Episode 16 – Time For A Kitchen Renovation

Episode 16 – Time For A Kitchen Renovation

What does a Laundromat Owner do day to day? That varies a lot between owners and their business plans. In this episode, we look at a few weeks of activity in and around the laundromats.

Some Before pictures of the kitchen. We always found that the kitchen felt very dark

The first step was to replace the old window and let in the light. I hired a contractor for this job. When the house was built the windows were installed before the brick. In many cases, the brick overlaps the window so in order for it to be removed the glass is taken out and the frame pulled out in pieces.

Nice clean lines and lots of light.
The window faces North so it never gets direct sunlight. The view is the backyard and a bunch of trees. Plus a great view of the oak tree that provided a non-stop, barrage of acorns throughout the project. When the back door was open some even bounced into the kitchen.

Once that was complete it was time for the removal of everything but the cabinet bases and flooring.
The countertop was unscrewed and moved around as needed to provide work bench space.
The section along the window was cut on either side of the sink to allow the use of the sink and taps for as long as possible.

The original drawers were about 12″ deep and used a single slider in the middle. They were not very smooth to operate and occasionally came out of the track.

We had new drawers built that was 22″ deep and installed full extension drawer slides on each side. There were no supports for the new slides so 1″ x 6″ pine was installed on each side of the opening.

Hauling home the new drawers

The old tile pulled a lot of the drywall off so it was replaced as well.

And then it was a trip to Seattle for a few days. Originally my plan was to be done before this trip but it was not to be.

Under this pile of tools is the 3′ x 9′ dining room table. It was covered in plastic and cardboard and was invaluable to keep thing organized.

I have found projects like this that it’s good to do a bit of a cleanup everyday and after each major step stop, organize and move to the next part. It really helps prevent the frustration of looking for tools and parts and helps clear your head.

Once back from Seattle it was time for counter top, tile, and a list of little steps that took a lot of time to work through.

Time for the old counter to go…

The longest section of the new counter was around 12″. I used some 14′ 2″x4″ to build a ladder type frame to support the counter for the trip home.

Installing the new counter took a few trials fits and a small adjustment to the face of the cabinets so the counter would be flush along the wall. The screws in the back corner were a little tough to get at.

Matching panels were installed on the exposed cabinet ends and the back of the bar. The panel on the right has a hinge to allow access to the back of the cabinet. A hole was cut and framed in the bar wall.

In many cabinet doors the panel is inserted into the frame and depending on the tolerance, temperature and humidity may make a rattling sound when the door is shut.
A small bead of caulking around the inside edge firms up the door and it makes a nice solid sound when closing.

And finally….

So that’s how I spent the last few weeks.

Resources:
Counter Top: Top Products, Irondale (Birmingham), AL
Drawers: Lott Cabinet Shop, Anniston, AL
Backsplash, cabinet handles, sink and many other items: Home Depot, Pell City, AL
Dishwasher: Lowes.com
Cabinet Doors: KitchenReface.com
Window: Home Depot
LED Undercabinet Lights: 724Light.com