🖼️
The project:
Our ensuite was disgusting, it was 30 years old with a yellowed (not by colour, but by age) plastic toilet, grime everywhere, a tiny vanity with two small slippery hard white plastic taps that crushed your thumbs every time you tried to turn them on, a leaky shower with broken grout, no upper cabinet for storage and barely any lower cabinet storage. Everything was old, gross, worn out and yellowed. It was nasty use and made you feel gross just being in there.
- Materials:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/moroday-6mm-x-5m-white-gap-filler-rod_p4061882
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dulux-4l-1step-prep-primer-sealer-undercoat_p1370234
https://www.bunnings.com.au/carinya-50-x-50-x-20-x-1-8mm-white-reinforcing-angle-bracket-8-pack_p3962551
- Tools:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/builders-edge-temporary-floor-protection_p0491295
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramboard-72mm-surface-protection-joining-tape_p1090814
https://www.bunnings.com.au/monarch-50mm-cutting-in-and-framing-synthetic-paint-brush-50mm_p1660278
https://www.bunnings.com.au/monarch-50mm-walls-doors-and-trims-paint-brush-50mm_p1660270
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-100mm-9mm-nap-little-ripper-high-density-foam-roller-cover-10-pack_p1660146
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-100mm-you-can-do-it-gloss-and-low-sheen-mini-roller-kit-9mm-nap_p0096129
https://www.bunnings.com.au/paint-partner-270mm-roller-tray_p0794475
https://www.bunnings.com.au/monarch-270mm-comfort-grip-roller-frame_p1560517
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-270mm-10mm-nap-you-can-do-it-microfibre-roller-cover-3-pack_p0117259
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-270mm-10mm-nap-you-can-do-it-heavy-duty-micro-fibre-twin-roller-kit_p0096131
https://www.bunnings.com.au/uni-pro-270-460mm-professional-adjustable-yoke-roller-frame_p1660513
https://www.bunnings.com.au/monarch-0-8-2-0m-dual-extension-comfort-grip-pole_p0328994
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-stud-finder-with-ac-detection-rysf5003_p0374422
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-255mm-2-in-1-torpedo-line-level_p0939585
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-10m-red-cross-line-laser_p0437573
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-18v-one-drill-driver-starter-kit-r18dd22_p0715241
https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-1l-wall-surface-cleaner-super-concentrate-sugar-soap_p1230181
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-18v-one-palm-sander-rps18-tool-only_p0371771
https://www.bunnings.com.au/poly-510g-interior-skim-coat-filler-510g_p1210370
https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-180g-spakfilla-rapid-gap-filler-180g_p1231864
https://www.bunnings.com.au/builders-edge-100-x-100mm-plasterboard-wall-patch_p0730622
https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotch-24mm-x-55m-rough-surface-extra-strength-painter-s-masking-tape_p1214133
https://www.bunnings.com.au/paint-partner-2-6-x-3-6m-plastic-backed-canvas-drop-sheet_p1660308
https://www.bunnings.com.au/monarch-2-6-x-3-6m-blue-plastic-drop-sheet_p1670110
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-nylon-wallmate-plasterboard-anchor-with-screws-20-pack_p0643326
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-m5-x-9mm-plasterboard-hollow-wall-anchor-4-pack_p2260148
https://www.bunnings.com.au/carinya-50-x-50-x-20-x-1-8mm-white-reinforcing-angle-bracket-8-pack_p3962551
https://www.bunnings.com.au/trojan-6-in-1-multi-paint-scraper_p0093215
https://www.bunnings.com.au/trojan-100mm-paint-scraper_p0093214
- Step 1:
Demolished the old bathroom: We protected the wood floors in the bedroom with the Builders Edge floor protection and the Ram tape so all the foot traffic and plumber in and out of the ensuite wouldn't ruin them (these performed really well - definitely recommend!), and took down the old mirror cabinet, removed the old shower screen, and had a plumber take out the old toilet and vanity/sink and shower head - disconnecting those until we were ready to reinstall the new ones. We also removed an old medicine cabinet that we had installed earlier in place of the single pane mirror that was there before - both of them were terrible quality and falling apart so we were starting again fresh here.
