Looking at re-doing a tile bathroom floor. I can see that the existing tile is set on a mortar bed of about an inch or more, which is apparenmtly directly on the original floor boards … second floor of a 1920’s house. I have to assume some of the mortar will spall when the tile is demo’d. What would be the recommended procedure for laying new tile?
1. Patch the mortar so it’s smooth?
2. Demo all the mortar, add a layer of ply and hardie?
3. Pass on the job?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell’em “Certainly, I can!” Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
Replies
If the floor is only as thin as you say, which I've seen quite often, it should be easy enough to pull up. It'll probably have some wire mesh in it. I usually start at the marble threshold, if applicable, smash it, then use a large pry bar on the rest. The floor will probably be out of wack when you get to it. I run ripped to level 2x's, then 3/4", then 1/2" Hardi or cement. When you add the thickness of tile and thinset it should bring you back up to closet flange height. Standard size bath is an easy two day job.
demo it all ...
bath floor ... can't be all that big an area ...
shim it up with new ply ....
I'd shoot for 1/2 backer ... but if need be ... 1/4 would be fine ...but I'd rather use less ply and more cbu ....
then tile away.
Why even think about skipping this one ... sounds straight forward bread and butter tile work. The demo shouldn't be any worse than anything else ... get an area down to the bare wood ... and lift. It'll come right up. The only hard part is if there's diamond mesh ... which usually tears away of ya chunk and grab the right way ...
if not ..... get a big piece lifted ... kinda/sorta flip ... and cut thru the back with a cheap blade in the grinder ... I like making chunks just big enough so I can barely lift then and carry out to the dumpster ... bigger pieces makes for an easier clean up.
remember not to build up the threshold areas too much that ya can't fit the marble threshold down in there and still be flush or a hair higher ...
that all is ... of course ... if for some reason you can get the tiles off without killing the original mortar bed ...
Me ... I can pretty much guess that ain't gonna happen ... so I prepare and bid like it's not an option. Usually it's best and cheaper in the long run to plan for the full demo ... as that's what's usually required.
Oh yeah ... give one fixed bid price ... and don't itemize! Ahh ha ha ha ....
Jeff
Buck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
forgot to say ... Why So ... in my thinking ...
I can't guarantee the old mud bed if I go over it ...
but I can guarantee the whole system if I build up over the wood subfloor ...
sometimes the customer pays a few pennies more for a job I can stand behind 100%.
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
The demo plan sounds good, but...
...adding thicker CBU will not allow you to use thinner plywood. The plywood is structural support, CBU is not. Be sure to use at least 3/4 inch plywood, and check all of the joist sizes & deflection. Make sure you use thinset under the CBU. You don't want to get called back for cracking grout or tiles.
Billy
I'll agree ...
U must be fairly new .... I'm usually the one fighting to say CBU's aren't structural!
Thanks for the back up ....
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Hi Jeff,
Old at carpentry, new at tile. ;-) Lots of good tile advice here along with a "deflectometer" for calculating floor deflection based on joist size, spacing, etc.
http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
Billy
yup ... John Bridges site is just about the best out there.
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry
Jeff as always I appreciate your input. I'll plan on a layer of 3/4 ply and build it up from there with hardie.
About the proposal ... I will give an itemized proposal with the following items:
Cost of the tile job $xxx
Allowance for tile (cuz she hasn't selected it yet) $xxx/sf
Cost of the glass shower enclosure $xx
Painting the wall, ceiling, & trim $xx
I'm hoping that she thinks the painting cost is too high, and maybe she'll hire a painter.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
if you are ever looking for a nice quality ... nice looking frameless shower door ...
I just installed 2 Finesse from Sterling.
The HO had another 3 full custom frameless enclosures ....
didn't want to spend the $750 or so a custom/hingeless door would have cost .... for less showy areas of the house ...
The Finesse has a full metal hinge and strike jamb .... so not as "clean" looking as a custom frameless ... but the opening is still frameless ... uses a piano hinge all the way down the door ...
nice hardware .... looks very nice. He was thrilled ... said it looked even better then he had hoped.
the cost was right around $800 for the both of them.
They also just added a coupla more sizes to fill in the gaps in their catalog ... so if you run into someone that can't find a door to fit their enclosure ... this may do the trick.
JeffBuck Construction, llc Pittsburgh,PA
Artistry in Carpentry