Tiling Project

Our plan for the summer was to continue to focus on the basement (electric/plumbing/ insulation/drywall) and also to get the gross stone/plywood stairs outside the front door knocked down and a lovely new deck built! By now you would have thought we would have learnt that what we think something should cost, will actually cost three times that and then some!!! So that being said, and the fact Chris was down all summer recovering from back surgery (:-<) we did none of these things!!

What we did do though is pay a tiling expert (Specialized Tiling) to finish some of those nagging jobs we had outstanding in the upstairs of the house! The first being the kitchen backsplash! Both Chris and I agreed that we didn't think the kitchen looked bad prior to the backsplash - but looking at the before and after pictures it is very clear that we have been living in this house too long and are oblivious to how unfinished it really did look!! The lovely glossy grey subway tiles (from Lift Flooring Studio - Eagle Vail) really finish the kitchen off and go well with the grey cabinets, stainless steel appliances and dark granite countertop!

Kitchen sans backsplash

Lovely grey subway tiles with a contrasting white grout!

You can tell a pro did this - symmetrical tiles either side of the window frame!

The kitchen is now finished!

We also decided to get some of the other tiling jobs completed while we had pros here. You may remember I tiled the floor under the pellet stove, which was probably one of the first projects I did in the house! Almost two years later, Chris tiled the wall but was unsure of how to join the tiled wall, with the dry wall. Another year later, and the tiling is now finished!!

Before.

After.

Finally, the step in the bathroom, with the lovely carpet edge from the bedroom hanging through!  While  I managed to tile the floor, shower and vanity in the bathroom - this step was too much! So happy with how it turned out! With only the vanity lighting left to do in the bathroom - we almost have 3 rooms upstairs completely finished! 

Before.

After.

Insulation

The framing was complete. Next step - insulation. We decided on blown insulation because three of our exterior walls were only 2 by 4's - so maximum R value would only have been R-15. Not ideal when temperatures outside get pretty darn cold. With the blown - which is made up of chopped newspaper - we could get an R value of 20. For the ceiling it would be R-50!! Plus we wouldn't have to deal with the itchyness of fiber glass -  it was therefore an easy decision! So yesterday and today our insulation guys got to work, and started making the house nice and toasty!

Firewall done.

Exterior walls and ceiling done

New front windows in and walls insulated!

Blown insulation between studs.

Plastic making a good, level base for the R-50 insulation!

Double toastyness !! Blown insulation and the roaring pellet stove!!

Pellet Stove

In Eagle County, unless you have an existing fireplace, chimney or wood burning stove - you are not allowed to install one, due to concerns with smog and polluting the atmosphere. Understandable - but not great for Chris and Helen, who enjoy a good fire and who would like a cheaper heating option. Fortunately, we discovered one option. A pellet stove. Very efficient, they use old bettle kill wood, which has been reduced to saw dust and re-formed into pellets. Cheaper than gas, and looks cool!!

So on wednesday - our new pellet stove from New Earth Pellets was installed. Last weekend, I had made a fire-resistant base for it to sit on, and had my first tiling experience. Successful to a point. It was too cold to grout the tile - so at present the tiles remain fixed with just mortar !! Pretty pleased with the outcome.

Awaiting grout - we tried to warm the tiles up with space heaters - but when its -10F outside, and probably inside too - it was difficult to bring them up to 45F - which was needed for grouting!!

Pellet stove (needs a dust !!)

The pellets drop out of the little latch on the back wall - and are lighted by a spark. Depending on the air temp, and desired temp on the thermostat - more or less pellets are plopped into the stove!! Super cool !!

Lit and heating away!

Location of pellet stove - corner of living room - kitchen is going to be straight ahead - and you can see new kitchen window in place!