Just a note: Once the tile was installed, she asked me to take a look and make sure I was happy with the color/texture balance. I took blue painter's tape and marked the tile pieces I didn't particularly care for. She then swapped them out with another piece the next morning.

"We installed your project with Custom's Stone set mortar [Thin set specific for stone]. This mortar is white and only comes in white. Stone and glass is never set with grey mortar. Also we do not use quick set as it dries to quickly. The glass pieces that were changed out for the strong colored ones may not have had netting on them. Also you had us switch a few of the other colors they may not have had net on them as well. When pieces are taken from the field mosaic they are cut out and changed.

It was a true pleasure doing your beautiful kitchen. Loved the new picture will have to add it to my website. Thank you so much for sending it. Haven't updated my site for several years and have done so many gorgeous jobs that need to go on it. Lots of glass. Never use a quick set on anything. It dries too quickly and can release down the line. Also stone should be sealed before grouting. Especially the material like yours as it is porous and grout leaves a film on it that cannot be removed but leaves it murky."

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0708180218905.html - unique/favorite features in your build....

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg051803107471.html - Things you couldn't live without or wish you had added

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg012331272427.html - What things did you find needed adjusting or changed?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg052337148911.html - is there anything you wish you had done

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg1011400927581.html - What about your new build makes your life easier; what doesn't ?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0913570232282.html - Brands/Products That I'd Use Again

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0321442732113.html - Share your best sites for deals on supplies!

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0818041222629.html - To help others - Things I would do different and things i love!

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg021705141306.html - Things I wish I'd specified on my plans

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0120301431285.html - It's been two years...what I've learned, would change, etc...

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0901543214301.html - Biggest Mistakes?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0521381417863.html - Help!!! Have I forgotten anything?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg122305046544.html - designing electrical in house

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0316075322256.html - doing whole house audio

With apologies for the length of this, I'm just gonna paste the whole bit here for you.

You are welcome to this writeup I did a while back. A couple people tried
it and reported all went well. You just need time, maybe $50 in supplies, and
patience. No skill.

Here's more than you need to know:

My cabinets are frameless, good condition and good layout. But the finish
had gone orange and ugly, with the oak graining too busy for me. Cabinets
are 18 years old, very poorly finished oak veneered slab doors. Plain with
no crevices. They didn't even take the doors off to finish them!!! No stain
or finish on the hinge side edges.
Cheezey, huh?

I looked into changing out cabinets, but that was way too much money, since
my layout was OK. Painting didn't seem right because the doors were plain
slabs. I considered new doors but that still meant a lot of money. For a few
years I tried to figure a way to add molding toward a mission look, but the
rounded door edges made that impossible. Then trolling in a kitchen
emporium showroom this last year I noticed dark wood slab doors, kind like
mine, but darker. That was the answer.

First I tried Minwax Polyshades. Dicey product. Hard to brush on neatly,
then gummy, then seemed to leave a sticky tacky residue. I did a thread on
the Woodworking Furum "Evil Polyshades to the Rescue" which elicited a lot
of conflicting "expert" opinions and arguments that one must strip to bare
wood.
(Thread may still be around as that Forum moves slow.) I properly stripped
acres of woodwork in an old Victorian when I was young and stupid. Never
again! Jennifer-in-clyde (in the same boat) and I stumbled around on
that
woodworking thread to get to this method.

SHOPPING LIST:
-electric screwdriver or screw drill bits
-mineral spirits to clean the years of gunk off the cabinet
-miracle cloths (optional)
-fine sandpaper
-box-o-disposable gloves from walgreens or the like
-old socks or rags for wiping on coats
-disposable small plastic bowls or plates, and plastic spoons or forks for
stirring/dipping (optional)
-General Finishes water base Expresso stain (pretty thick, but not quite a
gel) This one may not even be a needed step if the Java gets it dark
enough.
-General Finishes Java gel stain (poly based)
-General Finishes clear top coat (poly based)
-old sheets or plastic sheeting or newspaper

Rockler woodworking stores are a good place to find the General Finish
products. Or some larger hardware stores. Quart of each was more than
enough for my 60 doors and drawer fronts and goes for $12-14 at Rockler.
There are smaller sizes if your project is small.

SETUP AND PLANNING:
You will need a place to work and leave wet doors to dry overnight - I set
up 2 spaces, garagefor sanding/cleaning and basement for staining/sealing.
Use newpaper or plastic to protect the surface and floor. Figure out how you
will prop doors to dry.
Plan blocks of 20-30-minutes for sanding/cleaning bundles of, say, 6
doors at a time. Then just 10 minute sessions to wipe on coats. The coats
will need to dry for about 24 hours, so figure that each section of the
kitchen will be doorless for 4 or 5 days. Divide the job up into manageable
chunks.

PREPARATION:
Take off doors and drawer fronts. Use screw drill bits on an electric drill
if you don't have an electric srewdriver. Remove all the hardware. *Mark
alike things so you know what goes back where.*
Clean the doors thoroughly. Not with TSP but with something pretty strong
and scrub well. There's years of grease there.
Sand LIGHTLY, just a scuffing really. Just enough to break the finish and
give it some tooth, no more than a minute a door. A miracle cloth is good
for getting most of the dust off. Then wipe well with mineral spirits to
clean and get the last of the gunk off.
.

