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How To Replace Bathroom Caulking

bathroom caulking, bathroom repair, memphis handyman, handyman tennessee

If you’ve lived in your current home for more than 5 years you’ve probably noticed some changes around the house. Paint starts to fade, carpet doesn’t look quite the same, and don’t even get me started on the back deck. The bathroom is no exception to this trend. Because bathrooms are such a high traffic area of the home, they tend to take more of a beating than most rooms. One thing homeowners might start to specifically recognize is bathroom caulking starting to split or fall out. In this article we’ll be going over how you can replace the caulking in your bathroom, start to finish.

If you’d like to employ our professional handyman services to help you, give us a call or fill out an estimate form.

First, let’s go over some things you’ll need:

  • Utility knife
  • Razor scraper or painter’s tool
  • Old rags or paper towels
  • Mineral spirits or paint thinner
  • Bathroom caulking
  • Caulk gun

Now let’s locate the areas that may need to be re-caulked. Because bathrooms can have high moisture levels, caulk around tubs, sinks, cabinets, and even windows may need to be replaced. Generally speaking, caulk should last around 5 years before showing signs of deterioration or splitting. This can depend on usage and moisture content. 

Once you’ve located the spots that need replacing, you want to remove the old caulk and clean the surrounding area. To get started with this, take a utility knife or razor blade and carefully cut along the edge of the caulk lines; trying not to damage the surrounding material. Use your painter’s tools to remove the caulk and scrape remnants away from surrounding material. Depending on how much moisture is in the air, there may be mold or caulking residue left around the area. Grab your mineral spirits and a rag. Put a small amount of spirits on the rag and carefully clean the area. Allow the area to completely dry before moving on to the next step.

Once your work area has completely dried grab your bathroom caulking. This can be clear or colored caulking, depending on your preference. Insert your caulking tube into the caulking gun and using a utility knife, cut off approximately ¼” tube tip at a 45 degree angle. This should leave you a small, angled hole for caulking application. Using smooth, steady motion apply a thin bead of caulking to the selected area. The angled tip should allow you to fit caulking into empty grooves easily. Once you’ve applied a thin bead of caulking, take your wet finger and gently smooth the caulk line. Careful not to apply too much pressure. Take a rag or damp paper towels and wipe away any access caulk. Once you’ve caulked all the areas, allow 24 hours for the product to completely set up and dry before using the bathroom.

There you have it! Now your bathroom fixtures are freshly sealed and protected for the next 5 years. Keep in mind, if you have mold issues or sheetrock needs replaced, a simple caulking job may not fix the problem. If your bathroom needs some more attention, fill out my free job cost estimate form to see how I may be able to help you. I have years of experience with home repair and would love the opportunity to work with you. 

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Install Floating Shelves

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If you’re looking to add a unique decorative touch to any room, you might want to consider installing floating shelves. Floating shelves are a versatile way of adding storage space while allowing the decorator to include their own personal flair. These shelves can serve a functional purpose for storing books but also serve a decorative purpose if you want to display a small plant or photo frames.

We offer design and installation of floating shelves if you’d like to hire a professional handyman service to help you with your project.

If you’re hanging a single shelf many choose to center it in the middle of the wall or align the shelf on the left or right side. When hanging multiple shelves many homeowners like to stagger the shelf height to give some variety to the decoration. Before getting started on installing the shelves, you’ll want to evaluate the room you’re decorating; ensuring there is enough support for the shelf itself, and whatever it’s holding. For the purpose of this article, we’ll assume you’re mounting the shelves on studs in the wall. Let’s go over some tools and supplies you’ll need:

  • Shelves
  • Mounting brackets or anchors
  • Screws
  • Tape measure
  • Stud finder
  • Pencil or tape
  • Power drill with bit
  • Level

Use the stud finder to locate studs on your wall. Studs will be either 16” or 24” apart. Mark stud location across the wall using a light pencil mark or tape. Depending on the shelf you’re hanging, more than 2 support brackets may be required. Once studs have been marked, use your tape measure from the ground up to mark how high the shelves will be placed. Pencil mark the height and grab your brackets. Holding the bracket up to the mark you just made, use your pencil to mark pilot hole location. Remember to always use a slightly smaller drill bit than the screw you’re using on the bracket.

