Kent's basement bath redo

[kdev]

Here's the chosen vanity. The walls in the bathroom will have subway tile wainscoting in white...either AO Profiles or Daltile Rittenhouse Square.

1. Any thoughts on what basin color (Kohler) to choose to go with the white subway tiles?

I am asking from the perspective of: I would like the basin to be white, but I also want it to match, or at least coordinate well, with the subway tile shade of white.

[bbcamp]

Kent, since the color is so important to you, get some samples of the tile and go to a Kohler showroom and compare them side-by-side.

[kdev]

Hi all,

With the science fair, pinewood derby, and spring break family vacation out of the way, I'm finally ready to wrap up the plumbing today. And tomorrow I'll be pouring the concrete slab.

I have a couple of questions about the concrete pour:

The slab will have 3 pipe penetrations:

-Lav drain (through bottom plate of stud wall)
-Shower drain riser
-Toilet riser

My plan is to wrap each pipe in cardboard such that each pipe will have a little wiggle room in the slab that I will caulk later. Each pipe is already in its final location (measured about 100 times over).

1. Does the above sound ok?

For finishing the concrete, my plan is to:

-Strike off with the straighest 2x4 I have.
-Float/trowel with a steel hand trowel.
-Brush with a whisk broom.

2. Are there any guidelines for how long to wait between each step?

3. How flat can I expect the finished slab to be? Being a complete novice to patching a slab, I am planning on doing an SLC pour later to get a level surface for tiling.

Thanks,
Kent

[kdev]

One more question (continuing numbering from my last post):

4. How big of a hole do I need to leave for a Kerdi ABS drain installation?

[kdev]

Here is a pic of the reworked DWV plumbing. See posts #54 and #55 for the background if interested.

Still looking for friendly replies to my questions in posts #63 and #64.

Thanks!

[cx]

1. Yeah, if you're sure that shower trap and riser are in their final location.

You do plan to fill that hole with some sorta packable base material or sand and gravel or some such to about 4" below existing grade, then dowel into your existing concrete so's to tie in some reinforcing steel before you pour your patch, yes?

I would also plan to put a poly vapor barrier over the fill before I tied in my steel, even though it doesn't appear you have one anywhere else. Keeps the fill from sucking the moisture outa your cee-ment and causing poor curing.

2. You don't hafta wait at all for any except the broom finish, and you just wait 'till that'll work. Ends of your broom will tell ya.

3. You should be able to get that patch 'bout as flat as you wanna. You'll not be able to get it any more level than the existing, though.

You need to have it level?

My opinion; worth price charged.

[kdev]

Thanks cx!

Originally Posted by cx

You do plan to fill that hole with some sorta packable base material or sand and gravel or some such to about 4" below existing grade, then dowel into your existing concrete so's to tie in some reinforcing steel before you pour your patch, yes?

Yes on all accounts. Just not sure how far to space out the rebar. I don't want to over do it. I'm thinking maybe every 18"-24"?

I've been using coarse sand to bed the ABS pipe and then I fill in other areas with the dirt and small river rock that came out of that there hole. No gravel planned, but the the sand + loamy soil + river rock qualifies as easily compacted base material in my book. The soil here in the Spokane River valley is nothing like the Colorado and Missouri clay soil I'm used to.

Originally Posted by cx

I would also plan to put a poly vapor barrier over the fill before I tied in my steel, even though it doesn't appear you have one anywhere else. Keeps the fill from sucking the moisture outa your cee-ment and causing poor curing.

Gonna do this too. 6 mil from the blue box.

Originally Posted by cx

You need to have it level?

No, just flat according to what I understand about tile floor installations. I guess I just give it the old college try and see what I end up with. If it is too out of plane, I guess I will either grind down the high spots or pour SLC or both.

And...

One more question that came to mind in the last hour:

I have read about using a loose thinset to coat the edge of the existing slab before pouring the new cement (in order to prevent a cold joint as best as possible).

I would be up for that, but I have about 30 sq. ft. of slab to pour, so I don't think I could paint on the thinset all at once at the beginning of the pour and expect it to stay 'not cured' while I'm mixing all those bags of cement.

I will be mixing the cement with a small electric cement mixer, so it should go relatively quickly.

Questions are:

1. Should I skip the thinset bond coat?

2. If I should put on the thinset bond coat, can I do it all at once at the start of the pour, or do I have to apply it as I go such that it doesn't dry out on the exposed edge of the slab?

Note that the edge of my slab is jagged...it was jack hammered to create the hole, not sawn.

[kdev]

Thanks Bob. I got the pure portland and I'll mix it up nice and wet.

I still am wondering about this:

4. How big of a hole do I need to leave for a Kerdi ABS drain installation?

Will a 4" ABS drain pipe suffice as a box out around my 2" shower riser?

Thanks,
Kent

[kdev]

Hi all,

I'm back in the game!

Now back to where I left off:

Originally Posted by cx

You do plan to fill that hole with some sorta packable base material or sand and gravel or some such to about 4" below existing grade, then dowel into your existing concrete so's to tie in some reinforcing steel before you pour your patch, yes?

Yes on all accounts. Just not sure how far to space out the rebar. I don't want to over do it.

I'm thinking maybe every 18"-24"?

Thanks for the help,
Kent

[cx]

In my new construction SOG the field reinforcement is #3 bar on 12" centers each direction. I'd recommend that unless you're matching something else that already exists.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[kdev]

I still am wondering about this:

4. How big of a hole do I need to leave for a Kerdi ABS drain installation?

Will a 4" ABS drain pipe suffice as a box out around my 2" shower riser?

Thanks,
Kent

[cx]

Only if you're prepared to remove the pipe before the concrete patch sets too hard to do so.

And you gotta be very accurately centered on the riser pipe.

My opiniojn; worth price charged.

[kdev]

I'll just wrap the riser with cardboard. Thanks!

[kdev]

Well, that concrete pour yesterday was a lot of work! It took 16 60# bags of concrete mix to patch the slab. Yikes!

I covered the patch with poly sheeting, and it looks to be holding moisture pretty well when I checked it earlier today.

Couple of questions on curing the patch:

1. How long should I leave it covered with poly?

2. Would it help to spray some water on the curing concrete every day for the next week or so?

Kent

[Houston Remodeler]

1- As long as possible. Years would be nice. The longer the concrete stays damp the better the hydration and the stronger the cement crystals. Most Pro's start working as soon as its hard enough to walk on.

2- Yes, see #1