STAINING:
In order, we're gonna put on:
-General Finishes Expresso water based stain (1-2 coats) - optional
-General Finishes Java gel stain (couple coats)
-General Finishes Clear urethene gel topcoat in satin (couple coats)

But first put on work clothes, tie up your hair (Tom, you may skip this
step, LOL) and pop your phone into a baggie nearby (you know it will ring).
Glove up.
*First do a trial on the back of a door and check if Java coats alone
suffice.
If the Java alone is to your liking, just skip the Expresso and return it.*
Open and stir up the Expresso stain, then spoon some into a plastic bowl.
Close the tin so it doesn't get contaminated. Slide a sock over your hand,
grab a gob of Expresso and smear it on. Wipe off the excess. Let it dry well
- overnight is good. It will lighten as it dries, but then darken again with
any other
coat or sealer. A second coat can end up with a deeper tone at the end -
though it might seem like the second coat is just dissolving the first.
YMMV.

Repeat with Java gel. This is thicker and poly based (*not water cleanup!*=
messier). Color is a rich dark reddish brown. Wait for the second coat to
judge if the color is deep enough for you. I wanted a very deep dark color,
like melted dark chocolate. So I went pretty heavy on these layers. *I did
not sand between coats*.

Repeat with clear gel top coat. This will give you the strength you need in
a kitchen.

Do the same process with the cabinet sides, face and toekick area. Might
need to divide that up also, and stagger the work: doors/cabinets/doors/
etc.

NOTE: The cloth or socks used for the gels are very flammable! Collect and
store them in a bucket of water as you go and then dispose of them all
properly.

FINISHING AND REASSEMBLY:
I suggest you put the doors back up after one clear coat, then you can check
everything over and darken an area with more Java if needed, followed by a
clear coat. When it all looks right, go over it all again with another clear
gel coat. Or two. Install your hardware.
The feel of the finish should be wonderful, really smooth and satiny. Color
deep and rich - way nicer than that faded, beat 80's oak color.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Definitely experiment first with the back of a door or drawer front to be
sure it is the look you want. Yes, this takes a couple days to coat, dry,
recoat, dry, etc but you may discover that the Java alone does the trick and
this will save you A LOT of work. Front end patience is worth it.

This is a pretty easy project to do. Hard to screw it up. The worst is the
prep - relative to that, smearing on the coats is cake. I had over 60
pieces (big kitchen) AND island sides and book shelves, etc and I admit I
lost steam partway through. Had to push myself through the last of it. But
it was worth it. Folks think I got all new cabinets - it looks that good.
Now the finish will not be as durable as factory finish - go at it with a
Brillo pad and you WILL abrade it. But it has held up pretty well. And
after a year of pretty heavy use, I've just had a few nicks, easily
repaired.

I added smashing hardware, raised my passthrough, resurfaced the Corian
(also simple but messy and tedious) and replaced the DW and sink. It looks
gorgeous to me and I really enjoy the space - how it sits all quiet, clean
and serene, then gets all crazy with the food and folks du jour. I couldn't
be happier, especially that I didn't have to work another year just to pay
for the update!!

Link to cabinets in progress:
http://photobucket.com/albums/b45/celticm00n/kitchen%20cosmetic%20update%20project/kitchen%20during/

Link to almost finished cabinet pix:
http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b45/celticm00n/kitchen%20cosmetic%20update%20project/finished%20bit%20by%20bit/?start=20

Good luck with your project!! Feel free to ask me any questions as you go.
And let me know if you try it and how it turns out.

No ONE way or method is "perfect" for everyone - so expect to do some research (check your local library for books on the subject, and there is LOTS of free information on-line - do a search on "home food storage" or "frugal home food storage") and adjust accordingly as things evolve and your personal needs, budget, and amount you want to store changes. MY food storage and yours will more than likely be two completely different things. And that's what it comes down to - not what's right or wrong, just choices.

-COMMON SENSE - Store what you use and use what you store. And hopefully you'll purchase it at the lowest possible price (that's one of the benefits of home food storage). Stock-up a variety of foods you normally use, making sure you have food from all the food groups.

If you are on a budget, designate an amount you will use specifically FOR storage. If that amount is $5, then each week find a good sale item/s to invest it in. Tuna is on sale, buy as many as you can with $5. Macaroni is on sale the next week, so buy as much as you can for $5. Up to a point that's an okay plan, but it's best to actually HAVE a plan. Without a plan you may find you don't have a good variety of foods from all the food groups.

"Experts" say - it's better to have 3-months worth of a variety of foods than have 12-months worth of rice and little else.

-BE REALISTIC - If you only use 4 of something per year, then you don't need money tied up in 10 of them. Everything goes on sale AGAIN, sooner or later. If you don't know how many you normally use/need, start dating foods with a marker when you open them to see how long they last.

In her book - A Year's Supply In "Seven Days" - Mary Wilde didn't have a plan at first, and when she did a plan she found she had enough baking soda in storage to last her 25-years. Also noteworthy from her book, for a family of six, her list of foods she purchases consisted of less than 50 items - but she works from a set of menu plans.

I only buy up to 3 of any one item at a time for several reasons - the first is my budget ($125 per month for two adults). Only buying a few ahead keeps the stock fresh and the use-by dates as far out as possible.

If I were to purchase a case (12) of something it would take a big bite out of my budget, I would have to decide if I could realistically store that many, as well as use them by the use-by date. If you have 12 of something, that means you should be using it at least 1 per month - 50 of something means you use it at least once a week - then you have to check the use-by or best-by dates to see when you ACTUALLY need to use them. If you have a large number of people in your family you can probably purchase in case lots, but for the two of us it doesn't work well.

