The living room fireplace reveal....

FIREPLACE MAKEOVER!

I have known from day one that I wanted to give each of the fireplaces a little makeover.

HERE I shared the den fireplace….

Now it was time for the living room fireplace.

The original fireplace wasn’t totally offensive. It just wasn’t “my thing.” Whatever that is! A little dated…just blah.

My original plan was something like this…

SOURCE

I really loved this “cove molding” look but this surround is stone…and SUPER expensive. I decided to try to recreate the look with wood.

First thing I had to find was the “cove crown.”

I found it HERE. The only issue I had with it was the fact that it is a “polyurethane” material…basically styrofoam with a plasticish shell…hum. I did some research and it is SUPPOSE to withstand heat up to 200 degrees. That should hold up to the heat put off by my fireplace….should. I guess I’ll find out next year!

So as I mention HERE, I found my inspiration, took measurements and made a tentative plan.

What is the old saying about “best laid plans?”

No matter how carefully we plan, not all will go right.

Case in point.

So I started by removing the old surround….

TIP! When you remove wood trim from a wall, first score the joint between the wood and the wall with a utility knife. It should have caulk between the wood and the wall and if you don’t score it, you may tear the paint finish. If there is still caulk on the wall, just take a chisel or putty knife and gently scrape it off. Also use a board behind the pry bar so you don’t bust through the sheetrock…I did it just for demonstration purposes…NOT!

When I removed the old surround, I discovered this….

I forgot this room originally had carpet. When they added the hardwood, they had to work around the existing fireplace surround which sat on the slab, so of course when I removed it there was a gaping hole in the hardwood flooring.

“Best laid plan” #1….

Not a big deal for me. First, I always keep “spare.” The problem was remembering where I put the spare pieces of hardwood. Once I dug it out from behind all the stored Christmas decorations I went to work patching these floors. Since much of it was going to be covered by the new surround, I didn’t worry about “lacing” it in like you would a prominent area. I glued and laid some 3/4” material as a subfloor, then cut a few pieces of the oak and glued them to the subfloor with construction adhesive, using wedges between the wood and the wall to fit them tight until the glue set up. I sanded and applied one coat of polycrylic before installing it. After installing it, I used wood filler to fill the gaps, gave it a light sanding, then applied another coat of polycrylic.

Hardly noticeable…or as my daddy use to say, “You’ll never notice it on a passing train!”

I decided to build the surround on the wall vs. building it as a unit and then attaching it to the wall. Just personal preference honestly.

I used a stud finder to find all the studs and marked them on the wall.

I put up 2 x 4 “bracing/supports” on the wall using THIS construction adhesive and deck screws. I was able to hit a few studs, but not as many as I would have liked…hence, the adhesive. I like this construction adhesive better than most because I have found it is tackier and less likely to “slide” before it dries.

Since these were the “supports” that all else would be attached to, I made sure they were perfectly straight and level.

I strongly suggest priming and sanding all your materials before installing it…this will save you from a serious dust storm IN the house! First course of business.

I began building the surround by attaching 1x material to the supports I had secured to the wall, using adhesive and nails. I used 1 x 8” poplar material on the outside and faced the edge with 1 x 2 poplar. I attached a 1 x 4 pine on the inside of the supports. Then I added spacers between the two to provide additional support and nailer for the trim.

(At this point the cove crown is just “propped up”…not attached.)

My “best laid plan” was to use crown between the outside board and the inside board….

Okay, here is the problem and where my “plan” completely fell apart.

I was THINKING I would just take plan ole’ crown and “cope” the inside corners. Works on a ceiling, right?

Right…but on the inside corners of a wall/ceiling, you have two pieces of crown joining in the corner, both laying “horizontal.” On the inside corner of this fireplace, you have one piece laying horizontal and one piece laying vertical.

Now, you might not think that is a big issue.

Well it evidently is. I googled, I cut, I made mock ups…I spent an entire day trying to make this work. Evidently this is not a “doable” thing…at least not what I could find.

This might explain why ALL my inspiration pictures were stone or masonry.

