How do I repair or fix up the backsplash area in this very old house?
I'm a disabled nurse looking for advice,suggestions or help on trying to fix this area between my countertop(for a better word, it needs help too). My parents left me this house I grew up in and it needs lots of work and my income is fixed and I have some physical limitations from my accident. Now, I'm trying too fix it up! A family member had squirted some expandable foam too seal up air leaks from the basement. This foam is as hard as concrete and is really stuck. Theirs a thin layer of fiberglass between the counter and cabinets. Should I keep it or remove. Should I paint or try tiles!! Please help! I appreciate any and all suggestions! Ty
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I've used the expanding foam and it can be cut with a razor blade (think box cutter) Scrub, sand, wash, clip etc. til you have a relatively smooth surface
Then you can use peel and stick flooring tiles (they're easy to cut for outlets etc.) or real tile if you want to tackle that - you don't have to grout if you place realllly close together and make sure to use enough "mastic" or glue that is sorta fills any small crack that might be in between tiles. NOT OOZING out but "filling" a bit. Then SEAL it very well...Make sense?
You can measure carefully and have someone cut pieces of thin wood (even Luaun is good- ask at Lowes etc.) sealing with polyurethane will make it kitchen worthy.
Good luck.
Contact Paper!
Foam sealant was a great idea for blocking air leaks, until it wasn't. But it's fixable, no worries!
I suggest you buy a blade cutter for two reasons. First you're going to run the blade along the wall and cut off any foam sticking out beyond the window frame. The packaging should say it's able to be cut with a knife.
Then I suggest you buy 12 inch squares of preglued laminate. You can use that on the wall and countertop. Follow the directions on how to install it. This is where the single blade cutter comes in, to trim and cut the laminate. (Use a piece of paper to trace exactly what needs to be cut - no house is a ever built square or level and yours may have settled over the years.)
Now the fiberglass was also a good idea but you don't want to have it exposed near your food prep. Leave it there and make sure it gets covered by the laminate completely.
There are some more things you can add to make the kitchen look more finished. An interior quarterround where the wall and countertop meet. A metal edging for the front of the countertop edge. You may need a hacksaw to cut that. There may also be plastic alternatives for that.
The laminate I'm suggesting may actually be in the floor or wall section. Get a good clerk to ask the right questions to get you set up; go at a slow time of day so he/she can give you good service.
I tried to insert a pic of the utility knife, to make sure you have a strong tool, but so far it's not showing up. Let us know if you have any other questions and then on to the next project!
That expendable foam is sandable, just like wood. You can also cut it with a razor or a knife first to level it out. If there's no rot or water damage just cover it up. What have you got for tools? You can put down wall paper and put a sheet of plexiglass right over the top of it. You can have the hardware store cut it to your specifications too. If that's too expensive (as plexiglass can be) you can also have them cut plywood to your specs then paint it or seal it up. If you choose to cover it with plywood the surface won't have to be so smooth. quarter round on the edges and seal everything up with caulk. Good luck!
Go with durable paint and Contact paper. Peel the wallpaper if you can, but if it is smooth, paint or paper right over it. Use trays on the counters under the coffee pot or toaster (metal tray) and even for dirty dishes to keep scratching down. Use chalk paint that you can wash. I just saw the third photo. Pull that stuff off. Do scrub or sand to get any residue off the wall. This has been redone more than once. My email is jwmartin31@yahoo.com and I would be glad to discuss all the little details of keeping house with multiple, chronic health issues. My blog is gloryallaroundme,wordpress.com, but those are all old articles. Best wishes to you, Brenda. ☺️