Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Tile And Grout An Outdoor Area

Remember when we tiled the floor out back earlier this month? Oh yeah, we barely do either.

how-to-tile-and-grout-an-outdoor-area

It has been such a drawn out process thanks to various battles with cold and rain that I can’t believe it’s taken this long to finally get to this: a (mostly) finished floor! Don’t mind that light looking grout (it’s actually charcoal gray – but we’ll get to that in a minute).

Tiling After Main With Furniture2

We’re really happy with how it turned out – especially compared to the stained cement floor that we started with (you can read more about why we opted to tile rather than just paint or stain the existing cement floor, and how we picked our tile here). But getting from then to now was definitely one of those DIY journeys with a few unexpected speed bumps, so throw on your most comfortable shoes, because we’re gonna cover lots of ground today. And it all ends in a budget & time breakdown for this entire project so far. Hooray numbers!

Tiling Before1

Let’s rewind to October 4th, I think it was. I had just finished prepping the floor with some self-leveling concrete so I was finally ready to bust out our tiles and tiling supplies. Basically mortar powder (brown bag) + liquid admixture (gray bottle) = thinset (aka the stuff that holds tiles in place). Since we were using large tiles, I mixed large batches at a time so a big bucket and paddle mixer were crucial.

Tiling 1 Supplies

I used my trowel to spread on a thin layer of thinset (which I like to be toothpaste-y in consistency). I did enough for about two tiles at a time, since I didn’t want to do too much and have it dry out before I could get the tile down.

Tiling 2 Spreading Thinset

Once it was spread smooth with the flat side of my trowel, I flipped the trowel over to the notched side and at a 45-degree angle I scraped grooves into the thinset. This helps to make sure your thinset is at an even depth before placing your tile. With big tiles you need a wider notch, so this a 1/2″ trowel. Oh and you can see the little x-like white spacers that we used between the tiles in this shot too. We went with 1/8th inch ones since the tile folks said those would work well with these tiles in an outdoor environment, and we tend to prefer small grout lines whenever possible.

Tiling 3 Notching

I quickly learned that one of the main challenges to installing tiles this large was keeping things level, since you want to avoid one tile from sitting higher or lower than the ones around it. And since we were doing a brick-layer pattern, it meant each tile was touching 6 other tiles. So trying to keep everything flush to everything else took some concentration and futzing. I “back buttered” whenever I needed to raise one corner slightly higher – basically applying some additional thinset to the back of the tile. Note: check out this post and this post for even more tiling info and additional pictures of other projects we’ve tackled.

Tiling 4 BackButtering

This is what I accomplished on that first afternoon spent tiling. It was definitely taking me longer than I had hoped. Not just because of the leveling-larger-tiles thing, but little tasks like mixing up batch after batch of thinset, lugging boxes of tile out from the garage, and making cuts here and there with the wet saw really ate up the day. You definitely can go faster with two people, but seeing as the lady-wife was dealing with some pretty gnarly morning all-day sickness, I went it alone (as she wistfully peered out the window between bathroom breaks).

Tiling 5 Friday Progress

Thankfully, I was able to finish up the tile job the next day. It took me from about 9:30 – 6pm, but piece by piece and hour by hour that floor was coming together. And I was slowly mummifying my hands with thinset splatters.

Tiling 7 John Working1

In the end, we’re really happy with our slate-like porcelain tile choice. Even when it’s wet it’s not slick like the smooth concrete floor used to be, which was a major concern of ours, and we also like how it goes with the deck and how the tile border that we added really elevates the look (more on how we planned that border here). My original hope was to grout a day or two after finishing things up out there, but Sunday was a wash because I could barely move (thanks to so much lifting, bending, hunching over the day before) and Monday was literally a wash because of rain. As was Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of that week.

