The bedroom isn’t the only room in your house that should feel like a sanctuary. Your master bathroom is a perfect location to spend a relaxing hour at the end of a long day. To make this experience as pleasant and pampered as possible, consider creating a spa style bathroom. Take design hints from your favorite spa getaway to find ways to make this room truly luxurious.

Your spa tub doesn’t have to be gigantic, but it shouldn’t make you feel cramped. Pick one with jets to give you a deep, soothing massage. If you prefer a shower, go for one with pulsating shower head and a filter that ensures the water touching your skin is totally pure. Remember to add a waterproof sound system so you can sing along with your favorite music – this is your time!

Invest in the Best

Temperature is one of the most critical aspects of comfort. If your bathroom tends to be chilly, consider installing an under-floor heating system. This can be laid down under tile to keep your feet toasty warm without the annoying noise created by a heater vent.

Everything that influences your senses in your personal spa should be delightful. Invest in smooth granite countertops, elegantly formed fixtures, and lush fabrics for this space. Put the bright lights around your mirror on a separate switch from softer, indirect lighting so you can choose the perfect level of illumination to suit your mood. Select wall sconces that double as candle or flower holders so you can add fragrance to your private bathroom getaway.

Converting a tub to a shower is one way to make your bathroom accessible if you plan to “age in place”. A shower is much easier to get in and out of than a bathtub. It can also be readily fitted with seating and support bars.

Replacing a large tub with a corner shower stall can create more space in a very small bathroom. However, that requires redoing the floor to cover the area where the tub used to be. Most shower retrofits involve putting in the stall in the same footprint as that occupied by the tub.

A full remodel often involves removing not just the tub, but the existing tile surround as well. However, some prefabricated acrylic or fiberglass shower stalls are installed over the tile. These can be formed and colored to mimic more expensive surfaces such as tile or marble.

Additional Considerations

When panels are installed, the existing surface (including the grout) should be thoroughly cleaned and treated with a product such as Microban. Otherwise, mold and bacteria may continue to grow in the moist environment between the old tile and the new liner.

Prefab or hand-tiled stalls may be fitted with glass doors to improve the look and performance of the shower. For a stall with a low lip, a door prevents water spills better than a curtain does – reducing the risk of slip-and-fall accidents in the bathroom.

Does your bathroom have one or more walls that look out on the outside world? This gives you a perfect opportunity to let in some natural light. Of course, you also want to retain privacy in this room. Heavy drapes make a small space look cramped and gauzy sheer curtains won’t give you enough opacity. However, there are plenty of window options that will let the sun in while keeping out prying eyes.

Location Specific

Consider placing casement (awning style) windows close to the ceiling. These let in the daylight and can even be opened to air out the bathroom and keep humidity low. They are too high for passersby or neighbors to peer through. If you prefer a window that doesn’t open, consider a nautical style round window.

Partially Opaque

Frosted panes are a good option for bathrooms if you want a large picture window. Just make sure the etching is consistent enough to provide your desired amount of coverage. For smaller windows, consider decorative stained glass. These work best in a bathroom that is painted a neutral ivory or white color to really show off the colored light from the artful window panes.

Bend The Light

Glass Block Window

Glass block windows (made of cubes of thick glass) are another choice that provides a “distorted” view of the outside while letting in the sun. Some installers can even build shower stalls out of this type of material allowing you to carry the motif from the window to the rest of the bathroom.

Tiled shower stalls are popular for a reason. They look great – for the first few months. After that, the grout may start to show signs of age. Many shampoos and body washes contain dyes that stain tiles and grout. Soap scum mixed with minerals from your water can cake to any surface. Keeping mold and mildew at bay is a constant struggle in the moist environment of your bathroom.

No matter what the makers of spray on shower cleaners claim, you will end up scrubbing your grout at some point. The only way to avoid this is to replace your shower stall or tub surround with smooth acrylic panels. Unlike a pre-fab unit, you don’t need plumbing skills to do this upgrade yourself. You aren’t removing the old tub or shower, simply covering it with a fresh, easy to clean surface.

Variety in Choice

Acrylic Shower Stall

While tub liners and shower pans are generally available in just a few neutral colors, there are lots of options for the surrounding walls. Faux granite and marble wall liners can make this “quick fix” look quite sophisticated. There are even molded acrylic panels that look like tile – but without the grout.

