Make it with Kate

Building Projects

Installing a Tile Backsplash: DIY Corner Coffee Bar

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

Installing a tile backsplash is a great way to make your space look upgraded. Check out the tips on making this beginner friendly.

The base of the DIY corner coffee bar is complete with the blind corner cabinet and mini fridge cabinet builds complete. I opted to get a granite that matched the rest of my kitchen as a countertop, and now it’s time for installing a tile backsplash. This is turning into such a fun DIY Woodworking project.

Read these to see how we got here:

Convert a Base Cabinet to a Blind Corner Cabinet: DIY Corner Coffee Bar

DIY Mini Fridge Cabinet: Corner Coffee and Wine Bar

Installing a tile backsplash is a great way to make your space look upgraded. Check out the tips on making this beginner friendly.

Installing a Tile Backsplash

I’ll admit that installing a tile backsplash intimidated me. I set out to make this as straightforward as possible without buying a whole collection of new tools.

If this is your first time tiling a backsplash, choose a tile that doesn’t require an intricate layout or tricky cuts. Taking this into consideration, I decided to go with a basic subway tile that came on a mesh sheet.

This provided me with an easy to follow pattern that was mostly set with the spacing of the tiles per square foot. Additionally, they only required straight cuts which I could use a tile cutter for instead of a wet saw.

Lastly, grout color matters! White grout on white tile will hide a lot of imperfections in spacing or jagged cuts, whereas using a gray grout will show these imperfections more.

So, white subway tile + white grout = easy!

What you need to install a subway tile backsplash

  • Pre-mixed mortar or mastic
  • Notched trowel
  • White subway tile on mesh sheet
  • spacers that match the spacing on the mesh sheet
  • tile cutter
  • white grout
  • grout spreader
  • sponge
  • sanded caulk

How to tile the subway backsplash

Prior to placing the tile on the wall, do a dry layout on the counter below the backsplash. This will ensure that the spacing will look good, as far as where tile cuts till be etc.

I like to start in the middle and work out, that way the end cuts end up looking similar and the line of sight in the middle of the backsplash looks good. This can also help make sure you have enough tile to fit your space.

Add the mastic to the wall

I like to use pre-mixed mortar or mastic. Mortar can be used with almost all tiles, glass and stone tiles need mortar. Mastic is designed for use with ceramic tiles and works for some porcelain tiles. Because I was using ceramic tiles, I could use mortar or mastic. My stores had mastic available so that is what I used for this project.

Work in small sections because mastic will begin to dry so small sections will keep you from having to scrape off mastic that is beginning to dry.

Use a notched trowel to spread the mortar on the wall in the section you will be working in. The notches will allow for grooves in the mortar on the wall which will help the tile adhere better.

Place the tile on the wall

The tile in mesh sheets make this part easy. Grab a sheet of tile and place it on the wet mastic and triple check that the tile is level.

Because the tile should not be flush against the countertop, use spacers at the bottom of the tiles between the counter and the first tow of tile.

Continue to place sheets of tile across the backsplash. At the end of the row at the edge or the corner, tiles will need to be cut. I kept a sheet of mesh tile to the side for my cuts. The tiles peel off of the mesh sheets easily so that they can be cut and placed individually.

To cut a piece of tile, use an inexpensive tile cutter for straight cuts. Measure and mark the tile where you want to cut it, then score and snap with the cutter.

Place the individual cut tiles on the wall where need until all of the gaps are closed in. Use spacers where needed with cut tiles to keep them in place.

If you have outlets or light switches on the backsplash, cuts will need to be made around these areas as well.

Grout the backsplash

The mortar or mastic will take minimum 24 hours to dry. I like to give it a minimum of 48 hours to dry before grouting.

After the dry time is complete, remove the spacers and ensure that the tiles are set and not moving around.

Spread the grout on the tile using a grout float, ensuring the grout is being pressed in all of the crevices between the tile. Once spread, wipe with a large wet sponge.