Tiling 8 Rained On

When things finally started to dry out on Monday, it revealed something that a week of rain had hidden: splotches of dried thinset all over the surface of the tile. Despite my best efforts to keep the surface of my tiles clean (I used a damp cloth to wipe off any drips or excess as I went) – it’s a dirty job. Not helping matters was the natural texture of the tile (which is one of the things that makes them so gloriously non-slip) – it was apparently also great at capturing bits of thinset AND the color of wet thinset just happened to blend in with the color of the tile. So while I might have expected a bit of a haze on the tiles, these larger dots and smears weren’t apparent until the tiles dried out for a couple of days.

Tiling 9 Thinset Splotches

I was pretty frustrated, I’ll admit. The tiles that had looked so sparkly and new in the rain suddenly looked dirty and gross. But I found a tip online about washing them with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar to get rid of that thinset residue.

Tiling 10 Vinegar

That worked really well for removing the haze on the tiles, but the actual spots of dry thinset took a bit more work. With some combination of chipping things with a screwdriver, rubbing with some cheesecloth (damp with vinegar), and scrubbing with a nylon brush, I was able to get the spots off. Well, that and a lot of elbow grease. If you find yourself in the same spot (ha, pun!) I definitely recommend testing any of these methods in an inconspicuous area before assuming it won’t damage your particular tile. I was a bit worried about my screwdriver technique, but it worked out just fine – although I doubt it would have on something glossier like marble.

Tiling 12 Scrubbing

But I don’t want to downplay how tedious this unexpected cleaning task was (sometimes online DIY = look how simple this thirty step project was!). I think I spent a full morning and then some… and I still have some spots that I need to go back over. But on the bright side, my Cinderella impressions is pretty killer, no? I just need some cartoon mice and a cranky stepsister or two.

Tiling 13 John Washing

But you can see how much things improved from this extra bit of effort (and it’s definitely a kick in the pants to be more vigilant next time I tile).

Tiling 14 After Scrub

Since that whole cleaning adventure was about two weeks ago, you’d think I could jump right into grouting… but since we had to wait for the tile to be fully dry, my cleaning shenanigans put us back to square one (the tile needs to be completely dry for three solid days in order for those cracks between them to dry out and be ready for grout). And then, by the time everything was dry again, we had entered a cold snap and the grout bag said not to apply it in temperatures under 50 degrees. Kinda felt like a cruel joke that Mother Nature was playing on me. Which is why as of Monday morning (as in October 27) it still looked like this. Groutless and alone.

Tilling 15 Pre Grout

But that was soon to come to an end. Yep, this very week kicked off some serious grouting. Here’s what we used:

  1. Sanded grout (we chose a “charcoal” color which was inspired by liking the look of our dark thinset between the cracks)
  2. Flexible Grout Admixture
  3. Bucket for mixing grout
  4. Trowel for mixing grout
  5. Float for spreading grout
  6. Sponges for wiping off excess grout
  7. Bucket of water to keep sponges damp and clean
  8. & 9. Towels and paper towels for helping to keep things (including me) clean

Tiling 16 Grout Supplies2

Thanks to the massive amounts of thinset this job took, it wasn’t going to require much grout (since it was just for the cracks). Which is why I only mixed up very small batches at a time, so it didn’t dry out in the bucket before it could be spread. That’s also why I used a simple trowel, not a paddle, to mix my grout. Note: Since we used 1/8″ spacers with our tile, we actually could have used nonsanded grout for that sized gap, but the tile guys said sanded grout should add more durability since this is an outside area, so that’s why we picked it.

Tiling 17 Mixed Grout

I usually enjoy grouting because it’s so satisfying to see a job come to completion, and it’s not really what I’d describe as a challenging job (Clara could probably do it). Basically you use the float to smoosh grout into all of the cracks, trying to scrape off as much excess as you go.

Tiling 18 Floating

Then to smooth out the grout and further remove some of the excess, you use a slightly damp sponge to wash over the area you just grouted.

Tiling 19 Sponging

Since I was still reeling from my previous thinset mess, I paid close attention to trying to keep as much grout off my tiles before it dried as I could. It’s somewhat of a Sisyphean task (SAT word alert!) because pretty soon you’re just spreading it around. I tried refreshing my water frequently to keep from undoing my wiping too much, but it seemed that my sponge and bucket were black after just a wipe or two.

