dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
1390

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

Bathroom Restoration

Click for full size
Click for full size
Click for full size
Click for full size
Click for full size
Click for full size
I have never done any type of carpentry. However, I would really like to start doing some projects myself and learning as I think it would be something I could enjoy. This is the main bathroom in a 1960's house. It's very tiny, has no windows or vents of any type (the house doesn't have central air) and I think over the years, the steam has caused the paint to peel.

Anyway, since this will be my first carpentry, please be easy on me. What would be the best way to start this project?

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion

MVM

You might want to mention how much of it you want to restore i.e. are you talking of not just walls but tile? Also you should get a good size vent in there before going much further in order to get the air circulating.

Not a carpenter so will leave that to others.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill to MineCoast

Member

to MineCoast
man, thats almost a full tear down to me. that said whats your budget and how many tools will you need.

if you have never done a project before. i hate to say it but you might want to start somewhere more simple

jack b
Gone Fishing
MVM
join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

jack b to MineCoast

MVM

to MineCoast
Just from glancing at your images this project is probably well beyond what a self described beginner might successfully tackle. The water damage surrounding the tub, for example, likely goes way deeper than simply putty and paint can fix.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

8 recommendations

robbin to MineCoast

Mod

to MineCoast
said by MineCoast:

What would be the best way to start this project?

Remove everything down to bare studs.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

The bathroom has a "fart fan" in it which doesn't work, so that will need to be fixed first. I'm not sure if it is a bad switch or motor, haven't dug into that. The bath tub is iron (or steel) and we plan on keeping it, just getting it refinished. The toilet is also in decent shape, actually just repaired that one so really don't want to replace it. Just want to replace the walls, roof, and flooring, and vanity. Trying to keep costs low as possible which is why we plan on reusing the tub, etc.

garys_2k
Premium Member
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

garys_2k

Premium Member

I agree with the "tear it down to the studs" comment, but also be prepared for subfloor damage. You may have a bunch of hidden damage.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

said by garys_2k:

I agree with the "tear it down to the studs" comment, but also be prepared for subfloor damage. You may have a bunch of hidden damage.

Thankfully, this house is built on a concrete foundation, so under the tile is just the concrete so I wouldn't think it would be damaged unless I'm mistaken.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill

Member

as everyone has said thus far, u need to go to studs to see the real damage.

you also better know how to do electrical, and plumbing and carpentry.

it all can be done and just takes practice, but its definitely not a easy project

pull the toilet out and cover tub, then remove every single other thing

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

I'm sorry if this is a dumb/obvious question, but what about the sheet rock on the ceiling, would that need to be pulled down as well?
fartness (banned)
Donald Trump 2016
join:2003-03-25
Look Outside

fartness (banned) to MineCoast

Member

to MineCoast
What's your budget and what is the size of the bathroom? My bathroom is about 65 square feet or so and the parts cost less than $2000 to gut it and put in new stuff. Labor was like $1300. Overall it cost less than $3000 when I had it done 2.5 years ago.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

$2000 or less if at all possible. This bathroom is tiny... It's probably 5 feet by 5 feet would be my guess, so around 25 sq feet? It's only as wide as the bathtub and it's only long enough to the tolite and a tiny single sink vanity with no storage.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill

Member

its double if you have the tools, and friends that can help if you get in a bind,

drywalling a ceiling needs more then 1 person or a lift tools, etc...
kherr
Premium Member
join:2000-09-04
Collinsville, IL

kherr to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
If you have another bathroom, that's a big plus. Can you do without this one for a period of time? When I redid my bathroom (which is the only one) with a total tare out, I stayed with my folks for a week. I also took my vacation time from work. I was able to get it operational again in that time with only help for the demo. As said, it's a major job for a beginner ....

Down the road I tiled the floor and replaced the fiberglass shower stall with tile and lived around it. Too many sponge baths for my liking but I was laid off work at the time though. But it's only me in the house.

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

Thankfully, we do have a half-bath that can be used during this time, and family down the road that would let us use their shower I'm sure.

This is only one, of many, of the projects for this house. This just is one of the most overdue/needed ones.
Liberty
Premium Member
join:2005-06-12
Arizona

Liberty to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
Oh man
My experiences with bathroom & kitchen redos, takes longer than you guess and will cost more.

So long as you have that in your head, then if it doesn't, then you can celebrate.
Otherwise, the odds are your budget & time to really be completely done, will run over.

