Re-doing bathroom

[JimD]

The current LOML owns a small house on a big lake too far away from where we work. So she has moved into my house (before a future move to our house) and we are fixing the lake house up for sale. I tore out a bathroom that was about 40 years old yesterday and a few hours on Saturday. Took 7-8 hours to remove the built in place vanity, a terrible counter top and sink, a toilet that barely worked, and a tub shower with a mud job and tile. The latter was a first for me and a challenge. The concrete was about 3/4 inch thick so the weight was an issue and they had used a LOT of nails to secure the screen to the studs. I was glad when that went into the dumpster yesterday. It is a small bathroom but we still filled the bed of her pickup. I cut the tub in half to get it out.

I couldn't get all the vinyl floor up, they glued it directly to the plywood sub-floor, but I am otherwise done with the demo. I have the top surface of the vinyl off but some of the backer is still there which will go away with a 60 grit disc on the orbital (hooked up to a shop vac with a HEPA filter).

Plans are another steel tub (without chips), new shower control, ceramic tile over concrete board on the floor and walls around the shower, new vanity with sink top and toilet. I've done all this before but it's been over 10 years for some of it. Any tips? Supply lines are copper but that is also not new, just not recent experience. Anybody take out a mud job like this for a shower before? The best way I found to get it out was to smash it around the edges and then loosen it by prying on studs plus pulling until I dislodged large sections - some of which had to be cut up for carrying.

Future jobs are replacing two sliding glass doors with french doors, painting, and new floor coverings. Tips are welcome on these jobs too. Before we can paint we have to prep walls. We used to have a lot of paneling but most of it was over walboard, fortunately, so with some work and some mud work, we will be ready for paint.

Jim

[cabinetman]

Sounds like you've got a nice little project going on. Seems to me the smaller the room, the more of a PITA it is. If you have a heat gun, it should get that vinyl up pretty quick. I use an air chisel on the concrete. It's a lot easier and faster than a cold chisel and a hammer.

.

[JimD]

I do indeed have a heat gun - new in the box never been used. Sounds like an excellant idea. Thanks.

Jim

[woodturner]

I couldn't get all the vinyl floor up, they glued it directly to the plywood sub-floor, but I am otherwise done with the demo.

Are you certain it is vinyl? How old is it? Just a warning, floor tile made as late as the 1980's can contain asbestos. This page has info on how to determine whether floor tile contains asbestos. If it has asbestos, different removal techniques are mandated.

[JimD]

I thought of the same thing - is it asbestos? That's one reason I like the heat gun idea, it would stir it up less. For both this reason and because it is just too difficult to get up, we've decided to leave the floor alone in the kitchen and dining area. We will just put engineered wood over it.

While I doubt it met standards, I did take precautions in the little bit of sanding I did. My sander was hooked to my shop vacumn which has a HEPA filter. When possible, I just got a putty knife under it and pulled it up. With a heat gun, I am hoping I can just scrape up enough of the remaining backing to get it flat for concrete board.

Jim

[twistsol]

I've had problems in the past with water leakage with the tile / concrete board combination in showers. Look at the Kerdi waterproofing membrane that goes between the concrete board and tile. It's easy to apply and ensures the shower is absolutely water proof.

For the last shower I did in our house, I got a competitive material at www.tileprotection.com and since the wall on the other side of the shower is still open I can be certain it is completely dry.