"Ended up shimming it just enough so drawers didn't slide open on their own and called it good."
Haha, sounds about right—sometimes the simplest fix is the best. I briefly looked into reclaimed materials myself, but honestly, the price jump was a bit steep for my budget...maybe next time around.
Haha, I feel you on reclaimed materials being pricey...I had sticker shock myself when I first checked them out. But hey, your shim fix sounds pretty clever—sometimes those little DIY hacks end up being the most satisfying part of the whole project. Did you run into any other unexpected hurdles along the way, or was it mostly smooth sailing after that? I'm gearing up for my first remodel soon, so I'm soaking up all the wisdom I can get...
Did a bathroom remodel last spring and ran into similar issues—those reclaimed wood shelves were way pricier than expected. Ended up improvising with some leftover lumber, stained it myself, turned out pretty decent actually. Other hurdles included:
- Plumbing lines not matching up exactly (had to adjust fixtures slightly)
- Tile patterns being trickier than they looked online
- Moisture barrier behind shower walls took longer than planned
Overall though, once you get through those bumps, it's satisfying seeing it all come together...good luck with yours!
Yeah, totally relate to the tile thing—those Pinterest patterns always look so straightforward until you're knee-deep in grout and frustration. I ended up going with a simpler subway tile layout after realizing my original herringbone idea was way beyond my skill (and patience) level.
Also, good call on staining your own shelves. I considered reclaimed wood too, but when I saw the price tags...yikes. Instead, I grabbed some basic pine boards from the hardware store, roughed them up a bit, and stained them dark walnut. Turned out pretty nice for a fraction of the cost.
Did you run into any unexpected electrical issues? For me, swapping out the old vanity lights revealed some sketchy wiring behind the drywall—ended up having to call in an electrician friend to sort it out. Always something extra hiding behind those walls...
- Definitely hear you on the hidden electrical surprises...found some ancient wiring behind my mirror that was literally crumbling apart. Ended up rewiring half the wall—fun times. Did your electrician friend give you any tips to spot trouble early next time?