Kitchen Refresh with True Value Part 2!

Hello my friends!  I’m so happy you liked the last kitchen update post!  In the last of my 4 part series with True Value I decided to share how we transformed this corner of the kitchen in a separate post since it involved removing cabinets, tile and doing some pretty major patching. This part of the kitchen was extra exciting for me because I was able to see at least some of what I don’t love (the tile) not just transformed, but GONE!  And removing it myself was so, so satisfying.  I’d consider becoming a professional kitchen demo-er after this project!  HA!  Taking out the cabinets was also exciting, and it did just what we hoped it would!  It opened up the space, created a place to display some of our favorite things and made the kitchen feel much larger and brighter.  I’m a huge proponent of making small updates that have a big impact, and love that we’re  learning how to do these projects ourselves.  This update should hold us over and keep us happy until we tear down walls and completely reimagine the space!  Hope you love!  Click through for instructions on removing cabinets/tile, repairing a wall and hanging open shelves!  Happy DIY’ing!  xx- Sarah

If you google how to repair wall after removing tile you’ll find what we found- a lot of different answers and solutions!  The method below is how we chose to tackle our kitchen tile and I do have to give warning- it was labor intensive!  We considered removing the drywall where the tile was and replacing it with new drywall, but decided that with our level of experience we’d be more comfortable with the approach below.  And ultimately, we’re thrilled with the results and it was well worth the labor!!

Step One:  Use a power drill to remove the cabinet doors.  Use a razor blade to cut paint along the edges of cabinet if necessary (since our kitchen has probably been painted 3 times since these cabinets were installed this was very necessary for us).  Using a power drill, remove ALL screws that are attaching the cabinet to the wall (have someone assist you in holding them up in case they’re ready to pop off at this point)!   If the cabinets don’t easily pop off, double check for screws- there are a lot of them holding the cabinet up and they are easy to miss!  Once you’re sure all screws have been removed if it still not just popping off use a flathead screw driver to gently pry the cabinet off the wall.  Set aside (you can very likely find someone to purchase them, especially if they’re in good condition!)

Step Two:  Now for the tile!  Cover your countertop with a drop cloth.  Starting at the edge of the top piece of tile, use a chisel and a hammer to remove tile by placing chisel at the edge of the tile and hammering lightly until it starts to come up.  Move chisel to another angle and hammer lightly.  The trick to removing tile without removing huge chunks of the wall is to go slow and steady, using as little force as you can to chip away at it.  You can also try using this kind of chisel to get in between the tile and the wall once you’ve used the bigger chisel to start the process.  Even taking our time and being careful we found it impossible to avoid ripping off some of the drywall, which is normal.  Use a thin chisel to remove any remaining tile adhesive.  After all tile has been removed and disposed of, use a putty knife to gently scrape away any leftover tile adhesive.  Sand the entire area with drywall sand paper, smoothing it out as much as you can. Always wear a mask when sanding!

Step Three:  Clear all debris from your workspace- dispose of tile and vacuum up all dust.  Fill any areas that are uneven with drywall repair using a putty knife (follow package instructions for how to prepare the putty and drying times).  We had to do multiple layers of putty/drying because some of the holes were so deep.  Once putty is completely dry, use drywall sandpaper to smooth out the surface so that everything is as even as possible.

Step Four:  Tape edges of countertop and place dropcloth over counters and floor.  Use a primer or paint with primer to cut in edges and roll on paint (see my kitchen painting post for specifics on how to paint!)  When paint is dry, use a level to hang brackets where you would like the shelves to be (we used these decorative brackets and these mini brackets painted white for mid-shelf support)  We also drilled holes into the brackets to attach the shelves for additional stability.  For shelves we measured the space, bought wood, sanded it and painted them the same white as the walls.  As I mentioned before we attached the shelves to the brackets for stability and after that we were all set to style away!

*I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.