Category — Bathrooms

One of the most dreaded jobs in redoing a bathroom involves the tile. If it’s done correctly, new tile can make the entire bathroom look new, brighter and more in order. If the job is handled poorly, the end result can be a disaster. Redoing the bathroom tile, however, is something that will likely need to be done if a new look is desired.

There are many different looks that can be achieved by redoing bathroom tile. It’s important to consider the overall desired design and the longevity of the look before picking the tile out, however. Some possibilities include:

Bright and sunny: Stark white, bright yellows and other such colors in bathroom tile lend themselves very well to a bright and sunny bathroom design style. These can be the easiest of tiles to keep looking clean, too, which gives this option a heads up on some of the others.

Subdued: Cream colored and even white tiles with no real pattern can work well in any design scheme. Easy to keep clean, for the most part, this look works with dark accessory colors, light accessory colors and more. Rather than making the design statement with the tile, these type of bathrooms have the tile kind of blend into the intended look.

Themed: It’s possible to use the tile in the bathroom to set the theme. For example, some parents opt to add whimsical tiles to a child’s bathroom. Other possibilities include fish themed tiles, lighthouses, birds and so on. When choosing tile for a theme, it’s a good idea to really be in love with it. Redoing the tile in a cartoon theme for a child that’s 10 and will soon outgrow such things might not be bright, but creating the look when the baby is 1 and siblings are likely can be a great way to stake out a kids’ bathroom as a kids’ bathroom.

Bold: There are all kinds of options for bold, trend setting tile designs. From dark colors to imported tiles of special designs these aren’t typical in most homes – bathrooms, but they can be more than beautiful. When the tile makes the look, the overall appearance of the room can be fantastic.

When doing tile work there are two main options for installation. These include professional contractors and doing it yourself. There are pros and cons to both. Those who opt to go with the pros will find the work is generally done quite quickly and it will likely be guaranteed. This can offer a real peace of mind as improperly sealed tiles can wreak havoc on a bathroom’s walls. The cuts of the tile will also likely be quite well done as will the fit.

Doing it yourself with tile can be achieved, but it will take some time. While it will likely take a novice days and days to do what a pro can in a few hours, if the work is completed following instructions to the letter, the end results can be the same. Before doing it yourself, make sure the job is fully understood and ample time is staked out for cutting, placing and sealing and grouting tile. It will take patience to make sure everything lines up as it should and some trial and error might come into play, as well.

One of the biggest surefire ways to transform a bathroom’s look is to replace the tile. Doing so can be a fun way to get a newer, updated look, but it does require some planning for a picture perfect end result.

If your bathroom has a tired and outdated look and is not as functional as it might be, you may want to think about having your bathroom remodeled, or doing it yourself. Remodeling your bathroom can make it more functional, more pleasing to your eye, and it can also raise the value of your home.

Your bathroom is very likely the most used room in your household. Depending on whether it is a main bathroom or a master bathroom, it may also get a lot of traffic from guests. This is one room in your household that you want to present a clean, tidy and a very attractive appearance when visitors are in your home.

A remodeling plan should begin with what you want to change. You may only need some small changes, or if your bathroom is a number of years old, you may want to make more extensive changes. You may also been living with your bathroom as it is for so long, that you are unaware of what is available nowadays in the way of updated bathroom fixtures and accessories.

There are a wide variety of fixtures and accessories on the market today for bathrooms that were pretty much unheard of ten years ago.

Showers are available with built in telephones, music, and water jets for massage. They can be purchased in versions that allow for steam. Shower heads are very diverse as well, and offer a variety of features that are new to the market. There are towel warmers, and also units that can be installed under the bathroom floor that will heat the floor to avoid that cold chill when you step out of a nice warm shower.

These are just a few of the newer items available to make your bathroom a luxurious and pleasing environment.

There are many ways to approach the planning process when considering a bathroom remodel. A good place to start might be to make a list of what you most dislike about your bathroom as it is now. Then you could do some browsing online for ideas and to see what is new and available today in the way of bathroom fixtures and accessories.

Take some notes, jot down prices of items that you feel you will want in your newly remodeled bathroom, and then you can move on to formulate a more definite plan of what you want, and what kind of a budget you will need.

There may be trade-offs along the way. You may have to balance your desire for one item against your wish for another, and decide which is the most important to you in your final plan. Sometimes you may need to redefine a choice and choose a less expensive in order to have another that you feel is more important to you. A bathroom remodeling project is a very personal project and what is important to one person may have little significance to another.

Do some thorough research, decide what you most want, and then you need to get down to making a floor plan, taking accurate measurements and seeing how each element will fit into your plan, as well as your budget.

