How to Renovate a Small Bathroom for Home Improvement Project

Well-designed home improvement projects such as renovating a small bathroom can potentially add comfort, convenience and value to a home. The first step is to determine the size of the project and set a budget. When major fixtures are in good condition and just a bit of redecorating and updating the bathroom is needed, it should not be very expensive. The cost will depend largely on the materials selected and whether the homeowner can do some of the work without hiring professional help.


Walls and Ceiling
The most important factor in any project is to begin with a plan. Know exactly what will change and what will remain the same. Start by completely emptying the room of everything that can be moved. Give everything a good cleaning and then assess the condition of the room. If walls are tight and smooth, perhaps they will just need a coat of paint or textured wallpaper. A small bathroom is a good place to experiment with color. It would not be a disaster to repaint if the color does not look right after painting one wall. Many stores will exchange paint if the color is not as envisioned.

Also consider wallpapering one wall and painting the other three. Another idea is to panel the top half of the walls and install wainscoting on the lower half. Manufacturers are constantly improving materials and the newer ones resist color fade and moisture. Painting the walls and ceiling in a monochromatic color such as all white or light tones also works well in a really small bathroom and makes it appear larger. Splashes of color can be added with accessories and towels.


Flooring
Safety should also be a consideration when choosing flooring. A shiny floor can be appealing but some materials such as glossy tile and polished stone may be slippery and unsafe. These floors would be much more expensive as well. Carpeting is not the best choice for a bathroom floor since it may retain moisture and develop mold. An excellent material for the bathroom is linoleum flooring which is popular for its durability, ease of cleaning, and availability of styles and colors. It is easy to install and is always a good choice.


Lighting
When the lighting is updated in any room it can make a big difference in appearance, ambiance, and the way color displays. However, it is essential to have proper lighting in a bathroom for safety issues as well. Good ceiling lighting is important and there should be no dark areas in any bathroom, especially near the shower and bathtub. Wall sconces or light bars can be added or updated with new fixtures on either side or above the mirror over the sink. Many choices exist in lighting fixtures in various styles and finishes to match or complement any décor.

Only a licensed electrician should install new lighting or update wiring. In most areas wiring must be inspected when finished and pass local code requirements. This is a very important safety issue and cannot be stressed enough, especially in a bathroom or any area where water is involved.

Image by Bentley Smith

Installing Earthscapes Vinyl Flooring From Home

Earthscapes vinyl flooring is an exciting new type of resilient flooring that appears poised to change the face of home flooring forever. Earthscapes is a far cry from the vinyl flooring that once adorned virtually every kitchen and bathroom floor in America. This new generation of vinyl flooring is made of PVC to create a moppable, scrubbable surface that resists tears and punctures.

Earthscapes flooring features designs that closely mimic natural surfaces such as wood, cork, stone and tile. Unlike wood or cork floors, however, this new type of vinyl flooring is easy to maintain and highly resistant to stains and damage. It can even stand up to pets. Unlike stone or tile flooring, Earthscapes is soft and warm to walk on. It provides insulation to help keep your heating and cooling from escaping through the concrete or wood subfloor beneath your flooring. Best of all, Earthscapes is easy to install yourself.

Traditional vinyl flooring is awkward to handle and is easily damaged, making installation tricky. It also must be cut precisely to fit in order to avoid bubbles or creases and then glued tightly to the floor decking. Because traditional vinyl adheres so closely to the surface beneath it, even relatively minor defects in the subfloor will cause irregular wear patterns in the vinyl after installation. Therefore, it is necessary to install an approved underlayment before you install the vinyl. Toilets, pedestal sinks and baseboards must be removed before installation and reinstalled after the vinyl installation is complete.

Earthscapes vinyl flooring, on the other hand, handles much like carpet, and can be rolled, bunched or draped without damage. It is loose-laid on any smooth floor, and does not have to be cut quite as precisely as traditional vinyl. Bubbles are not an issue because the flooring is not glued down, and creasing is less of a problem with a loose-lay installation.

Minor defects in the floor beneath the vinyl are not as critical as they are with traditional vinyl because the flooring rides atop the floor rather than adhering to it. However, unless the existing floor is relatively smooth and seamless, as in an existing vinyl or other smooth-surface floor, underlayment should be installed.

Earthscapes vinyl is cut to fit around toilet and pedestal sink bases, eliminating the need to remove and reinstall them. Baseboards can also be left in place. Special double-sided installation tape is applied in the center of the room, as well as at HVAC register openings, thresholds and around the bases of toilets and sinks in order to prevent slippage or tears. Areas that abut cabinet toe-kicks and plumbing fixtures are then caulked.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this new flooring is that installation is not permanent and does not impact the room's structure. As a result, it does not violate most rental agreements and can be installed nearly anywhere. As an added bonus, Earthscapes vinyl can be taken up and used in a different room or even taken along to your new home when you move.


Brought to you by Sam Peters