Giving Your Kitchen A Complete Makeover...And 

Doing It On A Low Budget At That--Countertops and Backsplashes: Phase Six

With the kitchen cabinets firmly in place and finished, you are now ready to proceed to the next task and that will bring us into phase six of our ongoing series "Giving Your Kitchen A Complete Makeover...And Doing It On A Low Budget At That--Countertops and Backsplash: Phase Six. Up to this point we have dismantle an existing residential kitchen and step by step we have rebuild a new one, complete with new ceiling joists, studs (if needed) and we installed new insulation before we put up new drywall (sheetrock) on the walls and ceilings in phases one through four. And in phase five we installed the kitchen cabinets and we applied a finish to your liking. Whether the cabinets were stained and varnished or primed and painted; each finish is guaranteed to yield beautiful results if executed properly. Each finish is capable of giving a kitchen an elegant and refined look--one that can leave you breathless.

  Now with all that work completed and done I can rightfully assume that your new kitchen is beginning to take shape...and that has to be a good feeling. We've gone from an old kitchen that was worn and outdated to a vacant kitchen where every thing had been removed, to a new kitchen that now has clean crisp walls and ceiling; to beautiful cabinets that look great. But before we proceed to install countertops on our base cabinets we should take this time to paint our already primed walls and ceilings. To be perfectly honest with you there is an option here: you can paint your walls and ceiling before you install your countertops or you can paint them afterwards--the call is yours, however, I prefer to do it at this stage of the project (generally speaking, I'm really excited about seeing the wall color (s) and the ceiling all finished up) and get that taken care of. And of course I insist on applying at least two coats of an acrylic latex paint on the walls and ceilings, but in the kitchen applying an acrylic latex enamel on the walls might be an even better choice. You see, the enamel has greater wipe ability than regular acrylic latex paints, but they generally come in a satin, semi-gloss, and gloss finish. If you had in mind  putting a flat or matte finish on your walls it might prove to be a  little difficult to find...but then again, its worth spending time checking it out if that is what you want.Here again, planning is the key to getting the job done correctly and without losing a lot of precious time searching for things at the last minute.

  But before you begin painting your walls and ceiling be sure to cover your newly finished cabinets completely; then do it again, and a third time if need be. After all the work that has gone into making your cabinets beautiful and charming you don't want to get specks of ceiling and wall paint all over them...and not to mention spills and droplets that would simply break your heart. So let's go ahead and wrap them up--now! 

In the article "Interior Painting...Transform Your Interior Into A Beautiful Enclave", I gave pointers and tips on how to paint the interior of your home. If you like you are more than welcome to click on the link above, or copy and paste it into your browser and check out the information there, hopefully it will give you a few useful hints that may prove to be of some benefit...at least I hope it does. But as with most home improvement projects, as I have so often stated, the key to doing a quality job is having the patience to do it correctly;that's usually about 90% of it. So take your time and slowly paint your ceiling and walls and enjoy the experience--I certainly do and I've been doing this for twenty-five years now.

 Installing Your Countertops

  If you grew up in the era that I did when Chuck Connors starred as the "Rifleman," and Wally and the Beaver kept you anxiously awaiting the next episode of "Leave It To Beaver," than you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that over 95% of the households in America had laminate countertops...and that was just the way it was. There was nothing fancy or eye catching about it and to be honest with you I never gave it a second thought--that is until late, when I became a home improvement contractor. It never ever cross my mind to think that there might be an alternative--it just never registered. Boring yes! But laminate countertops proved to be quiet useful as a covering for kitchen cabinet countertops, and they still are even to this day. However, today there are so many alternatives to laminate countertops. For instance, ceramic tile selection for countertops are almost limitless...and just as varied in their beauty and design. A plethora of colors and designs that can leave you breathless from their exquisite and alluring appearance. Countertops have gone from utilitarian to magnificent works of art that are without equal. Now countertops share center stage with the kitchen cabinets and in many cases the beauty and elegance of the countertops actually overshadow the cabinets by far. In today's time  many homeowners have chosen to build their kitchen theme around the countertops, as opposed to the kitchen cabinets.

  There is an abundance of information and material that is available to instruct you on how to install your own countertops. To be quite frank with you it is not an overly challenging task, however, again, patience is still a virtue and an eye for detail is very important. You can install kitchen countertops over a weekend with no problem. All you need is the proper tools and equipment... and be sure to  follow the manufacturers' instructions. Listed below are a couple of links that I think are really good in helping a novice install his/her own countertops. In our kitchen makeover project we installed granite tile countertops that looked great. It was our first project installing granite tile for countertops and it went relatively smooth. In fact, my wife did a beautiful installation job with the granite tile and the homeowner was pleased to no end. In addition to installing granite on his countertops we rebuilt his pass through and added about twelve inches to it and covered it also with granite tile. It turned out to be the focal point of the dining room. My point is this: with the right information and the willingness on your part to implement it you can install ceramic, granite or any other type stone countertop and the results can truly be amazing. So feel free to bookmark these sources and use them as a reference, just copy and paste these links into your browser: http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/kitchens-and-baths/how-to-install-a-granite-tile-countertop/    

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/step/0,,472318,00.html

  Installing A Backsplash

  If it is true to say that countertops have evolved over the years into a decorative item in and of itself, then that must be doubly true for backsplashes. Once upon a time backsplashes were just a no man's land where there was empty space. Usually the area was painted the same color as the rest of the kitchen but other than that it was left alone. But now all that has changed...completely. Wow! It's almost unbelievable what they have done to that area. From slicing geometrics to intricate art work-- backslash designs have taken on a life of their own. Now that area between the countertops and the bottom of the kitchen cabinets have become  an eye catching phenomenon that can truly leave you mesmerized. And the good part about it all is that it is within the realm of most do-it-yourselfers who want to do it. If you can lay ceramic tile, you should be able to install a backsplash and just make it as beautiful as your mind can conceive; the possibilities are endless and the sky is the limit.

  Conclusion

Installing your kitchen cabinet countertops and backsplash can save you a great deal of money, but above and beyond that, installing your own countertops and backsplash has to rank at the top of the list of 'worthy successful achievements'. I know, because I do this for a  living and it makes me feel down right good to accomplish a feat of this magnitude. So, for a homeowner/do-it-yourselfer to pull this off, I think it is just swell. You are the architect and craftsman of your very own kitchen and that has got to make you feel proud in the right sense. Thanks for allowing me to be your co-pilot and I look forward to many more flights. Good Luck.

 Disclaimer: The author of this article assumes no responsibility for any and all injuries--or worst that may or may not occur due to the content of this article or any other article(s)6/28/2009 written by him. This article and all articles written by him are for the sole purpose of entertaining and informing. Please contact a reputable contractor in your area. Thanks.