-PRICE (and INVENTORY) BOOK - You really DO need to keep track of things. I keep a Price Book (got the idea from Amy Dacyczyn's "The Tightwad Gazette" - pgs. 31-32 - in 1993) and keep it in a used Day Runner (or small loose-leaf note book will also work) I got at a thrift store. It contains my on-going list of things to purchase, money, coupons and the prices for the items I commonly purchase. It has alphabetical dividers and items are put on one page in the book where I track prices (date - store - size - price - unit price) and on the next page I track the inventory of the item in storage. I put a ( / ) when I add an item and put another slash through it ( X ) when I move it from storage to the pantry. If I also need to track the use-by date (peanut butter is one where I always track dates) I'll write it like this: 11/12 (Nov. 2012). When I remove that item I'll "X" through the date. Keeping a running inventory will save you money. You will be purchasing things you need, instead of duplicates you may not necessarily need and couldn't remember if you had it or not.

This also helps when I go through the store advertisements. On first glance, butter (1# box) is 2/$5 and sounds like a bargain..... I can quickly check the price at Aldi (which is also noted in my price book) and know it's regularly lower than the store sale price so skip the sale because it's not at a stock-up price.

-CHOOSE MULTI-USE PRODUCTS - Less (items) is best! I was able to gain a lot of space and reduce total number of items in storage by storing and using tomato powder. I use it to make tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato juice, red pasta sauce, and pizza sauce - by adding water and a few pantry items (vinegar, spices, herbs, sweeteners, etc.). In a pinch, I can even make ketchup and bbq sauce from tomato powder. The only other tomato products I keep in storage are frozen and dehydrated tomatoes from the garden.

-CHOOSE INGREDIENTS INSTEAD OF CONVENIENCE FOODS - By ingredients I mean staple items you use to cook from scratch. I make my own "convenience" foods for a fraction of the price, and can choose more wholesome ingredients. This is one of the reasons I can stick to a food budget of $125/month. I make all our cereal (cold or hot varieties) for pennies - as just one example. The same ingredients I use to make pancakes (or a homemade pancake mix), I can also use to make cakes, cookies, quick breads.... I would generally avoid a single-use item, such as pancake mix, to my food storage, when I can make it from ingredients in the pantry.

-FOODSAVER (your new best friend) - I vacuum-seal most of my dry goods in canning jars or FoodSaver bags to extend shelf-life and avoid pantry pests.

-FIFO - First in - first out - rotation system. Store your food so you can easily track and rotate it. I had rolling can dispensers and hated them and gave them to a friend who loves them. About the time I purchased a can with a use-by date somewhere in the middle of those already in the unit, I'd have to remove, add, and replace the entire bunch. I like my cans lined up in a single row and now have shallow shelves to accommodate them - and write the use-by date on the front (I have a silver Sharpie for marking labels with dark backgrounds.) Find a method you like - you'll find all kinds of suggestions on-line.

Today I spend about 75-80% of my food budget on home food storage and the remainder on fresh food, so I essentially "shop" at home for meal praparation. As unspent money accumulates in my food budget I'll make large purchase (grain for instance) or an annual purchase. When I find Morning Moo's Whey-Based Milk Substitute on sale - #10 cans - BO get one 1/2 price, I'll purchase enough for a year if there is enough in the food budget. I also purchase a 50# bag and split it with a friend for even more savings. I purchase wheat 50-pounds at a time and vacuum-seal it for storage.

I have three levels of home food storage, plus a bonus level.

Level 1: 72-hour EMERGENCY FOODS
Foods that don't require heating or refrigerating from all the food groups. I also include items that are "add hot water" (homemade instant oatmeal packets, homemade instant soup packets, homemade cocoa mix, etc.) Many of these items are in single servings (fruit cups, pudding, potted meat spread, etc.). We've used these food items during ice storms and extended power outages. I restock this once a year, usually when school starts because that's when I can get some of these single-serving sizes used for kids lunches on sale. These are kept in a storage tub with other "lights out" emergency things.

Level 2: PANTRY FOODS
Foods I use for everyday meal preparation from all the food groups (includes freezer and refrigerator). 6-12-months worth This may be where you stop your food storage.

Level 3: LONG-TERM EMERGENCY FOODS
Foods that have long-term storage capabilities - freeze-dried, whole grains, powdered, dehydrated. All of these items are also rotated into the pantry. 12-months worth

Bonus Level: I increased the "Seven Survival Foods" to 3-years worth (grains, legumes, sprouting seeds, sweetener/s, salt, oil, powdered milk - or milk substitute/s).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of my favorite sources on this subject is "Everything Under the Sun" by Wendy DeWitt (she has YouTube videos as well as a must-read booklet you can download/print - http://www.sunoven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/EverythingUnderTheSun.pdf I read her information after I completed my food storage, but still like her plan. She bases her storage on her favorite 7-14 meals and the amount of foods/ingredients you need for making them for a year, and you store these foods.

I based my storage on the number of servings from each food group, which is something I can quickly tally based on my inventory sheets. I've followed a simple meal plan using the old "Basic-4" for decades, so I know how many servings of foods I use each day/week/month.....