This is a messy process, but the sponge will get most of the grout off of the tile easily. The sponge and bowl of water will need to be cleaned often.

Continue adding grout until all of the crevices are filled and let dry!

Add sanded caulk along the edges of the backsplash and in the groove between the tile and the countertop.

Once dry, seal the grout with a grout sealer and wipe the tiles down with watered down vinegar to remove the grout haze.

Installing a tile backsplash is a great way to make your space look upgraded. Check out the tips on making this beginner friendly.

Reacp how to make installing a tile backsplash beginner friendly

  • Use a tile on a mesh sheet with clean lines/cuts
  • Use premixed mortar/mastic and premixed grout
  • Use a light grout color to easily hide imperfections
  • Make straight cuts with a simple tile cutter

Enjoy your new, beautiful subway tile backsplash!

More in the DIY Corner Coffee Bar Series

DIY Indoor Climbing Wall: ORC Week 8

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking, One Room Challenge

It’s Week 8 of the One Room Challenge, which means this DIY indoor climbing wall is the final component of this room makeover. This room has seen such a transformation over 8 weeks, to see how the room turned out and tutorials for each component, check out the Game Room Makeover here.

This DIY indoor climbing wall is such a fun addition to a game room for kids. Plus, it's a very easy beginnier build with only a few tools needed.

Build a DIY Indoor Climbing Wall

Building a climbing wall is easy! This is a great beginner project and only requires a few tools. Plus, it’s one that kids *and adults* will love. I’ll admit that I’ve climbed to the ceiling a few times, to test it of course.

I wanted a climbing wall as the final touch to this room to give it that extra touch of fun. I had an empty piece of wall next to the DIY built in shelving that I made was tucked away from the rest of the room. It just begged for a fun feature like this!

What you need to build an indoor rock wall

  • 2×3 boards (cut to length of your rock wall)
  • 3/4″ plywood (cut to the size of your wall)
  • 3″ construction screws
  • drill
  • stud finder
  • level
  • climbing holds
  • miter saw/circular saw

How to make the rock wall

Determine the size of your rock wall. Mine was 2′ wide by 8′ tall, so I was able to buy two 2’x4′ plywood sheets to stack for this project.

Cut the 2″x3″ studs so that they can run across the width of the rock wall, and enough to space them 16″ apart for the entire height of the rock wall.

For this wall, I did six 2″x3″s spaced 16″ apart for the height of the rock wall.

Once cut to size, use 3″ construction screws to attach the 2″x3″s horizontally into the studs. This will look like a ladder when complete.

Assemble the rock wall by drilling holes where the climbing holds will be, and using the mounting hardware to attach the holds to the wall.

When determining the spacing of the climbing holds, do not place any holds where the plywood will meet the 2″x3″ brackets behind the wall.

Once the plywood wall is complete with the climbing holds, attach the rock wall to the 2″x 3″s on the wall with the construction screws.

The rock wall is complete!

I chose to spray paint the climbing holds with white spray paint and textured stone spray because I didn’t want the colorful climbing holds. I also painted the plywood, but you can choose to leave it natural or paint it whatever theme you like!

This DIY indoor climbing wall is one that my kids really enjoy, and it has provided the perfect final touch to this fun, kids game room.

CHECK OUT ALL OF THE POSTS IN THIS SERIES FOR PROGRESS

Convert a Base Cabinet to a Blind Corner Cabinet: DIY Corner Coffee Bar

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

This corner coffee bar build has been my favorite DIY woodworking project to date. It has a corner counter and cabinet area with a built in mini fridge and floating shelves. In this post I’ll show you how to convert a base cabinet to a blind corner cabinet.

This simple tutorial will show you how to convert a base cabinet to a blind corner cabinet. An easy way to save space in a small corner. #diybuilds

Convert a Base Cabinet to a Blind Corner Cabinet

Using stock cabinets is one of my favorite DIY hacks. Adding some trim and hardware is really how to make stock cabinets look custom. And, they cut down on the time of building cabinets from scratch.