A lot of people think it’s necessary to spend a fortune if they want to update their bathroom sink cabinets. While this is certainly possible, it doesn’t take a home equity loan to update bathroom cabinets. In fact, anyone with an ability to cut wood and finish it will find it’s more than possible to make some incredible looking cabinets all on their own.

Before endeavoring to create new bathroom sink cabinets, it’s a good idea to do some research and planning. Some of the things to consider include:

* Design. The desired design and style of the bathroom sink cabinets will need to be determined in advance. It’s possible to make wonderful cabinets at home, but unless there’s an idea on the type of cabinet wanted, finding plans or making them yourself will be impossible. Whether it’s a straight cabinet with only cupboard doors or one that has drawers in the mix, too, will determine the drawings. So, too, will the type of sink that desired for the inset and the measurements.

* Materials. Before creating a plan, understanding the kind of materials desired is also vital. Many bathroom cabinets are made from particle board and veneer, but those who design their own opt for heavily stained and sealed wood in most cases. While the particle board works, the solid wood designs tend to look a whole lot better. They don’t have to cost a fortune either. Everything from pine and oak to maple and cherry can work well in a bathroom. The type of wood will often dictate the pricing though.

* Space. The size of the intended cabinets will be very important to have in order before attempting anything. It’s not even really possible to buy materials without having the dimensions worked out. The depth, height and width will need to be precise.

* Sink considerations. The type of sink and the style of fixtures won’t impact the actual cabinet’s design, but they might alter storage capacity. With this in mind, a large sink on a small cabinet might need to have drawers to better hold items.

* Countertop consideration. While it’s very possible for crafty people to create and build their own bathroom sink cabinets, the countertops likely will need to be ordered. Once a drawing and dimensions are in place, this can typically be achieved.

After all the major considerations have been worked out, it can be possible to find pre-drawn plans that will map out everything needed and every step of building new cabinets. These can be found online and even in wood crafting books.

For those who don’t want to go through the trouble of building, there are some great bathroom sink cabinet designs pre-made and even those that can be custom ordered. Most of the above considerations will still come into play.

Updating bathroom sink cabinets can be a great choice for giving a bathroom a whole new look and feel. Whether a person does the job themselves or they buy cabinets, there are some great money saving buys to be had.

You have a small bathroom and you want to install a shower in it but what options are there available in order for you to achieve this.

Whilst many people enjoy having a bath and being able on the odd occasion to lay in it and have along relaxing soak most people now opt for the quicker option of having a shower. Not only are they quick and refreshing but because they use less water than a bath they are more economical.

When considering having a shower installed in such a small bathroom many people are put off before they start as they think that they do not have enough space to play with in order to get the best possible out of such a confined space.

The first thing you consider is removing the bath and replace this with a shower stall instead. However, the problem with this choice is that you won’t be able to have a bath anymore. Although this might suit the kind of life you are leading now, you will need to think about what you might need in a few years time or should you decide to move home and sell your property. A lot of people when looking to buy a home would like to have the option of being able to have either a shower or a bath, plus not having a bath could actually cause the value of your property to drop.

However an option that more and more people look at doing when they have a small bathroom is to install a shower over the bath. Not only is this a much easier option if there is no other alternative for you to add a shower but it saves a lot on remodeling costs and this is something that should be considered. You will need to replace the taps on the bath with a set that has an integral showerhead and you will also need to include a shower curtain or splashguard in order to protect the area around the bath.

Another alternative is to have a wet room installed. But this is not only difficult but is quite an ambitious solution to having a shower installed in a small bathroom. Not only will you need to carry out extensive modifications to the bathroom but in all events it is quite an expensive option to choose. The benefit of this type of shower is that it enables you to place the shower almost anywhere you want even in the smallest of bathrooms as long as you have ample space. Unfortunately the downside to this type of shower is that everything within the room will get wet whenever you take a shower and this kind of shower should be thought about seriously prior to make any decisions on choosing this option.

The final type of shower you could install is a curved quadrant shower cubicle which allows you to get even the smallest shower cubicle into a confined space and is probably one of the best options available. This type of shower cubicle can be either free standing or installed along a wall or in a corner of the room.

Even having a small shower enclosure is better than having nothing at all and by checking the available sizes of stalls available you will be able to determine which size of enclosure will suit you best. Remember you can always increase the size of the stall you install if you able to produce a design which provides you with enough space for such an option.

If you want you can look at installing very small and narrow toilets and wash hand basins in order to free up the additional space for the installation of your shower.

A great way of designing a bathroom makeover is to get some graph paper and cut out paper shapes of toilets, showers, bath etc and them moving them around the graph paper in order to find the most effective way of using the space that is available to you.

