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It’s a Wrap

OUR 2nd HOUSE

Prepping this kitchen is pure and unadulterated torture.  Don’t let our perma-smiles fool you.  Kitchen renovating is not for the weak of heart.  Can anyone do it?  Probably.  It’s not a skill thing.  I liken it to having a baby…anyone can jump into that pool with two feet, and after a long getting ready period filled with possible discomfort, long hours, and sleepless nights, you then have a bundle of joy that you are paranoid about ruining.  I might even name our baby when it’s done.  And give it a birth certificate.  And you can count on too many photos. 

Speaking of photos, let me explain some things before I show pics. 

CABINETS:  When we originally started this phase of the kitchen reno, we were gonna paint the cabinets.  and the walls.  not the trim.  not redo the tile.  Well, when we started sanding the space we found out that some of the cabinets are really nice and some not real wood.  So that meant oil-based primer.  We figured that in order to really get the toughest painted finish out there, we would use oil based primer to really block the stains and for easiest & fastest coverage.  The only thing was…we didn’t want to put oil based paint in our sprayer…so that meant either hand doing it…or getting spray cans.  We opted for the easier.

TILE:  Our tile was gonna be phase 3 of this kitchen…you know…after-the-baby-was-born-phase-three.  But when we realized that we had to remove some to put in the hood…it became phase 2.  Some folks asked why we didn’t demo the tile before painting the cabinets…well, because 1.  the insulation would be falling out everywhere while we painted, B. the tile doesn’t cover any of the cabinets so it doesn’t mean we’ll have to repaint, IV.  we were prepared to paint…we weren’t prepared to pick out tile and replace drywall.  Plus, we are not attempting to salvage this tile…so it doesn’t matter if it gets overspray paint on it.  Let’s just pray that when it comes time to demo it, it goes smoothly. 

WALLS:  I still have no idea what color we are painting on the walls.  And for twopointohnanoseconds I thought we were gonna tape them off and not have to repaint.  So ignore the fact that I started taping them off in these pics.  I was a dummy.

On to the photos…

After we sanded in the kitchen, it was a mess…so Will and I cleaned it up.  I cleaned the floors and the cabinets so they were ready for paint.  Eliminating dust is crucial for a good paint job.  And so is wearing your husbands flipflops when your feet have swelled outta yours 🙂

The other thing we had to fix was the wooden wall surround that goes next to the fridge.  It was pulling away from the trim.  So Jer drilled in a couple L brackets to keep it in place.   

Then came time to cover the floors.  I found the easiest way to cover hardware floors is with loads of Frog Tape and brown paper.  Here’s how I do it:  I cut the roll of brown paper to the right length (about an inch short of reaching the wall)… 

Then I whip out the tape.  Frog Tape is really the best.  And this is coming from someone really lazy who hates touch ups and scraping stray paint where it’s supposed to be a crisp clean line…so you know it’s true.  I’m too lazy to lie.

I put the tape directly on the floor where I want my clean line.  Then I rub it with something flat and hard…like a library card…(it’s pressure activating…like a good foot massage…you don’t wanna just squirt the lotion on em and call it a day…rubbing is crucial)…

Then you put your paper down flat and put another length of Frog Tape to hold it down and cover any little gaps.

Pretty much the same process with wrapping up countertops.  You have to do the perimeter (and underneath where it meets the cabinets!) with Frog Tape first…

Then put your paper down with more tape holding it in place and covering any gaps.  Borrow your two year olds craft scissors if neccessary 🙂

When we started the countertops, I realized pretty quickly that I would rather just have the faucets removed rather than go through the tedious process of taping them… so my darling boys got to work.   Will is management obviously.

I love the hand on the belly.  Kinda like he’s saying, “I got  your back dad”…or possibly “I with you…I have no idea why mom is so crazy”.

Some folks asked why we were getting rid of the faucets.  Plain and simple…I don’t like them.   Second point for the win…they leak.

