Welcome to the 797th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! I’ve been working on a few bathroom projects this weekend. One of the tasks I worked on involved the shelves in the closets of both upstairs baths. When this house was built many years ago, I’m not sure why, but the closets were built with wood boards inside for shelves. I think they were 1 x 12s or something like that.
There are 4 shelves in each closet and for each shelf, they used 2 boards, one in front of the other, in an attempt to reach the full depth of the closets since they are quite deep. Over the years, the boards had somewhat warped and didn’t always lay perfectly flat. They also had the annoying habit of sliding apart a little from time to time, which meant things would occasionally fall between them onto the shelf below.
A few years back, I fixed that issue by buying larger melamine shelving. I had 8 melamine shelves cut to the width that was needed—4 shelves for each closet. One large melamine board/shelf looked and functioned much better than two 1 x 12 warped boards as a shelf, but it has always bothered me that the edge of the melamine shelving looked like this on each of the 8 shelves. So, this weekend, I finally did something about it.
I remembered a friend telling me many years ago, that when her father built shelves for their home, he added a veneer (or something like that) to the edge of each shelf. After a quick online search, I discovered they make melamine edge banding that is the exact size needed for your typical 3/4 inch melamine shelf. The reviews looked good, so I ordered it.
What a difference it made in the appearance and function of the shelves! No more scratchy edge! The closet walls need to be painted since they haven’t been painted in a while, but the shelves look so much better—so much more finished. I wish I had thought to do the banding when I first added the melamine shelving! (Melamine Banding is available here: Melamine Banding.)
The edge banding was very easy to apply, the only annoying part is having to empty all the shelves to remove them from the closet. lol After sanding the edges of each of the 8 melamine shelves to get them nice and smooth, and wiping them down to remove any sanding dust, I cut the edge banding to the approximate size needed for each shelf. (Tip: Cut the banding a little longer than you measure out that you’ll need because you can snip off the access after it has been applied.)
Following the instructions, I used an iron to apply the banding. The instructions give you the heat temperature setting that’s best for this process. After converting that Celsius number into Fahrenheit, I did a search to find out what setting on my iron matched that temperature. For my iron, it was the “Wool” setting. It’s important to make sure that the iron is hot enough (but not too hot) or the glue on the back of the banding won’t melt enough to create a strong bond with the shelf edge. After I was sure the edging was really well-attached, I snipped off the ends of the banding for a perfect fit for each shelf. So easy!
Removing Wallpaper in the Bathrooms: The next job I decided to tackle was removing the wallpaper from both upstairs baths. Thank goodness I still have some Safe and Simple Formula 603 wallpaper removal solution left because I fear it’s no longer being made. If you have been reading BNOTP for many years, you’ll remember the awful struggle I had back in 2011 while trying to remove the wallpaper in my son’s old bedroom when I was in the process of converting it to my home office. It’s a rather interesting story how I figured out what the professionals use to remove wallpaper. Let’s just say it involved some good detective work/sleuthing! Hahaha. You can read more about that in this previous post: The Best Wallpaper Remover Ever! See that bottle in the photo below? That is liquid gold, my friends!
This is what I currently have left after mixing up a spray bottle full last night, and I’m making sure I don’t spill a drop as I’m measuring it out to mix with water because it appears the company that made it is no longer in business. I pray that the owner, Mike, sold the formula to someone before he closed up shop. If you come across this awesome stuff anywhere for sale online, please let me know. Even though the bottle I have left is 13 years old now, it still works as great as the day I purchased it. I so hope that it’s still being made by someone, even if it’s being sold under a different name now.
It’s the only wallpaper remover I’ve ever found that completely takes the hassle out of removing wallpaper. It works a gazillion times better than the steamer I rented back in 2011 when I was so desperate to find anything that would actually work!
This is the tool I use to scrape off the paper after the wallpaper remover does its magic. It is working awesome, and I was so excited to add one more DeWalt tool to my little DeWalt arsenal I have going on over here. lol This multi-purpose tool is not just a 5-in -1 tool, it’s a 9-in-1 tool! Leave it to DeWalt to outdo all the others! I need to take time to read all the stuff it will do. Right now, it’s doing a great job of removing my wallpaper! (DeWalt 9-in-1 tool is available here: DeWalt 9-in-1 Tool.
If anyone knows where this is still available or is able to locate it again online, please let me know! Since I know it lasts so well and keeps its potency in the bottle, even after 10+ years, I would definitely buy a few more bottles just in case I ever need it in the future. This bottle should easily remove the wallpaper in both of my upstairs baths and in the laundry room downstairs—another room that I may be working on sometime soon. It truly is liquid gold in a bottle!
Looking forward to all the wonderful Before and Afters linked for this week’s Met Monday! Pssst: Did you know Between Naps On The Porch is on Instagram? You’ll find me on Instagram here: Between Naps On The Porch. Like to know when a new blog post is up? Subscribe for email updates (it’s free) and your e-mail will never be shared. Subscribe for free post updates here: Subscribe.
