Kids/Guest Bath Complete Redo - Questions

[Eric Thut]

Hi All - just registered here. I am a DIYer with moderate experience. Completed a 1000 sqft addition about 8 years ago that had a master bath as part of it and I did all the plumbing, electrical tile and finish work - and it was my first attempt at all of that.

I used a premade fiberglass pan back then becase I was too scared to try a tiled floor but the rest turned out pretty good.

Currently totally redoing the kids bath (which is also used by guests) and gutted it completely (except for the lath and plaster ceiling, just dry-walled over that). I have the rough-in plumbing and electrical done and the drywall is now up on all the walls. I am getting ready to start the shower and have ordered all my Kerdi stuff which hopefully will be arriving shortly. (I also bought John's Kerdi book and have read it through once). I will take some pictures and figure out how to post them eventually.

It is a jack-n-jill bathroom about 6 x 8 ft. It was a sink and toilet on one side and a bath/shower an the other. I tore out the tub and moved the toilet over to that wall so we can have a 32X38 inch shower and toilet on the once side with a two sink vanity on the other.

The old bathroom (and/or the one before) leaked at least once and much of the floor sheathing was a mess so I tore it off completely. They had doubled up almost every floor joist (storage basement below) so it should be plenty strong. I put down 3/4 inch plywood with glues and screws but used non tongue and grove plywood so need to add a support at the one seem - however it is nice and solid.

Here is my first question - I need to build of the floor about 1/2 and inch to meet the bedroom floors coming in. I have some 1/2 inch hardie board from back when this was going to be a non-kerdi shower (reading this forum has converted me). Are there any cons to laying down the hardie board over the entire floor including where the shower pan (going to try a mud pan) will go?

Thanks in advance for your help. I have been scouring these threads for a few weeks now and feel like I know many of you already - even if you all have no idea who I am.

[Kman]

Since you are using non T&G plywood, this would be the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Get yourself some exterior grade 1/2" ply which will strengthen the floor overall, raise it to the height of your adjacent floors, and fix the problem of not having T&G subfloor.

I would suggest using the information from this article http://www.schluter.com/5138.aspx to install the 1/2" ply. Make sure it is labeled 'A' 'B' or 'C', but no D's. And of course, make sure the seams don't line up with the subfloor seems.

[Eric Thut]

Thanks Kevin -

Of course that would be the right way to do it - but where is the fun in that. The pro's to me in using the hardie bord is that I have it already and I was thinking that I wouldn't have to worry about tar paper over the plywood before doing the shower pan mud. I am also planning on using Ditra on the floor aw well if that makes a difference. And in the over kill department if anything ever does leak at least teh top layer won't rot away.

So are there any real cons to using the hardie board?

[bbcamp]

None, other than it's not structural and your floor won't meet either James Hardie's or Schluter's specifications. There'd be very little fun if something went wrong and you were left holding the bag.

[Kman]

Originally Posted by Eric

wouldn't have to worry about tar paper over the plywood before doing the shower pan mud.

If you think plywood would draw the moisture out of your deck mud, you ain't seen nothing yet. A few sheets of Hardi could have dried up the oil spill earlier this year.

No real cons I can think of right now. However the plywood will cost about the same and add some real strength to the floor. You could then go over it with Ditra or other tile underlayment for a primo tile installation.

[cx]

I'm in agreement with all the above 'cept you still want to have blocking under the between-joist joint in the first layer of plywood subflooring.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Eric Thut]

okay you have all convinced me - so who is going to help me take the seat out of the minivan one more time

[Eric Thut]

Attachment 87628here is a very quick sketch of the bathroom layout - plus the floor tile layout. The house is an old bungalow so we are trying for updated arts and crafts look. We are going with simple white 3x6 subway tiles on the walls - all the way up in the shower and possible just 40" or so elsewhere and as a back splash.

Oh and that bonus pic - I was only planning on opening up the wall just enough for a small window ...... but everything was so moldy and rotten that i kept going until I hit solid wood. Where you see the toilet is now the second sink and the toilet is moved to the outside wall.

[bbcamp]

You look rather pleased with yourself, Eric, but I think Mrs. Eric may have reservations about the toilet being so close to that big window you made.

[Houston Remodeler]

I'm hoping it stays warm where he is. brrrrrr

[TheIcon]

Be adventurous. Put the toilet back where it was. That way you can look out the window while people look in at you

Some of the best pics I think are of people after demo. Its a satisfying feeling.

[Eric Thut]

sometimes you have to smile to keep from crying

While it added a couple of hundred bucks to the price of the project, I am glad I opened it up completely, some of that wall was only being held up by the cedar shingles. It is framed, cladded, insulated and sheet-rocked now, just in time for the freezing weather.

Will take some progress photos today as I am taking a day off work to get the big pile of trash hauled away and go pick up my sinks. Who know that such a small bath could make such a big pile of debris.

[WendyHMN]

Speaking of freezing weather, how are you running the water supply to your new toilet? Maybe it's just because I'm in Minnesota, but I try very hard not to run any pipes in exterior walls. Up through the floor will be better. You're not Minnesota but you're not Florida either.

[Eric Thut]

thought of that Wendy. I took a chance with the wall. Only about 3 inches of pipe and kept it right up against the drywall and insulated the heck out of it - hoping for the best...over unfinished (but heated) basement if it does fail and then will just go through the floor instead.

[WendyHMN]

Sounds reasonable for Missouri. We moved the vanity to our outside wall, but ran the pipes across under the floor. They pop up about an inch inside the finished wall. I will have to tile around them, but they won't freeze.