Tiling 20 Dirty Water

But I trudged along and managed to complete the task in about 3 hours.

Tiling 21 John Working

And just as I suspected, when things dried out we were left with that nice grout-y haze over the tiles. At least this time I was kinda of expecting it, since a post-grout film is something we’ve dealt with before.

Tiling 22 Haze

Since I knew I wanted to share this project in as complete a state as possible today, the picture above wasn’t going to do as an “after.” So later that afternoon I went over the floor again with a very damp sponge and some towels to try to wipe up as much of the haze as possible. It made a huge difference. And we really loved the grout color (this is a better depiction than that lighter-looking photos taken later).

Tiling 23 Grout Done

See what I mean about the grout looking lighter in this shot? According to the internetz, it’s probably just haze, and I’ve read a few suggestions that I’m going to try once I give the grout a few more days to fully cure and show its final color (hitting it with too much rinsing/water before it sets can permanently lighten it, so I don’t want to over-scrub it prematurely).

Tiling After Detail

One trick involves another 50/50 water & vinegar solution, and if that doesn’t work, there are some grout sealers we can use to boost its color (and even some grout colorants that we could take for a spin if we’re feeling so bold) so I’ll have to keep you posted.

Tiling After Door Step1

But those little lingering tasks aside, it feels pretty darn good to have this dang floor finally done… ish.

  Tiling After Main From Side1

The room as a whole still has things we’d like to attend to, like:

  • boxing in those wires that snake down the brick
  • hanging sconces on each of the columns around the room for eye-height light
  • doing something about that groovy intercom on the wall
  • adding more appropriate furniture (it’ll eventually all be outdoor-safe like deck furniture)

… but this is actually the closest it has looked to a finished space since we started this makeover back in August! And since we’re not sure how much more we’ll accomplish out there this season, we thought this was as good a post as any to drop a budget breakdown on y’all. Warning: it’s a lotta cheddar.

  • Wood to finish raw sides where sliding doors were removed: $194
  • Contractor to remove ceiling beams: $200
  • Electrician to move wires, create 2 fan fixture boxes: $318
  • Tongue-and-groove planks for ceiling: $297
  • Plywood to fill large triangles on either end: $85
  • Trim, paint, primer and caulk: $197
  • Fans & downrods: $260
  • Self-leveling cement & supplies: $150
  • Tile: $680
  • Thinset, grout and other tiling supplies: $490
  • TOTAL: $2,871

I know, it makes me wince, but what puts that budget into perspective is that just to replace the old foggy & broken extra-wide sliding doors would have been around $3,200 – and that’s without even lofting/planking the ceiling or tiling the floor. In the end, I think we would have been thrilled to spend less, but neither of us wanted to cut corners or cheap out mid-project. So once we got those broken sliders out, things like lofting the ceiling and tiling the floor became let’s-do-this-right choices that we made as we went (instead of shorter term solutions like painting the concrete, which we learned would mean we couldn’t tile it down the line).

And the difference is pretty exciting for us…

Sunroom Beforepic

Tiling After Main With Furniture2

Actually, if there’s anything I could take back, it’d be some of the time we’ve poured into the sunroom.

  Tiling After From Grill1

Not because I don’t like the outcome, but just that a lot of these tasks seemed to eat up big chunks of time. So here’s a very rough breakdown of time spent working in here over the last two and a half months:

  • Removing old sliding doors (more on that here): 5 hours
  • Trimming & caulking openings (more on that here): 3 hours
  • Demo-ing the ceiling (more on that here): 3 hours
  • Coordinating with the contractor & electrician (more on that here): 1.5 hours
  • Adding triangle panels (more on that here) and trim, twice (more on that here): 6 hours
  • Priming, painting, installing (more on that here) & caulking the ceiling (more on that here): 21 hours
  • Installing the fans (more on that here): 1.5 hours
  • Prepping the floor by scrubbing it, using self-leveler, and determining the pattern (more on that here): 2 hours
  • Tiling, cleaning & grouting the floor: 26 hours
  • TOTAL: 69 hours

