For some reason I thought sealing my grout would be messy, time consuming, and stink.  Instead, it couldn't have been easier.


When I was first shopping for tile, I learned that there are two different types of sealant products available.  Actually, that's not true; I first learned that I needed sealant in the first place.  Grout sealer not only helps keep the grout from staining, but the more the grout can keep moisture out, the more pristine it stays over time (the porcelain tile itself is pretty stain-resistant and doesn't require the same kind of protection, but there are also varieties of porous tiles that also need sealing).


Where was I?  Oh, right - there are two kinds:

• additives that can be mixed into dry grout powder instead of water (which is supposed to seal the grout as it dries as a protective membrane, eliminating the need to seal afterward) and
• sealant to apply to the surface of grout lines after the grout cures (which can be done to either dry grout that is later mixed, or pre-mixed grout)

I went with treating the grout lines after curing for a number of reasons:

1.  Every time someone tried to convince me to get the additive product, they were a store clerk using the "listen, little girl" tone and selling it a little too hard.  By default, I say no if my bullshit meter goes off.  Nothing against the product on that one, but after two years of getting simultaneous opposing pieces of advice on virtually everything, I've learned to listen to my gut.

2.  I did some research online, and again found conflicting opinions on if the additive really works forever like it says it does.  Some complained that it still stained (which would imply that either it was done improperly or really is a faulty product).  This would eventually result in having to re-seal the grout in the future if it is true, so I really didn't see the difference.


3.  Unlike mixing to exact specifications and worrying whether I did it right (especially since this was the first grout job on a tile floor that I've ever done), the sealant comes in a nifty applicator brush, much like a giant bottle of nail polish.  I can handle that with my eyes closed.

4.  It took less than an hour and a wad of paper towels (really though, you just apply the liquid generously all over the grout lines and let it soak in for 15 minutes, then wipe it up - another coat in a half hour, and you're done).


5.  I spoke to a few people who have been tiling for years, and none of them suggested I try the additive (though the argument could be made that the additive is a newer product than traditional sealant, so it's not universally accepted yet by everyone even if it's a good product).

6.  The bag of grout I was using specifically said not to use an additive and to instead use water.  For once, I actually read and followed instructions.

Listing them out, I realize none of these reasons are necessarily good ones for going the sealant route versus the additive.  I suppose one can go either way, especially when the coverage area is as small as mine.  Nonetheless, my grout is sealed, leaving only one other part of the floor to take care of before I can continue on with the walls.


What have you been working on lately?

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I put off easy tasks way too much.

The gate to the back yard fence had a latch on the wrong side for over two years.  Even after the latch broke, and even though I had a dog who preferred the front yard to the back and kept constantly trying to jump the fence, I still didn't do anything about it for months.


And then with no particular reason last night, I finally stopped making excuses.  I bought a new latch and unscrewed the old.  Seemed like things would be simple enough.  And then I immediately dropped one of the rusty screws into the dirt.


The rest went a little more smoothly.  First, I drilled pilot holes to keep the wood from splitting.


Then I screwed in the three rusty leftovers (the package came with screws, but they were too long to keep from sticking out of the other side of the door).  When I needed to screw in the other side of the latch, I realized the bit I was using was too short.  Insert "size matters" joke here.


I'm very proud of this shot.  It's not easy taking a picture of something that requires two hands to do.


It took fifteen minutes.  Well, two years and fifteen minutes.


What have you been putting off for too long?

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There is a long, long list of things I need for the house eventually:  pillows, picture frames, light fixtures, curtains, artwork, etc.  So when I go out shopping, I feel pretty free to look at just about anything, and as long as it fits my budget, buy what works for the house.  Even if it means I haven't gotten to a certain spot to really use it yet (like the duvet cover I bought for the guest bedroom - to be revealed soon I hope), I have a growing design scheme ready.  It may require a little more patience, but there's a certain point in a DIYers journey where a perfectly smooth wall just isn't satisfying my zeal for change in this house.  Enough about toilets and tile for one day; I need color.  I need to see a friggin' finishing touch already!

When I saw them, I knew right away that these lamps were exactly what I wanted in the master bedroom.  If I'd been asked to draw the perfect lamp for the room, I'd probably have come up with something made of mercury glass and capped with a shade.  But maybe that's why I hadn't found them before until now; I'd been looking at lamps that were all almost right - that each had something about them that just weren't right.  Now it makes sense, because now that I have these, what all those other lamps actually were was totally wrong.  Funny how that happens, right?


These weren't all that I picked up; even Charlie scored big with a new favorite toy.


The lamps provide the perfect light in the evening for reading.  And I suppose it's just in time; I'll be using them plenty in two weeks when school starts up again!  Happy Wednesday!

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Grout is one of the easier steps of laying tile.  After smushing (technical term) the grout in between the tile, it's important to wipe everything down with a damp (but not wet) sponge.  After a first pass, rinse the sponge so it stays clean and then wait about an hour for a second wipedown.  The haze that forms can be buffed off with a dry towel.

For anyone wanting a more detailed tutorial, I'm writing one up to share when I work on the master bath (which will start immediately after finishing this guest bath).

These grout lines were only 1/16th of an inch, so I used unsanded gray grout.  Using gray instead of white lets the grout lines disappear as much as possible.  Am I happy with it?


Hell yes, I am.  But the bathroom is far from finished.  A majority of the to-do list is still yet to be done:

I have the shower curtain, 3D art, and a paint deck to choose the paint color for the room.  I may have a lot more to do, but I think one of the biggest obstacles is now out of the way!

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