Just by taking your time and looking at what space you have available and what types of bathroom accessories you can get you should be able to redesign your bathroom space and have a shower installed as well.

The effect a bright, clean, tasteful shower curtain can have on your bathroom décor is easy to underestimate. It is usually the most eye- catching item in that room, and as such cannot help but be the focal point. There is a wide choice of curtains available, from plain, classic designs to bold patterns and vivid colors. To achieve a fresh airy look you could consider a plain white curtain, but many prefer to add a color scheme to their bathroom with their shower curtains. Instead of total bathroom remodeling, the easiest and quickest way to update the look of your bathroom is to choose a new shower curtain and then select some basic accessories to complement it. Make sure you choose your curtain rod and rings carefully as well or they can detract from the overall style of your bathroom.

To suit the purpose of the shower curtain, most materials used are waterproof, such as nylon, vinyl or PVC. However, for those that want the added chic of a fabric shower curtain, you can buy vinyl liners to attach to the shower side of your curtain, with the material facing out into the bathroom. Hanging the fabric panel without a waterproof liner will ensure you get a wet bathroom floor and will quickly ruin your curtain.

You can easily make your own shower curtain if you have basic sewing ability and are decorating on a budget. There will be waterproof materials available at your local home store but you may find the choice is limited to the same patterns as the ready made shower curtains. In this case, choosing a non waterproof fabric with the vinyl liner would be a good option.

Mould can easily build up on your shower curtain, as it grows quickly in warm, moist places. That faintly orange tinge and particular smell is probably familiar to most people. As well as being unsightly, mould can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems, particularly in young children, the elderly, or those that suffer from asthma. It is important to keep your shower curtain clean both for aesthetics and for health reasons.

Check your curtain instructions to see if it can be put in the washing machine. If it can, wash on as high a temperature as is recommended and add a little bleach to the wash to kill mould and germs. Otherwise just washing down your curtain with a bleach containing substance, or even with lemon juice, will help to get rid of mould and kill germs; just be sure to rinse it thoroughly before using the shower again.

To prevent the mould from building up again you should make sure there is plenty of fresh air in your bathroom. Consider having a vent installed if your bathroom does not have windows, and use it when you are in the shower. Once you have washed your curtain you could soak it in salted water before you re-hang it. This will discourage further mould growth.

You can craft a perfect shower with affordable and durable Ceramic tiles. The simple cleaning method makes the ceramic tile best for the walls and floors of your shower.

Tiling a shower with ceramic tile has other benefits like prevention from humidity, dust mite growth and fungi. The ceramic tiles, particularly the glazed range provide extra benefits with the guarantee of waterproofing and natural resistance from chemical and biological agents.

For tiling a shower with ceramic tile you need immense arduousness and patience. Your effort and dedication will help finish your work with impressive finesse.

Tiling The Shower Walls

Tiling a shower with ceramic tile requires you to go about the job in a planned manner. The first step is all about laying the foundation for the shower walls. Backerboards, such as WonderBoard or Durock cement board, will be ideal for the walls. Being resistant to water, they will best meet the standards as base for installing ceramic tiles to high-moisture areas.

Backerboards can easily be installed directly on walls and fixed firmly to wall studs and ceiling beams with the help of hot-dipped galvanized nails or galvanized wood screws. Once the backerboards are well set, you need to cover all the joints with fiberglass mesh tape. Apply a coating of latex thin-set or an adhesive mortar before going ahead with installing the ceramic tiles.

Tiling The Shower Floor

Start with pre-sloping the floor. Apply a sheet of mortar to the floor forming a gentle slope from the shower wall border to the center of the floor where the outlet exists. Thus the flow of water is directed towards the outlet.

When the pre-slope of the shower is fully set, prepare for the installation of a shower pan membrane liner, which is a flexible plastic liner. This shower pan plastic liner is placed below the layer of tiles and mortars to channel the water seeping through floor grouts, to the shower drains below.

You will need to lay the pan membrane liner at the base of the shower area and secure it to the sides of the shower wall frame using nails. You will also need to cut out a slit in the membrane to slot in the adjustable shower drain assembly.

Its time to place the floor backer boards. Apply a last coat of mortar for a strong base. Now, you enter the final stage of tiling a shower with ceramic tile. Be watchful about maintaining the right level and balance while installing the ceramic tiles. The centering of the layout is vital for your plan. After the tiles and floor grout is cured successfully, tune the shower drain assembly fittingly.

Now its time for you to take a stimulating bath in your revamped shower and refresh up from the toil and hard work.