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I’I in the midst of a complete bathroom remodel and I have a few questions regarding preparing the floor for the installation of ceramic tile. Currently the bathroom (8 ft I 14.5 ft) is completely gutted. In the original configuration of the bathroom, the largest area (in front of the sink) was carpeted and had 5/8 inch thick particle board underlayment. The small area housing the toilet and shower was tile on a molar bed. I’be removed all of the particle board underlayment and all of the old tile and associated molar bed which leaves me with a sub floor of 1/2 inch thick plywood (joists with 16 inch center spacing). The sub floor slopes at one corner by about 3/4 of an inch(the house has settled a little).
My original thought was to use 5/16 inch Durock tile backer board by first adding a layer of plywood in order to achieve the 5/8 inch minimum subfloor thickness suggested by the manufacturer. But this won’t get the floor level.
What is the most straight forward method to both level and increase the thickness/stiffness of the subfloor prior to the installation of cement backer board and ceramic tile?
Replies
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Assuming that the 3/4 inch drop in the floor is not at the entry and assuming that the settling has ended, you would be well advised to add another 1/2 (giving you a full inch of subfloor) plywood, glued and screwed to the existing subfloor and joists. Then you can use one of the standard floor leveler compounds in the low end, over the cement board you are planning to use and you're back on level ground.
Gabe
*M.:Why not add your 1/2" plywood and then float the whole floor out with a lath and mortar bed? If you can accomodate the thickness.Asked a recent tile sub why he didn't use Durock on floors. His reply: Backer board doesn't level anything; Portland, sand, and lath are cheaper; helpers got to be doing something whether I'm laying backer or packing mortar, they might as well be mixing mud; I get a better floor with less callbacks.I had 6 doors swinging over his floors, all with less than 1/4" clearance, and only had to cut 1(it drug on threshold). Unfortunately, he lives too far away for me to use him regularly.Sold me on mortar beds.
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I’I in the midst of a complete bathroom remodel and I have a few questions regarding preparing the floor for the installation of ceramic tile. Currently the bathroom (8 ft I 14.5 ft) is completely gutted. In the original configuration of the bathroom, the largest area (in front of the sink) was carpeted and had 5/8 inch thick particle board underlayment. The small area housing the toilet and shower was tile on a molar bed. I’be removed all of the particle board underlayment and all of the old tile and associated molar bed which leaves me with a sub floor of 1/2 inch thick plywood (joists with 16 inch center spacing). The sub floor slopes at one corner by about 3/4 of an inch(the house has settled a little).
My original thought was to use 5/16 inch Durock tile backer board by first adding a layer of plywood in order to achieve the 5/8 inch minimum subfloor thickness suggested by the manufacturer. But this won’t get the floor level.
What is the most straight forward method to both level and increase the thickness/stiffness of the subfloor prior to the installation of cement backer board and ceramic tile?