You can easily find products with accessories like soap dishes and safety bars. There are also companies that will customize a liner for you to fit any space and add cut outs for windows.

Before You Install

Clean your existing bathtub or shower stall before installing a liner. Also, let the area dry fully. You don’t want water to be trapped between the liner and the original surface. Choose materials that are protected with Milguard or a similar microbe inhibitor to help keep your liner free of mildew.

Upgrading your bathrooms with new showerheads is one way to instantly change the appearance and performance of your showers. There is plenty of variety to choose from. Luxury showerheads can be ornate and decorative as well as being practical. Most heads are simple spray devices but many are active body massagers. Some save water; still others create high pressure spray. Handheld and adjustable shower heads are also available.

Handheld Showerhead

The most expensive models include advanced electronics that control the balance and flow of large amounts of water. Such high-tech showerheads require professional installation. However, upgrades with a standard showerhead can usually be done simply by following the assembly instructions provided by the manufacturer. Here are a couple of additional installation tips.

Prevent Leaks

Use pipe thread compound (available from your home improvement store) when you attach your showerhead upgrade to the existing pipe. This will help ensure a proper fit. Unscrewing the old head sometimes breaks the seal from the gooseneck pipe to the internal plumping. Use the pipe thread compound and sealant on both ends of the gooseneck extension connection.

Prevent Damage
 
The finish on a new connection pipe can easily be damaged if you use pliers or a pipe wrench on the outside to force it to turn. To get a tight fit without damaging the gooseneck, it’s best to turn it by hand. However, this is not always possible. If the pipe has a flat surface, you may be able to use a flat adjustable wrench.

Otherwise, try an alternative solution. These pipes generally have a small bend in them (that’s why they’re called goosenecks). Stick the end of a long, thick screw driver into the pipe’s opening. Use it as a lever to turn the pipe from the inside. Any scrapes will be on the inside of the pipe and will not affect its performance.

A simple bathroom upgrade such as a new medicine cabinet offers plenty of bang for your home improvement buck. There are three major factors you should consider when selecting and installing a new medicine cabinet. These are function, fit, and appearance.

Consider Functionality

Your medicine cabinet should be large and deep with plenty of shelves. This is the ideal place to store not just medicines but razors, skin creams, extra bars of soap, and other grooming implements as well. You don’t want to stick these items in a plastic tub under the sink – that type of clutter easily gets out of control.

Get The Right Fit

Your new medicine cabinet needs to fit in the space available. If the door to the cabinet won’t open properly because of obstructions in the bathroom space, it really isn’t an improvement. Select a model with sliding door panels to avoid this problem.

Another way to gain access to extra space is to use a recessed cabinet. Just make sure the cavity is in fact empty. Unseen wiring or pipes behind the dry wall may pose a problem. Also, make sure you fasten the cabinet to wood framing in the wall so the weight of the unit is fully supported.

Match Your Décor

Mirrored cabinets are always nice, but you don’t have to settle for plain metal edging. Consider a wood frame or a beveled glass edge. Rectangles aren’t your only option either. Choose an oval, octagonal, or scalloped shape. Consider replacing plain, dressing room style bulbs with a triple wall sconce to add style to the lighting above your medicine cabinet.

Whenever you install base cabinets you’ll find out that they are trickier to install than wall cabinets. This is because the floor is almost never level, so you have more shunning to do. You also work around plumbing lines and that is never easy. Here is how to install them step by step.

Step1: Find the floor’s highest point where the cabinets will be installed. Now measure up 341/2 inches from that spot, and make a mark on the wall. Make sure you use a level to carry that point around the walls where the cabinets will go.

Step2: Mark wall studs for base cabinets that were not marked for upper cabinets.

Step3: You always want to start in a corner. Corner cabinets aren’t able to support a countertop on their own, so first install permanent ledger boards along the mark.

Step4: Align the adjacent cabinet with the corner unit before fastening anything in place. The standard cabinet will help ensure that the corner cabinet is positioned properly. Clamp the vertical stiles of the two cabinets’ face frames together with C-clamps. Now, you will need to drill countersunk pilot holes, then fasten them together with wood screws.

Step5: Use the level to make sure you have a perfect vertical and perfect horizontal. If you do not, use shims to make adjustments. Now fasten them into the wall with the screws driven into the wall studs that you found and marked earlier. Keep doing these steps adding one cabinet at a time by first attaching the stiles, then level it, and then screw it into the wall studs.