Exhibit A…

They were probably fixable…but why invest time fixing something we don’t like anyway, right?  So we pulled out all the parts and put the bag in the donate pile. 

Other folks were asking us why we were not digging the tile.  Well for one, it was not installed the way I would choose.  The first row of tile was cut across the top to make it straight.  Usually you put the cut edge toward the countertop.  So thats pet peeve numero one.

The second issue is that at some point there was some need for regrouting…which Napoleon did…in a different color.  Check out the bright white grout near the outlet.  Yup.  Sticks out like Michael Jackson’s socks.

Last…there were weird areas of dark gray dirt.  It was like the person who installed the tile had the countertop still dirty with dust and just smooshed it into the grout.  I scrubbed and scrubbed.  But to no avail.   Plus, there are still obvious areas of discoloration because of grease and smoke…I’ve tried every kinda cleaner out there…and I think it was sealed into the porous tile.  ERG.   So all of those things made me wanna just tear it out. 

After the countertops and floors were finally safe and sound, it was time to do the insides of the cabinets.

Two lines of Frog Tape on each edge…and then we put in ‘trap doors’.   Basically it’s just a piece of cardboard cut to fit inside the cabinet and block overspray.  We scored the bottom so we could squeeze it in and then used the little Frog Tape handle to pull it closed.  When there were shelves on the inside (like the upper cabinets next to the fridge), those just held the cardboard in place…but when there were no shelves, we reached our arm up the trap door and taped it to stay.

We also used the tape and paper to cover all the appliances (except the fridge which we moved into the living room)…

There she blows…classy, huh?

And the lights also got covered.  The big one we called Frankenlight.

The pendants were easy.  And yes, the tape works great for covering cords…

So that wrapped up an entire Thursday and Friday.  I was so glad the next day would be Saturday because that meant I could climb up on the ladder (equally terrifying and exciting) to finish the windows.

Jeremy and I got up early the next day to finish up…

Of course…

Oh and Will got in on the action…I love his little mouth in this shot…

And he got a little balance bike action in before the plastic went back up on the doorways…

 

 Here’s a better picture of Frankenlight…scary, huh?!

So for the most part, the kitchen was done.  Jeremy had admitted that my hoarding of cardboard boxes was invaluable in this very particular and rare situation (he wanted to make sure I clarified that)…and that the room was almost ready for primer.

Cardboard was also used to cover the new vent hood. 

(Pssst…we heard everyone’s concern over the vent duct tape…and since this area is completely accessible, we plan on conducting an experiment.  We are gonna open the doors to over the hood every month to monitor the condition.  We’ll see how long it takes for the duct tape to dry out, peel or melt.  It’ll add scientific joy into my otherwise boring life).  

I simply am showing this photo to show my impressive handiwork wrapping the dishwasher.  And yes, there are dirty dishes in there.

For the windows we used cardboard, paper and tape.  My favorite part was cutting the arched windows outta cardboard…it was my inner geek coming out 🙂   The rest of the room was completely ready too..

 

So that’s where we stand…a whole lotta brown.  and green.  I’m just thankful that part is OVER.   Next up – primer (a la spraypaint for the cabinets) and paint for the trim.   

Operation Heart of the Home Past Posts:

PHASE 1

PHASE 2

 

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience – which means I would use Frog Tape even if they didn’t know me and I am sick of sitting on the hardwood floor 🙂

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Comments

  4. You guys are making progress! And Katie, you look so cute doing it. I hope that I am as cute as some day when I have a baby in my belly!

  5. WHEW! That is a lot of Prep work. I hate Prep work but it does make a world
    of difference in the end.
    Can’t wait to see them painted!

  6. I’m excited to see the kitchen with new paint!

    More importantly… my inner nerd is really hoping your 1, B, IV method of counting is a nod to Home Alone.

