How do I replace the sub-flooring in my bathroom?

Question

There are linoleum tiles which are not the problem; I can get them up, but the sub-flooring (wood) around the toilet is old and rotting and I need to replace it. How do I lift the toilet off to repair the floor? Any other suggestions would be great!

Answer 1

This brings back nightmares. I don't know how many times I have done this!!!

Shut off the water to the toilet. Flush and bail until it is empty. Unhook the fill tube at the valve. Remove the bolts at the base of the toilet. (You might have to pry the cover caps off with a screwdriver or chisel.) If the bolts will not come off, hacksaw them.

Move the toilet out of the way. Sometimes putting a piece of cardboard in the tub makes a good place to place the toilet. Remove the floor with a saws all as far back as it is rotted. Sometimes you need to "scab" in support blocks for the new floor. This can be done with 2x4's and deck screws. When replacing the floor around the pipe, put the "split" part of the board parallel to the wall. This will give you a solid area around the front of the toilet where the traffic is.

Cut your replacement board, and then lay it on the floor and mark the floor to identify the small places that will need to be trimmed.

I am assuming that you have knowledge of carpentry, as there are 1,000 other details that I am leaving out. I am only putting in those that make a difference for the experienced handyman.

Answer 2

I would not remove this subfloor.

Get 1/4 hardwood plywood available at Home depot and steel plaster lath that is available from any Drywall supply house in 28 inch wide by 95 inch long galvanized( perforated metal is what this is) about $6 a piece is the cost.

Sandwitch the metal lath between the hardwood plywood gluing the two together with a troweling of Polyurethane cement, use a ridge trowel about 1/8 high ridges. Then screw that to joists best you can with about #6 x 1 1/2 drywall screws.

Of course you can lift off the toilet, just remove those two bolts and up it comes.

You are asking for a major problem if you cut into this old subfloor. Every where you cut on the peremiter, you are going to form a non supported area that will squeal and be structurally inadequate even if you put in blocker blocks.

This sandwitch of hardwood plywood and steel lath will have an equivalent strenth far above anything needed to support a new floor. That slight 7/32 inch rise at door ways will be unnoticable if you tile and use an edge strip. Remember, that 1/4 inch plywood is actually 7/32 thick not 1/4.

Answer 3

I used a shortcut when I had this problem, I removed the toilet and removed all the rotten wood I could then used a fiberglass repair kit with glass cloth and filled in the bad places. May not work if your floor is badly damaged but on mine it was the area right around the toilet flange.
I did this two years ago and the flooring is still strong.

Answer 4

At the bottom of the toilet, there are 2 or more bolts and nuts that hold the toilet tight. They are usually covered by caps and you have pry the covers off, loosen the bolts, and lift the toilet straight up. You also have to disconnect the water line.

Tear out the subfloor and replace it, then get a new wax ring to seal the toilet, don't overtighten the nuts or you can crack the toilet. good luck. Had to do the same thing a few years ago.

Answer 5

Is the polyurethane lifting off the laminate or did the owner just do a lousy job applying it so the finish is uneven? If it's lifting, you can try shaving it off with single edge razor blades. Start where it's coming off and keep going until it stops coming off with minimal effort. Most laminates have an acrylic urethane finish so the owner probably used the same if he asked questions first. It won't bond very well if the floor wasn't cleaned well and screened (sanded with machine using a fine screen sanding disc). If the majority of the finish refuses to budge then just prep the uncovered areas and reapply the same product if you know what was used. If he just botched up the application, it can be smoothed out by screen sanding then recoated with the same material. Try to find out what he used. Sometimes people will use shellac to rejuvenate glue-down flooring since it sticks to most anything plus dries fast so can be walked on the same day. You can test for that by rubbing an inconspicuous spot with a rag wet with denatured alcohol. The shellac will redissolve and come off on the rag. Shellac was one traditional finish for wood floors for ages because it was durable and easy to repair by simply brushing some more on. It melts into the old finish so the repair disappears. If it's coming loose, take some large flakes to a decent paint retailer like Kelly-Moore to have their staff evaluate the failed product. They sell alkyd and acrylic urethane for floors so should be able to decern what was used, why it failed and how to correct the problem.

Answer 6

take up toilet

Use a circular saw that you can adjust depth. Saw a square. Take up the square - need be use a chisel.

In lay some plywood of correct depth - if need be shim with some wood shingles to make level. Now put on your new flooring

Real lazy - get some plaster - scrape away the rotted leak area - now plaster it level.

Smartest thing you can do is get a new Johnny ring - or go heir someone

Answer 7

first disconnect the water supply line after you have shut off the valve..then flush the toilet.
next there are two plastic caps under the bowl..pry them off and right there should be nuts to the toilet bolts..take them off and pull straight up on the toilet..
if the floor is really rotten you may have to replace the toilet flange on the floor...not an easy job

Answer 8

remove all thats in the way of the floor and screw down new wood to the bath floor you willneed to make adjustments to accomadate toilet with the new height and doorway also thats the simplest less labor and does the job!

Answer 9

Please hire a pro.