Home Improvement: Grouty Caulk Edition

You know how I wrote yesterday about wishing I had some time to write but couldn’t being busy with a new kid? Well today, despite that, I embarked on a home improvement project. It seems crazy, but its much easier to do than writing while you are tired. Writing requires concentration, this, just some time and effort. And since I lack the ability to produce milk, there is only so many of the babies needs I can directly attend too. That means taking care of the wife, who really wants this project done.

The shower in our master bedroom lacks a certain element common to most showers. Namely, the ability to make you feel clean. Looking at it, you feel dirty. It’s not that we don’t clean it. It’s that the house is old. The sealant around the edges has worn away, the grout has cracked and there is mold/mildew growing in the cracks that a traditional cleaning just won’t reach. So I have set off to fill in the cracks and reseal the tub. The fixtures also are probably the originals, and therefore older than me, so its time for them to be replaced.

Sadly, this project will only help a little bit, as the window frame has become warped and the tile there is cracked and uneven. Fixing that is a bit beyond my current (sub-novice) skill level. There is also an enamel covering the entire unit that is cracked in many places I’m not sure how to fix.  Those probably require the skills of a professional. They will have to wait.

Attacking what I can, I began today by scrapping up the old caulk sealant and digging out the cracked grout. This required a trip to Lowe’s for some new tools (bummer) and supplies. Picked up a grout saw and some kit that claims to make caulking lay nicely. My previous caulk attempts have gone poorly, so figured it was worth a try.

Following some guides on the internet (for grout, for caulk), I dove in. In two hours time, I only managed to scrape up the grout and caulk to a point where I could begin the reapplication process, but probably should keep going. And that was when I ran out of time and had to return to baby/wife duty. We’ll see how far I get tomorrow.