I’m really bad at keeping track of time stuff, so take that number with a grain of salt. I’m also not sure where I mentally drew the line in terms of including / excluding tasks like cleaning, shopping for, driving to pick up, and photographing for the blog – all tasks that can quickly add up to lots of minutes that aren’t necessary representative of how the task will go for everyone. But the point is, it has definitely been a time intensive project – especially since morning sickness has kept us from being the dynamic working duo that we usually are. Thankfully it has completely been worth the effort (and the sweat, and the mumified thinset hands). Plus, look how much our offspring loves it out there…

Tiling Clara Playing

Aaaaand since this post isn’t long enough already. Sherry asked me to address two details that were asked about the last time we talked about the floor. First, here you can see how I installed those metal edging pieces. I put them and place and then thinsetted right over them before placing my border tile. A few folks asked if they held the tile in place. They don’t (that’s the thinset’s job) – they’re just aesthetic in providing a nice clean edge to the tile job and, in our case, helping your eye see the slight step up from the deck to the tile.

Tiling 6 Edge Piece

Which leads me to my next follow-up. The deck has always been slightly lower than the cement sunroom floor, and that distance has always varied slightly around the perimeter of the sunroom, but the metal sliders for the doors that encircled the entire room actually used to bump things up higher than they are now. So since removing those thick metal door slides and tiling, the transition between the two spaces is actually less dramatic. After living with it for a while now (the room has been open for over two months and tiled for nearly one) we haven’t had a single tripping incident, even with tons of kids/relatives/neighbors over, so we don’t think we’ll need any sort of additional transition or step, which we’re grateful for. We actually think the new tile makes the situation a lot less hazardous since the change in flooring is more obvious now. Here’s Sherry foot-modeling it for you.

  Tiling After Step Up

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of this post! That’s basically like defeating a White Walker or winning the Hunger Games. And speaking of hunger, we’re sticking a fork in the sunroom conversion project for the year since the weather is becoming cooler and the thing we’re most excited to do next (new furniture!) will probably have to wait until our bank account stops yelling at us – although Sherry trolls Craigslist every night on her phone like a crazy person.

What are you guys hoping to check off your list before winter comes a’ knockin? Or have you had weather (or other) pesky conditions interfering with a project’s progress recently? Boy can I relate.

Comments

  1. Vickie says

    A. I love the new tile!

    B. Glad to hear new furniture is on the list. The old daybed just isn’t going to cut it in this new fancified space.

    C. John, do your knees a favor and get some knee pads. Yes, I’m speaking from experience here.

    Reply

  2. Leah says

    Gorgeous! That is one FABULOUS outdoor space you guys!!! Great work, John. Sorry you’ve been feeling icky Sherry, that’s no fun! :(

    I am dying to see a pair of outdoor drapes up at each post and gathered to the posts with maybe something natural like rope… hope that’s part of your vision because it would look absolutely awesome!

    Reply

  5. Alison McP says

    We are in the middle of a kitchen renovation that seems the same way with the timing/expense. Seeing these results just reminds me that it is SO worth the hard work! Major props to John for staying motivated when you are sick-My husband would take my sickness as an excuse to just snuggle on the couch. haha. :)

    Reply

  6. heather says

    Our life is weather related items right now haha. The biggest thing, by far, is getting the siding done on the road-facing side of the house (the hayfield facing side is done).

    Also, the tile looks good – and I love that you pointed out that most DIY projects are much longer, and more tedious, than they tend to look in a blog post. I always feel like I’m WAY understating the work involved in something.

    Reply

  8. Jessica says

    Looks great. Glad you finally got a long enough break from the rain to finish. The “bricklayer” pattern you used is called a running bond pattern. Bricklayers can lay bricks in all sorts of different patterns.

