While the previous chapters have been prescriptive, finish steps are a great opportunity to individualize your home to fit your aesthetic and demonstrate your unique choices. As such, this chapter provides loose recommendations only. I’ve broken the finish work down into four phases. These can be done in any order, but this is the order I did them in. I painted first, and just did a little touch up paint once everything was in place. I am not going to tell you how to paint – I hope that’s ok 😊.
Phase 1 (Cabinets)
IKEA cabinets are inexpensive and can be assembled and installed in a single day. The base supports can be easily adjusted to level the cabinets if there are any inconsistencies in the level of the floor. IKEA also sells a variety of countertops, sinks, faucets, and appliances which match or go nicely with the cabinets. Other cabinet options are available online or at Home Depot or Lowes.
Poured concrete countertops and small-format tile countertops are a great, inexpensive way to add a beautiful finish to kitchens.
Phase 2 (Floors)
The simplest and least expensive option is to stain and/or seal your concrete slab. Another very simple and inexpensive option is to install laminate wood flooring, which can cost less than a dollar per square foot in some cases. A crew of two people can cover the entire house in a single day with only a few simple tools (table saw with an appropriate blade, hammer, tapping block, and pull bar). The pieces click together and “float” over the subfloor without requiring glue or nails. It is possible to install this type of flooring in bathrooms and the kitchen, but it can be damaged by standing water or excessive exposure to moisture. Consider installing thresholds in doorways to make it easier to break the flooring job into manageable segments.
Tile is another inexpensive option, but it requires some additional instruction. Basically, the tile is attached to the floor using thin-set mortar and spacers to ensure proper layout. A wet tile saw can be rented to cut the tile (this is usually the best option). You will wait 24 hours or more after installation (depending on the manufacturer’s instructions) to grout the tile.
Phase 3 – Interior Doors
Purchase prehung interior doors and install them by aligning the face of the door jamb with the drywall. Use shims to ensure a tight fit, and to make sure that the jambs are plumb. Ensure that that the top of the door frame is level, and that the door fits well in the doorframe when installed. You will replace one of the screws in each of the two or three hinges with a screw long enough to penetrate the 2×4. Place two long finish nails into the stud on the side of the door with the handle.
Phase 4 – Molding
Molding can be installed using a hammer, hand saw, and miter box, but it will go much more quickly to rent a finish nailer and a miter saw. Attach casement molding around the doors before attaching floor molding. Make sure that you don’t cut any of the pieces too short, as you can always go back and trim a piece that is too long. Make sure that 45-degree angles are matched as tightly and nicely as possible. You might choose a molding style that doesn’t require 45-degree angles around doors to simplify molding installation. Offset the molding back from the edge of the door jambs slightly (approximately ½”) to create a nice, layered look. If the floor is finished well, only a base molding will be necessary. Be sure to mark the stud locations with a pencil or painters’ tape so that you can fasten the base molding directly to the studs. It may be necessary to cut and install small squares of drywall (or other material) in the gap beneath the drywall to make sure the molding sits perfectly vertical. Attach molding to every other stud. You can use corner blocks to simplify installation, but this will add to the cost. Do your best to make every piece fit together nicely. Caulk and paint make a carpenter what he ain’t!