Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Fall/Winter Projects , 1 by rcn48

rcn48 wrote:
Roses, he didn't actually mention the name of the product, only that you have to mix it. I had already decided to nix his suggestion and go forward with the thinset I have. However, evidently Rick got more information than I did when we saw him and he wants to make yet ANOTHER trip to Lowes to find the "right" stuff :( I'll probably be glad that I'm taking his advice because most all DIY instructions indicate that you should start from the bottom and I really need to start from the top under the range hood. If I used the thinset I have on hand I'd probably end up standing there holding them like you! LOL Not that it helps now since your project is already finished but it's usually suggested that before starting to tile any "open" areas (like behind a stove) to nail a board across the bottom to hold the first row in place. I'm hoping I won't have to do that because the row of tiles that will be along the back edge of the stove will have to be cut and will only be a couple of inches high. I'm doing it "backwards" of what most people do, I'm starting my full tiles along the top under the range hood and cabinets :)

I spent the whole day yesterday hanging pictures in the kitchen so didn't get much accomplished and no pictures of the project yet. I can't believe how long it took me to clean the glass of the frames, measure and finally get them on the wall :( Used to be I'd just wing it but with freshly painted walls I wanted to be sure I didn't make any mistakes nailing in the hangers! The only other thing I got accomplished was changing all the light bulbs in the recessed fixtures. For almost 10 years we've restrained from spending the extra money for the proper bulbs and used regular light bulbs and the lighting in the kitchen has been horrible. Money well spent, the new bulbs make an incredible difference! Since I don't have any pictures of the freshly painted walls thought I'd at least show you the outcome of the painted counters. I love them and I hate them :( They look so much better than the original green but I had miserable problems applying the topcoat finish and when everything else is done I'm going to have to tackle one more coat and see if I can get rid of the streaking. I don't have many "before" pictures but this is the color of the counters before I started.