Bathrooms or kitchens are, in my opinion, are poor choices to learn basic carpentry/construction skills.
Particularly if you have a family needing to use either of those 2 important areas.
Gonna be a lot of pressure to finish & temptation to cut corners & just get it done will be there...

MineCoast
Premium Member
join:2004-10-06
Pensacola, FL

MineCoast

Premium Member

If I may ask, what would be a decent choice for basic skills?
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill

Member

a place where you can hide screw up's lol, or a room where if you break it people don't want your head on a platter

cementy
@50.138.50.x

cementy to MineCoast

Anon

to MineCoast
here's advice that's DIY, low cost answers.

yes, you can do anything there yourself.

worst case you will have to redo copper pipe plumbing,
so you will need to know how to use a propane torch, how to cut and clean and tin copper pipes, and how to sweat them together. you can practice on scraps first, and once you know once, it's easier forever. you will also need to know where the main shutoff is for the water to the house.

as mentioned, regular repairs, with 2x4 wood studs, regular drywall panel, and regular joint compound, is also easy once you do one repair.

for bathrooms, things are more complicated. often the bathroom is done with the special green water resistant drywall, or with the fiber reinforced cement board, and with real cement for the joints.
that too will become easy once you do it once. the cement board cuts easily with a diamond blade in your right angle grinder or circular saw, but will ruin regular saw blades.

tile work too, even vertical tiling, just needs getting used to using the glue or cement thicker than normal, so the tiles stay up.

alternatively, a quick simple cheap way to "redo" a bathroom shower is to use the 4x8' sheets of white thin plastic, cut to fit with the right angle grinder, and siliconed at the joints. the big sheets cover lots of other under defects.

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
More than just a beautiful bathtub... acrylic bath liners are a low-cost, and clean alternative. You might want to consider instead of trying to refinish.



mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

mackey to MineCoast

Premium Member

to MineCoast
said by MineCoast:

I'm sorry if this is a dumb/obvious question, but what about the sheet rock on the ceiling, would that need to be pulled down as well?

If it's in good shape and you don't need to pull it down to get to that fan then it can stay. Thankfully water doesn't run uphill

/M
kherr
Premium Member
join:2000-09-04
Collinsville, IL

kherr to cementy

Premium Member

to cementy
said by cementy :

worst case you will have to redo copper pipe plumbing

.... worst case he will have to redo galvanized / cast iron plumbing ....

Pher9999
join:2011-07-06
Saucier, MS

Pher9999 to MineCoast

Member

to MineCoast
Measure each wall. Sheetrock comes in 4x8 sheets. I'd use Green board, Moisture and mildew reistant (About $13.00 a sheet here).So you can figure out how many sheets you need. If you're putting Tile up then you'll most likely want Concrete board. More of a pain to cut, but helps with moisture. The Fan at this point is probly a full replacement. Unless it's newish better off replacing with a better fan.

You are most likely going to gut the bathroom. You can leave the tile floor if you want to not change it. just know dropping a hammer or tool can damage it. Plumbing and Electrical, if you're not comfortable with, call a pro in. If you have the bathroom gutted before they come in. then They can give you a more accurate quote. IF they came in now, it can turn in to, "well, it depends on what it looks like behind the wall." There may be a chance you have to replace a stud around the tub, or sister a new one next to an existing.

Is it an Attic above the Bathroom? Then you will most likely have insulation against the ceiling, if it's soaked you may want to replace. If blown in, then you need to move it then put it back or you get a bigger mess on your floor.

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA

Premium Member

said by Pher9999:

Measure each wall. Sheetrock comes in 4x8 sheets.

Or 4 x 12 Ft. dimensions
66860111 (banned)
join:2014-04-28

66860111 (banned)

Member

said by Jack_in_VA:

said by Pher9999:

Measure each wall. Sheetrock comes in 4x8 sheets.

Or 4 x 12 Ft. dimensions

Or 4 x 9 Ft. dimensions.
Or 4 x 10 Ft. dimensions.
Or 4 x 14 Ft. dimensions.
Or 4 x 16 Ft. dimensions.

»www.nationalgypsum.com/r ··· oard.pdf
66860111

66860111 (banned) to Jack_in_VA

Member

to Jack_in_VA
said by Jack_in_VA:

More than just a beautiful bathtub... acrylic bath liners are a low-cost, and clean alternative. You might want to consider instead of trying to refinish.

