Our powder room was a room of many entrances. This small half bath had three, count 'em, three doors. It was basically accessible from the family room, the laundry room and the outside. That's right, it has an exterior door. Go figure.
After chatting with folks about it, I had several people who thought a bathroom that was accessible to outside guests might not be a bad thing... so we left that door. We did close the door from the laundry room into the half bath. Because, it just needed less traffic. When and if we enclose the garage, we will lose the exterior door into the powder room too.
But for now, it's getting a new wall mounted sink. The old sink, besides being mounted about kid height up the wall, was yellow and really old.
This picture was taken through the entry into the laundry room. That eggress has been eliminated. Also, the dangly light fixture was heaved into a construction dumpster months ago. The flowered wallpaper was covered and the wall textured and painted. I did preserved that divider of louvered wood. I think it's kind of architecturally interesting.
Today is all about the new wall mounted sink. The plumbing has to be drastically altered--because, sixty year old house--but that was no surprise. I found the fixture online and bought the wall mounted sink with integrated towel bar and I can't wait to see it hung!
This will be a couple day process because of the hole in the wall, which will need patching, resurfacing and painting before the actual sink is hung. But today, that yellow sink went into the trash. And before I get blasted by comments about reuse, recycle and all that... remember, I live in Beaumont, Texas. Population 125,000. There is NO place to recycle old plumbing fixtures. There used to be a little old plumber with a junk yard full of toilets and sinks but he has passed on and no one picked up that "green" flag. I checked.
If I lived in California or Seattle, I know of many businesses that would have loved to have resold those fixtures. Interestingly enough, they wanted me to ship the cast iron things at my expense so they could be resold. And that, my darlings, is why I did not recycle the fixtures.
After the plumber moved the pipes UP, it was my turn to try fixing the hole. Because the sink is wall mounted, instead of a pedestal, the plumber had to open up a BIG hole and set up the cross bracing he'd need to support the fixture.
He also had to move the drain pipe to center up the sink and SURPRISE!! the old sink did not have shut off valves at all, so those had to be plumbed in new. Now that it's roughed in, it's up to us to close the hole up and get the wall textured and painted.
Phase one complete. I have cut the wallboard, screwed it in, taped the edges and put a first layer of mud around the seams to try and build up a layer for sanding and smoothing out. This will take two or three layers to get it level and smooth.
Days of mudding, sanding and finally texture and paint. The texture is not as good as a professional's job but I think that with the sink shadowing it, it will hold up and not be too noticeable.
I'm just glad I was able to build it up level and get it sanded to the point where it doesn't appear like a big divot in the wall!
A couple of coats of paint later and I was able to call the plumber to come back and install the new sink. But, of course, he quit the company for a better job.
Today, two guys from the Plumbing Services Co. showed up today to install the fixture. That they had not prepped the wall for... or had knowledge of how to mount prior to arrival. Sigh. It took them a LONG, looooong time. God Bless them both for sticking to it and getting my new sink hung on the wall.
I think it looks nice.
I'm sure it's not strong enough for a toddler to dangle from that towel bar, but for us adults in a powder room, I could not be more happy.
I will hang a mirror I already own and see if I like it. If not, I will shop for a new one. But regardless, I'm calling this remodel done!
-- Sandee Wagner
But for now, it's getting a new wall mounted sink. The old sink, besides being mounted about kid height up the wall, was yellow and really old.
This picture was taken through the entry into the laundry room. That eggress has been eliminated. Also, the dangly light fixture was heaved into a construction dumpster months ago. The flowered wallpaper was covered and the wall textured and painted. I did preserved that divider of louvered wood. I think it's kind of architecturally interesting.
Today is all about the new wall mounted sink. The plumbing has to be drastically altered--because, sixty year old house--but that was no surprise. I found the fixture online and bought the wall mounted sink with integrated towel bar and I can't wait to see it hung!
This will be a couple day process because of the hole in the wall, which will need patching, resurfacing and painting before the actual sink is hung. But today, that yellow sink went into the trash. And before I get blasted by comments about reuse, recycle and all that... remember, I live in Beaumont, Texas. Population 125,000. There is NO place to recycle old plumbing fixtures. There used to be a little old plumber with a junk yard full of toilets and sinks but he has passed on and no one picked up that "green" flag. I checked.If I lived in California or Seattle, I know of many businesses that would have loved to have resold those fixtures. Interestingly enough, they wanted me to ship the cast iron things at my expense so they could be resold. And that, my darlings, is why I did not recycle the fixtures.
After the plumber moved the pipes UP, it was my turn to try fixing the hole. Because the sink is wall mounted, instead of a pedestal, the plumber had to open up a BIG hole and set up the cross bracing he'd need to support the fixture.He also had to move the drain pipe to center up the sink and SURPRISE!! the old sink did not have shut off valves at all, so those had to be plumbed in new. Now that it's roughed in, it's up to us to close the hole up and get the wall textured and painted.
Phase one complete. I have cut the wallboard, screwed it in, taped the edges and put a first layer of mud around the seams to try and build up a layer for sanding and smoothing out. This will take two or three layers to get it level and smooth.
Days of mudding, sanding and finally texture and paint. The texture is not as good as a professional's job but I think that with the sink shadowing it, it will hold up and not be too noticeable.I'm just glad I was able to build it up level and get it sanded to the point where it doesn't appear like a big divot in the wall!
A couple of coats of paint later and I was able to call the plumber to come back and install the new sink. But, of course, he quit the company for a better job.
Today, two guys from the Plumbing Services Co. showed up today to install the fixture. That they had not prepped the wall for... or had knowledge of how to mount prior to arrival. Sigh. It took them a LONG, looooong time. God Bless them both for sticking to it and getting my new sink hung on the wall.
I think it looks nice.
I'm sure it's not strong enough for a toddler to dangle from that towel bar, but for us adults in a powder room, I could not be more happy.
I will hang a mirror I already own and see if I like it. If not, I will shop for a new one. But regardless, I'm calling this remodel done!
-- Sandee Wagner
