Upgrading Your Bathroom Doesn't Have to Sap Your Time or Deplete Your Wallet
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Transcript:
Is your bathroom in need of a quick pick me up? Well, here are five easy-to-do projects that won't eat up an entire weekend or deplete your wallet.
Plain or outdated bathroom floors can be easily given the wood look with vinyl plank flooring, tough as nails and remarkably flexible. This innovative flooring from Lumber Liquidators is resistant to water and wear, it's called a floating floor system and sits atop a cushion underlayment that goes right over just about any existing floor. Each plank interlocks with the next without the need for glue or nails. The material can be easily cut with a miter saw, a laminate floor cutter or even a utility knife. A jigsaw works for curved cuts and a whole saw produces circular cutouts of any size. Typically wall trim is removed and the floor is installed leaving an expansion gap around the edge, which is covered when the trim is reinstalled. Planks interconnect along both the edges and ends, making the installation not only easy, but surprisingly fast. Adding a wood floor to a bathroom makes a remarkable improvement.
A wall cabinet above the toilet adds a nice touch to any bathroom. Begin by deciding the best location, mark the bottom edge, then draw a level line. Locate and mark the center of the toilet tank, then extend a vertical line upward to the level line and mark the intersection. Next find and mark the center of the cabinet bottom. If you're working alone, a couple of two by fours will provide temporary support. Place the wall cabinet on top and align the center marks. Using a pencil are awl mark the location of the mounting holes, remove the cabinet, drill holes for wall anchors, insert the anchors, snug up the anchor collars and snap off the strap. Set the cabinet back on the support pieces, insert the mounting bolts and tighten. Attach the doors and enjoy this practical and eye pleasing improvement.
Replacing a conventional wall switch with a motion sensing version works two ways. It turns the lights on when you enter the room and automatically shuts them off a minute or two after you leave. To install one first turn off the power of the circuit breaker, next remove the cover plate, back out the mounting screws, pull out the existing switch and unscrew or cut the two wires, which are usually black, then strip the insulation off the ends of the cut wires. This motion sensing switch from Lutron can be programmed with different on / off options and can also be operated manually. To install it, twist together the wires on the switch with those coming from the box and secure them by twisting on the provided wire nuts. Carefully fold the wires, tuck the switch into the box and secure it with the mounting screws. Finally, snap on the cover plate. You've now got a hands free automatic switch that comes on when you enter and shuts off on its own when the room is empty.
The curved shower rod is quite popular in hotel bathrooms these days. You can enjoy more elbow room in your own home shower by installing this improvement for yourself. Begin by locating the correct position for the support brackets, hold the fixtures in place, and mark the mounting holes. If your tub surround is tile like this one, use a center punch to create a small depression in the face of the tile. This will prevent the drill bit from sliding or skating. Using either a conventional electric drill equipped with a carbide masonry bit or a rotary hammer drill like this one, bore through the tile. Insert plastic anchors in the holes and tap them flush with the surface. Tape the brackets in place to leave both hands free to work, insert and tighten the mounting screws. The shower bar slides into the support fixture and is secured with pins which are themselves held in place with locking screws on the bottom. It's truly amazing how much roomier your shower will feel with this improvement.
These stacking slide out baskets are guaranteed to make better use of the storage space inside your bathroom vanity. They're secured in place with mounting tabs that are attached to the cabinet bottom. The units come in different sizes and can be stacked to make full use of available space top to bottom. They also make it easier to access things that would otherwise be lost in the back of the cabinet.