Final Step 6: You will need to cut holes for the plumbing lines when you install the sink base. Measure the locations of the pipes from the edge of the neighboring cabinet and up from the floor. Now transfer the measurements to the back and base of the cabinet. Mark where the holes are and cut them out with a spade drill bit for holes less than 1 ½ inches and a saw bit for the larger holes.

When your drain is stopped or really slow, it is seldom the result of collapsed or defective pipes. Blockage in the lines is usually caused from many different things. Mostly from solid waste, small objects, hair, or clumps of soap and grease. What you need to do is isolate the problem. If one of the fixtures seems to drain slow or not at all, check and see if the other fixtures have the same problem. If only one fixture is the problem, fill the sink with water. If the water drains for two seconds or less before clogging, the problem is in the trap. If two or more fixtures are clogged, the clog may be in the branch line, the main line, or the vent stack. When you isolate the affected area, it will help you decide how to clean out the line-and whether you need to hire a professional.

Remember, drain lines are very fragile. They are probably more fragile than you would expect because of all the fixtures attached to them. You will need to be careful when using chemicals and augering. Some chemicals can weaken the walls of the drain lines, and augers can shatter porcelain fixtures. If either one of those don’t work, try to snake the line, but work slowly and carefully. There is a risk when you use chemicals. It is best to avoid them if possible. But if you do decide to use one, be sure that you FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS when using it. Never use a drain cleaner on a clogged drain or in a toilet, and never pour acid in standing water.

Stepping out of a hot shower into a chilly bathroom is not something anyone wants to experience. The amount of heat delivered through the typical HVAC system just isn’t sufficient to take the edge off on winter days. That’s one reason many homeowners opt to install an additional heater in their bathrooms.

Which One Should You Choose?

Any space heater will do the job, but safety is important in a wet environment. Ideally, you should purchase a model that is specifically designed to be used in a moist environment. The unit should be small enough that it won’t eat up too much space or come into contact with flammable objects.

Ease of installation is another big factor. Complications may arise when you need a power switch to work in conjunction with the existing electrical system. This is often a concern when installing wall panel, baseboard radiant strip or ceiling bathroom heaters as DIY projects.

To avoid this problem, you might choose a fan based or portable convection heater that is UL listed as safe for use in a bathroom. Perhaps you would be satisfied with simply having a warm towel on hand when you get out of the tub. Towel warmers are available in designs that are as inexpensive or as fancy as you like. Some can be plugged directly into an existing outlet – eliminating the need for rewiring of any kind.

For real luxury, consider radiant in-floor heating. This is a fairly energy efficient option that can keep your toes toasty warm. However, it is usually only a suitable choice if you were already planning a major remodel. It requires tearing out and replacing the existing floor as well as adding wiring that may require expert help from a licensed electrician.

How Much Heat Do You Need?

Regardless of which type of bathroom heater you buy, make sure the device is powerful enough to do the job. The basic rule is that the heater should use 12 to 15 watts to heat 1 square foot of bathroom space. This means that a 1500 watt heater should be adequate for a 10’ by 12’ space. If you have more room than this, you need a more powerful piece of equipment – perhaps one using 3000 watts.

Only compression valves have valve seats. When repairing a compression valve, check to see if the valve seats need to be resurfaced. You will need to stick your finger down into the faucet body to feel if the valve seat is rough. If it is rough it will quickly damage a washer. You should either replace it or resurface the valve seat at the same time you are replacing the faucet washer.

Step1: TURN OFF THE WATER SUPPLY AND DISASSEMBLE THE FAUCET VALVE

Lower the sink stopper and cover it with a cloth to prevent loose parts from falling into the drain. Pry off the handle cap with a screwdriver. Remove the valve. Now loosen the compression valve with water-pump pliers and remove it. Make sure you keep any and all washers or O-rings with the valve and set them aside.

Step2: BACK OUT THE SEAT

Use a seat wrench to remove the valve seat. Now select an end that fits snugly into the seat. Insert the end of the wrench into the seat and tap the top to seat if firmly. The valve seat may be stuck, so the first turn should be quick and firm to release it without stripping the threads. When you have it loose, turn the wrench until you can remove the screw and take the seat out. You will need to take the old seat with you when you go to buy a new one. That way you will get the right one.