Bread/Cereal - 4 servings
Fruits & Vegetables - 4 servings
Meat/Alternative - 2 servings
Milk/Dairy - 2 servings

You can also use a food calculator available on-line to get an idea of how much food you might need:
http://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm

We have a designated food storage room in the basement, but I've had to use creative storage in other homes we've lived in. I've read you can store enough food for one person for a year in the space of a single bed. Which brings me to one family who literally used the bed space for storage in their kids rooms. They removed the bed frames, stacked the boxed foods (most #10 cans come 6 cans per box and stack nicely) and topped the boxes with a decorative fabric skirt and put the mattress on the top of that. BTW, they had a really detailed rotation system. Make a "bench" at the end of your bed with stacked boxes, cover with a nice throw and top with cushions. How about a window seat? We built narrow shelves in the space between a window and the corner walls and covered the space floor to ceiling with contrasting material to match the window drapes. It made the window look bigger, and those shelves held all my extra canned goods and dry goods vacuum-sealed in canning jars.

Free on-line:
-Stockpiling Food for Small Spaces and Small Budgets
http://www.latah.id.us/disasterservices/Disaster_Pandemic_StockpilingFood.pdf

-What to Store in a Food Storage - http://lds.about.com/od/preparednessfoodstorage/a/foodstoragewhat.htm

Books:

-Food Storage 101 - Where Do I Begin? - Peggy Layton
(add to this book her book, "Cookin' With Home Storage" for recipes using the food storage suggestions.

-100-Day Pantry - Quick and Easy Gourmet Meals - Jan Jackson
(Interesting concept. Includes too many processed foods and canned foods high in sodium for my taste, but a good read and some user-friendly recipes.)

-NOT Your Mother's Food Storage - Kathy Bray and Jan Barker
Requires careful meal planning but is based on the food YOUR family already eats and grocery shopping you already do.

-It's In the Bag - Michelle & Trent Snow
A novel idea for storage. They place an entire meal or days worth of meals in a storage bag (they use cloth bags) - even down to the spices and bottled water needed for the meal. They have storage shelves 16'x4' that contain 422 bag meals.

-Grainlady

island, the floor is everyday 2-1/4" white oak stained Minwax Provincial with a satin polyurethane. It was funny when I stopped by to talk to the floor finishers about the stain. I told them I wanted a medium brown with no red in it and they put down a little bit of the Provincial stain to show me how it would look. My 11-year-old was there and told me that was good, so I said we'd go with that because I wasn't very picky. My builder's son was there, and I think he about died when I said I wasn't very picky - I guess his experience was that I was extremely particular. The flooring guys wanted to hire my daughter to choose stain on all their jobs. By the way, we originally wanted wider planks, but the flooring guys told us the 2-1/4" would be less likely yo buckle. Also, getting the site-finished floor cost about exactly the same for us as moderately-priced pre-finished floor. Was that the longest answer ever??

Thanks angela, and I just love to talk trash. The trash can in the 12" pullout is about 9"Wx14"Dx17.5"H. Just for you I did math and the measurements come out to about 9 gallons. It's the same size as the cans in the 18" trash/recycling pullout:

I'm glad you like the counter cabinet - it's my favorite.

justmakeit - thanks for the compliment, and imitate away! Any white shaker style cabinets and any textured black granite would look pretty much the same as mine. If I were choosing granite to go specifically with the backsplash I might have chosen brushed atlantic black instead of kodiak brown. As it is, I chose the granite first and I thought the kodiak brown would work well with the oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures I have throughout the house. I highly recommend a wall of windows if you can spare the cabinet space. Windows are a lot less expensive than cabinets and you can't beat the natural light!

However my KD talked me out of it by pointing out they're basically just another set of drawers and cost is calculated at least for my kitchen, by number of drawers. If I was wanting more storage I'd rather have a bigger drawer. Most if not all of my cabinet stacks already had 4 drawers in them, so that was making it five. And that fifth was really small. Plus, I made my toe kick 3.5" -- I don't wear work boots in the kitchen and I saw no reason to install inflated toekicks; 3.5" has been plenty for us.

I do love the idea of the things but I haven't missed em, especially knowing the cost. YMMV.

Niftiest use of toekicks I've seen, apart from valuables-storage (say, silver) is as a step-up for the "height-challenged". That, I thought, was really clever and could definitely justify the extra cost in select locations. Another used the narrow drawer to store a step stool. But I liked turning the whole drawer itself into an actual step (though that's less portable!)

I saw a picture of a drawer someone constructed that incorporated the too-short-drawer objection for the toe kick by making the drawer at the bottom itself have the toekick "bite" worked right into it. This looked really nifty and clever but as I thought about it, then how would you use that space at the front of the drawer? You'd get just the bottom "footprint" of the drawer's worth for storage and to use the forward bump-out you'd need some very specialized shapes.

So on reflection I decided that wasn't going to use the space well either. For me, that's how it came to pass that I compromised on the toekicks that like you, I had originally thought were the bee's knees, in favor of shortened toekicks and 4-drawer stacks.

So there's an example of a KD being negatory but maybe not utterly without cause.

It will be a rental, so typically guests will be there for 1 week at a time during June July August. During off season we will also be there sometimes (read: as often as we can!!). This home will sleep 23+ (up to 30 including pullout sofas and toddler trundles). The kitchen will need to accomodate a lot of different types of rental groups and sizes ... families with multiple generations, adult couples, all men (golfers), maybe weddings or church groups, etc. We feel like we really need to include 2 fridges and 2 dishwashers because of the need for it for groups this size and also to be competitive with other rental homes. Also, because of the potential size of groups that will be staying here, we will need LOTS of cabinet space ... dishes, silverware, glasses, cups, coffee mugs, etc for 30 people takes lots of space. Most likely, I won't be able to make any changes to the walls of the kitchen on this plan.