    Reply

  9. Jennah's Garden says

    Grout will darken over time naturally from getting wet etc if you don’t seal it. (Or frequently reseal it, as our kitchen and bathroom floors show…sigh.) I’d venture to guess that after the winter and some rain/snow, it will be A-OK if you haven’t sealed it yet.

    Reply

  11. Wendy says

    Oh I how I wish I could have warned you about charcoal grout! We have it in our kitchen. It was getting an almost white “haze” on it shortly after we grouted. I tried cleaning it…nothing worked. Then I looked it up… its called grout efflorescence…and its a big PITA. I read that one of the things that would get rid of it is cleaning it with this acid…didn’t work. I ended up having to buy a charcoal color grout “dye” (for lack of a better word…I forget the actual name) to basically paint over the grout lines to keep them dark.

    Reply

  12. Melanie says

    Is it weird that I’m always so proud of you guys when you finish a big project? It feels weird. I think it’s because I’m great at coming up with ideas, but I’m super impatient (ok, let’s be honest…lazy) about executing them.

    Are you guys familiar with Meyers-Briggs? It’s a personality test that is eerily spot on. It’s kind of strange to read about your type and feel like it was written about you, but it’s SO interesting. Unsurprisingly, I’m an ENTP which is the Visionary (idea person), but it would be so cool for you guys to take the online test and do a post about that on a slow day. Of course if you felt weird sharing your results that would be totally cool…you should take the test either way just for fun :)

    Reply

  14. Amy says

    You have the most amazing patience. I love the look of tile but it is such a time suck installing (that, and I have a really bad habit of breaking tiles) so I’ll just drool over yours and be happy with laminate! :)

    Reply

  15. Paula W says

    Looks wonderful! I actually like the lighter grout since the lines are thin but I understand your wanting to syptain them, perhaps, and they will hide ‘grime areas’ better if darker….

    Do you plan to paint the brick? I didn’t notice whether you’d had that on your to-do list.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Since our whole house is brick (which is a coveted low-maintenance exterior in our area) we don’t plan to paint it, just because that would be upkeep, and we like that the area under the awning blends in with the rest of the brick exterior this way.

      xo
      s

  16. Isabel says

    Great job guys! It looks fantastic! I know how frustrating it is to want to get things done and not be able to do anything due to forces beyond your control… I’ve been dealing with one such force, human though, not natural, a.k.a., my mother. Not sure what I was thinking tackling the wallpaper removal project with her visiting. She actually got in on the action… all the while muttering “they’re crazy” under her breath. I tried explaining my approach to the process a few times, but she scoffed at everything I said and preceded to do what she thought was right. Cuz, you know, she has removed wallpaper, oh, about 0 times in her life! Needless to say, I promptly declared I needed a break from the project, which she took as defeat, and put things on hold. She left for home this morning and I can’t wait to get home tonight and go after that wallpaper!

    Reply

  17. Amy says

    I know it was a ton of work, but looking at an hourly rate for the 69+/- hours of labor means you saved a TON of money. Great job!

    Reply

  18. Katie says

    This is my favorite project you guys have ever done. And you did such a fantastic, professional job! I’m so in love with that outdoor porch that it almost makes me want to move to a suburb. Almost.

    Reply

  20. Krissy says

    In reference to your grout being lighter than you hoped, do you think it could be the flex additive? Our friend does flooring for a living (tile, hardwood, etc) and our other friend built his house on his own. The friend who built his house used a flex additive on all the grout in his entire house… so he didn’t think it changed grout’s color, but he also never saw his grout colors without the mix. Our pro friend said it lightens the grout. He didn’t tell us this until after our other friend lent us a bottle of the additive and we used it. So the top row and a half of tile around our wood stove is “delorean” grey, but the rest looks almost white. It irks me, so I try not to look too closely. I’ll be interested to see if you try any of those darkening tips!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh no! It definitely could play a role in it I bet! We have heard from so many people who have used charcoal grout and have the same issue (not sure if they all used flex additive) so it could be a combination of things too!

      xo
      s

  22. Anne says

    John, I want to buy you some knee pads. I know you’re a manly man and all, but I think you might like them. :-) The tile looks fantastic. Way to go on a huge project!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oddly enough I have tried them over and over again (even different brands) and HATE them! They hurt more than not wearing them at all. I must have weird knees.

