Sunday, December 6, 2009

Need Advice on Laundry Room Makeover

I'm working on my laundry room today.
Trying to make it as pretty as can be.

I could really use some advice.
Can anyone recommend products to do the following:
Remove paint from a cement wall.
Patch holes and cracks the cement wall.
Seal the cement wall so it won't get moldy.
Repaint the cement wall, perhaps in an "off white" color.

Here are pictures of my laundry room. I know I'm not the only one with an ugly scary laundry room! I'm gonna make this into a bigger post later with more photos and some inspiring pictures.

This is just one side of the laundry room! The other wall is wood paneling and needs to be stripped and repainted. The ceiling is a fright, the lights don't work, and the floors need attention too.

The cement wall and funky ceiling tile ceiling.

The cement wall and cracked cement or concrete floor.

The cement wall. Ug!

The cement wall is actually a foundation wall. It was painted bright yellow in the 1970's. I don't know what kind of paint it is, but there is a chance it might have lead in it due to the time it was painted. I don't want to sand blast it off. I do know the paint remover has to be non pourous so it won't seep into the cement.

This is just a quick post. I will add more pictures and info later. I'm off to Home Depot for now. Any and all advice is welcome and greatly appreciated!

A big thank you to my new blogging friend the
She and her husband gave me some great advice on what to do and purchase for this project. She recommended the brushes which I hadn't even thought of. After I read her comment, I went to Home Depot to get some things to start stripping the paint. There are more steps to do after this that she helped me with too. Thank you so much!

Be sure to check out her blog, Parisienne Farmgirl if you haven't already! It's her laundry post from earlier this year that got me so inspired to redo my laundry room. I'm sure she will inspire you to do all you can to make your home as lovely as can be too!

On a side note, I just noticed she lives in the Chicago countryside. My Grandpa was born and raised on a big farm in the countryside of Chicago too, long ago. Wouldn't it be amazing if she lived on his family's old farm?

This is what I got today:

My Home Depot Paint Removing Stash!

Jassco Brushable Semi Paste Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover
Strongest formula. Professional results. Strips multiple layers in one application. Use on wood, metal, concrete, masonry, water rinsable, non-flammable. Removes epoxy, polyurethane, latex, varnish, enamel, oil based coatings. Poisonous. Duh.

Husky Plastic Sheeting
To cover up the shelving, the washer and dryer, the ironing board, the sink area and anything else left after I clear stuff out.

Husky 6 in 1 Paint Tool
For scraping off the paint. What 6 things does this thing do?

Wire Brushes
Workforce Stainless Steel Wire Brush with Soft Grip Handle
Hardened scraper, stainless steel bristles, removes paint, rust and scale, great for BBQ Grill Cleaning too.
These are for scraping and brushing off the paint as best as I can before using the paint remover. I got two different kinds!

All Purpose Spackling Paste
For my wrinkles after I finish! Just kidding... For interior and exterior use... on the house! Ready to use formula. Paintable. Easy to sand. This is for filling in the cracks in the cement. Harmful if inhaled. Duh!


West Chester Latex Stripping Gloves
Helps you slide down the stripper pole with greater ease! Ha!
Chemical resistance. Ideal for stripping paint, staining and refinishing, grouting, and cleaning.

Face Mask
3M Sanding Painted Surfaces Respirator
Helps keep non harmful dust and certain particles out of your nose, mouth and lungs.

I already have goggles to protect my eyes.

The Home Depot guy who helped me was also very knowledgable and picked out the right items. Although he just grinned when I said I was gonna do this job all by myself.
The Home Depot girl who check out my items said she was a property manager of apartment units and that I was saving a lotta money by not hiring a contractor or other workers. She encouraged me to try and do it myself first! I didn't tell her I didn't have any money to hire a contractor or interior designer. But if anybody wants to help... come on over!

Here are more before photos of my laundry room:

Holy cardboardy ceiling tiles!
The ceiling, the hole in the ceiling, and my old yellow cement wall.

Um... Did I mention the rat? There is a rat up there.
He or she already ate two packets of "rat cuisine"
but didn't croke. He just keeps running around inbetween the ceiling, floors and walls.

The door into the laundry room and more crap.
The cement floor used to have vinyl floor tiles on top but I pulled most of them up.