Carefully drill your pilot holes. Take your time and ensure the drill bit is going straight into the stud. When you get all the pilots drilled out, grab the screws and a bracket. Attach your first bracket to the wall, ensuring the screws are firmly anchored. Grab your shelf and ask a friend to hold up your second bracket in the marked spot. Put the shelf on your brackets. Using a level, ensure the spot you marked for the bracket attachment will be level when finished. If it’s level, repeat the same steps as the first bracket. Once the brackets have been attached you can mount your shelf as instructed in the packing. After installing all the shelves go back and erase pencil marks. 

These floating shelves will add a unique decorative flair to your home and provide extra storage. If you like the idea of having these shelves, but don’t have time to take on this project yourself, I’d love to help. With years of home improvement experience I can take care of any shelf hanging you have in mind. Fill out my free estimate form to get started today!

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Painting Like A Pro: Getting The Right Tools

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Everyone has that family member who can, “Paint like a pro!” And it’s usually that same family member who ends up ruining the bathroom walls and somehow painting the dog.

Unfortunately, you can’t learn how to paint like a pro from reading a blog or watching a video. But, with a little practice, the right tools, and a few mistakes along the way, you can get pretty close. In this post, I will guide you through buying the right equipment.

Let’s talk about buying  the right tools. If you’re a weekend warrior, you probably aren’t going to break the bank buying an expensive spraying machine or a 7-piece painting suit. But, if you plan on painting more than 1 room over time, purchasing decent tools could save you time, money, and frustration in the future.

*NOTE: I AM NOT BEING PAID/SPONSORED BY ANY COMPANY OR PRODUCT LISTED*

Paint Brushes

Depending on what you’re painting, a decent brush will cost around $10-$20. If that seems like a lot, remember you’re going to clean it and re-use it later. If you’re applying oil based paint, stains, or cutting in, I would recommend:

This is a versatile brush that allows users to paint on multiple surfaces, indoors and outdoors. The sash edge and 2” width gives inexperienced painters a little help with reaching those tight corners. Alternatively, at Lowe’s you can get:

If you’re applying latex based paints on bigger walls, I would recommend:

This brush is great for holding a lot of paint but still leaves a smooth finish. Alternatively, Lowe’s offers:

Paint Rollers

If you’re painting more than a very small room, you’ll probably want to consider using a roller. Rollers hold a lot of paint and cover a large surface area quickly. Having a good roller frame helps deliver paint to surface quickly and evenly. Let’s look at what you’ll need to get started:

Your roller frame shouldn’t be too expensive. Usually between $8-12. Don’t waste your money on fancy frames that claim to hold more paint or “save you time”. This roller frame will work just fine:

This Wooster frame is what I personally use and love it. It’s cheap, smooth, and easy to clean. At only $8, it won’t break your budget; and when taken care of lasts for years. Alternatively at Lowe’s you can get this:

Now you need a roller cover (or “nap” as they’re sometimes called). If you’re working with rough textured walls, you’ll need a longer cover. Most mainstream covers are made from polyester blends but will still work well. For painting smooth to semi-smooth walls use this roller cover:

This cover will hold quite a bit of paint, but won’t be too messy. If you’re shopping at Lowe’s you can get:

If you’re painting exterior walls, or the walls have heavy texture, you might need a longer roller cover. A 1/2in to 3/4in cover will hold a lot more paint, and also reach those areas in between texture or grooves. For painting semi-rough to rough walls, use this:

Alternatively, if you’re shopping at Lowe’s you can get this:

Helpful Things To Have

You can paint an entire house with the tools listed above. But, if you’re not used to it, that process will be difficult and tedious. So here are some things I recommend getting to make your painting experience much better:

That should just about do it for tools. With this equipment you’re fully prepared to paint any surface thrown at you. Click here for part 2 of 4: Choosing Your Paint. If you want something painted, but painting isn’t something you want to try, I would love the opportunity to help. Fill out my job estimate form to get started.