  7. Katie- You poor thing. Having to endure all of this when you are pregnant. The two positives are looking at your cutie-pie Will or your other cutie-pie Jeremy!! It’s too bad you can’t hire that guy on HGTV- Holmes, who can masterfully fix anything. Napoleon certainly didn’t pay attention to detail, to say the least. Is there any way family members or friends could pitch in to expedite things? Once it’s done & you get to start accessorizing, you will finally get to enjoy the space & be so thankful it’s done.

  8. Oh man that’s a ton of work! God bless you guys (You stay away from the spray paint and stay out of the house for a few days!)! Maybe I wasn’t using it right but I just don’t like frog tape. We used it a lot when we bought our home and renovated it. I went back to blue…

  9. Whoa. I’m impressed!!!!!

    I can’t wait to see! And WOOOOHOOO PRAISE THE LORD! I’m really excited that you’re repainting the trim.

  10. This looks so utterly exhausting that I’m getting tired just reading it. I am forever impressed. Even if you just left it like this and never painted it. Still impressed. Amazing.

  11. Ahh… the sponsorship makes sense. I agree it’s the best, but it’s kind of expense and I was thinking the whole post, “holy moly they dropped a lot on tape!”

    I’m excited to see the primer up!! Good luck!

  13. Wow – All I can think of is ‘that looks like a lotta work!!!’ Especially while pregnant… and with a 2-year old in tow. Good for you!! Can’t wait to see everything once you get to unwrap it. Unwrapping will at least be a lot more fun than wrapping, I’m sure:)

  14. I hope this isn’t the new “Nesting” for pregnant ladies… you’re putting alot of us to shame!!!

    Just a suggestion to clean your dirty tile grout.. try a Pumie Scouring Stick. I just discovered/ found this at the grocery store (it’s at hardware stores too) for the hard water stains in the bathroom and dirty grout lines that I have tried everything to get rid of for over 4 years.

  19. haha…my whole family has their own renos to tackle 🙂 I wish they could but I am lucky to have a boytoy that is great at these projects 🙂
    xo – kb

  21. Spray paint? Are you concerned about the fumes? Don’t get me wrong, I love spray painting but I always do it in the garage with the doors wide open and even then it gets pretty hazy and I can only handle it for short amounts of time. Just curious if you know something I don’t know about spray paint??

  22. Two things: I absolutely LOVE that there are dirty dishes in your dishwasher! That is definitely something I would do in that situation : ) And second, I can totally relate to you having to wear the hubby’s flip-flops! I had to wear my husband’s sandals to a wedding one week before I had my oldest. I cringe to remember the strange looks I received. Hang in there! The kitchen’s gonna look great and that baby will be here soon : )

  26. totally random but i love the respirator on the counter top!!!! is it an MSA one? i hope it is because i work for them and my job is testing the cartridges to make sure that they work, which of course they do! if it is the one i think it is i use that exact same one at work!

  29. Good prep Katie. Taping and papering before a spray paint job is the absolute hardest part of the job. Totally agree with you on the tile backsplash. It looks sweet, but that reversed cut on the bottom tile would’ve drove me nuts too.

  33. Oh I wouldn’t dream of doing it…Jeremy is my partner in all this and he did it with the door open and a fan going and a mask on. Will and I hit up the pool 🙂
    xo – kb

  34. Oh Katie (and Jeremy), I totally feel your pain. When I was about 30 weeks pregnant with our second boy (coincidence?!?) we were working on finishing our basement. We installed miles of detailed wall trim which we decided to paint with a sprayer. So, we had to cover all the floors and windows. So.not.fun. Especially when pregnant. Just know, if I lived in Georgia (or anywhere near) I would totally crash your house and help you. Alas, I live in Montana. But, you’re chugging right along and it’s going to look fantastic when you’re done! 🙂

  35. Wow! I’m so excited to see paint go up. We’re renters (and although our landlords really don’t care if we do esthetic changes) I’m living vicariously through your kitchen reno. Creepy? Maybe a bit.

