One of the difficulties of using materials obtained for free, especially when installing drywall, is that I have had to work with small pieces. This has usually not been a problem, since this is a very small space, but it has been a taping hassle. I was fortunate enough to get several sheets of drywall at no cost thanks to a Craigslist find last year! In the end, though, I purchased a few more sheets just to finish the drywall.
Then came the fun of taping, mudding, and sanding. This is one of those jobs that really is not hard, and anyone can do it. It just takes so long when you do not have the "touch" of a pro! The guys who apply mud every day have an amazing ability to apply just the right amount of mud in the right places with a steady hand, resulting in very little sanding! We do-it-yourselfers, well, we just sand a lot and re-coat - A LOT!
After installing all the drywall and taping the inside of the bathroom, I switched my focus to installing the tile in the shower and on the floor. I used some 8" X 8" tiles on the shower walls. They are a little big for typical shower installation, but a picked up a ton of them for $10, so I used them. I did not have enough tile to make the floor look nice, so I purchased some at a discount store in Grandview, MO. In the end, it cost about $100 for tile, thinset, and grout.
Right now I have the tile done and the walls of the bathroom primed. I have to give a big shout-out to my friend, Larry Stock, who took a few hours out of his Saturday to help me spray knock-down texture on the ceiling of the bathroom and on the ceiling of the hallway. If you live in the Kansas City area and need some work done on your house, give Larry a call. He owns and operates A Guy With Tools, and he will take care of you!
A few nights ago I put the first coat of white enamel on the doors and trim. Tonight I will apply the second (and hopefully) final coat.
We are almost there!
Here are a few pictures of the progress.
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| This picture shows the tile work in the shower. |
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| Here you can see the built-in shelving next to the shower. |
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| Here we are looking out from the shower. |
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| Here is a panoramic shot looking out from the shower. No the tiles are not that crooked - it is the distortion from the camera. |
