Project 2016 -- Florida or Bust: Kitchen Makeover Day Infinity

I love it when the DH  vacuums

The never-ending-kitchen-make-over continued today. They say there is nothing like experience and after failing miserably two weeks ago with the Countertop Transformations® kit, we tried a second round. We made some changes in our approach to increase the chances of success and I think it worked.

LAST TIME: The video that was supplied emphasized working "quickly". Last time the thought that the adhesive base paint would dry before we got the color chips on, had me in a panic. We worked too quickly and as a result,  did not get the product on thick enough and ran into each other and the counter top smudging it in a few places. We also tried to do each bank of cabinets successively, one right after another which just made the stress level increase as we went from the smallest to the longest counter top.

CHANGES WE MADE: After watching the video again, I saw that we had missed words on the screen that said we had about 20 minutes to apply the color chips. That was more time than I thought we had. This time we decided that we would do the largest counter top first. Then clean up and take a break for a couple of hours. Then go back and do both the two smaller counter tops. This helped us in two ways: We cleaned up the mess from the first application so we were not walking around in all the color chips. It will also allow us more time on the sanding tomorrow as that has a time sensitive window, too.

Happy Sanding!!!

Project 2016 -- Florida or Bust: Kitchen Makeover Day Six

As the week passes, I am more and more convinced that I really underestimated the amount of time that I would need to accomplish this. While I have done a lot of work, the painting is really slow. Not because I am a slow painter, but that each door needs two coats of the base paint which has to dry completely between coats. You can only paint one side at a time and I only have room for 2 doors at a time on my painting station.

[Tip Alert!] Following a suggestion by the folks at Rust-Oleum, I took a shelf out of an old wall unit and drilled holes in it. I then put screws through each hole. This allows me to set the doors on the screws holding the door up off the surface of the table. This allows me to paint the sides and allow them to dry without the paint "gluing" the doors to the table.

before painting bottom

after painting bottom

I have painted two coats of the base paint on both of the top units of cabinets. They look really good and I am happy with the way they look except for the color but that will change (see yesterday's post). However, I did have to make a discovery when I was sitting in the middle of the kitchen. I didn't think that I would have to paint the bottom of the cabinets, but alas, you can see the bottoms when you sit in a chair. It became really obvious when I painted the fronts and you could see the difference in color. So I had to take the extra time to paint them. But they will look really good when they are completely done.

All together I have 21 cabinet doors of varying sizes and 8 drawer front to paint. I have completed 2 coats on one side of the eight drawer fronts and 13 cabinet doors. And that is only the first step. When I am done with this, there is the glaze coat and then a protective gloss coat. Hmmm.

Happy painting.

Project 2016 -- Florida or Bust: Kitchen Makeover Day Three

In our last episode, the DH and I applied the adhesive base coat and the color chips in the first step of the application process of the Countertop Transformations® kit. Following the directions, we left the counter tops alone to dry overnight. This morning, with barely a cup of coffee in me, I started getting the extra chips off of the counters and sanding. It didn't take long to see that the coverage in some areas was not thick enough and the original white was shinning through. The further I went, the more convinced I was that the lack of coverage was systemic and not just one isolated area. It would need a second coat. Problem is, we used most of the product yesterday.

This left me with a decision -- go back to Lowe's and purchase another kit for $248.00, or finish the last step and be unhappy forever. I didn't do either, I contacted Rust-Oleum's customer service. I explained my issue to the customer service representative and he said that I could special order additional adhesive base and color chips through Lowe's and it would be somewhat cheaper than ordering a new kit. It would also save me time than if I continued on with the top coat and decided to re-do it at a later date. Once I put on the gloss coat I would have to sand the gloss off the finish at this point, I just paint on a new coat of the base.

So off to Lowe's the DH and I went. Again, I explained the issue to the sales woman at the paint counter and gave her the customer service number for Rust-Oleum. After a conversation with Rust-Oleum, I was told the extra product would have to be purchased in a lot of 2 cans of base and 2 sets of color chips at $170.00. Twice as much as I really need (unless I screw up again and need a third coat) for less money. But it would take about a week (read 10 days or more?) for the order to come in. This means living with a kitchen I am unable to use even longer. But for an $80.00 savings, I guess I will put up with waiting a week. Waiting however does not save me from cleaning the mess up yet again.

I will say that where the counter tops are covered with enough product, they look great. So I think with the added effort and cost, I will be happy with the end result.

My makeover plans, as many do, have been interrupted and will have to be changed or my week vacation will be for naught. Plan B is to work on the upper cabinets on both sides of the kitchen and getting them done as they are out of the way of the counter tops. I can also do all of the lower cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Besides, if I run out of doors to paint, I can always knit!

Happy change of plans.

Project 2016 -- Florida or Bust: Kitchen Makeover Day Two

Before

Before

Wow! My whole body hurts! Yesterday was a long day and I hardly got started on the counter tops. I emptied all of the cabinets, moved the kitchen table into the family room and got the microwave down. I took all the extra caulk out of crevices along the edges of the counters and around the sink. I set up a work station with my new saw horses and a wooden shelf in the middle of the kitchen. I'll use this as a table where I can prepare the doors for painting and use as a station to do the counter tops.