  36. This Kitchen Re-Do is insane!! And I can’t believe you’re doing this while pregnant!! Props to you – that’s for sure!! Your kitchen posts have inspired me to do a kitchen “Facelift” of my own…but that post hasn’t been written yet – it’s a work in progress… 🙂 I’ll keep checking back on your blog to check your progress, and happy painting!! 🙂

  38. I get so giddy & excited when I see posts about your kitchen!

    I can’t wait to see the finished project! I know it will be out of this world. Can I also say that I hope I can do as much as you do 7-8 months pregnant! You’re a rockstar!

    <3

  39. Will’s face in the Frog Tape picture is totally McKayla Maroney Is Not Impressed. And I’ll second the love for Frog Tape — I used it for one of those paint-an-Ikea-carpet Pinterest projects and it kept the lines crisp even though I was convinced it wouldn’t work.

  41. NOOOOOOOOOO! I read through all of that and I have to WAIT to see the painted everything?!?!?!??!
    Well, since I visit the blog every day I guess I’ll see soon enough!

  44. waiting patiently! I know it’s hard to do with only your weekends and a long commute for Jeremy…frustrating but rewarding! Your new kitchen will ROCK!

  46. Oh. My. Goodness. I’d shoot myself. You are a wonder woman for doing this while pregnant. We did our kitchen when we first moved into our house, but we didn’t spray anything, so we had a smudge less prep work. And our kitchen is half the size of yours. And I wasn’t pregnant. And my MIL was in town to watch the little people. You go girl (and Jeremy, too, natch!)!

  47. Prep work is the most frustrating and un-fun part for me. Y’all made it look fun and rewarding though. I’m just impressed that you were able to get up and down so much. I remember dreading sitting on the floor while pregnant because that meant I had to get myself up at some point.

  50. I’ll say it again….you are a trooper doing this while pregnant. =)

    Love love the pic of Will sitting on Jer’s leg while he’s unhooking the faucet. Too cute!!

  51. Wow, just WOW! I mean….WOW! Good for you, Katie! I mean, seriously – you’re like all kinds of baby-full-o-belly and I am just FLOORED at how much work this was. And you haven’t even painted yet!

    Silly question – did you guys just not feel like painting the insides of the cabinets or was that just not the style you were after or…? I certainly applaud your OCD but I’m just curious if there was a conscious reason behind cutting out the cardboard to cover the cabinets.

    But seriously – WOW! I can’t wait to see it all primed/painted!

    PS – I just saw your due date was roughly Nov 5 – are you hoping for a Halloween pumpkin? I’ve always thought growing up as a kid that would be the BEST time to have a birthday 🙂

    xoxo,
    Lindsay

  52. We are in the middle of our kitchen renovation as well, and I FEEL your pain! Cabinet sanding and painting is not for the weak of heart. We also ripped out floors, walls, and the old tile backsplash.. the dust is INSANE so prepping is a must. Believe me when I totally appreciate this post!! 🙂 You will not regret a single inch of the cardboard/frog tape you used!

  55. Girl… I am impressed. I am preggo too (not far along as you- due in march) and also have a two year old. I can barely get a load of laundry done. Forget about anything DIY related. You are an incredible woman!!! Cheers to you and your men 🙂

  56. We are considering painting our cabinets, but they are not real wood. They look very similar to your cabinets – same color, details on the doors and even the same rope-like trim at the top, and I am concerned about the whole sanding, priming, painting process and how the non-wood cabinets will hold up. I saw at the top of your post you discovered some of your cabinets are not real wood and that meant you were going to need to use an oil based primer. Is that what you’d recommend for cabinets like mine that are not real wood? For future reference (and another wood entertainment center I want to re-do), what kind of primer do you recommend for wood? Sorry for the long question, but I’m a novice DIY and my hubby is not handy and not excited about this project. I am also 7-8 months pregnant…with boy #3, and I think this project will be put off for 6-9 months for us. So, I admire you jumping in and getting it done before boy #2 arrives! Best of luck, and I cannot wait to see your finished kitchen!

