Replies

1. 
   JeffBuck | May 20, 2009 07:51am | #1

   pretty sure I'd suggest we fix the broken plumbing before we get into the touchy subject of hardwood in the bathroom.

   this has "lifetime of callbacks" written all over it.

    

   for them a win/win ... pay for a hardwood install and get a whole new bath remodel most likely within the first year.

   Jeff

       Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

2. 
   JDRHI | May 20, 2009 02:29pm | #2

   I'm with Buck......find out what the hell the problem is, and attention it before proceeding.

   J. D. Reynolds

   Home Improvements

    

    

    

   
   

3. 
   FastEddie | May 20, 2009 03:16pm | #3

   Wooden duckboards sounds like the old shower rooms from high school, many decades ago.  I would not do it in a residential bathroom as a solution to a toilet leak, but if it was planned around a floor drain as a means of handling drips, it could be a doable thing.  Use a water resistant wood like teak or white oak, no metal connectors just wooden pegs and glue.

   "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

4. 
   Shep | May 20, 2009 03:37pm | #4

   I'm with the others on taking care of the water problem first, but...

   can you wrap the Kerdi up the walls a little ways, to really seal things? Or maybe use Ditra the same way?

   I'm not sure I'd trust caulk to make a lasting seal. As the house moves, the caulk's gonna let go.

5. 
   PedroTheMule | May 20, 2009 05:26pm | #5

   Hi gpiper,

   The clients have stated that about once a month the toilet dumps a bunch of water into the basement. I haven't been able to suss out exactly why but am going with the assumption that there will be some spillage in the bathroom (no kids though).

   I believe in personal responsibility and at this point it's time to pass the buck "before" you have to be responsible. I would explain to the client how much I want their business and that I want to honor their request. As such wood floors in the bathroom are fine but specific conditions must be met and that is to resolve the excess water issue first. Tell them that you back up your work as a professional should but that having to replace damaged flooring for free would be unfair to you and the time interruption and inconvenience of doing the job over would be unfair to them. Recommend that they hire a professional plumber to resolve the water issue prior to your excellent work and "boom the responsibility goes to the plumber." Not at all advocating that the plumber should now have to take all the junk.....simply that if he does his job right....there will be no junk.

   If the client refuses, then suggest tile.....if they're set on wood in this circumstance, then write up a contract excluding water damages or walk from the job.

   Pedro the Mule - wet fur is nasty

1. 
   gpiper | May 20, 2009 05:47pm | #6

   Good comments all.
   Since I am going to have to reset the toilet to align with the new floor level, my assumption was that I would ID/fix the problem at that point. Of course, that almost guarantees that once I have the toilet out I am going to find a mess that will take more than a day to fix.... And it is the only toilet in the house... Nothing like a an owner who has to run to the 7-11 every time she needs to pee for motivation.I think I will bring in my plumber for the reset of the toilet for some additional expertise and CYA. Assuming that the toilet is fixed and that the majority of water hitting the floor will be from shower/sink splash, is the duckboards worth it without a floor drain (ie all excess water needs to evaporate)? The less I have to do with this houses sewer system the better.The other option is a standard wood floor. Cememntitious leveler over the wonky subfloor and then standard install... plus an agreement that I am not responsible if they flood the floor and it buckles.. They are actually great clients. we have done work for them in the past and they have been wonderful. I would hate to screw up the relationship now.Thanks for all your comments.

1. 
   PedroTheMule | May 20, 2009 06:55pm | #7

   Hi gpiper,

    is the duckboards worth it without a floor drain

   I doubt it...not without the drain.....gracious, we've had wood floors in the masterbath and kitchen going on three years now and have never regretted a moment of it. They're Australian Yellow Knotty Pine back primed with some stinky petroleum black primer and finished with oil based poly. I don't panic when water hits them but I do wipe it up. A wood floor simply isn't the best thing to use around "problem" water but if the water is properly managed then install it as you would in any other room of the house.

   I sure someone out there will say go ahead with the wood floor as is.....simply use below ground approved treated wood haha

   Pedro the Mule - I have to remove my mule shoes as I enter the house says Mrs. Mule

6. 
   popawheelie | May 20, 2009 07:23pm | #8

   " I am considering installing a kerdi mat and caulk sealing the edges to essentially create a bathtub floor ".

   I don't know why you want to do this. Bathroom floors aren't meant to be waterproof.

   If water gets dumped on the floor it needs some place to go. If it sits around bad things happen.

   I overfilled the tub a few weeks ago and it went into the finished basement below.

   It wasn't a lot of water. Maybe three gallons.

   My point is that since it went over to the wall, it found a crack and leaked down into the basement it dried relatively quickly after I threw some bath towels on it and hung them up to dry.

   If you have water sitting under anything for a while it isn't good. Let it leak down into the basement.

   One more thing. If it sits under floor on the Kerdi it will likely go un-noticed. It's a good thing when alarm bells go off when something leaks.

   I'm just putting that out for consideration.

    

    

   "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
   Will Rogers