One thing I know I am missing is where to put trash, but please don't limit your comments to this ! I am thinking a pullout under one side of the sink. Considering a range something like the following but not necessarily this exact one http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/appliances/ranges/electric-ranges/FTQ353IWUX/XAA/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail.

I have included a layout of the top floor below so you can see where the kitchen lies in relation to the other rooms. Comments on other parts of the floorplan are also welcome. The bottom floor will have 5 more bedrooms, laundry, and a morning coffee bar with sink and mini fridge.

http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy23/angela12345678/BeachCottage/kitchen2.jpg

http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy23/angela12345678/BeachCottage/topfloor.jpg

Here is what we envision the wetbar/prep area looking like (except longer of course) ...
http://images.vrbo.com/vrbo/images/usa-ocean-isle-beach-wet-bar-icemaker_1d1848

Angela,
Our bread drawer is from Rev-a-Shelf. It comes in two sizes and three colors (almond, white, and clear). The price varies from $30 to $54.

If you google "rev a shelf bread drawer kit," you'll get lots of hits. It seems to be cheaper on Amazon.

We use ours daily. The drawer won't close if the lid isn't closed, which is kind of a pain, but then, if the lid isn't closed, it's not really preserving the bread, either, so we see it as a reminder. We love it and use it daily. We find that it's nice to put our non-refrigerated things like nutella and peanut butter right there in the drawer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rev A Shelf Bread Drawer.

then it hit me.. I went and measure a sheet of tile and they aren't a full sqft.. the sheets have 6 rows of tile and each row is 12 inches wide.. But the 6 rows are only 10 or so inches high.. I got 35 sheets of tile not 35 sqft.. Now my invoice actually says 35 sqft..

Can anyone else who ordered Fire and Ice verify how many rows their sheets had? I have seen one other pic from someone who ordered them from the same place and they also had 6 rows..

Am I the only one that didn't know that a sheet wasn't a full sqft? If so how did you find that out? Did whoever you ordered from tell you? And if you place an order for 35 sqft don't you think you should get 35 sqft?

Anyway here are a couple more pictures..

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread on similar topic with firsthouse's idea

"... A lot of times, when this discussion comes up about sealing granite, I'll refer people to a page in that site that has links for two sets of tables-- one A-L, and the other, M-Z, listing the names of the more common "granites". One of the things they list on those pages is the absorption rate of each stone, and anything with less than a .25% absorption rate should NOT be sealed. ..."

Granite lists - Explanation

Granite lists on findstone.com - Table A - L

Granite lists on findstone.com - Table M - Z

• Granite & Quartz: Microfiber cloth along with one of the following...
  
  • In a spray bottle50/50 put a mix of alcohol & water plus a drop or two of detergent like Dawn.
    
  • Hand dish detergent & water (go light on the detergent if your stone is dark)
    
  • Commercial products: Method granite cleaner & polish, Perfect Kitchen, Simple Green
    
  • When cleaning, wipe/dry in circles to help prevent streaks with any cleaner/polish
    
  • **Warning** Do not use plumber's putty on your marble or granite counters to install your faucets or soap dispensers or with a composite granite (e.g., Silgranit) sink

Question: Do those of you with marble use the alcohol/water mix, detergent/water mix, Method, or Perfect Kitchen?

• Marble:
  
  • Because of the composition of the stone, it is a good idea to clean marble surfaces immediately after any spills take place. While water will not cause any permanent damage, many other liquids will cause scarring if allowed to set for an extended amount of time. Soft drinks, wine, any type of vinegar, and even orange or grapefruit juice can discolor the appearance.
    
  • Immediately, wipe up the spill with a damp cloth, then rinse the area with tepid water. Be sure to pat the area dry with a clean cloth.
    
  • If you have to deal with a tough stain, try using plain ammonia. Allow the ammonia to set on the dried stain for a few moments, then begin to scrub the area with a moistened cloth. Once the stain is up, wet the area with tepid water, then pat the section of the marble counter top dry.
    
  • Abrasive cleansers should be avoided at all costs, as they will leave scratches in the surface.
• Wood:
  
  • 
    
• Stainless Steel, Copper, etc.: Microfiber cloth along with one of the following...
  
  • 
    

Appliances

• Stainless Steel Appliances: Microfiber cloth along with one of the following...
  
  • Weiman SS Cleaner/Polish in the silver can
    
  • Pledge in the brown can
    
  • 3M SS Cleaner and Polish (aerosol spray)
    
  • Possibly: Signature Polish (I have not heard of this b/f & would like to hear from others who have used it...I like to have multiple recommendations b/f I will say "definitely)
• Ceramic/Glass cooktops/ranges:
  
  • Ceramic/glass oven surface cleaner
    
  • Razor blade for stuck-on food
• Non-Ceramic/Glass top ranges/cooktops:
  
  • BarKeeper's Friend or Dawn Power Dissolver (and a blue scrub sponge) for a thorough cleaning of the black burner pans
    
  • Perfect Kitchen for spot cleaning the black enamel burner pans on Wolf ranges
    
  • Baking soda and a damp cloth. Dampen the area with the cloth, sprinkle the baking soda on the stains, & let sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Then gently wipe the baking soda and stains clean with the cloth

Floors & Backsplashes (Wood, Tile, etc.)

• Tile Floors & Backsplashes:
  
  • Hot water should be all you need for most of the time.
    
