Bathroom face lift’s can be tricky. They definitely need a fix up once in a while, but it shouldn’t have to cost you big bucks to make a difference in appearance and functionality.
Since blogging and doing home projects seem to be at odds, I’m going to break this post down into sections, that’ll activate, as I make progress on this project. So please, check back.
Bathroom repair basics
No matter what, when you’re dealing with a bathroom, you’re main goal is always to stop water from going where you don’t want it and getting it to go where you do want it. (see bidet post, coming later) That’s why, cleaning and caulking is where you need to start.
My wife was under the impression that she was fully cleaning the bathroom tiles over the years. However, she wasn’t fully aware of lime scale buildup and when I had seen a home remedy mixture of baking soda and vinegar, I wanted to test it out. The tiles that received the most water over time, turned from an almost gray color. This process is like the analogy of turning up the heat on a frog, in tepid water, and making it boil. You don’t notice it. The before and after pictures here, illustrate the reason why this is a great place to start and can yield miraculous results.
I used the same mixture to clean the worst areas of grout,which worked nicely, however some of the tiles had lost their grout altogether. This we fixed with a simple caulking at $5.95 for the tube. Finally, the heaviest stained grout areas, we used a caulk paint pen, which was a really nice finishing touch.
Paint
I hadn’t been previously aware of Kilz paint, but this stuff is perfect for moisture laden areas, or areas that get a lot of steam. Perfect for either bathrooms or kitchens, this stuff provides a great seal on porous walls. After removing everything from the bathroom, and taping up the tiles, I hit it with a quick first coat of Killz. Wow, what a difference. I must say, the number one tip that I’ve figured out over time with home improvement projects is “Don’t RUSH!” Make sure you give yourself enough time for cleaning and prep work and this will more than make up for any skills you might lack in painting or other trades. I’m looking forward to finishing this project, which should take about 2 weeks in total. Watch for these future installments:
Audio and Video on a budget
Add practical storage
A vanity that works
Good hardware
Magnification mirror w/ light (up close and personal)
Technology for your butt. (The best in bidet toilet seats)
What a fun project this has been and has been NOTHING like my Ikea kitchen project about a year ago. (Click here for more info)
Let me know if you have any questions or challenges, I’d love to hear from you!