After

After watching the counter top restoration 'how to' video again, and for about the last half hour that I could remain standing, I started sanding the finish of the laminate counter tops. It only took a half an hour to get them half done. This afternoon after I finished sanding the counter tops and taping off the sink and other areas, the DH and I did step one of the counter top transformation.

After

Funny thing about 'how to' videos, the people on the 'how to' videos smile a lot, never yell at each other, and not only are they perfectly clean when finished -- the room is clean, too! Not so much at my house. A little yelling, a paint covered T-shirt, and a HUGE mess!

The process is to roll a thick adhesive paint onto the roughed up counter tops and then using this "yard-fertilizer-spreader" applicator thing you put this substance that looks like (is?) crushed rock. The crushed rock is now everywhere!

I am glad I followed the instructions to tape up the sink. I can imagine what would happen to the garbage disposal if I had not. The crushed rock even went over the ledge behind the sink and landed all over the sofa in the family room. (I guess I needed to vacuum anyway.)

Mess

Yes, in the carpet, too.

The color is such a stark contrast to the original white. But no remorse here, I know that the cabinets will be much lighter and with clean painted walls, this kitchen will look great.

Happy (?) cleaning!

Project 2016 -- Florida or Bust: Kitchen Makeover Day One

It's all about going South! Since my dear husband (DH) and I have decided that we are going to fix up the house and move back to Florida. With as many things as has to be fixed up, it will take us three to 4 years to get everything done and we plan to put the house up for sale in 2016. Kitchen first!

I blogged previously on my kitchen makeover and told you some of my plans. Last night, the DH and I went shopping at one of my favorite stores, Lowes! We picked up both the Cabinet Transformations® and Countertop Transformations® kits that we are using as well as paint brushes, rollers, drop clothes, roller pans and more. The gentleman who helped us suggested that we do the counter tops first and the cabinets second. I think that I will follow his advise. While I don't think that it matters which I do first, I do think that doing the counter tops first is better as I can work on painting the cabinet doors while the counter top cures. However, since the counter tops take a week to "cure", it will mean some difficulty in having to be very careful around the counter tops when working on the cabinets.

I underestimated the amount of work that needed to be done in advance! I have a lot of cabinets filled with a lot of stuff. So that has given me a good opportunity to purge. I have already made one trip to Goodwill and have a new pile started. But regardless of whether I am giving it to Goodwill or keeping it, it all has to come out of the cabinets!

In order to keep track of the cabinet doors, when I was removing them, I took paper and mapped out my cabinets. I then lettered and numbered each door on the paper and transferred that letter/number combination to 2 pieces of painter's tape. One I attached to the door and the other to a plastic sandwich bag which contained the hardware for that door. This was something that was recommended on the Rust-Oleum website.

I also have to remove the built-in microwave oven/range-hood combination. I could leave the microwave where it is and paint the cabinets around it, however, then if it ever has to be replaced, the replacement may not cover the unpainted portion of the cabinets. And since that may happen before we sell the house, I don't want to worry about it later. Better to take the time to remove it and paint properly. Thankfully, I have the original installation instructions. So by reading it backwards, the DH and I should be able to safely remove it and replace it later after painting. By the way, this should be something that everyone does when installing anything in the home or putting any item together that has more than 2 or 3 parts. Keep a file folder or drawer that contains the original installation and/or assembly instructions. You may end up throwing them away 3 years after you get rid of the item, but they may come in handy at just the right time!

The DH is facing at least a week of cold meals. Ouch.

Got to get back to work. Happy remodeling!

Where There is a Will -- There's a Way!

I spent an afternoon at Lowe's. I looked at paint, flooring and counter tops as well as lighting. I went to the area where they have all of the cabinets and counter tops and asked some questions of the sales clerk-- er, designer. I told her I was on a budget and she began showing me some "less expensive" options. I gave her the linear dimensions of the counter top and she gave me an approximate price. Hmmm -- her price was higher than my entire budget. She must have seen my budget written all over my face, because suddenly, she was not so eager to help me find anything. I guessed I was not going to get new counter tops.

But heading through the paint department, I saw another option: Countertop Transformations™ by Rust-Oleum. I looked at the display and read the information on the box. Hmmm, maybe I could get new counter tops and new cabinets using Cabinet Transformations®, too!

Upon returning home, I got on to the internet and and went to the website to research the products. Rust-Oleum's website has product how-to videos and a "virtual kitchen" tool which allows you to mix and match cabinet and counter top color combinations until you find the one that is right for you. I found the combination that I liked and then made 5 different combinations and showed them all to my husband. Surprise, Surprise -- he picked the "right" combination!

I think that we will do the cabinets and counter tops before picking out all of the other colors for floors and back splash tile. Now I am getting excited!!!

Happy "Picking-out-all-your-colors"1