I Did That

The countertops came in from Lowe’s today. They look really good. I haven’t attached them yet, they are just sitting in place. I didn’t really feel like tackling much today and I would rather just leave it be until I’m ready to do it right.

There is an area of the floor tile that is starting to pop loose.  It is unfortunately in a very heavy traffic area very near the back door and dining room door in the kitchen.  I’m not entirely sure what the problem is, but my initial guess is that the mortar was either spread too thin or was too wet/dry at that point.  It is near the area that I stopped for the day at one point, so I’m leaning towards the dry mortar explanation.

What I will do to resolve the problem is pick a square area that encompasses all of the popped tile (I think there are five of them) and remove all of the tile in that area and scrape away the dried mortar and grout.  I will then relay that entire area and regrout it.  That should take care of it.

It is entirely possible (but not likely) that there is a problem with the floor at that point that allows the tile to flex too much, but I never noticed much deflection when walking across it previously, so I doubt it.  Once the tile is up and everything is scraped away, I will examine it closely to make sure.

I’ve only got a few days left of this seven day break, let us take a look at how I’m doing, goalwise:

• Thursday-finish tiling through the kitchen (originally supposed to be completed by last Saturday), install Hall lighting fixtures.
• Friday-finish tiling the den (orig. to be completed last Sunday), install MBR light fixture, perhaps start grouting tile (probably not)
• Saturday-demolish the MBath (with my buddy Todd’s help), grout tile in Laundry, Kitchen and Den, eat Thanksgiving dinner with my Mom (I know that one will get done), install light fixture in kid’s BR.
• Sunday-finish anything on the list prior to here that is not completed, alter cabinet to accomodate new wall oven, install light fixture in guest BR.
• Monday-have appliances delivered, install wall oven, dishwasher and set refrigerator in place, go to Lowe’s to order countertops, set bathtub (or at least frame for it).
• Tuesday- (everything for remainder of week refers to Mbath) set bathtub for real, put up drywall and tub surround waterproofing.
• Wednesday-sand drywall, tile tub surround.
• Thursday-tile floor, have furniture moved in.

The appliances won’t be delivered until tomorrow, so I expected to be behind on that.  So I’m only about a day behind on the Mbath and I’m short a few light fixtures.  Turns out we haven’t bought at least one of those fixtures, so I’m inclined to feel pretty good about myself.  Today will be all about waterproofing the tub surround and hanging the drywall in the Mbath.

I had fully intended to do the tub surround and drywall yesterday.  My help, Robert, had said he felt like working last night and wanted to go on and knock the bathroom out.  I don’t get offers like that very often, so we headed over to the house about 7:30 pm to work.  After several trips back to get the tools we needed and some trickiness in leveling and securing the tub, I was too tired to really think straight.  That and I had forgotten the roofing nails that we would use to secure the felt paper (part of the waterproofing system) to the studs.  I wasn’t prepared to make yet another trip back to the in-laws to get supplies.  So about 10:30 pm we knocked off for the night.  This sort of thing always goes best on a clear mind.

In about an hour, I’m going to go and replace the shower plumbing and measure to make sure the vanity plumbing is set in the right places.  Then it is on to the felt paper and Durock. 

Other than some minor odds and ends, the tiling of the Laundry Room, Kitchen and Den is finished.  The tile has raised the floor height somewhat, so the doors have to be shaved down a little to clear the new height and I need to put down quarter round to finish off the edges of the floor at the baseboards.  That’s it though.