More than once I’ve moved into an older home and met the same fate. Sure, the floor plan was classic and the structure was interesting, as houses built in the fifties are. But a walk into the shower bath always meant the same horror:
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Wall-to-wall pink tiles. The real thing.
Of course, you might have been more lucky than I. You might have bought a house with the blue tiles. Either way, though, both of us had the same thought, didn’t we?
This has got to go.
Luckily for us, there are a lot of options out there for remodeling your shower bath tub, and most of them don’t require that we go at our own walk in shower bath with a jack hammer. Though it may be tempting.
Bath Fitter
I know you’ve heard of the bath fitter. This is a revolutionary idea by someone I could get to know. Don’t worry that remodeling your bathroom is going to become an Olympic event, because after the free initial visit, these guys can custom-make a shower or bath liner that fits right over your existing fixtures – making the whole thing look brand new.
Bath fitter liners are made of scratch-resistant acrylic and are designed to last for years. It’s like that funky old pink tile never happened. They can even get rid of those old dated fixtures and replace them with matching accessories, all to your specification.
Bath Assist Grab Bar
Once you’ve got that shower looking just the way you want, it’s time to add something necessary that still manages to look good: the Bath Assist Grab Bar.
You don’t have to be eighty to need something like this. I’ve fallen in the bath back when I was a teenager. These sturdy devices are held in place, either on the wall of the shower or on the lip of your bathtub, by two strong suction cups. They’re designed to look nice and compliment your shower stall bath, and are shaped liked rotary phone receivers. Just remember, though, that these are not meant to be able to support your full weight, so no shower acrobatics.
Countertops: You Could Actually Do This Yourself
Countertops really aren’t that difficult to install. I’ve done it myself and, as you can probably tell, I’m a woman.
It does require a certain amount of professional home tools, though. You’ll need a circular saw, for one thing, a decent sander and a reliable tape measure (most are reliable – I was actually referring to the person doing the measuring). Countertops are sold in a certain length, and it’s up to you to cut it down to size.
Most countertops aren’t that expensive. Check our your local hardware department store. I’m thinking Lowe’s or Home Depot, obviously. You can choose from several different styles and finishes, and general lengths.
Remember that when you have to work your counter into a corner, you need to be very precise with your diagonal cut, and should sand down any jagged edges before you install the countertop. Cut the countertop upside down, this will reduce scarring to the top finish.
If you’re interested in going the super simple route, that is, you want to install laminate on top of your existing counter, just remember to use a router with a laminate blade, otherwise you’re going to have a serious mess on your hands. I know.
I almost forgot to tell you that dismantling the old countertop is going to be an awful lot of fun. Grab yourself a decent five-pound mini-sledge and start releasing some aggression. By the way, this is how I broke my thumb, so be careful.
The Bold Look of Kohler: This Part is Easy Too
Just about any lovely bathroom fixture you drool over can be installed yourself – it really isn’t that hard. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole thing is making sure that the plumbing fits the existing piping. This is going to require an inventive assortment of connections, available, once again, at your local hardware store.
It’s really no more than a mapping logic problem. Simply make sure that the couplings are all the right size.
When it comes to your fixtures, be it Kohler or whatever, take a look at the sink you’re buying. What does it have an opening for? A one-piece faucet with knobs? Separate faucet and knob? That sprayer thing added? (I wouldn’t recommend that for a bathroom.) It’s no more complicated that your average jigsaw puzzle. You’ll get it figured out.
And at the end of the day, you’ll have a bathroom there bears little trace to its’ fifties heritage. For that may you be thankful.
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- How To Clean a Shower Curtain?
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