- Step 2:
Painted the old shower tiles & shower screen install: We scrubbed the tiles hard and sanded them, then hired a pro to paint the shower tiles, who did a terrible job. They used the wall prep paint (Dulux 1Step Prep) on the tiles - everything peeled off, it was awful. Before we realised how bad it was, we got the new shower screen installed on top of the paint. After much fussing about with tricky instructions, the shower screen was assembled and installed. But then, the tile paint started peeling because of the tradesperson's application and wrong primer use. So we used the paint scraper tools and spent days scraping off the tile paint they put on, and then used the high density foam rollers to apply 1 coat of the white knight tile primer, then later 2 coats of the white knight tile paint. It worked out great if you just push the rollers into the grout, to cover all the surfaces evenly including the grout. Huge improvement on the original look after we did it ourselves - note to everyone - just do tile painting yourself!
- Step 3:
Plumbing reinstall: We had the plumber come back to install the new bunnings back to wall toilet, the vanity, and replace the shower tap handles and shower head for a lovely rain shower + hand shower combo.
- Step 4:
Prepped and painted the walls and ceiling: We prepped the walls by cleaning with Selleys sugar soap, filled in any holes and bumps with the skim coat, and also patched a big hole with the plasterboard patch and then spakfilla over the top. After waiting for it to dry and sanding that all down and wiping the dust off, we used our handy 50mm angled cutting brush to paint all the cornice and cut in, then the microfiber rollers to paint the walls - Dulux Natural White is a lovely colour and was a great refresh.
- Step 5:
Medicine Cabinet install: We then installed our new medicine cabinet on the wall at great difficulty using plasterboard anchor screws - but it was way too high and wonky! So after two attempts and many holes in the wall - we busted out the Ryobi Laser Level device and got our new, stronger wall anchor hooks installed perfectly level (finally!). Because the medicine cabinet is so very heavy, we also used angled shelf brackets to secure it further from the bottom, so we can be really sure it won't fall down.
- Step 6:
Additional hardware: We drilled in some plasterboard wall anchor plugs to install the toilet roll holder and the robe hooks that we're using as towel hooks. We also drilled into the wooden doorframe to install the new matte black barn door guide to stop our door from swinging about wilding when you open it.
- Step 7:
Install the flooring and backsplash: We used easy stick on tiles for the flooring and backsplash since we didn't have the budget to replace the floors. We simply cleaned the floors really well (and used Isocol rubbing alcohol on the tiles for that final clean) then stuck these to the floor with some additional gorilla super glue gel to hold them permanently down, and cut them to size where a full tile wouldn't fit. To get around the tricky curves of the toilet, we just used a piece of paper to trace the curve and transfer that onto the sticky tile to cut (with scissors). It turned out much better than expected for such a cheap solution - but we did have to remove the barn door guide that was installed onto the floor, we took this out in favour of a wall mounted one from Bunnings.
- Step 8:
Sealing and silicone: We used the Selleys wet area silicone and painters tape to seal up the outside of the shower and make it water tight. The trick for a neat line is to use the painters tape on both sides leaving about 3-5mm gap for the silicone to go, apply your bead, spray it with some water + dishwashing soap when you've applied it, then run your (gloved) finger along that making it neat, then peel off the tape before it dries. We got some great silicone lines with this method - looks professional and honestly much better than our plumber did down the side of our vanity. I always used the hand squeeze tubes, rather than the ones that require a caulking gun, because my hands are small and I feel I get more control and can be more precise with these smaller tubes. I like them a lot, because it means you don't need to buy and use that additional cumbersome tool.
We used this same method, but with clear silicone for the gap between our new vanity top and the wall/backspash. We then used the Selleys No More Gaps Bathroom & Kitchen for all the other edges that weren't directly in wet areas - mostly around the edges of the new flooring tiles to make them look neat and not so DIY, and around the bottom of the vanity. In gaps that were too big, we used a foam gap filler rod, shoving that in first and then applying the silicone/gap filler on top. This step in particular is what took the bathroom from looking a bit cobbled together, to looking really professional and complete.
- Step 9:
Cleaning up: We tidied up and took a look at our work - so proud of how it turned out - especially the tile paint - that is definitely a DIY job with Bunnings paint that you should do yourself, don't trust anyone else with it! We got it so smooth in the end with no peeling :)