I think the reason it worked a bit with the cove crown ( I say a bit, because there were still gaps I had to sculpt with putty and caulk) was because it didn’t have the “fancy” profile of a crown. Smaller cove molding will cut on a 45 on inside corners without coping. The larger cove molding had minimal “gaping.”

If you know anything about cutting trim and coping you know exactly what I am talking about. If you do not, do a TON of research before attempting to trim inside corners…or you too will learn the hard way!

Soooooo….best laid plans.

I rarely just give up, but…..

Time to punt.

I found another “inspiration” that appeared to be “less decorative.” I decided to give this look a shot since it would entail using basic 1x material vs. crown.

Truth is, this is one of those “happy accidents.”

I like the look more than I did the original plan!!!!

I used a 1 x 4 material, then stacked on a 1 x 3 material, then a small cove molding…LOVE.

Moving forward….it was time to attach the large cove crown.

First issue. In all my inspiration photos, I really like the “one piece” look. Since again, they were all stone, the material adjacent to the fire box was the same as the surround. If I recreated that look I would have to use painted wood adjacent to the fire box, and I just didn’t feel comfortable with that. Not that this box gets terribly hot, but it does get a tad warm.

Soooo….what to do. I really wasn’t loving the look of high contrast tile between the box and the surround.

When I was looking at tile, I found a split face travertine tile I really liked.

If you remember the Lankford house den fireplace I installed split face travertine…and I LOVED it. I still do…so I went with it.

Now, travertine is not “all the rage.” So this is a prime example of doing something I LOVE vs. doing the in thing.

Since I decided to go with tile, I used a 1x material for the inside of the cove crown to sit on…just to give it some lift so that the tile wasn’t butting up against it’s 1/4” edge. I glued and nailed 1 x 4s on the wall, then installed the cove crown on top of that.

Second issue…since the cove crown is “polyurethane” and not wood, I couldn’t attach it using a trim nailer. Trust me, I tried. I had to use construction adhesive, then tape it and constantly “press” it until the mastic finally set up. Pain.

Once all that was done, I caulked all the joints, puttied holes, gave it a little sand and then painted it BEFORE I installed the tile surround.

I used a latex paint because my research said that latex is a better product to use in areas where “heat” might be a factor…I guess it has a tad more flexibility. Makes sense.

Don’t forget the Floetrol…makes a world of difference in your paint finish.

After the paint had cured, I installed the tile. Again, there are amazing tutorials out there for installing tile…find one that makes sense to you! Installing tile around a fire box is NOT a difficult DIY project. But you want to make sure you have the right tools (wet saw, properly sized trowel, etc) and that you use a thin set or mastic that works with the type of tile you are using and is heat resistant. RESEARCH!!!!!!

There were a couple of scuffs and marks on the black fire box from scraping the old mastic off. I used a black Sharpie to cover those…works like a charm.

And presto, bingo….a new fireplace surround.

I like it much better than the old one. Bigger but simpler. Not quite so “traditional” looking. Again, I like it much better with the “stacked edge” than I would have with the crown. See, no mistakes, just learning as I go. A lifetime of doing this stuff and I am still learning!

I am EXHAUSTED (just look back at all the projects in the last few months) so I doubt I will be starting any new major projects anytime soon. Course I say that and I am already eyeballing and sketching a few things I have been thinking about starting. Hum….

So until next time…

Another fireplace makeover....

It is time.

Time to give the fireplace in the living room a little facelift.

Like the fireplace in the den, I have known from day one the living room fireplace would someday get a little makeover.

Its not totally offensive…it’s just…well…I just don’t like it much.

(I didn’t have to tear out what is there to get a good visual like I did in the den).

So the first thing I did was “find my inspiration.”

I did what I usually do…scoured Pinterest and the webisphere and dropped pictures I liked into a computer file….

In it are pictures of fireplaces that have at least one element I like.

I would post all the pictures of individual ones that really struck my fancy but again, I am HORRIBLE at keeping the original source to link back to…but this is my inspiration file.