Vintage ceiling lights that don't work.

The big window overlooking the garden. The wooden wall paneling above the window and on this other side of the room need to have the paint stripped off and it needs repainting too.


Can I jus say I got Shabby Chic Walls and forget about it?


A lotta old things to go through... someday.

The alternative.

This is an old laundry print that belonged to my Mom or my Grandma. Actually, I really like it. I might try to emulate it and bring the look out in the decor.
(That's just a spot from the flash in the middle.)
This is just one idea...

I'm off to clean out more stuff. Then I'm gonna start stripping! HA! Oh lordy, what have I gotten myself into?!

To all my blogging friends who have husbands or boyfriends... you are truly blessed and oh so lucky to have someone who helps do these kind of thing.
I wish I had somebody like that too.

All of your ideas are so gratefully welcome!
Thank you so much for all your help and advice!

ps. So can I be in the ugly laundry room club for now too?

Thank goodness for the great advice from my blogging friends!
I'll get the paint tested for lead before I start trying to remove it.
I won't use the things I bought incase I need to return them.
Then I can apply the money spent to an alternative solution!
First things first, step by step... I'll get there! :)

12-6-09
Laundry Room Dimensions:
The home was built in 1934. I have the original plans but also tried to measure it myself. I don't remember why I got such different measurements. That back wall with the yellow paint is stepped up (not sure of the right word) which you can see in one of the photos. That might be the reason for my different widths. I'm not sure what to go by, but this is what I have:

Original Plans: Length 19.0' by Width 10.0'

My Measurements Inside:
Length 18.0' by Width 9' or 8'-2" Height: 7'-6" (90")

Laundry Room - The Other Side
Still messay even after a quick clean up.

Built in sink cabinet (plumbing for sink is bad)
White metal cabinet up high that I want to take out.
Long pipes under shelf that bring water in for washing machine.
Old sewing maching on lower right.

View from the door
I want to take the bar in the ceiling out
And take out the ones on the wall

Same photo just more closeup

Better shot of the floor which needs scrubbing.

Looking back towards the door.

Pipes can be seen sticking out from under the shelf.
I'd like to add some kind of window covering.

Inside view of plaster and lathe, pipes and electrical.

I'll get the lead paint test kit this week at a paint store or online. I heard that Abotex is a good brand to get. I have a feeling it's going to test positive for lead. I hope I can still make the room look nice in some other way if thats the case.

13 comments:

Parisienne Farmgirl said...

Hi- Youre in luck! Just saw you became a follower and my husband is a painter!
What you have before you is not a pretty job - you will need to get a wire brush from HD or a paint store and wire brush those walls as best you can.
it would be best to use Oil paint o the walls but its hard to come by cause if VOC laws -la don't think HD carries it.
Suppose you could use Quick Crete or something to fill the holes....before you paint.
Ask HD what the best kind of paint they have for the job but they usually don't know what they are talking about :)
I have the same situation - look up my ugliest laundry room contest - hubby did ours 5 years ago and that darned seepage gets the best of those foundation walls.
Bonne Chance!

James XVI said...

Bonnie, if you think there may be lead in the paint, I think you shouldn't try to remove it, but contain it with some kind of sealer, then patch over that, prime and paint. The folks at HD should be able to recommend products and sequence, but sanding, brushing or anything that would release lead is potentially dangerous. I think you can buy a lead paint test kit at HD, but I wouldn't take undue risk as this is not a room you'll spend time in or show off, you just want it to look pleasant... my two cents. Its a big job, so don't get discouraged if it is slow going, just try to appreciate each step as progress and you'll get there. Good luck!

The-Countrypolitan said...

Bonnie... James is right about the lead content in old paint. I think that you can take precautions to protect yourself... otherwise it can become very costly to have a professional service come in to remove it.

You definitely need a sealer for the cement foundation wall. There are products just for that type of application. You should go to a paint store such as Sherwin Williams, where they can make recommendations. Take along some of your photos for them to see.

An alternate idea, so as not to mess with the scraping and possible lead paint issue, would be for you to put up a vapor barrier over the cement and then put up a beadboard or other wall board.

Good luck! and thanks for visiting my blog...

bikim said...

