Phase 3: Accent Wall + New Floor
OK to kick off phase 3, we’re starting with a cabinet situation. This idea turned out to be a fail, but it’s fine. I’ll share all my highs and lows with you for giggles.
My client’s previous floorplan had a sink with a faucet. She stated she never used it and didn’t want to have it again in her new build.
We did however want a small ice container with easy access.
*light bulb*
Trash the faucet, and repurpose the sink base into an ice bin. I’ll build it where a portion of the counter will lift up and reveal the ice bin when needed.
I’m using ½” plywood for the cabinet to keep it light. I attached the shelves to the walls via wood glue and pocket holes / pocket hole screws.
I essentially built a left wall and right wall (identical dimensions) then a bottom shelf and middle shelf (identical dimensions). I measured the length x width of the sink to determine the cabinet dimensions.
Next, I attached a 2×3 across the top back for support. I used wood glue and then drilled (2) 2.5” wood screws through the side of the cabinet, into the 2×3, on both sides.
This next step is what sabotaged my dreams.
As you see, I cut a piece of ½” plywood to fit perfect on the front top of the cabinet. I lined those edges with wood glue and brad nailed her in there (18G 1-1/4” brad nails).
No, no, no, no.
I should have attached this piece with hinges so it would be a little door that could open & close shut. That way, I could have a container under the drain of the sink where you could open the drain after each use, clean the sink out, and then remove the container to dump it. *face palm*
MOVING ON.
This trailer has two doors in the back that swing open. Each door frame had a sheet of metal inside, but the metal was not attached in any way. So every time you open/close the doors, they would rattle and make a ton of noise.
I removed the metal slabs, and laid them on top of ½” exterior plywood.
I used my kreg track saw to cut out that same size. I later on added a design detail on one side of the plywood, painted it white, and gave it a few good coats of exterior poly. When I added these back in, I secured them with screws to the metal frame so the doors open/shut in silence.
Next I ripped a sheet of ¼” plywood into 4” wide strips.
If you’ve seen my post on how to build a foldable bar, you already know what I’m about to do.
I used these strips to create a design pattern, in this case: an accent wall.
I measured the middle of the wall and drew a vertical line.
I cut one end of a 4” strip at a 45* miter using my miter saw and lined it up with my pencil mark.
Then I “scribed” (used a pencil to mark where I need to cut) the other end.
I continued this method for every piece, until the design was finished. I applied wood glue to the back of each strip and used 5/8” brad nails to attach them to the wall.
Next, I wanted to add a shelf right in the middle (top) of this wall. This is where the client will display her drink options at events.
I used ¾” plywood for this shelf. The larger (bottom) slab is the actual shelf. I chose the dimensions strictly based off looks, making sure the shelf didn’t stick out too far. The more narrow (top) slab is what will attach to the trailer.
I attached these two pieces using wood glue and 1-1/4” wood screws.
It’s hard to tell, but the top of the accent wall is not flush with the wall of the trailer. There is a metal frame that runs along the top of the accent wall which creates about a 2” space. To fill that space and make sure the back edge of this shelf touches the wall of the trailer, I attached the shelf support about 2” inward.
So that when the support piece is touching the accent wall, the actual shelf still extends back about 2 more inches and sits flush against the trailer wall (I hope this is making sense).
I used wood to metal screws to drill through the shelf support, through the accent wall, and into the metal frame.
Then I added ¾” plywood trim around the edge of the shelf to make it appear bulkier. I attached the trim using wood glue and 1-1/4” 18G brad nails.
Because the under side of this shelf is hollow, it allowed me to nestle two wine glasses holders from Amazon in that space to increase storage and enhance aesthetics.
Next up, the floor.
Woohoo!
I used waterproof, laminate flooring that has the click-lock type of installation.
I found my jigsaw was the easiest way for me to cut my pieces to size.
I started by placing one piece against the wall to use as my ¼” (ish) spacer.
I placed one whole piece down, then placed the next against it to cover the entire length of that row. I marked where I needed to cut on the back with a sharpie, and cut to size with my jigsaw. (note: a jigsaw tears up the edge you can see while cutting, so always put the side you want to remain pretty facing down).
The glory of this type of floor, is that if things get crazy: just unlock and start over. Nothing is adhered down, it literally just floats on top of your subfloor.
We all see that mile deep gap on the left side. Could I have trimmed a piece to fit that gap? Sure. Could I have got it to lock in place? Probably not.
So I made sure to use thick ass trim and caulk to cover my tracks *nervous laugh*
I scootched the floor where there was an even amount of gap on both sides, lol
I used ¾” plywood for my thicker base trim. There are a ton of different materials you can use for trim, but I had plenty of ¾” ply on hand so let’s use what we’ve got.
I installed the ice cabinet by drilling screws directly through the 2×3 support into the trailer.
Then finished adding trim around the bottom.
At this point, I also attached a pressure-treated 2×6 board where I planned to rest the bar counter. I knew prime/paint was coming up soon so I wanted to get everything added that would be painted white.
We’ve got an accent wall. We’ve got a display shelf. We’ve got a new floor, new trim, and an ice cabinet. We’re almost ready for prime & paint.
Last step is to completely disguise my huge gapped floor.
They call her: shoe moulding, lol. Pre-primed pine that bends and maneuvers where ever you need it to be. This was just enough to close the gaps where caulk & paint could handle the rest.
I used this strip of carpet trim to cover the edge of the flooring as you enter the trailer.
It cut to size easily with my jigsaw (using a blade meant to cut metal) and attached using wood screws.
Next, I cut ¼” plywood into about ¾” wide strips and attached around the exposed edges of plywood to clean it up a bit. I attached these strips using wood glue and 5/8” brad nails.
Lastly, we close this phase with a lengthy period of wood filler. I went around and filled all of my nail & screw holes to prep for
phase 4: PAINT
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