"What they have in convenience and ease of installation, acrylic bath systems lack in other areas. Depending on the model, they can be quite costly. You generally pay more for the convenience of an acrylic liner and fast installation, sometimes four times as much as a traditional bathtub and labor. But some feel the life expectancy of an acrylic tub make them a worthy investment."
»www.citizentribune.com/f ··· 022.html

tschmidt
MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
·Consolidated Com..
·Republic Wireless
·Hollis Hosting

tschmidt to MineCoast

MVM

to MineCoast
As other have pointed out strip it down to the studs. Ceiling depends on condition, do you intend to change/install fan or lighting fixtures?

If you are going to save the floor - use some cheap plywood to protect it, 1/4" luan is cheap. You will drop tools on it!

This is a pretty big job for someone without any experience. I'd recommend finding a local carpenter that is willing to work with you as an unskilled helper. You will gain valuable experience that will make the added expense worthwhile. Plus as others have posted old work can be exciting, never know what you will find when you open up the walls.

Welcome to the world of DIY. It can be very satisfying and cost effective. Need to pace yourself. Pick jobs that may be a bit of a stretch but you think you can accomplish. I've built my own home and have helped others but still get butterflies whenever I start of a new project.

/tom

RipTides
join:2002-05-25
Dallas, GA

1 recommendation

RipTides to MineCoast

Member

to MineCoast
Prognosis:
It looks to me that at one time there WAS a window in the shower. The shower itself was possibly tiled. Previous owner had water damage in tub area, removed rotted window, put up a tub surround using sheet rock screws. The tiles in the tub area were probably removing themselves at the point all that was going on so they popped them off until they got to the row that didn't have water damage. Then put galvanized flashing near the bottom of tub?.. That's what I'm seeing. And currently, tub area is rotten, but, two walls of the bathroom seem to be still tiled. Wall where door is located is in poor shape.

Solution:
Honestly I'd not touch the tiled walls at all. Demo out the craptastic surround and rotten sheetrock in tub area, demo out the nasty door along with the untiled wall beside it, remove both toilet and sink/vanity. Probe the ceiling sheetrock and see if it's rotten, remove rotten areas and replace with small workable pieces. Inspect studs for damage, inspect outside wall insulation for water-logging. Replace what is needed. Demo out shower plumbing, buy new shower valve. Use sharkbite fittings to hook new valve to old supply lines, they make them to fit whatever to whatever, go cpvc/pex between old supply lines to new valve and from valve to shower head. Re-sheetrock around the tub with reg sheet rock. Buy a new acrylic tub surround from "the stores" for under $300. This would be the time that if you want to play with learning how to mud/tape, do it behind where the surround would go, get a good feel for it. Sand it down before installing new surround. Replace sheetrock on wall with door/switches. Get new switches, swap them out while you're doing the fart fan you'll most likely be replacing. Replace sheetrock on wall with door/switches. This is when you tape/mud/feather/sand the shit out of everything, wherever it meets up to the tiled wall, you'll cover those transitions with caulk at the end. Clean up all the dust. Install new tub surround. Get some vinyl and throw it down on top of a good glue bed over the tile. Inspect old vanity/sink, probably would get a new "package deal" from "the stores" to replace the old. Get a new door, I prefer the white 6 panel interior doors that are pre-hung. Paint all exposed sheetrock with semi-gloss paint. Install vanity, install toilet. Install tub hardware. Caulk anywhere you need to caulk. Have a beer, show the wife, hope to get a good BJ for all the hard work.

I've done over a dozen bathrooms so far, some like I mention above, and some where I did full to the stud tear-outs, and a couple where all floor joists and studs around the shower had to be rebuilt. In the end, it all comes down to whatever works and looks great and won't rot out for 20 years. While my method for this bathroom would leave some aghast, I can just see it spiraling out of control if you go full "remodel". I'd have this done in as little as 3.. at most 5 days, tops. I just don't see the bathroom being "worth" a complete tear out, if you can go partial and get rid of the odors and horrid condition.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

said by RipTides:

I'd not touch the tiled walls at all.

There is no tile on the walls -- that is some type of hardboard paneling.
Critsmcgee
join:2011-12-02

Critsmcgee

Member

said by robbin:

said by RipTides:

I'd not touch the tiled walls at all.

There is no tile on the walls -- that is some type of hardboard paneling.

You're right! Good catch.