer. I mixed it to a peanut butter consistency or until it wouldn't fall off my trowel easily.
The manufacturer suggests using a 1/2 inch notched trowel on the wonderboard. They also suggest back buttering each piece. I started by installing one entire row, the row that would be just above the mantel. The corners are created with a special type of the rock product. The corner stones have rough edges. I cut the corner tiles in half and over lap them on the corners.
Installation of the product was a lot like regular heavy tile. Professional would have started from the top and worked their way down. This is done to avoid dropping mastic on the finished part. I wasn't confident in how the bottom would turn out if I started at the top. As it happened, the top was uniform and straight. I left a gap at the top that will allow me a space to add drywall for the ceiling (ceiling should have been down first but we are still living in this room so..).
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Fireplace Framing Ready For Stone Veneer
Yesterday I installed Wonderboard over the framing that will be covered with a stone veneer. I could have just installed plywood but then I would have had to cover that with a wire mesh. One extra step that would have saved me only a little money. Wonderboard product was ten dollars per sheet and I used four sheets. I think plywood and the mesh might have cost me thirty-five dollars.
Wonderboard is easy to cut and provide a solid backing for tile or the stone veneer I want to use. My wife and I are still picking out the stone product. I would like to install it rock by rock. This will give me the most control over the look. There is a tile product that installs, well like tile, but has that stone layered look. It is really expensive but easier to install.
I have left the side open on both sides. Just because I never want to tear this thing apart once it is built, I'm trying my best to create this so we can fix it should it break. On either side I will be building shelves. The mantel will not only be in front but also wrap around and go on top of the shelves. I'm installing a nailer on the back wall that will support the entire top. The shelves will be fit in place so I can remove a few screws and take the shelves out completely. Still working on how that will be done but that is my plan.
Wonderboard is easy to cut and provide a solid backing for tile or the stone veneer I want to use. My wife and I are still picking out the stone product. I would like to install it rock by rock. This will give me the most control over the look. There is a tile product that installs, well like tile, but has that stone layered look. It is really expensive but easier to install.
I have left the side open on both sides. Just because I never want to tear this thing apart once it is built, I'm trying my best to create this so we can fix it should it break. On either side I will be building shelves. The mantel will not only be in front but also wrap around and go on top of the shelves. I'm installing a nailer on the back wall that will support the entire top. The shelves will be fit in place so I can remove a few screws and take the shelves out completely. Still working on how that will be done but that is my plan.
Fireplace surround framing
This weekend I started and finished the fireplace surround framing. Strange, not many pictures or plans floating around on the internet about the framing. The few I found didn't really give good instructions (and this blog won't have any either). I suspect the reason for this is there are fireplace manufacturers recommendations for framing around the fireplace that is specific to the fireplace purchased. Also, depending on your design, the framing is also very specific.
With those two things in mind, I followed the manufacture's recommendations first. Now the design of our fireplace has changed quite a bit mostly because of the vent pipe above the firebox. I was told it would have a top exhaust, rather than a back exhaust, however I wasn't told the vent pipe would be almost three feet above the firebox. If you look at the picture, the vent is above the height of the windows. If I put the mantel above that, our mantel would be around 65' off the ground. This is too high for what we want. My wife would like to put things on the mantel and those windows are around the height she would like the mantel.
The framing was also influenced by the mantel and the material we would like to put on the face of the surround. We are going to use a faux stone product. Tonight I will be installing the cement board that will back this faux stone. Using mortar, I will adhere the stone to the wall. We wanted around five inches of stone on the sides of the firebox front. Above the firebox opening, there will be around seven inches. The minimum amount for this space had to be 13'. We wanted a little more so when we hang our stockings, they aren't in a place where they could catch fire! Our mantel will be either painted white (I will use poplar which paints very nicely) or made of cherry and stained. My wife is still trying to decide. I think either would look nice but I would like to do the cherry (what ever my wife wants). The mantel will not only be on top of the firebox but it will wrap around the sides and then become the top of two book cases I will build on the sides.
Lastly, I installed a new t.v. above the fireplace. We have really enjoyed having a t.v. in this old living room. Usually, my sons are playing Madden football on the other t.v., nice to another to watch from time to time. The original design had this t.v. installed on the main wall behind the firebox. Because of that vent pipe, I have to bump the wall out 16' inches. If you look at the framing, the wall goes straight up to the ceiling. The t.v. will be mounted on the front of this wall over the stone.
With those two things in mind, I followed the manufacture's recommendations first. Now the design of our fireplace has changed quite a bit mostly because of the vent pipe above the firebox. I was told it would have a top exhaust, rather than a back exhaust, however I wasn't told the vent pipe would be almost three feet above the firebox. If you look at the picture, the vent is above the height of the windows. If I put the mantel above that, our mantel would be around 65' off the ground. This is too high for what we want. My wife would like to put things on the mantel and those windows are around the height she would like the mantel.
The framing was also influenced by the mantel and the material we would like to put on the face of the surround. We are going to use a faux stone product. Tonight I will be installing the cement board that will back this faux stone. Using mortar, I will adhere the stone to the wall. We wanted around five inches of stone on the sides of the firebox front. Above the firebox opening, there will be around seven inches. The minimum amount for this space had to be 13'. We wanted a little more so when we hang our stockings, they aren't in a place where they could catch fire! Our mantel will be either painted white (I will use poplar which paints very nicely) or made of cherry and stained. My wife is still trying to decide. I think either would look nice but I would like to do the cherry (what ever my wife wants). The mantel will not only be on top of the firebox but it will wrap around the sides and then become the top of two book cases I will build on the sides.
Lastly, I installed a new t.v. above the fireplace. We have really enjoyed having a t.v. in this old living room. Usually, my sons are playing Madden football on the other t.v., nice to another to watch from time to time. The original design had this t.v. installed on the main wall behind the firebox. Because of that vent pipe, I have to bump the wall out 16' inches. If you look at the framing, the wall goes straight up to the ceiling. The t.v. will be mounted on the front of this wall over the stone.
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