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I’ve got a couple bathrooms where I’m
preparing to have new vinyl installed. I
just pulled up the underlayment and
discovered that the 2×6 T&G subflooring
near the tub is rotting and need
replacement. The subfloor boards run
perpendicular to the tub and the tub is
perpendicular to the long dimension of
the bathroom (its your typical 5×9
bathroom with the tub running all the
way across the 5 dimension). The
subfloor is rotted all the way across
the bathroom and for a foot or two out
from the tub, plus some uncertain
distance under the tub. The subfloor
rests on 4×6 beams spaced 4 feet apart.
How do I go about replacing this
subfloor while still supporting the tub?
Do I need to be concerned with the
subfloor rot that may extend under the
bathroom walls to either side of the
tub? I’m getting ready to sell this
house, so while I want to do a good job,
I don’t want to get totally crazy and
rip out the whole bathroom just to fix
this problem. Thanks!
Jason : )
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Replies
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Unfortunately, I think you are going to have to pull the tub. I'd check the supply lines and drain for leaks before you start.
*OK, so if I do have to pull the tub, is there anyway to do it and preserve the tile work, or does removing the tub necessitate removing the tile too? There are walls on three of the four sides of the tub, and they are all tiled.Jason : )
*I am about to tackle a rotted area in my bathroomunder the toilet. Where the wood still has at least some structural integrity, I am going to usethe clear penetrating epoxy sealant from RotDoctor(http://www.rotdoctor.com/ they have some interesting things to say on their site, so even if you aren't interested in buying, you might get something from their web pages). I had pretty good luck injecting this stuff into some rotting 4x8 open beam ceiling rafters where they extended into the soffits. In the areas where the 2x6s are hard to replace and have not rotted away too far, you might consider this stuff. They sell two quarts of the stuff for about $40, which should be enough for what you describe. They also sell an "injection" kit which is a large plastic syringe, plastic tubing, and a large needle for about $20. It leaves something to be desired, but is still useful in getting the stuff into areas that you can't brush or pour it directly on. I would definitely do it in my own place if the wood were strong enough to support the floor and the tub, and I could get the epoxy onto or into most areas. I think there is another outfit that advertises epoxy wood restoration materials in FHB. You could fill in any areas with epoxy filler or "Bondo" where needed to level the floor. (I think there was an article in FHB some time back on using epoxy to restore a porch column. I find the epoxy to be a bit tricky to get looking like the original, but where things are covered up, not a problem.)
*Assuming you have drywall (greenboard or blueboard hopefully) behind the tile, you can remove the first two rows of tile above the tub and leave the remainder.After the tub is reinstalled, you can patch the area with cement backer board and retile.
*Do you have access from underneath? Do you know what caused the rot? (I know, "water," but from where.)