The clear shower curtain is thrown over the wrap-around shower rod to keep it out of the way for the best light in this photo showing my overhead shower head that comes out of the ceiling.
Here's another shot with the show curtain pushed all the way open.
I bought this amazing WORKFORCE caulking gun from the Home Depot. The manager of the Paint Department suggested this one when I told him I wanted the best one they sell and he gave me a demo. He also told me to cut the smallest hole from the caulk tube tip. I should have twisted the barrel around so you could see the name. It's very light weight and was the most expensive one they had @$9.97. I love it. It has a ratchet rod---see photo below with the space bar. It clicks when you squeeze the trigger. When you are working, the hook is turned up so the notches on the rod are facing down. When you want to quit and rest the hook is turned down and the notches are up. Here's how I remember it -- Down Time, want to take a break, turn hook DOWN. Break over. Get UP and go back to work. Turn hook UP. For some reason, this item is getting bad reviews on the HD website but I absolutely love it. If you want to caulk like a girl, buy this one. Smile.
Secret weapons to use when caulking. I watched this YouTube Video of an English contractor using a popsicle stick or paddle pop. Skip over to 230 so you won't have to watch him eat it. This tip really works. I got the best thin bead using the popsicle stick but it was too thin and didn't adequately cover both the tile and the tub. So I reapplied and used this bigger stick that I found in my craft supplies. Pictured is a 6" ruler. You can probably buy these sticks at Michael's. I have several and I'm guarding them carefully.
I love my honed marble subway tiles with the black diamond border. You can't see it because of the mess on the floor but there's a large black diamond in the middle of my floor. I'm so happy to be finished with this job. xo
This is the silicone sealant I used. Soap and water cleanup. Will last for at least 20 years and by then, I won't care.
14 comments:
I sincerely don't think a professional could have done a better caulking job. Oh, wait. I think you are a professional now! :o)
Did you do the tile work as well?
Karen
i'm so impressed!
i just can't quit grinning!!!
WELL DONE!
not to mention it's positively beautiful too!
Mama Pea....
It's the Virgo curse -- trying to be perfect. If I'm going to do something, I try to do it well -- or not at all. Glad you approve.
xo, Rosemary
Karen....I have one loose floor tile. Plus I discovered that the small baseboard between the tub and the door is deteriorating due to water damage. I'm thinking about removing it entirely and putting wall tile all the way to the floor. I'm still working out this project in my head. I'm quite sure I can do the tile work. Actually, nothing scares me except power saws and heights.
xo, Rosemary
tammy j -- thank you for your words of praise.
xo, Rosemary
Wow! I am amazed!(that word is so over-used,but in your case it works) at your many talents. Annette
Looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing and the tips. One question: how do you keep your grout looking so pristine?
Are you kidding??? You have had 6 million (almost 7 million) readers of your blog; and you buy tools at "yard sales"; and do your own bathroom tiling?
And you have the divine "superego" Webster.....and your Mother's kitty, Tabitha.....(not to mention your divine Mother until last year!!)
God just looked at you; and said....."She....she gets it ALL!!!!!"
The only explanation!!!!
yowzers! That bathroom!
ps yes take that wood out and replace with tile...."a piece of cake" compared to the rest of it!!!!
I am still scratching my head. Yikes!
Penelope....I am still working up the nerve to remove that small baseboard. Thanks for your kind words. My mother was very handy too. She painted her entire condo in Charlotte when in her late 70s before she came to live with me. She duct taped her paint roller to a golf club in order to reach up high to do the stairwell. I got all of my smarts from her.
xo, Rosemary
Jeannine -- I cleaned my grout before I started the caulk job. My bathroom was gutted in 2002 and I didn't move in until 2004 so the tile and grout have been used for only 10 years. I had a lot of pink mildew before I cleaned the wall grout. I've been doing a lot of reading about cleaning grout as you can well imagine. Bleach is very caustic and will make the deteriorate and crack. From now on I will spray down my walls with straight hydrogen peroxide. I got two big brown bottles from Costco. I took off the original cap and in put a sprayer. It kills bacteria and there's no need to rinse, You can make a paste by mixing it with baking soda too.
I'm still not finished with my bathroom project so I have yet to take a shower but I can still use the tub. I still have to do some grout repair on the floor tiles and I plan. Now that I've started, I can't stop. Yikes.
xo, Rosemary
Congrats ... You are amazing. Just amazing.
Karen in VA
Rosemary......uhhhh....I'm speechless.
Who needs to view a tutorial on YouTube, you just gave us one in this post.
I have to do the dreaded caulking of two two tubs in my home. I've done it before but you gave me some excellent knew hints. I'm heading to HD this weekend to find the $9.97 caulking gun you gave such an excellent testimonial.
I come from a family of seamstresses, carpenters and DIYers. I hate to pay people to do what I can do myself. I think we are like minded in that way. I also tend to make the biggest messes whenever I'm doing a project, wish I could be tidier but I've not figures out how to do that yet.
Your honed tile is beautiful and I love that you have crown molding in your cottage bath. It's always such a treat to get peeks into Rosemary's world/cottage.
QV -- Victoria....Get the DAP Kwik Seal Plus premium kithen & bath adhesive sealant. Waterproof and Easy Clean-Up. This is what my hero at the Home Depot recommended because it's soap and water cleanup. I already had the GE caulk in my cart. He said that one required Mineral Spirits for cleanup and it would stick to my fingers. The GE stuff was guaranteed for 30 years. He said the DAP would probably last for 20 years. By then I'll be 92 if I'm still alive and won't care.
Good luck, Rosemary
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