Bathroom DIY Barn board Style
Back in 2007 I purchased my first home, with my now Husband. We had it built by a local Home Builder. As a current Interior Design Student at N.A.I.T. I was so excited to be a part of the construction of my own home. Nearly 10 years later I’d do so many things different, but I’m still so very happy with our house that has now become a home.
Recently I had the itch to revamp the main floor powder room. I also almost always have the strong desire to do things myself or as cost effective as I can. Ask anyone in the office, I have expensive taste. So curbing those desires can be hard. My passion to save and create may outweigh my desire for those expensive things so here is what I came up with.
Luxury vinyl plank tiles glued directly to the wall. These can be purchased at your local home improvement store, flooring suppliers or online. I was able to secure many work samples to cut my costs to nearly nothing. It also played well with the rustic look I was after. Here is how I achieved the look:
Step One – measure out the wall (s) to receive planks.
Step Two – map out where each length of plank will go. I did this step out in my garage. I laid out each plank and cut them to fit. This gave me the opportunity to see what the wall would look like. Keep in mind various planks come in various widths – so be sure to match those up. Some also come in various thicknesses, but this just plays into the rustic look even more. I’d like to point out I was able to cut the planks with the circular saw… all by myself. No husbands required.
Step Three – Prep the space to receive the planks. I painted the adjacent plumbing wall out a darker color; from paint we had used in our basement renovations. I felt this helped the wall behind the sink blend into the wood wall better. I removed any artwork and nails from the wall. I had my husband and mini humans help remove the light fixture. Base can remain in place; just give it a good cleaning ;)
Step Four – Install the planks. I used a construction adhesive and applied it to the back of the plank. I then used a piece of cardboard to spread the glue down. Making sure not to get to close to the edge, as then the glue may seep through the cracks. Start application at the bottom. Row by row work your way up.
Step Five – Reinstall the light fixture. Due to the thin material thickness the light fixture should fit overtop with little issues.
Step Six – let it dry. This can take days or even weeks to fully dry.
Step Seven (optional) – Apply a metal trim piece along the vertical edges. This helps to hide any micro imperfections in cutting! I used a flat aluminum piece found at Home Depot. They can be easily cut to size with metal snipers. Use some construction adhesive or caulking to surface apply.
Step Eight (mandatory) – Sit back and bask at your awesomeness. Just remember to wash your hands when you are done!
So for the cost of a few tubes of construction glue ($8 each) and two metal trim pieces ($10 each) you can transform your builder basic bathroom into something hip and cool.
-Tamra