Metamorphosis Monday: Metamorphosis Monday is a party that’s all about Before and Afters. Please link up your Before and After projects like DIY projects, room makeovers, craft projects even recipes. Please do not link up Table Settings, save those for our Tablescape Thursday party on Thursday. If you are participating in Met Monday, you’ll need to link your post to the party using the “permalink” to your MM post and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on the name of your post, then copy and paste the address that shows in the address bar at the top of your blog, into the “url” box for InLinkz when prompted.
You are always busy with a home improvement project Susan, I so admire your energy! The wallpaper remover stuff is amazing, I hope you can find a replacement if you need more. Thanks for the Monday inspirations!
Thanks, Jenna! I’m really on a mission right now to get some things done around here. 🙂
Wow – I’ve never heard of Safe & Simple. Too bad because I’ve got several rooms of wallpaper removal in my future! Maybe by the time I actually get around that that you will have found a substitute. Have fun with your bathroom project, and thanks as always for the tips and for hosting! Hope you have a great week!
Hi Susan and Hi Barbara- I’m hoping you find another source for it, too! I’ve got three rooms to strip! You will let us know, I hope.
Susan, I have his cell number from their website from 2017 if you wanted to try that. https://web.archive.org/web/20150429114425/http://safeandsimple.mysimplestore.com/contact
626) 255-2695 (Mike’s cell phone.)
Thanks, Valerie! I will do that…I’m just curious if the product is still being made. I hope he’s okay. You were so smart to think of using the WayBack Machine! I will try his cell and see if he answers.
Valerie, I called the number and his voice mail answered. I left a message, will let you know if I hear back.
Thanks for the tip on wallpaper remover. It’s always such a huge job. Thanks for having us over and have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
I see you purchased the Curel Hydratherapy. What do you think?
Yup, after you recommended, I immediately purchased it. I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to use it very soon. I’m really looking forward to trying it!
Susan, I wish I had your energy to tackle projects like this! Good for you! Great tips!
This post was most helpful, Susan. Thank you for the banding tip. I have a project coming up where that will be very useful. And I sure hope you find more of that extraordinary wallpaper remover. What a shame it’s no longer easy to find. It sounds like that company was really on to something.
What a nice little adventure (for us, not you) tracking down info on the removal stuff. Can’t wait to hear if he answered his cell phone.
So far I haven’t heard from him, but I did leave a message on his mobile number.
When you put the band on the shelves, did you put it on the back shelf too? I thought that little disc they called a biscuit would keep them together. I always thought I would like wallpaper. Today that’s a solid NO. The person I bought my house from slapped up some wallpaper and HTV some stuff- and ran. I took a lot of paper off but the under side of the paper.won’t come off.
I could use a quart of your energy long about now. Inquiring minds want to know if you ever sleep.
I didn’t put it on the back of the shelf since that part won’t ever be visible. It was the old wood board shelves that kept coming apart/separating. The melamine shelves are really deep so it only take 1 melamine board for a shelf, so nothing to separate, thankfully.
I know what you mean about the wallpaper, it’s a nightmare when it won’t come off. If I find out they are still making this miracle Safe and Simple remover, I’ll let you know. I left a message for the owner on this previous cell number, so hopefully he will return my call with some good news.
lol I have too much to do to sleep lately!
I removed wallpaper using three tools: a round wallpaper scoring tool, diluted Downy fabric softener mixed with warm water, and a plastic putty knife. Be careful not to gouge the wall with sharp tools.
Hi Susan, I found this link and it seems that you can contact them to order. Good luck!
https://sftool.ecomedes.com/products/green-depot/safe-and-simple-wallpaper-removal-solution
Good job on the shelf banding. I could have used that, had I known about it, on my kitchen cabinet shelves. I wish I had also known about the wallpaper remover. Back in 1978, when my husband & I moved into our first home, the previous homeowners had wallpapered literally every inch of wall in the home. They even put wallpaper that had velvet-like flocking on the metal sliding closet doors! It seemed like forever to remove it all using the rented steamer.
Thanks again for hosting this wonderful party! I know how much time goes into doing so and I want you to know that I truly appreciate it!! I hope you will have a great week! Thanks for all the inspiration!!!
Hugs,
Deb
Debbie-Dabble Blog
Thanks so much, Debbie!
XXX
The wallpaper you’re removing is the very same that I had in a condo I lived in 1987 – 91. I still like the pattern! My husband and I are so glad that we finally have no wallpaper in our current home, and now our wonderful DILs are choosing wallpaper for their homes! Everything old is new again :o)
Gay, that is so awesome that you had the same one! Love that! I still really like that pattern, too. It’s a beautiful design! Unfortunately, it no longer works with my bedroom and the linens I use in there, now. I still like wallpaper in general, especially in bathrooms, laundry rooms and fun attic rooms with the slanted ceilings. Just wish it wasn’t so time-consuming to remove when you want to make a change or update a room.
We purchased an older home and virtually every room had wallpaper! I started stripping it when our contractor stopped me and offered a suggestion. He had us apply oil based Kilz over all the wallpaper, and then a drywall installer applied texture to the walls prior to painting. This was 14 years ag & the walls look as good as ever. So easy!