Showroom Remodel Step 3..... The Foyer Floor

In order to go ahead with our showroom remodel, we needed a new foyer floor. Something with impact and breathtaking!!!!

So we decided, after much debate and careful consideration of our alternatives, to go with a water based concrete stain. This meant tearing up the ceramic tile that was here originally.

Tools for tile tear up

Tile demo hammer
Sledge hammer
chisel
safety goggles
gloves
trash can
flat blade shovel
band-aids

shop vac
time

In order to tear up tile, you need a removal method. We chose a tile demo hammer. This was a rental item. We rent from a local place near our showroom.

The ceramic tile was put down with toughest stinky mess ever created and then it got old. The demo hammer was employed for about an hour of work. Then the hard part part began....thin set removal (or whatever that evil stuff was).

This stuff did NOT want to come up. It was old and cranky. We tried multiple methods of removal..vinyl adhesive remover, various chemicals. Then we went back to the rental place and got a 17" rotating floor buffer with a diamond grinder and sand paper with several different grit levels (80 and 100).

Then back to the showroom. We put the sander to work. Little circles, little circles and slowly it comes off. Much blood, sweat, tears, and band-aids later, we are down to bare concrete. Then we had to clean up the mess. Employ the shop vac.

Ready for round 2....

                                            

How to Etch and Age Sheet Metal... (For Crafty Purposes)...

As you know, we are getting a new counter for the showroom as part of our remodel. We will be incorporating both aged barn wood and metal in this counter, as well as a center placed 250 gallon freshwater fish tank. The barn wood portion of the counter will be provided by Barn To Be, a small company that remakes old barns into family heirlooms. Mr. Jeremy Virtue is the proprietor.

In order for the sheet metal we chose to match the aged barn wood, we decided to help it along. The sheet metal was purchased from our local welder. It has protective coating to prevent major rusting and corrosion. In order to age the metal to match the barn wood, steps had to be taken.

Here is our process for aging the sheet metal....

Materials Needed:

Sheet Metal
Utility Broom
Water Hose
Muriatic Acid            -Purchase from any hardware store or pool place
Hydrogen Peroxide   -purchase from basically anywhere
Salt                            -Regular plain salt purchased from anywhere
Large Spray Bottle    -purchased from hardware store

Step 1.... You will need to pour the muriatic acid onto the sheet metal. This will need to sit for at least 6 hours. This gives the acid the time to take off the protective coating and pits any weak places in the metal. (This is what will make the most reaction for step 4)

Step 2....Waiting, waiting, Waiting (boring, boring, boring but worth it) Try an activity to keep your spirits up.

Step 3...Removing the muriatic acid

When your 6 hours are up, wash the acid off with a hose and scrub with a utility brush to remove any traces of acid. Let dry.

Step 4... Mixing your peroxide and salt

Step 4 requires a place outside where your sheet metal can be left alone to do its thing.

You will need to use a large spray bottle. Pour 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of plain table salt into your spray bottle. Then add 4 cups of peroxide to the salt. Shake to mix. Spray liberally on to metal. Repeat spray portion whenever the mixture dries. Leave for at least 12 hours or longer depending on the aging reaction you require. More time=more rust. We chose a 12 hour wait.

Step 5.... Waiting, waiting, Waiting (boring, boring, boring but again worth it)

Plan activities that will keep your mind off your metal project. Checking on it will NOT help it age faster. Try twiddling your thumbs, counting sheep, cleaning house, watching t.v. or napping.

Step 6....Removing the salt/peroxide mixture...

When your time is up, again wash the mix off with the hose and scrub with utility brush to remove any extra mixture. Let dry.


Your sheet metal is ready to rock... Or in our case ready to be attached to the barn wood fish tank counter....

Showroom Remodel Step 2........

We tear down the counter. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Materials required. A crow bar, a drywall knife, screw drivers (both a Phillips and a flat head)  and Dean. (IF you do not have a Dean, another person maybe substituted.)

We used the dry wall knife to cut away all the drywall and to cut it loose from the wall holding it up. Break the counter top off with a few well placed blows from the back of the crow bar. Out the door. (Where we will recycle it).

Dean

We will reuse all the 2 x 4's for other projects. The claw end of the crow bar was employed to pry loose the concrete nails holding the base to the floor. The nail holes left behind will be covered by the new counter. Time elapsed 45 minutes.

On to our next adventure!!!!

We have begun our showroom Remodel.....

We started with baby steps..

Painting the outside of the office. Green is our favorite color and so won the color race with ease.

Once the color was settled, a trip the our neighborhood hardware store was required. Then came the hard part.... (hear the scary shark movie music inside your mind)...Deciding on the perfect shade of green.

Do you know how many shades of green there are and how many you can make by adding little bits of other colors??? Well do you??

The number is infinite. Finally after long debate a shade of green was chosen. This shade was applied to the office wall and peace reigned in the showroom....for a little while.

Yourplumberscrack Remodels the Showroom.

We are in the process of remodeling our showroom. I thought maybe you would like to take a walk through the process with me.

We will share pictures and our thoughts about this process as we go along. Bear with us as this has been a lengthy process. We will share the tricks we have learned while tearing down counters, ripping up carpet and tile, adding the stain to the exposed cement and painting the walls.

Showroom Today....