For this corner of my kitchen, I knew I wanted a blind corner cabinet, because traditional corner cabinets were too bulky for the limited space I had in this corner.

Empty corner and rough drawing of what I wanted to design

I do have a full blog post on where to buy stock cabinets at big box stores, but, before I head there I like to check on Facebook Marketplace and see if I can get them even cheaper. In this case, I found a base cabinet that fit the dimensions I wanted perfectly, and for only $10. SCORE.

Turning this base cabinet into a blind corner was quite simple, I’ll show you how.

Cabinet before

What you need to make a blind corner cabinet

  • scrap plywood
  • screwdriver/drill
  • base trim
  • brad nailer
  • wood glue

How to convert your base cabinet to a blind corner cabinet

What is a blind corner cabinet?

A blind corner cabinet only has one cabinet door, where the other cabinet door would be is open space. The space is created in the corner is accessible through one cabinet door. Where the other cabinet door would exist to reach that space, another cabinet is mounted there to create a corner.

A traditional corner cabinet would have much more usable space where everything is easily accessible. However, blind corners and great for small spaces, and luckily you can purchase or build organization that allows the space to be easily used.

What is a base cabinet?

A base cabinet is one that sits on the floor rather than hang on the wall. They are deeper than wall cabinets, creating a base for the countertop for sit on. Additionally, they typically have a toe kick at the bottom.

Convert the base cabinet to a blind corner

Alright, now that we know the difference between a base cabinet and a blind corner cabinet, I’ll show you how to easily convert one to the other.

Essentially, removing one cabinet door will turn the base cabinet into a blind corner.

It gets tricky when lining everything up so that the dimensions of your space work with that one cabinet door.

For this project, if I were to simply remove the door and butt that up against the cabinetry on the other side of the corner, the cabinet would not extend out far enough on that wall.

Plus less of my cabinet would have been accessible and the opening of the cabinet door would have been crammed.

The steps I took to help the fit were:

  1. Remove the cabinet door closest to the corner.
  2. Place the cabinet where I wanted it on the wall (there was a gap of about 4 inches off the back wall where I used some 2×4 blocks to keep it in place.
  3. Place the other corner cabinet frame where I wanted it to hit the blind corner.
  4. Cut a piece of 3/4″ scrap plywood to fill in any existing space where the cabinet door was missing and wood glue plus screw in place.
  5. Cut a piece of 3/4″ scrap plywood to create a filler between where the two cabinets meet so that the plywood corner was the same on both sides. I attached this with wood glue and screws.
  6. Use 2×4 blocks behind that scrap piece to attach the two cabinets together at the top behind the spacer.
  7. Attach the cabinets to the wall through the back frame into studs with screws.
  8. Fill in the toe kick with base trim.
You can see here that the space where one cabinet met the other didn’t leave the cabinet door too accessible.
Adding a piece of scrap plywood bumps the other corner cabinet out enough to make both sides more accessible
Here I messed with the layout to make all of the spaces as accessible as possible. You can see in the blind corner that space is usable. Also, painting everything the same color hides what we did in the corner.
Added hardware to the door and placed base trim on the toe kick!

Now, I have a blind corner cabinet with a nice plywood corner of about 3″ to help the corner cabinet doors and wine rack feel accessible and not crammed.

More posts in this DIY Coffee Corner Build

DIY Mini Fridge Cabinet

more coming soon!

Built-in Gaming Console with Stock Cabinets – Fall ORC Week 3

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking, One Room Challenge

This built in gaming console from stock cabinets is a simple and straightforward build, great for beginners with an advanced look.

It’s week 3 of the Fall One Room Challenge! I made a bit more progress this week by making a built-in gaming console with stock cabinets. One of my very favorite DIY projects to do in my home is using stock cabinets for built ins.

This built in gaming console from stock cabinets is a simple and straightforward build, great for beginners with an advanced look.

*This post contains affiliate links.

