Thread: First time bathroom renovation

This sounds like it will keep you off the streets , and also make you pretty happy. I noticed when our new bathroom in the extension was going in, that the tiler did not start until the shower base was installed correctly by the builder. Then he tiled the walls in the shower - it is a pretty big shower, about 1.5 metres from the wall to the hob and a bit over a metre wide from other wall to screen. But that was only cos we had space. He marked out the tile positions on the wall first, and started tiling from the top down.

Main reason he wait4ed untilthe shower base was installed was so that he could run the bottom tiles over the lip of the base, for run-off fromthe walls to get straight into the base and not have a risk of water getting in behind the base.

Dunno if this helps - I think the 6mm glue spreader will do the trick - laid a few tiles in our new passage and used that size and have had no p[robs with the tiles.

Good luck - some pics would be good!
Jeff

Originally Posted by chrisnstell

Hi Everybody
I am about to embark on my first ever attempt at a bathroom renovation and need to clear up a few questions...

1.) Will be completely replacing all walls with Villaboard and then re-tiling.
Question: wall tiles first or floor tiles first... what is the correct order to do these in? (may be influenced by question 2... the shower)

2.) The shower recess floor is hobless, but has a 25mm step down from the main bathroom floor. As the house is more than 30 years old there is no waterproof membrane in this area but I would like to add a membrane as part of this renovation.
Question: can the waterproofing and membrane be applied over the top of the existing cement slurry?

3.) I have carefully removed the old 25mm square mosaic floor tiles and the concrete slurry underneath is sound and in good condition, so I will be tiling directly over this using 100m square ceramic / mosaic tiles.
Question: what size trowel should I use for the adhesive? will a 6mm x 6mm notched trowel be suitable?

That's about it for now, although I am sure there will be more to come. Will try and post some pics as the project progresses.

hiya - fellow renovator

1 - usually walls first, but leaving bottom course of cuts off, then floor, then finish the bottom cuts for the wall - standing on new floor tiles while doing walls - sometimes not good for floor. Have seen tilers do both ways though - so no real std.

2 yep - cando mebrane directkly under tiles, but you need to matach appropriate membrane with appropriate tile glue - see your tile retailer for a system approach (each manuf, will have a approved glue with each membrane)

3. Yep. 6mm, 10mm - technique and been consistant is most important rather than the size of your Notch!

Yep ,Pretty much wat pharmaboy said.But do consider to have the waterproofing done by a large professional company .I know it is cheaper to do your self ,But if it is not done properly ,like installing breakerbonds etc you can almost guarantee a leak. When spending all that money and time its heartbreaking to have it leak and needing thousands $ to fix the problem..Why from a large compant? So that they will be around in the future to claim against if it does leak.Hope this helps.

Here is a view of the mosaic tiles that are to be replaced..
and the bath frame after removal of the steel bath

The mosaic tiles have been coming off cleanly with minimal damage to the cement slurry underneath, but I have to raise the floor waste/grate to acommodate the thicker ceramic floor tiles that will be laid.

Question: what is the best way to remove the floor waste, I have included a photo of the inside of the waste/grate... it apppears to have been glued in... If I carefully chisel out some of the cement slurry around the waste/grate, I would still have to deal with the waste/grate being glued into place, so not sure how to attack this..

Hi,

waste, as long as it is above the waterproofing just sits on top of glue and doesnt need to be waterproofed in. think of it this way - the waterproofing is supposed to hold water out, and the waterthe screed etc can escape down the waste - given the tiles are above, then the water must escape into the waste from below the grate. therefore the waste essentially just sits in the hole on some tile glue allowing water to go in over the top and also in underneath the grate.

Grate is last thing to do, just place into hole cut into tile with lots of tile glue - clean inside tile glue up after it sets a little (sticking hand inside always displaces the grate if done early!)

When setting out your tiles it is easiest if the tile corner is where the grate will be - by brother in law who cant take advice, decided it was more important to have full tiles going around the shower and have the waste in the middle of a tile, but without the skill to cut the tile to fit - 3 days later and he's still stuffing round trying to cut a tile around the waste! cutting straight is easy (walls), cutting out wastes is a bitch! - make it easy as possible

sorry - as to question - I'd take the plastic lip off with an angle grinder so the pvc is flush or even slightly below the cement - it'll look messy, but cant be seen once the waste is in.

thanx pharmaboy2, I did as you suggested and used an angle grinder to remove the lip, then carefully used a hacksaw blade to make a series of cuts through the grate pipe, being careful not to cut too deep. Next a few taps with a cold chisel and the grate assembly came away from the inide of the pipe, leaving the pipe undamaged

Progress report:
Bath removed and Internal cladding removed. Then I installed a new steel bath. I had planned to fit an acrylic/fibreglass bath, but as there was no sub-floor, this was not possible. I installed the new bath set into the wall studs on 2 sides and used a wooden frame to support the remaining sides. I had to move the waste pipe slightly and change the size to suit the new waste/drain... (the cladding on the side of the bath is a temporay one, to stop our cat going under the house)

Bath has been installed, paneling done and waterproofed..

Next comes the shower...:eek: