DIY Sliding Door

Once we had completed the preparations for the door we had to address the track. Initially we had no clue how to make a track and we certainly do not have the equipment to do the metal work ourselves. Initially we asked a friend with metal working skills to design and create a track system. The same day Neil came over to do measurements David's parents called with news that they had found and purchased a track system for us! We hope to have Neil help us with out next metal working project. So if anyone in NOCO is looking for a track system we know a guy...

With the track question put out of our minds, David set to work on the application. We did not want to install the track directly into the wall so David milled and routed a piece of wood as a header. We had to set the track so specifically, we just barely got away with the tricky dimensions. The trick was to make sure the door slid all the way open to allow enough clearance for a human to pass through and also have the door slide all the way shut so bathroom users would have ample privacy. We also needed to make sure the door was set far enough off the wall so the door did not scratch against the door frame. But not too far off that there was a noticeable gap and people could peek into the door. 

FYI a statement not appreciated by hub is "Pinterest makes this look so easy"

The installation process when a bit like this...first, the wood mount had to be installed. However we discovered there weren't any studs in that wall. So hub used 3-4 inch screws to secure it to the wall. Then the track system had to be installed onto the wood mount. Everything was bolted into studs. Hub cranked everything down and tested the track to make sure everything was solid. Once the track is secure we are ready to hang the door. We both really like the look of the dark metal and the wood header behind it. The routed edge on the header matches the fireplace. (The same Ogee) I am debating whether or not to paint the header but for now we will leave it naked. 

 

Once the door was hung a few adjustments needed to be made. To bring the door completely flush the top needed a shave. We took a precision tool to scrape off small slivers at a time. We took the door on and off several times until it was just right. Once properly in place the door glides beautifully. We can tell our house is a little off because the door will gently slide backward when we close it. People who have used it have been a little timid because we have yet to install a lock. The bathroom was doorless for months so it doesn't really bother us much.

To totally complete this project the next steps are to install a guide along the floor so the door does not come off the wall, a pull on the outside, and a lock on the inside. Eventually I would like to paint it but I am putting that off until I can make a decision. But at least for now I can say this was a pinterest success and a dream come true!!

Attempting Pinterest Crafting with Crayon Candles

*disclaimer* this is not a recommended method to making diy candles. Use my mistakes and poor planning and go from there...

Hutch Updates ~ Episode One: Knobs

When I moved to Colorado from Illinois I had very little furniture. I had a dresser and a desk which I jigsawed into my SUV for the move out here. I filled every crevasse with books, shoes, and clothes. Initially my roommates were given loaner furniture from a friend. Unfortunately those loaners didn't live at our house for long, including an awesome vintage hutch. Oh how I pined for that turquoise hutch. I have had hutch envy every since (just check my pinterest boards). But it was better in the long run because I know the longer that piece stayed at our house the more attached I would have gotten. Without a hutch my roommates and I were in desperate need of some kitchen storage. So I went on the hunt to craigslist. I made contact with a man who was getting a divorce and wanted to rid himself of anything his wife liked before she could get it. It was a sad situation but he was selling the hutch for cheap. Make lemonade! Amanda and I drove out to east Fort Collins and loaded the hutch ourselves! We don't need boys! That $150 craigslist find then went on to live in 2 rentals with my pre-marriage roommates and finally to the Burrow with my post-marriage roommate. The hutch has been needing some updating for quite some time. It has bead board and glass windows but also has a honey wood accent that has a bit of a 90's feel. It also has inexpensive geometric wood knobs. A little at a time I have been subtracting knobs and adding new ones. 

Hob Knob

The final touch to our kitchen came with anthropology knobs! We owe our knob collection to inefficiency of the Anthropology Wish List. I have nothing against the anthropology Wish List, (I keep mine current just in case someone gets inspired to buy me things). I created one for our wedding and because the wish list doesn't delete items already purchased we received doubles and triples of items. I believe I got 3 Fleur Di Lis tea pots. So I kept one and returned all the extra items and bought knobs. I was like a kid in the candy store buying a few of my favorite things. 