Built-in Gaming Console from Stock Cabinets

Stock cabinets are unfinished kitchen cabinets that you can buy at bog box stores like Home Depot and Lowes. With the current prices of lumber, they can be cheaper than building the cabinet yourself and save a TON of time. Plus, this makes for a super beginner-friendly DIY home project

To read more about using stock cabinets, read this article >> Stock Cabinets for Built ins: What they are and where to get them

For this gaming console I used wall cabinets which are only 12″ deep vs 25″ or so. I wanted this shallow profile to make the room seem bigger, and also so that my kids didn’t throw things into the back of the cabinets where they will never be found.

This game room makeover is moving right along!

This built in gaming console from stock cabinets is a simple and straightforward build, great for beginners with an advanced look.

What you need for the built in gaming console

  • Stock cabinets (the amount and size will depend on your wall – I used 4 of them – (1) 36″, (2) 30″, (1) 15″ for a total length of 111″
  • 2″x4″ studs – enough to make a rectangle base with braces for your length
  • 2.5″ Construction screws
  • MDF in the length of the countertop
  • wood glue
  • drill
  • cabinet hardware
  • baseboards
  • jigsaw
  • 2″ hole dozer

How to make the built in gaming console

Build a base for the cabinets

Because these built ins with stock cabinets use wall cabinets, you first need to build a base for them to sit on. This is built out of 2x4s and is a simple rectangular frame.

Measure the length of all of the cabinets together and cut two 2x4s to that length. If your total length is longer than the studs you have, use pocket holes to attach the 2x4s together to make the correct length.

Then cut the connecting pieces to length, minus the width of the other two 2x4s.

Ok that sounds really confusing, so here is a diagram to refer to and hopefully that will make more sense. This is an example but as it will depend on the length of your piece, but will work for the depth of standard (12″) wall cabinets.

*Note – as is the case with most lumber, a 2×4 isn’t actually 2″x4″, it’s really 1.5″ x 3.5″. I know…what the heck!?

Attach these boards with construction screws and a drill. Don’t worry about seeing the screw head on the front of the base as this will be covered with baseboards. However, you do want the screw to be flush or slightly countersunk so that the baseboards attach flush.

Make the cut outs for electrical wiring

If you’re going to be using wiring through these cabinets, make these cuts before installing the cabinetry to the wall.

I needed access to the cords and the outlet coming through the wall behind one of my cabinets. Cut that portion out with a jigsaw (use a drill to make a hole in the wood to start the jigsaw).

Additionally, if you are going to want cords to hook into anything on top of the counter, make a hole with a 2″ hole dozer on the top of the cabinets. This will allow cords to come up through the top of the cabinetry and hook up to video game systems, phone chargers etc.

By making these cutouts, your cabinetry and countertop can sit flush against the walls.

Attach the cabinets to the base and the wall

Place the stock wall cabinets on top of the base and attach to one another with a screw through the face frame on the inside. Once all of the cabinets are attached to each other by the face frame, screw the base into the wall studs through the back of the cabinets.

Additionally, screw the base of the cabinet to the platform that you’ve built. These should be super sturdy after this.

At this point, you will have a built-in gaming console!

Stain the cabinets

For these cabinets I chose to use a mix of Varathane Antique White and Varathane Sunbleached stain. I used this method:

Apply Antique White stain with a rag and wipe off -> sand with 120 grit sandpaper -> second coat of antique white -> sand with 220 grit sandpaper -> apply Sunbleached stain -> sand with 220 again

You could paint these as an alternative!

Make the countertop

I’m using MDF board for the countertop because I’ll be doing a marbled epoxy top over it.

You can use MDF and paint it, or use plywood and paint or stain that for a countertop too.

The important thing to keep in mind with creating the countertop is that most boards are 3/4″ thick, and a typical countertop is thicker than then. So, by stacking two 3/4″ thick boards together you can get a nice sturdy and great looking countertop.

My MDF boards were only 8′ long and I needed a countertop almost 12′ long. So, I attach two MDF boards together with pocket holes to create the desired length for my space.

