Bath remodel help

**State43** · 07-05-2012, 08:23 PM

Okay, so i decided to take thurs and friday off along with the weekend to tear out my shower tile, pedistal sink and tile floor and replace them and now realize the goal to be done by sunday night doesn't look promising. After day 1, I yanked all the shower tile off besides some pesky pieces around the shower window. I removed the cement board as well along with the same for the floor. I knew there was some leaking from this bath to the bath below and found it to be around the toilet along with it being about 1/3" deeper. Looking at the baseboard, there appears to be some rot. Anyone know how I would replace the baseboard around the toilet drain or if I should I just poor thinset around that area till it's level, let it dry and then place the new cement board down?

**Scott34** · 07-05-2012, 08:39 PM

If your putting tile on the floor, you could cut the tile in half and install that as your baseboard. If your wanting wood base, it just depends on if your putting down painted or oak base.

**Cyclonepride** · 07-05-2012, 08:54 PM

I'm assuming you're asking if you should patch the subfloor? I certainly would. Hate to have all that effort go down the drain later for want of a small repair now.

**Acylum** · 07-05-2012, 08:55 PM

Did you find the leak? As long as you're doing all the other work I would pull the toilet, check that the mounting bolts or screws are still solid, and put in a new wax ring.

**cyrobb** · 07-05-2012, 08:58 PM

what year is your house? Do you have boards that run at an angle? Or is it plywood? If the toliet ring is in good shape and is sturdy then new sub floor should be okay as long as you are spanning less than 3". If you have cast iron pipe it is a good idea to make sure it did not get cracked. When you put down the new toliet do not use the wax ring that comes with a toliet and instead pay for the thickest one with heavier gauge stool bolts. Good luck on your project.

**BKLYNCyclone** · 07-05-2012, 09:18 PM

Eff it... Pull the toilet, replumb the waste to the wall, install a geberit chair carrier, and install a duravit wall mounted toilet (preferably a stark 3) with a soft closing lid. You'll thank me later when you never have to clean another wad of dust/pubes off around the toilet mounting bolts, ever... Seriously, look into it. If you can make the chair carrier work in your wall you'll be a very happy fellow.

**Vicarious** · 07-05-2012, 09:59 PM

OK, since you thought you could do this project in a weekend I'm going to assume you have never really remodeled before. You are going to need to do a lot of homework and you should stop asking remodeling Q's on CF. The John Bridge tile forum is excellent for help with tiling Tile Floors, Ceramic and Stone Tiles, How-to | Tile Your World. Gardenweb is also good, maybe in their bath forum or remodeling forum, you can learn a lot just by lurking.

You are also going to need to learn some construction basics, including but limited to learning terms and understanding what you are looking at. If you don't prep the subflooring properly you are wasting both your time and money so don't rush through this. And don't assume the previous builder knew what they were doing.

Since you already have a problem with a leak you need to make sure this issue is fixed first. You might also try to talk to someone in person, maybe at a tile store (I would not recommend a big box store, the help can be spotty at best) or a plumber. There is no shame in subing out part of the job. Good luck.

**State43** · 07-05-2012, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Acylum

Did you find the leak? As long as you're doing all the other work I would pull the toilet, check that the mounting bolts or screws are still solid, and put in a new wax ring.

The leak appears to be dry. I believe it was just runoff that seeped through the broken tile.

**State43** · 07-05-2012, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by cyrobb

what year is your house? Do you have boards that run at an angle? Or is it plywood? If the toliet ring is in good shape and is sturdy then new sub floor should be okay as long as you are spanning less than 3". If you have cast iron pipe it is a good idea to make sure it did not get cracked. When you put down the new toliet do not use the wax ring that comes with a toliet and instead pay for the thickest one with heavier gauge stool bolts. Good luck on your project.

It's just a plywood subfloor

**BKLYNCyclone** · 07-05-2012, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Vicarious

And don't assume the previous builder knew what they were doing.