Preparing for the Sliding Barn Door

I had pinterest envy for a sliding barn door. I pretty much drooled over them. When we first began making plans, the upstairs bathroom was low on the priority list. However, in the spirit of demolition we suddenly decided to rip out the whole upstairs powder room - toilet, sink, the door and the whole kit and caboodle. The old door swung into the bathroom requiring and individual to squeeze between the door frame and the sink just to get around it. We knew we were going to put a sliding track door in eventually. That eventually was almost 4 months after we ripped out the old door. 

 

The journey began when I went shopping for a door. This was not so easy. I went to at least 5 flea markets and scoured craigslist for weeks. The problem was not style it was size. With a sliding door it needs to be wider and taller than the opening. So I was on the hunt for a extra wide, extra tall door with vintage charm. After a few weeks of hunting we finally found and purchased a just right old door from the ReSource Store, one of my favorite re-sale shops that no longer exists (due to blasted eminent domain. They were having a liquidation sale so we bought 3 old doors. The others we will use for future projects. 

We initially had to prepare the door frame by installing pre-fabricated door framing on the inside.  

 

 Then to install the trim around the door frame. This gives the door the finished look.

I then caulked and painted the frame job. 

The next step was preparing the door. Because the door was extra wide and extra tall it had to be cut down just a bit. We took the door to a friend place who had all the woodworking tools a man could want. David was thrilled! He cut the door down and used a rotating tool to fill the handle holes. 

Once the plug was finished and the ends chopped off we were ready to head home and install the track system. 

Heavenly Trash Pull

We have spent 4 months dreaming about a trash pull. We have been looking at Rev-a-pull systems and youtube videos for weeks. I finally found a system on ebay and "bought it now" ... 3 days later it arrived! 

Our before system was a trash can on the side of the peninsula. It worked but our dreams are now coming true. We can now stealthily slide our trash and recycling out of sight. 

To begin we needed to make some adjustments to the stock cabinet we installed. First thing to do was to remove the door. Then cut out the shelf. 

 And so dear husband used a "doit" saw to get rid of it! 

Then after decoding the intricate directions for the pull our system David dove in.  First to install is the stationary piece. It was very important to get this piece perfectly center in the cabinet. 

Then to connect the wire rack to the sliding bars. And with a little finagling we dropped the trash cans into the system.

We slid the cans into the cabinet and cheered!

Now for the door pull...the best part of all. First David measured to put the metal attachments on at just the right spot. He hooked the metal attachments onto the slide system and then attached an anthropology knob. (JOY!) 

We added the trash bags and we had a final product ready to use! 

Total time: 1 hour
Total Cost: $115
Total happiness: priceless

The hardest part was remembering where the trash was. The following week I habitually looked around confused when I was throwing something away. I am very much used to it by now. 

Personalized White Board

Getting married offered a number of challenges. One of those challenges was communication. We were having problems particularly with communicating grocery needs, sometimes it would take weeks to buy black pepper because we had no where to write it down. We also needed a spot to put our monthly calendar so we didn't double book. From our marriage books we learned "communication is the lifeblood of every marriage," so we needed a way to communicate via whiteboard. For awhile we had a standard office-max white board with a calendar but it just wasn't cute enough for my taste. I couldn't find anything to suit our needs with a calendar and space for notes. Gosh I guess I will have to do it myself :) First I hunted for a window. I went to my favorite re-store (which sadly closed in November) and bought this $5 beauty!

One of a kind towel hanger

Our powder room has come so far, click here to see the transformation so far. However we needed a place to hang a hand towel. I was on the hunt for many moons to find a perfect towel ring that would be to my liking (and for cheap). Unfortunately, I always came back disappointed in my options. The cheap ones were plastic and not cute (blech) and the expensive ones I didn't really like either. So off to pinterest I go to find something unique and pinspired!