*I did stagger where the seams were on the top and the bottom board to keep it structurally sound.

Two create the thick boards, simple spread wood glue all over the bottom board, lay the top board on the glue and clamp the boards together to let dry for 24 hours.

Attach baseboards to the console

I haven’t done this step yet because I’m waiting for later in the One Room Challenge where I do trim around the room. Stay tuned for that update.

However, as a note for now, if you want to hide your platform, use baseboard around the bottom of the unit, or simply quarter round trim to make a nice transition to your floor.

If you are choosing to paint the unit instead of stain, caulk the seam between the platform and the cabinets then paint the entire thing and the platform will be seamless with the rest of the unit!

Add cabinet hardware

I used these cabinet pulls from Amazon, they are a really affordable option and easy to install.

Use painters tape to make a template of where the holes on your pull are located, then place the tape where you want the pull on the cabinet.

Drill the appropriate holes and attach the pulls. Hardware is a great way to make these really custom.

This built in gaming console from stock cabinets is a simple and straightforward build, great for beginners with an advanced look.

That’s it! It’s a straightforward process that really isn’t difficult!

Fall One Room Challenge Game Room Makeover

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the posts in this series!

DIY Faux Brick Wall from Wall Paneling: Fall One Room Challenge Week 2

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking, One Room Challenge, Wall Decor

This faux brick wall is made with joint compound and wall paneling, and when you’re done with it, it looks like real german schmear.

If you missed my plan for the One Room Challenge Game Room Makeover, head there to see what this wall is becoming a part of! I’m thrilled with how this faux brick wall turned out, plus, it’s a cost effective stone wall.

This faux brick wall is made with joint compound and wall paneling, and when you're done with it, it looks like real german schmear.

Faux Brick Wall Made from Paneling

When we think of wall paneling, the old dark wood panel walls from the 80’s come to mind. But, wall paneling done right can become beautiful feature walls! Don’t believe me? Check it out.

If you read the post linked above, you know that I’m participating in the Fall One Room Challenge hosted by Better Homes and Gardens. I’m working on building a wall to wall console for video game storage and use, this faux brick wall, and some DIY shelving to make an awesome game room for my kids.

I can’t wait to see it all come together, and this feature wall was the first step! Let me break it down for you so that you can see how a blank white wall can become a white ‘brick’ wall.

This faux brick wall is made with joint compound and wall paneling, and when you're done with it, it looks like real german schmear.

What you need to make the faux brick wall:

  • brick wall panels (they come in 4’x8′ sheets, so get what you need to fit your space)
  • liquid nails or other construction adhesive
  • brad nailer (optional – you could use a hammer and nails but a pneumatic nails sinks the nails in and they become invisible)
  • circular saw or jigsaw to cut the paneling to size or cut out outlet holes etc.
  • joint compound
  • plastic taping knife
  • 120 grit sanding block
  • white paint
  • water
  • foam paint roller

How to make the faux brick wall

A brick wall panel is a chipboard panel with an acrylic coating that looks like real brick. To me, it has the shape of brick but is missing the texture and imperfection of real brick.

So, in this tutorial you will see how to layer joint compound over the brick paneling to get the texture of real brick, and the result is beautiful!

process photo of brick wall paneling installation

Step 1. Cut the brick panels to size with a circular saw or table saw.

Step 2. Measure and cut out any outlets, wall vents or other holes that you need to access on the wall behind the paneling. Do this by marking the cutout, beginning a jigsaw hole with a drill, and using a jigsaw to cut out the shape needed.

brick wall paneling

Step 3. Attach the brick wall panels to the wall with liquid nails and then secured with nails (a brad nailer makes this super easy).

joint compound and scraper
joint compound on brick wall paneling

Step 4. Use joint compound and a plastic taping knife to spread joint compound over the brick wall panel.

