I might be redoing a tile job on a 1970’s basic bathroom with tile over a mudbase. Basic ranch and this is the “hall bath” with tub, vanity and stool.
The old mud base and tile will be demoed and replace with plywood, backerboard and tile.
My question is where does the mud base typically stop.
Does it run under the tub? If so how hard is to to stop the demo at the tub. The tub and tile surround will not be changed.
Use a hammer drill with a small bit (1/4″) and drill holes every 2″ or so?
use a grinder with a dimond blade?
Or is it crumbly enough that you can just slow chip up to the tub?
Replies
I believe you'll find the mud runs under the tub, with the tiling
stopping at the tub edge. I strongly suggest you convince the HO to
allow the demo to include the tub and surrounding tile, for these reasons:
a) You'll never get a clean edge at the tub; the mud will crumble and
start to undercut the support of the tub.
b) There'll be no connection between the new floor and the tub; its
guaranteed you'll have cracks and leaks there.
c) If there haven't been water issues at the tub and surround over the
years it's a miracle, and it's guaranteed there will be. It would be such a waste to do half the job, and have to come back and fix leaks and other issues that should have been fixed in round 1.
Good luck!
Brooks
I've been doing baths and kitchens for nearly 30 years and have yet to see a mud job go under a tub. What would be the point of doing that way?
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I get a chunk broken up with a hammer then try to 'lift' the whole slab up; away from the floor then smash it with a hammer into smaller pieces. That way you are not banging on the floor and the ceiling below.
About where the mud ends..........why not try to slip a thin putty knife down along the face of the tub where the floor meets it to see how far down it will go?
Eric
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Good idea about the putty knife.I just did not have any idea of what kind of seqeunce was used on those and did not know when the mud base was put in.
I am currently remodeling a late 40's house. The steel tub hung from a 2x4 on the back wall and the apron rested on a piece old T&G 1X that wasn't even nailed to the floor. There was no floor under the tub, just a series of joists that were there only to hold up the ceiling below. There didn't seem to have been any problems with rot anywhere in the room. (there's a real long story about this mess, but the point is - over the last 29 years I've seen all kinds of mud jobs, some have even ended at the vanity and when I pulled the vanity I had to pour mud in the resulting voids and level to the old floor.
All in all if the mud runs under the tub just plan to make you cement board the same height (even with) the old mud. Then cut the old mud an inch or so in front of the tub with a grinder (Roto-zip)with a masonry blade* and run your cement board up to the old mud and mud the two together.
* wear safety glasses, a good mask, button your shirt and put a fan exhausting out the window, oh, and close the door to the house, this makes a heck-of-a-mess.