Step3: REPLACE THE SEAT

Install the new seat into the faucet. Apply pipe dope to the seat threads to seal them; insert the end of the seat wrench into the seat and set the seat in place. Now, screw the valve into place and assemble the compression valve, faucet handle, and handle cap. When you turn the water supply on make sure you go slow and check for leaks.

Shutoff valves let you turn on and off the water near your fixtures so you don’t have to shut off the water to the entire house to make repairs. They attach in different ways: by soldering, threading, or compression fittings. Compression fittings are the easiest to install and don’t require pipe dope, or compound. A metal sleeve makes the fitting watertight, as long as you install it right. Make sure you turn the water off before you start working. You will need to open the faucet you are working on and another one somewhere below it in the house so you can drain all the water out of  it.

Step1: DISCONNECT THE SUPPLY PIPE

Before you start, turn off the main water supply to the house. Unscrew the supply pipe at the wall. You will need to cut it with a mini-pipe tubing cutter or a mini-hacksaw if it is solder ti the wall. Make sure you are careful when cutting the tube. If it is out of round, the compression fitting will leak. Leave enough room between the escutcheon plate and the cut to install the fitting. Deburr the pipe with an emery cloth. Now slide the compression nut over the supply pipe as far back as you can.

Step2: PLACE THE COMPRESSION RING OVER THE END OF THE SUPPLY PIPE

The end should completely cover the end of the supply pipe. Thread the compression valve into the compression nut. The valve should slide snugly over the ring. Hand tighten the nut. If it doesn’t turn easily, add a tiny drop of oil to the threads. Don’t use pipe compound; the fitting doesn’t require it, and it can make the fitting leak.

Step3: TIGHTEN THE COMPRESSION VALVE TO THE NUT BUT DON’T OVER TIGHTEN IT

You will need one wrench to hold the back of the valve and keep it square and another to turn the nut. Follow the same procedure you used to install the valve to attach the supply lines. Only turn the water on for a second and let it flow into a bucket to flush the lines before installing the fixtures.

Soldering copper pipe fittings isn’t hard, but you will need to practice to make perfect. It’s a good idea to gather some scraps of copper and solder a few joints until you get it right. Copper plumbing is appreciated for it’s professional look. Copper is a durable, clean functional connecting system.

Make sure that you get the L pipe instead of the M pipe. The M pipe has a thinner wall and is for heating systems. It may leak under greater pressure of a water supply system.

Step1: PREPARE THE INSIDE OF THE FITTING

You need to start with rimming the inside of each fitting with a round wire brush and sand the end of the fitting with an emery cloth. When the connections are clean it ensures a good seal.

Step2: CLEAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE PIPE.

To do this use an emery cloth or steel wool. Use a deburring tool or the handle of a pair of pliers to deburr the inside of the pipe. If you don’t deburr the pipe a burr can cause a hum once the water starts running through the pipe. You’ll need to be careful because the edges may be sharp.

Step3: APPLY FLUX TO THE PIPE

Apply a layer of flux (lead-free soldering paste) to the end of the pipe using a flux brush. You will need to cover about 1 inch of the pipe with the flux. When you insert the pipe into the fitting make sure it is tight against the bottom of the fitting. Twist the fitting slightly to spread the flux.

Step4: UNWIND THE SOLDER WIRE

You will need at least 8 to 10 inches of the wire extended from the spool. You will need to bend the first 2 inches to a 90-degree angle.

Step5: HEAT THE FITTING

Put the pipe in both sides of the fitting so soot from the torch won’t contaminate the joint. You will need to hold the flame against the center of the fitting for 4-5 seconds or until the soldering paste begins to sizzle.

Step6: TOUCH THE SOLDER TO THE PIPE

Move the flame to the low end of the fitting. Now remove the flame and touch the solder against the pipe. If the solder melts, the pipe is ready to solder.

Step7: APPLY MORE HEAT IF NECESSARY

After the solder melts when you touch it against the pipe, remove the flame and quickly melt ½ to ¾ inch of solder into the joint. Capillary attraction will draw the liquid solder into the joint. If your joint is properly soldered, it will show a thin bead of solder around the fitting.

Step8: CLEAN THE FITTING

Some of the plumbers will reapply flux and briefly heat the pipe to clean it further. You should always wipe away the excess solder with a rag. Be careful when handling the pipe because it will be hot. You can cool the pipe and fitting with a damp rag. Now turn on the water and check for leaks. If the joint leaks, take it apart and re-solder it.