This is where you get the faux brick look, there isn’t a ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ way to do this, basically just keep spreading until you get the look and texture that you like.

white brick wall

Step 5. Let dry for 24 hours, then sand with a 120 sanding block to take off any rough spots or large bumps.

sanding block over brick wall

Step 6. Whitewash the brick by making a wash of 1 part white paint and 1 part water and apply with a foam roller.

white wash paint roller over brick wall

That’s it!

Tape a step back and enjoy your faux brick wall! It has the beautiful texture and color of real brick with german schmear, for much cheaper.

How much did this joint compound brick wall cost?

Alright so here is the budget breakdown for this ‘brick wall’.

Before I get to the budget, I’ll give you the dimensions so you can get an idea of how much space this budget covered.

My wall was 138″ wide and 104″ tall. This is roughly 12′ x 8′. Because I’m doing built ins on the bottom half of the wall I didn’t need to add more brick to go all the way to the floor, the 8′ was enough.

Budget breakdown:

  • (3) 4’x 8′ brick wall panels – $120
  • liquid nails – $7
  • joint compound – $16

I had the rest of the materials such as tools and paint on hand so didn’t need to purchase any of that.

Which brings the total for my faux brick wall to $143.

Just for reference, there are some amazing interior brick resources that you can use such as Brick Webb, which are thin pieces of real brick. They run around $11.50 per square foot (not including grout etc.), so for my wall that would have been $1,104 in brick alone (vs. $120).

Now, if I had the budget I would go with the Brick Webb, I’m not at all saying that it isn’t worth it, but for this project and a room that my kids use that I found old pizza crust from who knows when in, the faux brick wall is just fine 🙂

I hope this gives you the courage to try and make a faux brick wall in your home!

This faux brick wall is made with joint compound and wall paneling, and when you're done with it, it looks like real german schmear.

Check out the other posts in this One Room Challenge game room makeover

Follow me on IG for the behind the scenes in stories!

DIY Mudroom: Final Reveal, Styling and FAQ’s

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

This was such a labor of love, and I’m so happy with how the entire project turned out! Creating my own DIY mudroom allowed me to really bring my design to life, and customize all of the nooks and crannies to fit our lifestyle.

This is a recap posts of all of the pieces that brought this mudroom together. Included are a corner bench, cabinets, a locker unit, and a peg rail board and batten wall with wallpaper.

…
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Mud Room Part 4: DIY Board and Batten with Peg Rail Top

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

<< DIY Mud Room Part 1: DIY Mudroom Bench

<<DIY Mud Room Part 2: Adding Mudroom Locker Cabinets

<<DIY Mud Room Part 3: DIY Mudroom Lockers

The bench is built, the cabinets are installed, the lockers are done. It’s time to finish the other mudroom wall off with a DIY board and batten with a peg rail top!

This is the perfect detail wall that will really finish off the corner mud room unit, and the addition of the peg rail will add extra space to hang coats, towels and decor.

…
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DIY Mud Room Part 3: DIY Mudroom Lockers

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

<< DIY Mud Room Part 1: DIY Mudroom Bench

<< DIY Mud Room Part 2: Adding Mudroom Locker Cabinets

Now that the bench is built and the cabinets are in, it’s time to build the DIY mudroom lockers! This is my favorite part of this space. When the kids come home from school, they can hang their backpacks, jackets and face masks (yep, writing this during the pandemic) and everything stays organized and easy to find.

Not walking through a pile of jackets and backpacks on the floor make me so happy. Plus, this is a fun building project that is pretty easy and straightforward.

…
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DIY Mud Room Part 2: Adding Mudroom Locker Cabinets

Building Projects, DIY Woodworking

After building the mudroom bench, it’s time to add the mudroom locker cabinets. The bench serves as the base for the lockers, and the cabinets serve as the top. Reaching the ceiling gives the DIY mudroom build look really custom and finished.

See how easy it is to use stock cabinets as built ins for the locker top!

Missed the mudroom bench build? See it here >> DIY Mud Room Part 1: DIY Mudroom Bench

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