This is one I like best…

SOURCE

You may notice this is a “stone” fireplace surround…but I think I can make something similar out of trim and paint it.

One thing I know for certain…I want “more formal” than the rock and walnut mantel I put in the den but less that the formal froo-froo in more formal living rooms. Simple but with a little class.

The den, kitchen and living room are all “open space.” The den is our “casual” space and the living room is the more “formal” space…and since you can see both fireplaces from just about any spot in all the rooms, it is important that they be different to reflect their individual purposes but not clash.

Does that make any sense at all?

So, I found my inspiration…or at least 20-30 I can combine to get the look I want.

The next step is to “make a plan.”

To do that, I measured the space (wall width and height, floor to bottom of TV, firebox) and drew it out on graph paper. That way I know exactly what my measurements are.

Again, most of the “inspiration” pieces I like were stone…but those are super expensive and I really think I can achieve a similar look with wood trim.

I haven’t yet decided on what tile I want between the fire box and surround. Or if I even want tile at all…I like the solid look. I think I may have to wait til I get the surround up to get a good visual.

This is definitely one of those “fly by the seat of your pants” deals.

Again, I know I do not want a hearth. This is a gas log firebox enclosed in glass….so no “need.” There isn’t one now so I know we can live without it. Since I went with the stone and natural wood in the den I’m pretty sure I am going to stick with painted.

So…inspirations in hand…check. Measurements taken…check. Set plan…well that is still a work in progress. I ordered the large concave (cove) crown and I will take a piece of that and build around it to find a look I like. I believe this is what they call a “fluid” plan.

This week the ladies in the neighborhood are building a deck. MAJOR chore…but by goshy we are getting it done! It is part of my “give what you have” plan for my life. I get to share a skill set, the ladies are learning something new and the fellowship is wonderful. So far, so good!

Hopefully next week I can get started on the fireplace!

Laundry room floor tile reveal....

 One of the first rooms I shared in our home is the laundry room….I absolutely love it.

I love the storage…I love the window…I love the coffee bar. I just love this space.

I’m sure when I had a house full of kids and piles of laundry I wouldn’t have loved it as much but with just the two of us it is relatively easy to keep it in order.

I love it so much that I really haven’t minded the outdated floor tile!

Much.

Truth is, the stuff kind of gives me the willies. I know this tile is the original tile from 1998 because it is identical to the tile I personally installed in the apartments I built in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. Yes, personally…THOUSANDS of square feet of this stuff. And then for over 20 years I had to scrub it and repair it and look at it covered in nastiness…auuuuggghhhh!

So yes, while I love the space, the floor tile did kinda make me growl occasionally. I knew I eventually wanted to replace it. I think the last time I shared this room I showed you the flooring issue that would need to be dealt with after removing a portion of a wall.

Let’s be honest…it’s just plain ugly.

But oh the work. Tearing out old tile is NOT for the faint of heart or weak in the back.

When we demoed the master bath in my last house we busted up the old floor tile. I have never been one to paint over wallpaper or tile over tile. Take it out and start fresh.

I have only “tiled over tile” one time and it was on a backsplash in a kitchen. Never a floor.

Busting out the old floor tile just didn’t seem like something I wanted to tackle. Tasha at Kaleidoscope Living recently updated one of her girl’s bathrooms and actually tiled over existing tile in a shower.

Hum….dare I?

Yes, I dared. After a TON of additional research. I googled “tiling over existing tile” and read every article and watched every video I could find on the subject. The general consensus was that it is certainly doable as long as the tile you are tiling over is solid.

Mine was.

One thing I could not get a firm consensus on is whether to prime the existing tile. Some articles and videos said prime, others didn’t even mention it.

I decided it couldn’t hurt and might even help…so I primed. I used this product…

… and after a whole three weeks of walking on the new tile I can attest that it works (three weeks people…this is not an endorsement for longevity!!!)

I will say it went on VERY easily…just rolled it on with a paint roller. It also dries quickly and has a low odor. It has kind of a “gritty” feel to it and I felt confident it would give a good base to the new thin set and tile.

