Automatic dishwashers vary in quality from very inexpensive units with minimum controls to top-of-the-line dishwashers that do almost everything except make your coffee in the morning. No matter which product line you choose, they will eventually wear out or need repairs. Due to the cost of parts for most dishwasher brands, the less expensive units typically get replaced rather than repaired. While it is less common to replace an expensive dishwasher, nevertheless, they do require replacement at times. Replacing a dishwasher is another project that is relatively easy to do for an experienced do-it-yourselfer.

Preparation

Replacing a dishwasher is a good project for a do-it-yourselfer

1. Lay down some cardboard or plastic to protect your kitchen floor covering.
2. Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher at the shut off valve in the kitchen sink cabinet, in the basement, or under the house. If your dishwasher does not have a water shut off valve, you should shut off the water to your whole house.
3. Before turning off the electricity to the dishwasher, turn the unit on briefly with the water off to depressurize the dishwater water fill system.
4. Find the circuit breaker in the electrical panel that controls the power to your dishwasher. If you are not sure which one it is, simply turn on your dishwasher and turn off and on circuit breakers in the electrical panel one at a time until you find the one that turns off the dishwasher. Mark it with an indelible marker or ink pen, turn it off, and label it with a red tag for safety.

Removing the old dishwasher

Using a Philips screwdriver or a nut driver, remove the lower access panels at the front of the dishwasher.

Remove the cover plate of the electrical box underneath the dishwasher. Check the wires for power, pull out the wires, unscrew the ground wire, remove the wire nuts and romex connector and pull the wires out of the box.

Unscrew the water supply line at the front of the dishwasher on the left. Leave the dishwasher supply line in place.

Find where the dishwasher drain hose connects to the sink waste under the kitchen sink. Loosen the hose clamp at that point and remove the drain hose. If there is a garbage disposal and an air  gap fitting, the dishwasher drain hose will connect to one end of the air gap. If there is no air gap, the drain hose may connect directly to the garbage disposal or to a branch tailpiece that is part of the sink drain itself.

Open the door of the dishwasher and remove the two screws at the top front of the dishwasher that fasten it to the bottom of the cabinet face frame or countertop.

Turn the two front feet of the dishwasher clockwise to lower the unit slightly.

Grasp the base of the dishwasher and pull it gently out of the cabinet space. You may need to pull the dishwasher a little, then feed the drain hose through the cabinet as much as possible in order to remove the unit gradually.

Installation of the new dishwasher is the reverse of removal.

Tips

When installing the new dishwasher, remove all the contents inside the new unit including the racks and trays.

Run the new unit through at least one cycle to check it for proper operation and leaks before washing any dishes in it.

Refacing kitchen cupboards will create a new look and allow you to update your kitchen at a reasonable cost compared to installing all new cabinetry. Refacing cupboards and cabinets is not difficult and can be a fun project. There are many different ways to refinish your kitchen cabinets. You can repaint them, or simply install new doors and drawer fronts. You can also exchange the old hardware for new updated styles. There are many different styles of self-sticking veneers available in wood grain patterns as well as colors, and you can also install RTF (rigid thermofoil) foil on the face frames of your cabinet boxes. RTF foil typically does not come with self-adhesive backing. In this article, we will address refacing kitchen cabinets with self-sticking veneers.

Preparation

1. Cover all floor surfaces with drop clothes to protect the finish.
2. Remove all doors and drawers, including hinges and drawer pulls.
3. Clean your cabinets with a solution of TSP or dish detergent and warm water.
4. Do not soak the wood. Simply wipe it down and let it dry.
5. Sand the surface of the face frame with 100 or 150 grit sandpaper. All you want to do here is rough up the surface lightly to promote good adhesion.
6. Remove the dust with a vacuum and a tack cloth.

Update your old kitchen cupboards with a fresh new application of veneer.