      -John

  23. Laura says

    I second what others have said about grout dye. We had the same issue with efflorescence in the gray grout in our newly tiled marble bathroom. Had the tile guys back out to fix it and they applied the dye and sealed the grout and we haven’t had problems since. Don’t know why this seems to happen with gray grout, but it’s definitely worth the time and energy to fix it – it would’ve bugged me everyday!!

    Reply

  24. Fiona says

    I’ve heard that the admixture for the grout can discolor it (make it lighter). My brother-in-law is a professional tile installer who is tiling my bathroom right now and he is refusing to use the admixture I bought from the tile shop for the grout. Looks like I’ll be doing some grout testing tonight!

    Reply

  25. Brenda says

    Its gorgeous, I love when you guys do a project and the concern is more for the outcome of the project than trying to budget and finishing things cheaply. it leads to a lot better quality finish! Good job guys!!

    Reply

  26. Carli says

    Way to go you guys!! It sounds like this was a marathon project, but it looks fantastic. Hopefully you use the heck out of this space. You deserve to!

    Reply

  27. Ginger says

    That is so beautiful! Nice work! I always feel that every project that I do takes twice as long as anticipated..if not more. Way to go!

    Reply

  28. TheGobblin says

    I noticed you didn’t use a sealant, will that come at a later time after everything is dried or is it not required for outdoors.. (I don’t have a clue about tiling.) Maybe I skipped that paragraph while gawking at your pictures.. =T

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, we need to seal it all, but you have to wait for things to set before doing that, and we want to get the color right before we seal it in forever, so we think we’ll do that after John tries to restore the color (so we’re sealing our desired tone in).

      xo
      s

  29. lauren says

    It looks amazing!

    Ugh I hear ya on weather stuff. It snowed 8 inches here in Wyoming in mid-September! We have a pretty short outside DIY window :/

    Reply

  30. Patti says

    A job very well done! And I learned a new word (sisyphean: relating to Sisyphus; endless but futile labor). You guys are the kings of sisyphean tasks!

    Reply

  31. Meg says

    Did you guys ever talk about removing the electric heating? I think that’s the most intimidating aspect of a turning an indoor space to an outdoor space. Did the electrician do it?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It wasn’t operable when we moved in, so we just had to disconnect the old heater (it was falling off the wall already so one tug did that). John then pulled the wires down into the crawl space under the deck and sealed them off in a box just so they’d be to code, even though they weren’t active.

      xo
      s

  32. Roxanne M says

    You guys, it looks fantastic! Love the big tile and the layout. We did this same tile in our old home on the porch. I miss it, so I can live vicariously by looking at yours :) We also did the metal edging and it really made the look.
    Also, I have the same shoes Sherry. Though mine don’t have paint (or Clara star stickers? Can’t tell!) :)

    Reply

  33. Jane says

    I am not too fond of the colour,it kind of looks dirty to me,to each their own but im in awe of the efforts you put in doing stuff that you love and John,I have no idea where you get that patience and strength.The sunroom is getting gorgeous :) I wish you tons of happiness and a healthy little baby and also a little bit of money so that u may build that fireplace u want much sooner than planned,i can just imagine Sherry rocking the baby on the patio during summer. ;__; my feels.

    Reply

  34. Jackie says

    I love the look!!! Beautiful job!! Well worth the time and effort. You’ll all enjoy your new outdoor room for years to come.

    Reply

  36. Sarah says

    Oh, all that time! But the end product is so beautiful. You guys have really great vision, and it’s fun to see it all come together. As a northern-prairie dweller (read: loooong and bitter winters) I am envious!

    Reply

  38. Ursula says

    I like it, it definitely steps it up a level or three! It would be too risky for me, but you guys have balls, which I respect.