Dear Bonnie,
1st things 1st!!! Thanks soooo very much for the lovely award!! It made my day!!! glad you like to visit me! I'll have a special post for you today and i will gladly pass it to 7 other blogs too!
What a job you have there!!!! but i can see soooooo many potencial!!
I love your floor! it looks like it has just the perfect look for an original laundry room!!! i wouldn't cover it!!! can you get it polished? just to get stains and those tiles marks out?! ciment floor looks wonderful when polished and protected! i'll try to get you an site on it! Too bad that wall is painted in yellow! I love the way that paint is coming off here and there! On the other hand the painting you have looks like an italian landscape and that yellow walls have an italian colour look! Maybe they would go really well in italian kind of style laundry! I know i can not see the whole thing , but why don't you try to go with what you have instead of stripping the whole thing off?!!! you have some lovely details there that just need to be brough out instead of covering them! Can you get a scatch of the room?! I would gladly make you a look for it! If you like the idea do tell me! I love new projects and as after my surgery i won't be able to do anything i will have plenty of time to be on the computer! a great way to get away from the boredom of it!!!
Take care sweet Bonnie and thanks again for the award! I'll come later with some sites for that ciment solution!
Rosa

bikim said...

Can you get a new photo on that "wooden" wall?! it looks lovely! How big is that room?
Rosa

BonjourRomance said...

Bonjour Bonnie!

You really have a project in front of you, but I know it will be great once you're done. Everyone's comments here are so helpful, you are defintely on the right track.

I love working on old places and this starts my heart beating faster. Can't wait to see the end product!

Be careful.

charmaine said...

hi Bonnie! i just wanted to stop by and check you out! LOVE your blog! i also wanted to say thank you so much for your very nice comment. i really do appreciate it. i'll definitely be back for a visit. good luck with your laundry room. have a lovely week!

God Bless,
Charmaine

DesignTies said...

OMG, it's been ages since I last saw your giraffe in the window!!

I think that's officially the scariest laundry room I've ever seen!! But I bet you can make it shine, especially with that fantastic big window :-)

I have a picture of a laundry room that's the inspiration for my laundry room -- like most other rooms in our house, it's a work in progress ;-) I can send it to you if you'd like, maybe it'll give you some ideas for your room.

Thanks for your comment on my office makeover post :-)

Kelly

bikim said...

Morning Bonnie! No time to post the web sites links yesterday! Sorry!
Here they are today!
http://www.restore-crete.com/
http://www.eichlerforsale.com/eichler_flooring
http://www.mgssupplyandservices.com/services_floors.htm

These are only some of them!
I know that you can do the job yourself. It's hard heavy work but the result is gorgeous! You can paint it or not! there are thousands of solutions! I myself love the colour on yours and the fact that it is not perfect and has some damage! I would clean it (there's a special machine for that!)and seal it! Check: http://www.essortment.com/all/concretestainf_rutw.htm
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/floors-and-carpet/floors/how-to-clean-concrete-floors/

That window are is a plus and i would let it free of clutter! Full access to it! I would move those machines somewhere else if possible!
You can hide those pipes with a thick shelf painted white!Meaning the shelf would be large enough to have the pipse inside it! Like these ones, only thicker http://www.kkidsonline.com/images/products/detail/FreeStandingShelves.jpg.
I would take that cupboard down and let the wall free for your italian style painting! How big is the painting? And i would paint that piece of furniture white(not perfect white; i mean that rustic kind of white) so it kind of disappears on the wall and makes the room bigger! with some new handles too.
Hope i could help or you can picture it into your head!
take care,
Rosa

bikim said...

Me again!!! Hi! hi! hi!
for snow effect on your blog go to:
http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2008/12/simple-snow-effect-widget-for-blogger.html

Just click on add snow effect and you'll have it!
Enjoy it!
Rosa

DesignTies said...

I sent you an e-mail with the picture, but it bounced :-( Is there another address I can try??

Kelly

DesignTies said...

I tried e-mailing the picture again, and it bounced again :-( This is the message I get:

Rejected with: 421 SERVICE NOT AVAILABLE

Kelly

Brandi@ Flights of Whimsy said...

That's quite an undertaking Bonnie! You are brave to tackle it yourself and of course you will succeed! You have a great amount of space to work with and I'm sure piece by piece it will come out great. No painting advice from me but I can't wait to see what you do!