Denver Handyman - Quality home repairs, property preservation.

Kitchen sink drain and bathtub drain repair

Admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:52:24 +0000

This project involved a really botched plumbing job in someone’s DIY career. The kitchen drain and the bathtub drain flow down from the left and then up toward the right and into the wall. This scenario presented a constant source of leaks as well as backups as you might imagine. Water doesn’t like to flow uphill, it’s true.

This video shows the process of removing the existing drain lines. If only I could move that fast in reality! At some point, I’ll edit and add the reinstallation video.

Decoupage An Old Dresser

Admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:32:24 +0000

We acquired this well used dresser in the alley not far from home. It is made of real wood, something that one doesn’t usually expect to even buy these days, unless you are ready to fork over the big bucks. Everything that comes out of places like Ikea will probably never get this second chance to shine since they tend to be constructed of particle board covered with melamine laminate or something similar.

Decoupage can be done with just about anything that is pliable enough to conform to the shape of the object you wish to cover. Getting the supplies to transform an old desk or dresser like this one is pretty simple. Here in the US, a trip to Hobby Lobby should yield a few flavors of Mod-Podge Gloss or Matte finish decoupage ‘glue’.

Alas, this dresser needed to be sanded down in order to remove most of the previous finish and stain. The piece was stained and sanded about 3 times with finer sandpaper each time and perhaps look into steel wool when doing fine sanding. The lowest drawer has been stained with a Sea-Foam tinted stain that is semi-transparent… just to mix things up a bit.

The drawers have rounded edges which proved much more challenging when the decoupaging process was in full swing (when the paper hits the fan err… wood). Pre-soaking thicker paper is a great idea and helps make it more pliable, but be sure not to overdo it could lead to you inadvertently eroding the paper by over-handling it. As always, test the paper you are using and see how it holds up (I’m not one to ‘test’ an area before doing anything).

It’s somewhat messy and a good project to do outdoors, just remember that if you are in full sun, the decoupage glue may tend to dry out and setup too fast for you to have enough time to properly situate all of the bits of paper and get the air bubbles smoothed out. After the decoupage dries overnight, you apply a protective layer of some sort over it although, the decoupage by Mod-Podge provides a reasonable amount of protection by itself. Sometimes applying the decoupage glue a second time will provide the added protection.

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Sprinkler system start up in Denver

Admin — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:10:06 +0000

Monolithic flagstone steps and retaining wall

Admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 03:34:33 +0000

Water Feature installation

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Choosing the Right Adhesive

Admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:37:57 +0000

Colorado Red Flagstone Patio with a petite Japanese bench

Admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:33:33 +0000

Japanese stone bench

Admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:57:51 +0000

Bathroom Tile Ideas

Admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:18:24 +0000

Bathroom tile comes in an endless array of shapes, textures, patterns, colors and of course price and they are the basis for a strong bathroom design. Taking time to do proper research and acquistion of the tile will ensure that you end up with the very best bathroom tile project!

Ceramic bathroom floor tile known for it’s durability and is used extensively. Ceramic tile has great resistance to dampness, its not very porous or susceptible to stains… It is also easy to maintain. If you were to select ceramic tile for your bathroom, consider using a tile that has a rougher texture / surface for bathroom safety.

If you install unglazed tiles, they will need to be washed often as these tiles tend to stain easily. Bathroom floor tile can come in any number of shapes and/or combinations such as squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons along with accent tiles.

Here are a few ideas for your bathroom design:

1 — If you want to give your bathroom a modern look then may I recommend using bold colors along with different motifs against uncluttered backgrounds. Be sure to select matching adornments that will keep your bathroom looking modern and fresh.

2 — When your design calls for using the same color tiles on the walls and the floors then it is best to break up the pattern by using different sized tiles and possibly laying the floor tiles on the diagonal or the wall tiles as diamonds or on the diagonal to make the design much more interesting. Please note that placing the tiles on the diagonal will require significantly more tile as there is more waste in the form of cut off pieces not to mention additional labor expense or effort.

3 — Grout color is as important a design element as is tile as choosing the wrong color can make or break your design. Do not fail to properly apply route sealant specially in the bathroom and high traffic areas. Sealing the grout will not only help to protect the grout but it will also ensure that the color of the grout lasts much longer.

4 — Perhaps you are trying to achieve a Victorian look for your bathroom design might we recommend using towels with a flower motif that have a soft color palette such as pink greens and blues be sure to choose lighter shades of these colors. There are also several different accessories that you might add to your design including custom ceramic sinks and even a wood floor. If you’re looking for more of a Mediterranean bathroom design might we suggest using natural terra-cotta type tiles along with custom painted artisan tiles.

5 — Choosing the color for your bathroom and bathroom tiles is very important as different colors perfect the human psyche in different ways. Do some research on color theory and its effects on the human psyche. If you wish for your bathroom to feel more intimate than we suggest using warm colors in the Rose and yellow color schemes. Colors such as white and off-white make the room filled larger they will also reflect any existing light and do not seem to go out of style giving it a timeless look.

Colors that provide a sense of calm include Violet, Green, and Blue. If you want a less relaxed look for your bathroom choosing colors such as black and red will remove light and make the room appears smaller and a bit more edgy. If the bathroom has ample natural light then using darker tiles might absorb some of the excess light the opposite is true for a dark bathroom. Do not be afraid to add in other colors in the form of accent pieces or trim but do not add too many colors as it will detract from the overall look and feel.

Executing your bathroom project can be a fun experience if you have patience. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself while you choose the style and overall layout for your project after all we spend a significant and hopefully enjoyable time in our bathrooms so why not take the time to make them personalized.

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bathroom floor tiles denver

Bathroom floor repair and rebuild

Admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:01:16 +0000