Yes we did follow all directions. For this large of an area there is a lot of labor because you have to tape and caulk all seams and screws with the Wedi Sealant. Right after the last screw was down the first tile went down. Here is the picture of the completed Wedi surface. You can see we are using the Schluter expansion joints on the edge and through the middle. Double careful not to have cracks. The other thing we did was to pre-place the railing posts directly onto the plywood. I had the railing guy make a 4" plate with welded posts to it. We cut out the wedi board and placed it on the plywood and then wedi taped over the top of it. The plate and bolt heads are just at the level of the top of the 10mm wedi board. After the deck is tiled the railing guy comes over and levels the rail, cuts the post to the right length and welds the railing to the post. The previous rail was attached to the top of the tiles and of course cracked every single one.

Its going to be difficult to change the "character" of the room too much, so centering the fireplace would not give you a lot of bang for the buck. One thing that would actually look nice in this room if you have the budget would be a triangular window in the space above the window next to the fireplace: That way, the end wall would be comprised of fireplace and glass. Rather than close up the narrow window completely, why not put a louvered shutter on it? That window is another contemporary element of the room. I can understand wanting to reface this fireplace because the brickwork seems a bit uneven, with that tall "column" of brick that isnt interwoven with the other brick. But, overall, I would recommend a stucco-like surface rather than drywall. I think a rustic mantle would look good here, and I would consider painting the beams dark to match. I know there is a tendency to paint all this stuff out white, but this is a house wirh rustic-modern elements, and trying to veer too much from that won't be a success unless you change everything about the room.

This outdoor bbq counter was initially topped with small tiles. Pacific Northwest weather caused them to become detached and we decided the bare top looked better than the tiles, which never really looked good. The exposed concrete is rough, cracked, and weathered, with large pits in some areas. The base is cultured stone. I'm looking for ideas of how to salvage the top and improve its appearance, keeping in mind it'll be exposed to the elements year-round. Thanks much!!

The product looks great and it has a well known company, Rustoleum, behind it. As far as using the self-leveling concrete, I would make sure that you use the final product in exact agreement with Rustoleum's instructions. If in doubt, call their tech service people to make sure, a call to save a headache down the road is well worth it.