  • If you need a grease-cutter, use Oxyclean.
    
  • **Warning** Do not use vinegar or vinegar-containing products. Yes, vinegar will clean your grout, but that's because vinegar works by eating away at the grout, little by little. It'll literally burn the grout away over time.

• Travertine Tile Floors & Backsplashes:
  
  • See "Tile" above plus...
    
  • **Warning** Do not use vinegar or other acid-containing cleaners on stone floors
    
  • **Warning** Do not use cleaners like bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners (they may contain acid)
    
  • **Warning** Do not use abrasive cleaners
• Hardwood Floors:
  
  • Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner
• Slate Floors:
  
  • ???
    
• Slate Backsplashes:
  
  • ???
    
• Marble Floors:
  
  • See Marble Countertops above, plus...
    
  • With dried stains on the floor, create a solution of plain ammonia and warm water. Use a sponge mop to work the solution into the stain and gradually lift it from the marble. Take your time and allow the ammonia to seep into the stain. Doing so will mean less pressure applied to the mop, which will minimize the chances of accidentally scratching the surface as you clean marble tiles or panels

Cabinets

• Stained Cabinets:
  
  • A soft cotton cloth is recommended to wipe any moisture, spills or standing liquid from cabinetry. While paper products are very good at absorbing spills, they are abrasive when used for cleaning.
    
  • To clean cabinetry, use a soft cotton cloth, dampened with water or a mild dish soap. Rinse with a clean damp cloth. Dry with a soft cloth.
    
  • Harsh chemicals or ammonia based products should be avoided as they may cause discoloration of the finish.
    
  • Do not use detergents, oily polishes, or glass cleaners.
    
  • An occasional light waxing may be required. Avoid frequent cleaning with a waxy cleaner. Use a good furniture brand polish on your cabinetry
• Painted Cabinets:
  
  • Damp (not too wet), soft cloth or sponge and mild detergent
• Laminate Cabinets:
  
  • Use a damp cloth and water to clean surface of cabinetry, then wipe with a dry cloth.
    
  • Use a countertop or tile cleaner to clean heavy grease stains or other difficult stains.
    
  • **Warning** Do not use abrasive pads or harsh cleaners to clean soiled areas.
• High Gloss Cabinet Finishes:
  
  • Clean high gloss cabinetry with mild soap and a damp cloth.
    
  • **Warning** Do not use any wax cleaner whatsoever to avoid discoloration

Sinks and Sink Fixtures

• Stainless Steel Sinks:
  
  • Mild detergent & water
    
  • BarKeeper's Friend (it will also help minimize the look of scratches on the bottom of a sink)
• Composite Granite (Silgranit) Sinks:
  
  • **Warning** Do not use plumber's putty on your marble or granite counters to install your faucets or soap dispensers or with a composite granite (e.g., Silgranit) sink
    
• Porcelain Coated Cast Iron Sinks:
  
  • 
    
• Nickel fixtures (polished or brushed):
  
  • Mild detergent & water
    
  • **Warning** Do not install a nickel strainer or drain (stick with Stainless Steel or Chrome)
    
  • **Warning** Do not use BarKeeper's Friend or other chemicals on nickel
    
  • **Warning** Do not use bleach on nickel

On your list, for each issue indicate EXACTLY where the problem is located.... What room, what wall, Where on the wall, what the problem is, and what needs to be done. Eg., 1) Living room; on north wall, 4 ft from east wall & 18 inches above the floor; there are gaps in sheetrock around electrical outlet; need to patch gaps, smooth patch (or texture to match wall texture) and prime and painted to match wall. 2) 1st floor powderroom, floor 20 inches from west wall & 2 ft from south wall; cracked tile; remove and replace with good tile, regrout - make certain replacement tile is set level with surrounding tiles and that grout matches surrounding grout. The more detailed you are, the more likely the fixes are going to be done satisfactorily. So, a laptop with an excel program can be helpful for making your lists because you can copy and paste the correction instructions everytime you find yet another electrical outlet with gaps around it.

So, if it were me, I would ask to postpone the walk-thru with builder until after this weekend - even if that meant postponing my move in date by a week or so. Then I would take a couple of very persnickity (sp??) friends with me to the house over the weekend and spend several hours going over each room and making lists of punch list items. People seeing the place with fresh eyes will see problems that you noticed months ago, that your builder promised to fix, but then somehow never got around to doing. Keep a copy of your list and then check issues off as they are corrected. Otherwise, chances are, half the stuff you point out will never get corrected. Don't rely on your builder putting sticky notes on walls. Sticky notes have a way of disappearing without the work ever getting done!

Some things you need to check:

