I was just looking in the laundry room area today and thinking about how I need to clear all my brother's junk out and clear out the old bathroom. Right now it is filled with random things and old couch cushions/pillows. I can probably move those down to the workshop- possibly up to the loft. Or just throw them out, but the hoarder in me hates to throw them out. I desperately need to replace that busted up back door. Right now it doesn't even have a proper header. Just a 2x4 on the flat for an exterior load-bearing wall and a 36" door. One jack stud is 1" lower than the other. It's ugly. The good news is that the door opens inward so I shouldn't have to mess with the outside much.
I saw some videos where they said it is code to have rigid foam board between the wood in headers in some places. I actually like that idea-- especially since my brain wasn't processing that I need a 5.5" thick header as I appear to have 2x6 walls. That would mean two 2x6s pinned together on the outside, 1" of spacing material, and a 2x6 on the other side. It is much cheaper to get foam board than a 1" thick plywood piece. It is lighter weight and offers some insulation.
I just watched a video where a guy showed how he made an insulated header in a 2x6 exterior wall. I'll use screws instead of nails (like in the video) as my nail gun's nails aren't long enough. The wood I found for the cheapest price is pressure treated (the regular stuff was more expensive). I should be able to get 3 pieces out of a 2x6x12.
For the 1" unfaced rigid foam, I'm debating whether to get the pink stuff from HD or the green stuff from Lowes. Both are the same size and same price. Not sure on R values but other than color, they seem to be about the same. All the videos and pictures I've seen show the green foam though.
I also need to figure out how I'm going to handle the exterior light. I want to put it above the door and under an awning. I'll have to brace up for the awning and possibly build out some sort of frame to extend it out more, but I can worry about that later. Right now the box for the exterior light is not the right kind and I've been told its facing the wrong way. I'd like to keep the light at the same height but don't want to compromise the strength of the header. Could I fit the wires for it into the foam layer from a box above the header (bc adding a proper header will get in the way of the existing box) and attach the exterior light to the header from the outside? I need to get some photos at some point to show what I'm talking about. It's dark out right now-- but this was on my mind so I wanted to bring it up.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/GreenGuard-1-X-2-X-2-Project-Panel-LG-1/5001929511vs
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Project...Foam-Board-Insulation-Sheathing-PP1/203553730
As an aside, I forgot to mention that I got some laundry things on sale at Amazon.
Magnetic lint bin that can stick to the side of the dryer.
Magnetic dryer sheet holder.
Stands for the detergent that tips them so the contents will come out easier but also has a strap to hold them in place. Has a spot to hold the cup for the detergent. The image doesn't show the straps. And a
dispenser for the bead-type detergent that gets added to laundry. I get the Gain Fireworks or whatever its called.
I think I'm going to skip the acrylic shelf idea. Can't seem to find the sheets of acrylic and wood will be much simpler to work with.
I got a long anti-fatigue mat for the floor in front of the machines.
For the bathroom, I'm now thinking of just putting an AAV on the lavatory but bringing it up so it is at least 6" above the flood level of the sink & using an
AAV box (or
this one) with vents inside the wall. I figure that is safer than having things poke through the wall and the drain will connect to pipes with an atmospheric vent. It will be in a spot that can be checked for any failures.
I will then only have to worry about the drain part. I'm debating whether to have the elbow to go around the bottom plates and bump the drain out of the wall (behind the vanity) below or above the vent. Above I'm concerned might be a problem with airflow. Below might make it easier for crud to get stuck in the pipe and harder to clean it out.
So, any thoughts?