They say that home-ownership is the American dream; unfortunately for those that buy a fixer-upper; that dream can quickly turn into a nightmare. My wife and I have personally remodeled three homes over the past 25 years we have been together and after the last one she finally said; never again!
Construction can be stressful on a relationship; especially when you are living in the house while doing the work. Constant noise; dust and cost overruns are probably the biggest complaints of people that have remodeled their own home. I can’t help you with the dust or noise, but there are several methods of keeping costs inline; especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
Solid surface countertops have been popular in new construction and remodeling projects over the last several decades; homeowners want a little more sophistication to their rooms instead of the old chipped laminates of their parent’s generation. Luckily for the cash strapped remodeler that wants the look and strength of a granite countertop without the cost; inexpensive concrete can be the solution. Bandwagonbetty bought a log home that he and his wife decided to remodel and they did a great job of documenting the project. Below is a brief overview of the waterfall countertop that they built.
Start with your base cabinets installed
Form the base and sides
Add re-bar and bend it over the side
Add end form and brace overhangs
Add perimeter bracing and make your pour
After allowing it to set, cross your fingers
Seal the cement
Stand back and admire your work
For more details and to see the complete project; click on the link below. Good luck with your remodeling project!
…Log Home Reno
When applying the seal, make sure your space is well ventilated! The smell was pretty terrible the first day, but had pretty much completely dissipated by that evening, and no trace at all the following morning. –bandwagonbetty
Concrete Countertops Made Simple: A Step-By-Step Guide
With his first bestselling book, “”Concrete Countertops,”” designer Fu-Tung Cheng brought homeowners and contractors an affordable, attractive alternative to expensive granite, marble, and man-made countertops. Now, he takes his concrete revolution one step further with this remarkable DVD/Book set. In seven simple steps, Cheng takes the reader through the process of designing, forming, pouring, finishing, and installing a concrete countertop that will look great and survive the test of time