Choosing the tile….I did what I always do. I went on Pinterest and looked for “inspiration.” (This is important because sometimes I THINK I want one thing but when I see it in other's spaces I realize I really don’t like it.)

Then I went to the tile store, picked up 4-5 samples, brought them home, laid them on the floor and easily made my decision. This is important when choosing ANY element in a room…tile, paint, curtains…because the lighting in your room may alter what you see in the store.

Here you can see I first moved out the washer and drier, removed the base trim, tiled, grouted, reset and painted the trim, them moved the washer and dryer back and proceeded with the rest of the floor. Much easier than trying to wrangle two big appliances into another room!

I love the new tile!!! Now I don’t growl at the floor anymore!

I did small grout lines (I think that is the “in” thing now and so much more practical) and dark grout. It will make it easier to keep the floor “clean looking.” Except dark floors show fuzzies which is common in a laundry room…but oh well.

Tiling, whether it be a floor or a backsplash, is not a terribly difficult DIY project. A wet saw is a must so if you don’t have one, borrow one or rent one. Watch TONS of how-to videos and make sure you follow EVERY manufacturer’s instructions, even if it doesn’t make sense.

Personally I would leave wet areas like tubs and showers to the professionals. There are special “water proofing” products and techniques that will prevent future leaks…and trust me you don’t want water issues around a tub or shower. If you feel like you want to tackle a tub or shower area, make sure you do a TON of research!

TIPS!!! Pay attention to transitions between the new tile and other flooring and the bottom of the doors. Will adding an additional 3/8” make you have to cut down a door or add a transition piece?

Neither is difficult but you need to plan! I was fortunate in this space. Adding the additional tile did not affect those things. The existing tile actually sat a good 1” below the wood floors in the breakfast room and the new tile butted up to the existing transition piece nicely.

I always carefully remove the existing base trim, repair if necessary, prime and then reinstall it on top of the new tile after I have grouted. Some people add base shoe. If that is the plan make sure it will work with the existing trim BEFORE you install the tile.

I use an oscillating saw (or you can use a special trim saw like THIS one) to cut the casing around the doors at the floor. I lay the new tile down on the floor and use it as a guide to cut the trim. Do this BEFORE you start tiling because it will make a mess and you will want to vacuum or sweep well after cutting the trim. Then when you are installing the new tile you can just slip it under the casing and not have to worry about making tedious cuts!

Which reminds me…always do all your prep work (removing trim, cutting casings, etc) and then vacuum and clean the floors well before starting. I also keep a little hand broom handy just incase I need to sweep a bit while installing. DON’T TILE OVER CRUD!!!!

Remove any doors that swing into the space you are tiling…makes it sooooo much easier to move around!

Prime…I know I could not find a consensus on whether to prime, but I am going to say one should error on the side of caution. I don’t think it is necessary if you are tiling over concrete, but definitely over existing tile.

And again, ALWAYS make sure the floor you are laying it on is sound and solid. If it is not, fix it! DO NOT lay ceramic tile on a wonky floor.

If you are laying on a wood subfloor, I personally would lay down durrock, tape and mud the joints (with a mesh tape and thin set) and add the water proofing products (something like THIS). Again, maybe overkill but better safe than sorry!

Research what size trowel to use with the tile you are installing. It matters!

Research whether to use thin set or mastic with your new tile. My personal rule of thumb is regardless of the size of the tile, I always use thin set on the floor. I only use mastic on wall tiles (like backsplashes) and only if they are small tiles. If you are tiling around a fireplace, make sure the thin set or mastic you are using will withstand heat!

These are just a few of my personal tips. Before you tackle a DIY tile job, or ANY DIY project, do a TON of research online. Read articles, watch videos. Don’t rely on the kid at Lowes manning the flooring desk to give you advice.

So, another little project in the books. The old tile is still in my pantry and in the spare bathroom…maybe someday I will tackle those areas.

But for now, I am just going to enjoy my laundry room floor. It is pretty and makes me happy!

This week I begin tackling my home office. Stay tuned, it’s gonna be fun!