DIY: My weekend bathroom makeover

My half bath on the first floor was in need of some serious updating to suit my style. I had bi-fold doors for the laundry, but they made the space awkward and i couldn’t put the washer/dryer where i wanted them because their doors wouldn’t open…it was just awkward.

So, without going into much details since there are millions of DIY tips out there…here was how i spent my holiday weekend.

Before:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1198.snc4/154999_1469100138766_1571464210_31049778_944398_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs485.ash2/75886_1469100378772_1571464210_31049779_85251_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1141.snc4/148318_1469100458774_1571464210_31049780_6502524_n.jpg

Only took me an hour to rip everything up and out.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1189.snc4/154104_1469100658779_1571464210_31049781_7430078_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1156.snc4/149889_1469100858784_1571464210_31049782_2701928_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1123.snc4/148519_1469100978787_1571464210_31049783_3586315_n.jpg

installing the granite floor (i laid hardibacker board first):
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1183.snc4/150499_1469101298795_1571464210_31049784_6553264_n.jpg

to fully utilize my time…i also painted the edges around the trim and in corners:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs967.snc4/76007_1469101458799_1571464210_31049785_1658586_n.jpg

Painted and toilet installed:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1202.snc4/155403_1469101578802_1571464210_31049786_7169240_n.jpg

tile sealed and cleaned:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1233.snc4/156582_1469101778807_1571464210_31049787_1435808_n.jpg

the new laundry space:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1200.snc4/155232_1469101898810_1571464210_31049788_8135395_n.jpg

permanently removed the doors and will install storage cabinets when they arrive:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs975.snc4/76796_1469102458824_1571464210_31049791_2003371_n.jpg

vanity and lighting installed:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1207.snc4/155925_1469123579352_1571464210_31049807_4645062_n.jpg along

thought granite baseboards were a nice touch:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs495.ash2/76795_1469100018763_1571464210_31049777_3979573_n.jpg

LOVE the quiet close toilet seat and vanity doors.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1174.snc4/154610_1469102538826_1571464210_31049792_4902490_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1161.snc4/150376_1469102778832_1571464210_31049793_569184_n.jpg

and voila

i’m VERY pleased with how this turned out. Made the space feel so much larger and everything is so clean. I’ll update when i complete the laundry storage cabinets.

cool faucet! half baths are fun and easy :tup:

That faucet is pretty crazy.

Granite is a big :tup:

agreed… and not having a shower/bath makes it TONS easier. Hell it took me 4 days alone to tile my master bath shower.

Very cool, what kind of faucet is that?

Looks good. I’ll be interested to see how much storage and workspace you have for the laundry once the cabinets are in.

looks good. love the faucet.

Nice work, Josh. Thoughts on a black baseboard register to replace the white one?

Thank you for posting a picture of the faucet with water coming out of it because looking at the first pictures I had no idea how the hell it worked.

Very contemporary/modern look, like it a lot. Also as usual very nice workmanship too

my only gripe with that faucet is personally, when i wash my hands, i like to feel some actual water pressure to rinse away the soap. it almost seems like the water just kind of falls onto your hands with this one. Also, good thing there’s no tub/shower, that granite floor would probably be super slick if it ever got wet/steamed up from a hot shower. Looks cool though.

^thanks all

not sure, i purchased it as a complete unit with the vanity.

i had somethig in mind, but i wanted to get a better feel for how it would be once renovated. Once i know i want the washer/dryer where they are, i’ll finalize the plans. In general, i plan to have wall cabinets above the units and a standing cabinet to the side.

I was debating about making one, but i will likely just spray this one black. I wasn’t able to find one off-the-shelf that was already black.

---------- Post added at 11:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:12 AM ----------

i actually find it nicer because you have a really wide stream and can wash both your hands without moving them all over the place just to find the narrow stream. You literally have to just run your hand in and out once. Fully on, the stream is about 6" wide. I also find it double nice because of having kids they are blasting water all over the place trying to clean their hands. The only disadvantage i have come across with this faucet…is you can’t fill water balloons on it.

How do you properly cut curves into granite tile? Or any tile for that matter. I’ve never done it well. Just used nippers on ceramic…

basically a series of plunge cuts with a wet tile saw

Loving how the floor turned out. Nice work.

Great work Josh

Has anyone ever told you that you remind me of this guy:

http://www.hgtv.ca/global/ContentDirectories/Hgtv/Microsites/disasterdiy/host_bryan.jpg
(Bryan Baeumler Disaster DIY HGTV)

These threads have permanently installed you in my mind as the DIY expert, Bryan only stole your idea…I watch the show and am reminded of these threads! HA

haha…thanks. We have the same haircut! i have watched that show on several ocassions… HGTV has been 75% of what i watch since buying this place back in june.

Now it’s onto the kitchen…which i am REALLY excited to try out some ideas there

---------- Post added at 12:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 PM ----------

for what it’s worth…picking out the floor tile/color is one thing, but how you lay it out is equally as important in my opinion. If i had layed the tile in a simple pattern where all 4 corners meet at the same point…the effect wouldn’t have been as nice as doing this 1/2 tile offset.

I agree, I’m a big fan of Mike Holmes. Great show.

It definitely makes a difference!

if you have to cut a toilet, measure everything out… then each piece cut straight lines to your mark. then you can bash off the strips (if they havent broken off already) with a screw driver or whatever. and then you have to raise the blade (i dont know what kind of tile saw you have, i have one setup like a table saw where the blade is stationary(would not recomend… you get SOAKED lol), one where you move the tile towards blade, and blade can move up/down/angle, and one where the blade only moves back and forth vertical) … anyways it’s a lot easier to cut tile on the second one i mentioned. but after u get the strips off, you raise the blade and cut again til the mark (while the blade is down it will only cut about halfway thru the tile, so u will either have to do this or flip the tile over and cut it again) and then at this point if you have a good enough blade you can curve the tile around the blade and cut it pretty smooth.

it usually takes me almost 2-3minutes per tile if its for a toilet that is atleast 12", which is why i measure them myself and not someone else because if they fck up the measurements(which always happens) it ends up taking like a halfhour just to cut tile lol. If you take you’re time they will come out perfect. Even though its under the toilet it looks a lot better when someone pulls off the toilet to put in a new one or whatever. it’s pretty funny to see how shitty the cuts are some people do under the toilet… or piecing tile together lol.

/rant

bathroom looks great!!! since your trim is white, and toilet and your plugs and everything else i would leave the vent white as well.

and are your batteries for your drill hard to get out? mine kind of suck and i have to like slam them in, and then release the sides before it’ll come out. i have the same one