DIY: The Addiction Continues by Aileen Fish

I am beginning to think the endorphins cause by all the manual labor, mixed with the pleasure of seeing the finished result, has me addicted to DIY projects. The truth might be that these projects are the result of an aging mobile home. Either way, in between heat waves I've been making progress.

Our deck is a sad sack made with plywood, rather than nice redwood decking. It was painted white when we moved in four years ago, and had reached the point where hosing it off wasn't getting it clean anymore. The budget is only slightly less sad after the bathroom remodel, so when I saw Valspar Porch Paint in Lowe's a few weeks ago I decided that was the answer, for now.

This is the sorry state of the deck top three years ago before I threw down some rugs and cleared off some junk.

I chose a grayish-taupe, Weathered Oak, I think they called it. It covered in one coat and a gallon did the whole deck surface! You can see toward the front of the photo how I really need to replace the plywood. Overall I love the look, but it made the lattice and railing look very tired.

From the front, the lattice and railing didn't look too bad but the steps were in a sad state, and when you're the deck, you can see how the rails weren't getting clean anymore.

Lowe's had a booklet of paint colors for the porch paint...yeah, they saw me coming, LOL! I chose a slightly darker coordinating color, Covered Bridge or something like that, and went to town. And I very quickly began to wonder where Huck Finn was when I needed him! I think a sprayer is the way to go for lattice, as the paint brush left drips on the back side of where I would be working, and by the time I finished a section and went to the back, the drips were drying. Let's just say this isn't my best finish.


Still, compared to what it was, I am so pleased. I do need to pot some plants if the heat wave doesn't kill them, and get the BBQ back into its spot, but it looks so much better even with things out of place.

The next project is laminated flooring in the hall and kitchen. Since the weather outlook shows no end to 100+ degree weather, I will be working early in the day. And you can bet I will have picture to share!

Aileen Fish used to spend all her time on the computer either writing, formatting, or making book covers, until she got bitten by the DIY bug. Her latest release, Chasing Lord Mystery, has been hovering in the top 50 of Amazon's historical short stories and Regency best seller lists. She hopes to have a new release in August. You can stay on top of her book news at her website, http://aileenfish.com

Should You DIY by Aileen Fish and Melinda Curtis

Are you a DIY-er? Do you watch all those DIY/home improvement shows and think, "I could do that?" Well, Aileen and Melinda are here to tell you it's not that easy. Feel free to learn from our experience.

The Projects:

Aileen's: Since the bathtub in the main bath had cracked, I needed to replace the tub. The surround had me worried because of holes in the "tile" panels, so I was afraid of water damage. I also wanted a toilet that flushed well, and the vanity was ugly, so why not replace it, and redo the floor too, while I was at it, right?

Melinda's: Remodel my daughter's bathroom, taking out wallpaper, the fit-for-2 tub and replacing it with a tub shower, as well as removing the 27" square shower (perfect size for pixies) and using that space for a 2nd bedroom closet. Also to be done were re-purposing the old vanity and "Mirror, mirror on the wall" medicine cabinet.

The War Stories...

Aileen:My budget was tight, and I knew I couldn't afford to pay for help. I recruited my older daughter and my younger daughter's husband to help with the heavier demolition and to get the new tub in place, as I knew what I could carry on my own. What I didn't anticipate is the state of mobile home plumbing. If I were to do it again I'd hire a plumber.




Melinda: Call us wimpy, but we called a plumber to take out the tub, shower, and lay new flooring. Mr. Curtis knows his limits and they edge right up to water pipes. Unfortunately, we didn't supervise this process and arrived to find several pipes from the shower - including hot/cold water shut-off valves - sticking out of the floor and wall. After multiple discussions late Friday night (which included brainstorming work-arounds like built-in shelving and awkward closet placement), we got brave and called the plumber who agreed to return to make things right gratis (yes, for free!).  Lesson learned: be clear with the help about the dimensions and placement of closets.

Aileen: I was a good Mom and bought leather gloves, safety glasses and face masks beforehand. That doesn't mean I remember to use them. In an ironic twist, while doing the demo, my daughter and I did a "demo" of why gloves are important. We both managed to catch part of our hands between the hammer and pry bar. Mine was with no gloves, hers was with gloves on. This, children, is why we wear safety apparatus when working with tools.

Melinda: We hadn't realized that wallpaper in mobile homes is part of the wallboard. When we started to paint, every fixture hole and staple holding the wall in place showed. I was devastated. Mr. Curtis was in his element, having grown up doing wall finishes. At 9 p.m. he produced a spray rig, hopper and drywall mud. The bathroom was textured by morning and ready to paint the next night. Meanwhile, I was busy painting the vanity and mirror a chocolaty brown. Between coats, my daughter's 18-pound cat rubbed against all surfaces, which required repainting. Lesson learned: know the materials you're working with and shut out the cat!

The Finished Product...

Aileen's:

Melinda's:

So what do you think? Are you up for a DIY project? If so, what would you tackle?

~*~

When she isn¹t imitating a home renovation expert, Aileen Fish is busy at work on the next book in her Small Town Sweethearts series.

When not wielding a paintbrush, Melinda Curtis is busy at work on her sweet Harmony Valley romance series.