This is a step that you don't see when you're done...but you'll be glad that you did it! We used this on our last kitchen (well, an old version of this stuff) and we never had any trouble with our grout. With this kitchen being so light there was no question if we wanted to do it or not.
Goes on easy and dries quickly! It's not cheap though.
We also got the kitchen and laundry sinks caulked tonight.
Just look at that pristine caulk line, lol.
I'm so OCD about this stuff it's not even funny.
Got the laundry sink caulked in place too!
Gotta love a galvanized tub sink.
The drain is caulked into place too....lets hook up some water!!
HOW CUTE IS THIS??
Hopefully it lasts awhile! If not...we did make sure to cut the hole for it (and the faucet) within an area that could easily be re-cut to hold a 25" single bowl sink.
Had to start our day off with a little groundhog relocation. My Mom has had nothing but trouble with them this year...they want to eat EVERYTHING that she plants - RUDE! Of course, Dad just left for a week long trip, so Kade and I have taken on the responsibility of moving these no to a new home. Pretty sure he wasn't very happy with us :)
After that...it was time to get grouting again! Today I did behind the stove, the clutter room and behind the laundry sink. WOO-HOO! I'm a grouting fool!
Forgot to take these pictures yesterday when I was grouting the other half of the kitchen!
I always feel like this part should just go so quickly...but it never does.
It's kind of like playing with wet sand. Shove it in the cracks...let it set up
and then wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe!
Got the area done behind the laundry sink too!
(notice my Pioneer can koozie up on the shelf...it's probably 20 years old at least, and it's my FAVORITE...don't know what I'm ever going to do when it finally wears out - which is going to be sooner rather than later)
I made quite the mess during all of this...
I think it turned out really nice though!
Come on...lets do some laundry!!
(you'll probably never hear me say that again!)
Pantry side of the clutter room is done too!
Does that mean ALL grouting is done upstairs??
I couldn't wait to pull that dirty paper off of the counter!
Looks pretty darn good doesn't it?
This room is so close to being complete!
(insert squeal of excitement here!)
Just need to seal the grout, caulk the edges of the tile and install the faucet and appliances!
Oh...and finish the window trim, ugh!
Why does my head always make it seem like less?
When I start listing things it's like it's never going to end!
I couldn't even get Kade to leave tonight...he just kept on vacuuming!
I think he's as ready to move in and USE this space as I am!
Another weekend...and it's time to tile again :) Actually...we got quite a bit done today. First stop, laundry sink backsplash....here's the final layout that we decided to go with.
Remind me again why I had to do something so difficult :)
First things first was to finish cutting out the black 3/4" tiles so I could replace them with the tumbled brown after we got them all up on the wall.
Beautiful, right? ha ha! Why do I do this to myself (and my husband??)
Here I go. I started on the inside corner so that it "should" come out straight in the end.
I actually used marble chair rail on the sides to kind of "frame" in our design.
And...I'm off! Kade cut my edge pieces so I could keep going!
We used white mastic in here again just to be sure we didn't change the
color of the marble (since it's a natural stone it WILL absorb whatever
you put behind it)
Pretty fast, huh? NOT! I work at a snails pace!
(a.k.a. a perfectionists pace)
Almost done. Then I just have to fill the holes with the brown marble squares!
Kade put the final edge piece up. (those are not my man hands, lol)
and now it's time....here we go!
I love how it's coming together!
Why didn't they just use the brown marble in the first place?? It really just tones it down a bit. Just my style.
DONE! Can we grout yet? lol. I'm getting so impatient these days!
What do you think? Gonna put that galvanized tub back in for the sink, and the oil rubbed bronze pull out faucet. I think it's going to be great!
I also finished the backsplash that goes behind the stove and under the microhood. We had the extra tile so I decided we might as well just go all the way down the wall.
As if that wasn't enough for the day...
Mark, Johnny, Dad and Kade came and got the clawfoot tub out of the back of the truck.
It was NOT light. I think the freight sheet said 475lbs. Is that all?
LOOK WHERE THEY LEFT IT!!! UGH!
How the heck am I suppose to work around that? I still need to touch up the baseboard in there.
BREATHE....
It will be ok!
All in all it was a VERY productive day. Wish they were all like this!
I can't believe it!! All of this time waiting and the day has finally come!! Kade cut the hole in the laundry sink countertop for the wash tub & pull out faucet! I realize that it's NOT a traditional sink!
BUT OMG!! I LOVE IT!!
We've still got to cut the hole in the bottom for the drain...maybe this weekend.
Now it's time to pick the tile for the backsplash!
This one is a natural stone...like slices of rocks...
and some of my favorite rocks with crystals exposed!
This one is a 3x6 white marble with a strip of smaller white/gray marble tiles.
I really thought I'd love this one...marble octagons turned at an angle.
I'm starting to think it's a little too busy though!
Another marble :) pinwheel pattern.
2x4 marble subway. I think this one might be a little to gray.
Same 2x4 marble subway tile with that smaller white/gray accent strip.
White ceramic octagons...hmmm.
The white subway that we're using in the kitchen.
The white subway with that white/gray marble accent strip
I seriously need to give myself LESS options!!
I think we've narrowed it down to the top two. The natural stone or the 3x6 marble.
UGH!! SOMEONE ELSE DECIDE FOR ME!!!
If we do the natural stone then we'll do this beadboard backsplash on the pantry side.
If we do the 3x6 marble subway then I think we'll just do the same on both sides.
I also finally decided what to do in the back of the mudroom sitting area!
Can you believe it...a decision, lol!
I was thinking that since that wall will just get scuffed in the back of the seat anyway we might as well just use a darker color all the way up. Well...we had some of the walnut flooring left, so why not just run it up the wall? Then I can hang the hooks on something the same color as the cabinets!
I do believe that will work! Now we've just got to finish cutting and get them all nailed up!
Have I mentioned that it REALLY needs to stop raining around here??
We're going to have a bunch of stuff to run through the table saw when we finally get a dry day!