Whole House
_ Turn every light switch on and off.
_ If you have ceiling fans with multiple speeds, check that they work on every speed.
_ Test every electrical outlet (both top and bottom as we've actually found that on a number of outlets in our current house - which was purchased from a previous owner - only one half of the outlet has power and the other half is dead!)
_ Check that both heating and air conditioning work, and that you have an adequate flow of air from every register. This will require turning the AC down so that the house gets extra cold and then, after checking AC, turning the heat on to make sure that works. While it'll be a bit of a waste of energy, you don't want to find out that the heater isn't working the first night that temps suddenly dip below freezing.
_ Open and close every window. Make sure they open easily and close and seal completely. Look for any light entering around the edges of window (between the sash and the jambs.) If light can enter, so can water! If your windows tilt out to clean, check that function on every window as well.
_ Open and close every door, interior and exterior.
_ Check that all doors are plumb and square. The crack around an door should be even on all sides when the door is closed and you should not be able to see light coming from the other side except at the bottoms of interior doors.
_ Check that exterior doors close and seal completely. You should not be able to see any light coming in between the door and jamb or the door and the sill AT ALL.
_ Lock and unlock every lock
_ Check that walls are plumb and flat, that there are no nail pops and that the texturing and paint is even. BTW - nail pops are where the nails holding sheetrock to the studs back up slightly. You see them as little round bumps in the paint. You should not be able to tell where the edges of sheetrock panels are. Nor should you be able to notice any dips or high places in the walls where they taped and floated the sheetrock.
_ Check walls carefully around all outlet plates to make certain there are no gaps where the cuts in the sheetrock were made too large and then never fixed.
_ Check every piece of molding looking for cracks or gaps where two pieces of molding meet. Check the paint or stain on molding - particularly cut ends.
_ Check floors. Tiles should have even and straight grout lines; hardwoods should not have gaps between boards; seams on vinyl flooring should not be noticable; carpet should be tight and should not show seams; etc.
_While the house is quiet (late night is best), walk up and down the steps and across all portions of any hardwood floors. There should be no creaks or squeeks.
_ Check ceilings. You should not be able to tell where the edges of the sheetrock panels are.
_ Check stair spindles, balusters, and handrails to make sure they are solidly installed. No shakiness.
- Take a sprinkler with you and set it so that water falls down against your windows (simulating rain) and check for leaks on the inside. You should not see ANY water on the inside. (Caution - don't spray water UPWARD against your windows as you may drive water through the drainholes, set the spinkler so that water falls downward against the windows.)
_ If you get lucky and it happens to be raining while you are there, go into the attic and look for leaks.
_ Check that smoke detectors are working.
_ Turn everything in the house off and unplug the refrigerator, then check the electric meter. It should no longer be running. (Be sure to plug appliances back in afterwards!)
_ Make sure all water spigots are turned off and that your water heaters are full, then check your water meter. It should NOT be moving. If it is, you may have a leak somewhere in your plumbing system...possibly even under your slab.
_ If you have a real wood fireplace, build a very small but smoky fire (damp wood and newspapers) and make sure the chimney draws properly.
_ If you have a gas fireplace, light it and make sure all the vents work properly and that the flame heights are as you would expect them to be.
_ If you have natural gas or propane, find the inside gas cut-off valves. (NOTE that these should not be hidden behind an appliance - you need to be able to get to them easily in case of a fire!) Make sure the gast cut off valves turn easily. Light the appliance then turn the gas off at the cut off valve. The flame should go completely out. If it doesn't, the cut off valve is working properly.

Kitchen/Laundry Room/Pantry
_ Check that every appliance is working properly
* Refrigerator
* Freezer
* Dishwasher (run thru a cycle to ensure no leaks and that it actually cleans dishes. We bought a house once where the dishwasher seemed to work when we tested it but when we actually tried to wash dishes, they never got clean. It turned out that the water had never been attached and the little bit of moisture we were seeing was just moisture from the air!)
* stove top - check every burner
* vent hood - make sure it is actually hooked up and venting to the outside.
* oven
* microwave
* garbage disposal - put some garbage in it and make sure it chops it up.
* washer (again, run a cycle to make sure its not leaking and that it doesn't dance around)
* dryer (run a cycle with some clothes to make sure it doesn't dance. Also, make sure the dry vent is hooked up!)
_ Open and close every cabinet and every drawer to make sure they function properly.
_ Look inside each cabinet and drawer to make sure it is finished properly, that there are no missing shelves, etc. Also, look for scratches, nicks, and stains. Once you move in, you builder will assume that you made any mars on your cabinetry.
_ Turn both hot and cold water on at the sink. Fill the sink with water and then, after a while, check under the sink for evidence of leaking. Check around the sink to make sure that it is properly sealed to your countertop.
_ Check the countertop for flaws. Check the edges of countertops especially carefully as these can easily get chipped or scratched (depending on the type surface) during the building process.
_If you have a granite countertop, inspect it carefully. Run your hands over every inch feeling for any rough spots. Also, get down on your hands and knees and look across the granite from a height just an inch or two above the surface - places that are not properly polished will be more visible.
_ Inspect every light fixture installed by builder to make certain it was not scratched, dented, or marred in the process of being installed.

Bathrooms
_ Actually step into shower stalls and bathtubs to make sure they feel solid underfoot. Acrylic tubs and shower bases that "give" underfoot will crack over time.
_ Run water in every sink and bathtub and make sure they hold water without leaking. (Look under the sinks for leaks).
_ Run the showers.
_ Make sure you get hot water when you turn on a hot water spigot. Try it at every sink, tub, shower, and in your washing machine.
_ Run water at several locations at the same time to make sure you have adequate water pressure.
_ Test that bathroom fans work.
_ Flush all toilets several times to make sure they STOP running when the tanks refill. (Having a bunch of friends out for several hours also means your toilets may actually get "field tested" to make sure they really flush adequately... which not something you are likely to test while doing a walk thru with your builder!)
_ Make sure toilets sit solidly and evenly on the floor and are properly bolted down. There should not be any "rocking" motion when you sit down.
_ Have someone flush a toilet times while you run hot water in the shower and feel it. Flushing the toilet SHOULD NOT cause the shower water to suddenly get noticeable hotter.
_Make sure shower faucets are grouted properly so that water does not get into the wall behind them.
_ Check the cabinetry the same as you did for the kitchen.
_ Make certain that mirrors installed by the builder don't have flaws in the silvering.
_ Test that toilet paper holders and towel bars are firmly affixed to walls.