No doubt. If you would see what I've seen during remodels, you'd definitely never trust the guy that built your house again. I've seen some crazy stuff, especially in NYC. However, one of the craziest I've ever seen is in my own house. There is a 6x6 cedar post that I assumed was holding up the roof corner at my covered deck. I leaned against it only to find that the bottom was swinging freely. Took a look and there was definitely a sonotube, but the concrete mix they poured was crap and it was flaking off big time. My roof has essentially been cantilevering 12' for what I'm assuming is a few years (I just moved in last November and am renting from stepbrother, so never inspected anything). Jacked up the roof and put temporary blocks underneath but I'm probably going to have to pull out the sonotube and replace it before winter... Fun. Still not sure why there was no sign of a post anchor.

**State43** · 07-05-2012, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Vicarious

OK, since you thought you could do this project in a weekend I'm going to assume you have never really remodeled before. You are going to need to do a lot of homework and you should stop asking remodeling Q's on CF. The John Bridge tile forum is excellent for help with tiling Tile Floors, Ceramic and Stone Tiles, How-to | Tile Your World. Gardenweb is also good, maybe in their bath forum or remodeling forum, you can learn a lot just by lurking.

You are also going to need to learn some construction basics, including but limited to learning terms and understanding what you are looking at. If you don't prep the subflooring properly you are wasting both your time and money so don't rush through this. And don't assume the previous builder knew what they were doing.

Since you already have a problem with a leak you need to make sure this issue is fixed first. You might also try to talk to someone in person, maybe at a tile store (I would not recommend a big box store, the help can be spotty at best) or a plumber. There is no shame in subing out part of the job. Good luck.

Wow, it was just a judgement question on one particular issue. I have done a lot of planning and looking into it but I have never demo a bath and was looking for a 2nd opinion. Everything in yanked in the bath. I pulled up all tile and cement board. Just mulling over what to do with the sligh dip and small dry rot area by toilet. And to be fair, it's 4 and a half days.

**cyrobb** · 07-05-2012, 11:31 PM

If its a small area new cement board and tile will float the dry rot with no problem. SMALL AREA*** as in less than a square foot. You could use some floor leveler under your cement board if a slight dip bothers you, otherwise you can build up your morter bed on the tile. The second is a little harder if youn haven't done this type of stuff before. That is normally what I do as a building/remodel contractor. as a side note it is easier to increase morter bed if using larger tile, the smaller the tile get the harder to float in a depression in the floor.

Sounds like you're on the right track, but 4.5 days for a gut and redo doesn't seem long enough, but normally I take t down tostuds and do rewire and new plumbing, add heaed floor, walk in showers, etc. so if ts just tile aye not too bad. Make sure to get some pics up so we can judge your work!

**cysox2** · 07-05-2012, 11:51 PM

As long as you've got it exposed I'd replace the dry rot, especially if you are setting a toilet on it. It's really not too difficult or time consuming and can save you a headache down the road.

**State43** · 07-06-2012, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by cyrobb

If its a small area new cement board and tile will float the dry rot with no problem. SMALL AREA*** as in less than a square foot. You could use some floor leveler under your cement board if a slight dip bothers you, otherwise you can build up your morter bed on the tile. The second is a little harder if youn haven't done this type of stuff before. That is normally what I do as a building/remodel contractor. as a side note it is easier to increase morter bed if using larger tile, the smaller the tile get the harder to float in a depression in the floor.

Sounds like you're on the right track, but 4.5 days for a gut and redo doesn't seem long enough, but normally I take t down tostuds and do rewire and new plumbing, add heaed floor, walk in showers, etc. so if ts just tile aye not too bad. Make sure to get some pics up so we can judge your work!

Thanks for the input. I am using 13x13 tile. I have tiled a couple places in my basement. When you say build up the mortarbed, do you mean just level the area with thinnest and lay the tile level having a thicker layer of thinset keeping the tile level? It is less then a square foot.

**State43** · 07-06-2012, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by cysox2

As long as you've got it exposed I'd replace the dry rot, especially if you are setting a toilet on it. It's really not too difficult or time consuming and can save you a headache down the road.

I have never replace a piece of subfloor around a toilet before so that idea made me a bit nervous.