Need Help With My Bathroom Floor?

Question

I have to replace my bathroom floor and it has rotted at the tub but I dont know if i am to use 1/2 in sub floor under the Luanne board or thicker and then is peel and stick tile ok do you need glue. Any help would be really wonderful, in fact step by step instructions would be really really wonderful ha ha

Answer 1

I dealt with the same problem in my old house when I re-did my bath myself -- the old pine floor had rotted around the tub and toilet due to leaks. You need to cut out the rotten areas to the middle of the nearest floor joist and then use plywood that is the same thickness as the existing floor (in my case it was 3/4 inch) to fill in those areas. Then nail the lauan or 1/4" plywood layer over the entire floor, old and new. Use a filler compound (like the guy above recommended) to fill in between the sheets and any dings from nail holes (use a center-punch tool to drive the nails below the surface of the wood first.)

I agree on the peel and stick tiles, especially in a bathroom -- best not to use it. Get good quality sheet vinyl (linoleum) -- it really is not that hard to cut and glue down by yourself in a room as small as a bath. Some of it looks just like ceramic tile. You should roll the vinyl after you glue it (you can rent the roller at big building centers -- you might need help from somebody hauling the roller because it is around 100 lbs.) Then nail quarter round trim around the wall edges (the composition type is more water resistant than wood and is prepainted) OR use vinyl cove base if you don't have baseboards. Caulk along the side that meets the tub and vanity.

Yeah, ceramic tile is nice but it's a lot of work if you're a novice and you can run into problems because the floor will be much thicker -- only a good idea if you are removing and replacing most of the fixtures like the toilet. Personally I don't like tile in a bath because the grout can be hard to keep clean and it feels colder than vinyl.

I did that bathroom all by myself with no prior experience and it came out great. Go for it!

P.S. The Readers Digest series of Do It Yourself books is excellent for step-by-step instructions -- lots of photos!

Answer 2

Hi brightey:

I am not sure what Luanne board is however there is alot of the same material type being used in the United States that are being identified differently. If you live in CA. then I would suggest that you consider 3/4" or 5/8th inch plywood and to nail it down to the subfloor and try to keep the nails apart every six-inches. There is also a glue adhesive that you can use between the plywood and subfloor by doing so will keep the plywood from lifting up in the event that your nail pattern is inconstant. The adhesive can be purchased in tubes and all you need to have is a caulking gun to apply it. I am not sure by your description if the floor is also failing beneath the tub. If so, it may be time to seek some professional advice. It may be the subfloor (typically 2" x 6" tongue and groove) that is rotted as well. Hopefully not! that is structural. The peel and stick tile you mentioned is good try to keep a tight seam when joining togeather the individual pieces. If you can afford it linoleum flooring is best. What is important when appliying flooring material is to have the surface very, very clean (no sawdust or ect.) and try to keep a temperature of at least 70 degrees or more.
Tools: Hammer, saw (electric or hand), caulking gun, tube of adhesive, square, pencil and 1 1/2" 8d Hardware nails or wood screws if you preferr. And of course sprinkled with some patience. I know that you can do this for the reason that you are smart enough to seek how. Once the peel and stick material is down follow-up with placing rubber molding along the wall and floor by doing so will prevent water from traveling down the wall or tub in to the subfloor. It is inexspensive and its a shelf item that most hardware stores carry.

Best wishes,

Answer 3

brightey; usually we place a underlayment on a subfloor so the floor is level and void of any cracks when installing tile.
after installation of underlayment 5/16" thickness or 1/4" if you can't get it. place a fast drying compound on the cracks like , easysand 20 min dry time. this makes it smooth and fills all cracks and the tiles won't reflect the cracks through the tiles if they are an oil product. ceramics OK!
find your center line in both directions and begin there with a chalk line you snap.
peel & stick are really cheap and do roll up now and then, especially in the bath where water is near and always on the floor. I would recommend a nice white inexpensive ceramic tile about 8x8 or 12/12. after installing put plyable tile & tub caulk along the tub to deter water from leaking under the flooring you've just placed down.
give it some thought

Answer 4

I just did mine with the same rot problem by the tub. I used a self-leveling subfloor that worked super. That is a product that comes in powder form and you mix like cement. You pour it on the floor and it self-levels giving you a very flat and smooth floor.

You will have to make sure you don't have any holes in the floor before you pour it on, because it will run into the holes, but those are easy to fix first.

You also have to pull up the stool and block off the doorways, etc, but you can put down a 1/2" thick layer and end up with a very nice surface to work with.

You can get it at Home Depot etc and they should have instructions. Check out diynetwork.com for more info.

Answer 5

You would need the same thickness of board as the existing. Stay away from peel and stick tiles. They are cheap for a reason. The glue never dries and the tiles will move after awhile. Go to your nearest carpet store and talk to them. They will help you with the tiles and on the glue cans is a detailed instruction on proper installation. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

diynet.com has step by step instructions.
I can't advise you on the subfloor, but I have done peel and stick tile in bathrooms before. It is easy to work with.
We put a bead of caulk against the tub and wall to seal it.