  57. This is beautiful! Well in the way that frog tape, cardboard, paper and a ton of hard work is beautiful. 🙂

    It’s going to be so much fun to unwrap it all! Can’t wait to see it!

  58. Laughing out loud. Your humorous writing is JUST what I needed today (colicky newborn and a two year old = WINE AND EARPLUGS PLEASE!!) like “sticks out like Michael Jackson’s socks”. Love it. Thanks, you always give me a good chuckle and some beautiful eye candy to look at (your reno I mean!!)
    Irene

  59. That is SO much prep work! Good for you guys for taking the time to make sure you’re doing things right. I can’t wait to see the finished cabinets, I just know they’re going to be beautiful!

  61. i can’t wait to see the finished product!! * keep it up. sorry you have to do more than you wanted at the same ‘phase’ may God work that budget (and preg energy!) and bring it together.

    * ok, i can wait. i know that I’M not doing it, and that things in real life (done well) take time. good luck.

  62. It doesn’t have a chain or pedals…and no training wheels either. It’s simply for balance. We love it because Jer is a mountain/road bike maniac and we can’t wait till Will can join us in the fun 🙂
    xo – kb

  63. Yes. Oil based primer or shellac based primer are probably the best bet for you. You might even wanna do oil based paint. We went with akyloid paint but the primer is key!
    xo – kb

  64. We just simply didn’t paint the insides because the shelves are not solid wood and we are really really rough with dishes…so the only cabinets that got painted on the inside was the open one above the fridge and the glass door one to the right of the sink.
    And no…I seriously hope this baby comes either way before Halloween or a couple days after…I have costumes that must be worn 🙂
    xo – kb

  69. I feel for you guys… especially you being 30+ weeks pregnant during all of this!! I’m currently painting the cabinets in the house we’re moving to, and I was actually thinking of you as I primed them… I’m 12 weeks pregnant and only have 21 cabinet doors. From what I can remember you have 50+…. WHOA!! You go girl! I would have given up I believe! Can’t wait to see the finished product 🙂

  70. Wow! That’s a ton of prep work, but well worth it. Can’t wait to see the results!!

    PS – Highlight of my day right here because I can totally see my own boyfriend making a similar comment: “Jeremy had admitted that my hoarding of cardboard boxes was invaluable in this very particular and rare situation (he wanted to make sure I clarified that)” Thank you for that!

  72. I am impressed with your patience! How long did it take you to get all of that cardboarded, brown-papered, and frog-taped over?! I would have given up…but then again, your projects turn out way better than mine, so that’s probably why!

    I can’t wait to see the finished product!

  75. OMG! Looking good! I like the breakdown you gave us – with all the links of the progress thus far! I missed some of the action in the past, so it is nice to see how it is all coming together.

    Can’t wait to see more!

  76. Holy prep work! My sister is very precise and likes writing perfect block letters and has the patience to make scrapbooks. I think I should enlist her help when we’re in the prep stages of our kitchen redo! Good for you for having the patience to do it right the first time. I’m 27 weeks pregnant and we closed Monday on a 100 year old house. Luckily all of the major stuff is done but our Napoleons did some of the worst painting I’ve ever seen. The prep work is really intimidating but I know it will be worth it in the end!

  77. Another hint for using the Frog tape: Apply it, then moisten the joint edge with a damp cloth. That activates the “glue”, creating the bond ahead of time. I found that the Frog tape works well along the side edges of doors/windows/cabinets, but not as well along baseboards. I still like the caulk idea the best along baseboards.

  78. looks like you have taken a long time in preparation for the actual work. I hope you have not forgotten any piece of flooring ,tile and countertop uncovered

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