Tile floor problem - remodeling issues - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Panzer5 · 01-13-2009, 01:49 PM

Hi all - I'm in the middle of a bathroom remodel - and fairly new to tiling. Need help deciding how to prep the floors...

Looked to be a fairly simple job - before the tear-out; House was built in 1939, and the HO wants a 32 inch wide tub & shower to replace the old 30 inch tub. The design calls for moving the toilet & sink plumbing - (if we don't move the toilet, it will only be centered 13 inches from the tub / glass shower doors... code requires 15...).

This presents two problems: 1) the current toilet drain is set into the '30's / 40's era black & white mosaic tile over mudset (a 2" deep box & filled with concrete), and 2) I need to remove or lower & level three inches from the existing mudset floor to give the new tub room to sit.

I'm hoping to avoid tearing out the entire concrete subfloor, if possible. (If not, please let me know...)

There's enough room between the joists to move the toilet drain - except that it's set into the concrete underlayment. So I need to cut out a 16 inch by 24 inch section of the concrete mudset to give the plumber enough room to work. Would a diamond blade on a skill saw do the trick? Or do I need something more specialized?

Next: The previous tub sat directly on a plank subfloor, and the old tile work ran right up to it. Looked good. But, those planks are 7/16 to 9/16ths of an inch below the level of the existing tile - and the mudset starts right at 30 inches from the joists. I need two more inches (minimum) to get the tub in and level. Initially, I thought I could chisel up about 4 inches of the mudset then refill it with concrete & float it level with the wooden planks - but that's turning into a pain - and I'm not sure it's the best method.

Anyone have any suggestions to this problem? Or is my best-bet going to be breaking up the mudset & starting over

?

Panzer5 · 01-13-2009, 02:20 PM

House was built in 1939, and the HO wants a 32 inch wide tub & shower to replace the old 30 inch tub. The design calls for moving the toilet & sink plumbing - (if we don't move the toilet, it will only be centered 13 inches from the tub / glass shower doors... code requires 15...).

This presents two problems: 1) the current toilet drain is set into the '30's / 40's era black & white mosaic tile over mudset (a 2" deep box & filled with concrete), and 2) I need to remove or lower & level three inches from the existing mudset floor to give the new tub room to sit.

I'm hoping to avoid tearing out the entire concrete subfloor, if possible. (If not, please let me know...)

There's enough room between the joists to move the toilet drain - except that it's set into the concrete underlayment. So I need to cut out a 16 inch by 24 inch section of the concrete mudset to give the plumber enough room to work. Would a diamond blade on a skill saw do the trick? Or do I need something more specialized?

Next: The previous tub sat directly on a plank subfloor, and the old tile work ran right up to it. Looked good. But, those planks are 7/16 to 9/16ths of an inch below the level of the existing tile - and the mudset starts right at 30 inches from the joists. I need two more inches (minimum) to get the tub in and level. Initially, I thought I could chisel up about 4 inches of the mudset then refill it with concrete & float it level with the wooden planks - but that's turning into a pain - and I'm not sure it's the best method.

Anyone have any suggestions to this problem? Or is my best-bet going to be breaking up the mudset & starting over

?

(Originally posted here (appologies) but I figure folks reading the flooring section might know more...)

neolitic · 01-13-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panzer5

...... Or is my best-bet going to be breaking up the mudset & starting over

?

When all is said and done
you'll spend more time and money
and not come up with a better
result trying to save what's going
to be left.

But deep down,
you already knew this,
right?

reveivl · 01-13-2009, 02:45 PM

Agreed

WarnerConstInc. · 01-13-2009, 04:40 PM

Fill void under tub to equal tile height. Cut out perfect sized section for toilet, move it, set one big slab of marble for area under toilet.

It requires some fooling around but, it all depends on if the HO have a hard-on for the orginal flooring. If it was mine I would do everything possible to save it. Sometimes this way gets more expensive.

WarnerConstInc. · 01-15-2009, 06:16 PM

Isn't this a double post? I thought I gave you a good answer.

jarvis design · 01-16-2009, 10:16 AM

I did a bathroom reno this last fall that had a beautiful black and white mosaic floor that was in really good condition and subway tile around the room that had been reglazed and looked like hell! We had to remove the cast tub and install an acrylic soaker. My one "challenge" was to fill the 1" space around the perimter of the room as the customer did not want to remove the plaster walls above the tile. I ended up using a 2" porcelain cove tile in black between the new wall tile (subway tile again), and the floor. It turned out really nice! I used Dal tile who has both inside and outside corners.

neolitic · 01-16-2009, 10:43 AM

To add to or avoid confusion..........

Please do not double post -- Double-A

removed link to duplicate thread

neolitic · 01-16-2009, 10:44 AM

To add to or avoid confusion..........

Please do not double post -- Double-A

removed link to duplicate thread

**Double-A** · 01-16-2009, 12:42 PM

Merged the threads.