    Reply

  40. Diane says

    I love how John finished the step going into the house with tile. That must have taken him extra time to fit and cut the tile for such a finished look. The whole floor has a very professional look to it..well done John!!!

    Reply

  41. Molly says

    The tile looks amazing — very warm and inviting. Are you concerned about having a day bed mattress outside? Are you doing anything special to protect it from the elements/animals?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, that’s not a solution for the long haul! So far it has been under the awning enough to shield it from rain, but we wouldn’t leave it out in the winter or anything. It just sort of landed there when we moved (when the room had doors) and has remained for a while.

      xo
      s

  42. Dawn says

    I’ve been making this outdoor sectional from Ana White:
    http://ana-white.com/2010/05/plans/simple-modern-outdoor-sectional-armless-section

    I made each piece out of 2x4s and increased the dimensions to make it more deep seating. Each piece cost $60 to make, including these cushions:
    http://www.lowes.com/pd_18705-40488-NDS-001_4294781256__?productId=3880121&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=

    The West Elm version would cost $360 for each piece. It takes me about a day to make each piece, without any help. I love my Kreg Jig! Consider making your patio furniture — it’s easy! (Btw, the sectional looks really professional).

    Reply

  43. Amanda B. says

    Ugh, weather. We bought all the supplies for re-sealing our deck (wash solution, stain/sealer, brushes) back in August. However, between a newborn, weekend trips, and so.much.rain, we still haven’t gotten it done. Aaaaand now it’s too cold. (That 50-degree threshold applies to deck stain too.) Waiting til spring!

    Reply

  44. Theresa says

    I’ll give you a tip about your too light color, don’t seal it and let nature do the work for you!
    I learned that the hard way, didn’t seal the grout after our kitchen renovation. The grout on the floor is way darker than the back splash now.
    I now am trying to find a way to get it back to its original.
    The tile installer just finished our main bathroom and I am about to apply grout sealer…tedious!

    Reply

  45. Natasha says

    I can’t wait to see what y’all come up with to solve your intercom problem! I have the same ones, I think, inside and out in our 1980’s fixer-upper. At first we sort of liked them and the ability to call upstairs. And the house-wide stereo system is a nice idea but the sound quality is so poor after all these years we never use them now. Inside we could just drywall over the holes and bury the wires. I am hoping that’s legal since they probably have low voltage wires??? But outside I wouldn’t have any idea how to repair the hole in the brick even if I could find ones to match. We even thought about a new system but it was in the thousands just for materials and then add on labor! Hope you two have some awesome ideas coming soon, but if not, I can be patient since I have tons of other projects to tackle in the meantime… ;-)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yeah, I keep thinking it would be fun to make it an ipod system for the whole house or something but we hear it’s pricey so we’ll have to see where we end up!

      xo
      s

  46. Sooozi says

    Hi guys – I think this is my first comment, though I’m a longtime reader. Less than 2 weeks full time work for the huge amount that you have accomplished really isn’t much time at all! Eg. I’m currently doing over a metal chair: by the time I’ve sanded, primed, painted x3, and recovered the seat it will easily be 10+ hours for just a chair!
    The whole expanding YHL family will be able to enjoy the new outdoor space for many hours for years into the future, so 69 hours has really been quite a small amount of time for the long-term value overall.

    Reply

  48. Meg @ Meg Acts Out says

    Looks gorgeous!!! You’ve gotta be the most patient DIYer I’ve ever known…er, read. :-) We’ve been putting off some outdoor paint projects, but between rain and freezing weather, it looks like Friday is the only option for the long haul. Hoping to get it in!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes! It’s a huge difference. The funny part is that the doors fogged up and had screens so I’d say it’s nearly 50% lighter with those off and sun just streams through without obstructions. The living room still isn’t the brightest room because of the awning of the sunroom (the rest of the rooms in the house don’t have any overhang behind them) but it has definitely been a big upgrade.

      xo
      s

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