MISCELLANEOUS
_ If your builder installed blinds or operable shutters (inside or out) make sure they work properly.
_ Check that you OUTDOOR water spigots work.
_ Check all outdoor electrical outlets as well. These often get over-looked.
_ Check your garage door openers. Also make sure that, if something is in the way of the door as it comes down, that the door stops and goes back up.
_ If you have an attic access ladder, pull it down and make sure it works smoothly.
_ Climb into the attic and make sure you have the amount of insulation you are supposed to have.
- If you're really lucky and it rains while you are checking out your house this weekend, go up into the attic with a flashlight and look for roof leaks.
_ Make sure gutters are fully attached to walls and designed to drain water away from your house. Pull downward gently on the downspouts and make sure that there is no movement where they connect to the gutters. If downspouts have not been properly connected to gutters, they can fall out.
_ Check that ground around the house has been graded so that it slopes away from the house.
_ Get as high above the ground as you can safely manage and look to see if your roofing shingles appear to be flat and tight against the roof.
_ Check all exterior concrete for cracks.
_ Check the siding on the house to make sure everything that was supposed to be painted has been painted.
_ Check that exterior sprinkler systems work and that landscaping plants are alive and appear healthy.

This is all just "off the top of my head." I'm sure if you think about it you can add dozens of other things to check for. And, no doubt other posters will chime in with other things to add to your check list.
Ultimately, you don't have to insist that the builder fix every little tiny thing. If something won't bother you - or if you can fix it easily yourself and don't mind doing so, point it out to your builder anyway and, once you've gone over everything you can cross those items off your list as a way to show you're being reasonable but that the rest of the list IS important to you.

Just thought I'd share what I found. And to think we were all impressed with the soap container that was hooked up to the soap dispenser.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Bar Faucet...

I took a sheet of newspaper, already folded once, and cut it along the second fold, where it naturally gets folded before the carrier rolls it into a roll. I took each piece, (about 10" x 28"), and folded it once, long ways. This resulted in a strip about 5" x 28". Then I just wrapped the strip around the form until I got to the end of the paper strip. Put a small piece of tape down to hold it. Then turn over your form and fold the paper down like you're wrapping the end of a Christmas present. Put a little piece of tape down to hold that.

Because they're square, they fit together better in a tray (I use old cake pans I buy at garage sales, and just put the pots in rows in the pan). Because the bottoms have been folded flat, they sit up better.

I really like the idea of newspaper pots. So economical, so recyclable, so much easier on the plants when it's time to set out, and the newspaper acts like a sponge and helps keep the plant roots moist between rains. There's no need to unfold the pot when you plant because the roots will grow right through, but if you really want to, it's quick and easy. If you like round ones, you can use tomato paste can for the form. I found these to be a little too small and liked to use a soup can better. You can make them as deep as you want, really. Provided that you use enough layers, you can just about make your newspaper pot any size (and shape) that you want.

The origami pots are cute, but they take more time to make, and I must be "origami challenged" because mine are always lop-sided. I also like a little more paper at the bottom than these end up having.

The wonderful thing about all these options is that you have lots of ways to choose from, whatever works best for you!

So first make sure that you've removed all of the literature and supplies that came with the oven. That includes any tape and tape residue. Tape residue can produce some nasty smoke. Check your storage drawer or broiler drawer if that is how your range is configured.

Then, make sure you've done the required burnoff that new ovens will need. That should be done before actually using it to cook with. It's a stinky process, but you have to heat the oven to 450° and keep it there for a couple of hours while any of the machine oil and grease burns off. You should be standing by to operate fans and open any windows while this process occurs. After you've done both of these things, run the self cleaning cycle (Make sure your racks are removed if they aren't also self cleanable. Most aren't.) Let your oven cool and wipe it out with soap and water.

We used the chart below from Feather River Doors as our guide when choosing.

Jodi-

Check this thread for Love2cook4six's custom full overlay with cutting board (with pics), and scroll down to the end where Fori talks about adapting a drawer to be both a drawer and a cutting board (not cutting board in drawer).

These people make the boards boards. These people have boards too.

For a wheelchair user I might do something custom, with more support than a standard pullout cutting board. Something with a cantilever so the downward pressure would be supported. Even if it were essentially an upside down drawer with a cutting surface on the top.

That is the good news. The bad news is, I found out late yesterday afternoon that the Fire and Ice is backordered until OCTOBER 31. I can't imagine waiting another 2 months for my backsplash to finally be completed, but I love the tile sooo much that I am willing to wait.

Thanks again for everyone's help!!

The first was a list of everything I had in my old kitchen plus everything that should have been stored in the kitchen but wasn't.

The second document was a "map" of my kitchen. First, I took a picture of my kitchen design and, in MS PowerPoint, labeled each cabinet & shelf/drawer. There were two pictures, one for each side of the kitchen. Then, I saved them as "jpg" images. I then inserted them into an MS Word document, each on its own page. I then created a table with one row for each shelf/drawer.

My last step was to map the items from the first document to the cabinets & shelves/drawers in the second document.

That document is now in our new kitchen and is used by everyone to remember where everything goes.

This process worked great!

Now, here's my map/list (sorry the pics are so big, but when I made them smaller they were illegible!):

HTH!