Installation

1. Install plywood on the end panels of the cabinets in a pattern and color that matches, complements, or contrasts with, the veneer. Use a good quality adhesive and 2d finishing nails. Countersink the nails and fill the holes with wood putty or filler. Sand before finishing.
2. Sand the edges of the plywood end panels that are adjacent to the face frame flush and smooth.
3. Cut the veneer ½” wider than the stiles (the vertical face frame members) and 2” longer. Cut the veneer so that the grain runs lengthwise.
4. Butt the top of the veneer strip against the top of the stile. Remove a little of the backing and press the veneer strip in place allowing the extra width and length to overlap the sides equally.
5. Next, cut strips of veneer for the rails (the horizontal face frame members). Overlap the ends of the rail strips over the stiles veneer pieces.
6. Trim the veneer where the rail piece and stile piece overlap at the same time.
7. Gently pick up the overlapped end of the rail veneer piece and remove the stile veneer waste with the point of a razor knife.
8. Lay the rail piece down and press it in place.
9. Work all the air bubbles out by pressing the veneer in place with a smooth wooden block.
10. Trim the veneer with a razor knife or a laminate trimmer and the proper bits.
11. Do each opening one at a time.
12. Install door hinges and doors, centering the doors in the door openings.
13. Install the door hardware.
14. Install the drawer fronts. If the drawer is a four-sided box, remove the old drawer front and install the new one in its place. If the drawer is a three-sided box, cut the overhanging edges of the old drawer front flush with the sides, top, and bottom of the drawer. Reverse the drawer, install the new drawer front on the back end of the drawer box, reverse the drawer slides, and reinstall the drawer.
15. Install the drawer pulls and door knobs.

Tips

Cover the edges of the face frame first for a complete and professional look. Use the same technique as for the face frame.

You can trim the veneer with a pair of tin snips and a fine file if you do not have the laminate trimmer and bits.

Veneer is designed to stick to a finished surface. It will not stick to raw wood. So, for raw wood applications, apply a light coat of spray lacquer or varnish first for extra adhesion. Let it dry thoroughly before applying the veneer.

Whether in the bath, the shower, the kitchen, or any other location in the house, ceramic tiles become loose and fall off any surface over time. Age and moisture are the primary causes for loose and displaced ceramic tiles. Simply replacing ceramic tiles without remedying the reason why they became damaged or loose is counterproductive.

Mix and Match

1. Take your old ceramic tile, or a piece of it, to the store and match it as closely as possible with a new one.
2. You can also purchase the same size tile in a shade or design that complements or contrasts with your old tiles.

Eliminate Sources of moisture

1. Examine the wall or ceiling closely for clues as to where the moisture may have entered the surface and caused the tiles to dislodge.
2. Check all molding and trim edges and bull nose tiles where they meet the wall, ceiling, or floor. They should be caulked tight.
3. Check out all caulking and replace it, if necessary.
4. Make sure all vent fans are cleaned, lubricated, and in good working order.
5. Verify that walls and ceiling are well insulated.
6. Check the insulation in the attic and under the floor in between the floor joists and add more or replace it, if necessary.

Prepare the Surface

1. With a putty knife or scraper, clean out the old tile cement or mastic from the location where you will install the new tile. Be careful here not to damage the surface or the adjacent tiles.

Install the Tile

1. You can cut the new tile to fit, if necessary, with a number of different tile cutters. A tile cutter like the one pictured is convenient, accurate, and easy to use.
2. With a putty knife, apply ceramic tile adhesive to the back of the new tile. Apply it just like you would butter a piece of toast. Do not apply the adhesive too thickly.
3. Press the tile into place.
4. Use grout spacers to align the new tile with the existing ones. Grout spacers are small hard plastic pieces that fit in between the tiles at the corners. You can buy them by the bag in different sizes. They hold the tile firmly in line until the adhesive dries. You can also use a straight edge or level to make certain the new tile lines up with the old ones.

Grout the Tile

1. After the adhesive has dried, remove the grout spacers. You can dig them out with the point of a small knife or the corner of your putty knife if you cannot remove them with your fingers.
2. Match the new grout with the old. You may have to add a color additive to match the hue of your old grout exactly.
3. Apply the new grout using a sponge and wiping the grout at an angle across the new tile and into the grout spaces.
4. Let the grout set briefly, then wipe the excess away with a soft cloth or a damp sponge.

Seal the Grout

1. After the grout has dried at least 24 hours, seal it with a good grout sealant containing silicone. You can apply the sealant to the whole tiled surface to help protect it from moisture. Be sure to wear gloves and goggles while applying the grout sealant.
2. Let the sealant dry according to the manufacturer’s directions and you are ready to use your newly repaired tile surface.