How to Prepare a Bathroom Floor for New Tile and Total Renovation

After removing the old tub, this next hub relates to removing the old Tile in Preparation to replacing the floor Tile. See http://handymanbill.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Remove-and-Install-a-New-Bathtub-and-Tub-Surround. In this step we removed the old wall tile and Tub. When we removed the tub, we found out that the floor was wet along the tub. This was a sure sign of other problems with the old floor and tile. So I had to figure out why there is water in this area.

Tools Needed

Bar (If the bathroom is big enough them I use the flat end of a digging bar. This make for Less bending.

Chisels

Hammer

Nail Puller

Small bar

Wide Scrapper

First thing you need to do is remove the toilet. Because of the water problems I found in this Bathroom. We had already removed the Tub I turned off the water and cut the line on the toilet Valve. It was old and would not shut off. I used a Shark Bite end cap for the ease of not having to go buy parts. See http://handymanbill.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-installing-a-Toilet. After removing it is best to stuff a wadded up piece of newspaper into the hole to keep the sewage smell out of the house and to keep pieces of material from falling in. See Photo C

Next I removed the vanity and sink. Again the Sink Valve would not turn off the whole way so turn the water off first then I cut them off and replaced with Shark Bit End caps. This allowed me to turn the water back on. See Photo AAll you have to do to remove a vanity and sink is to cut the Caulking around the sink top ( if it was caulked). Then Disconnect drain and the two feed tube's to Faucet set. Then remove the Vanity Usually screwed to the wall.

Starting where the bath tub was I used a chisel and hammer and removed the tile. Be careful when you work around the toilet ring do not damage.

After I had removed the tile I then had wet 1/8 inch plywood under the tile. So I then ripped the old plywood out because the material was wet.

Underneath this was a piece of Linoleum Tile it too was wet. This had been placed when the house was new and had been covered up with 1/8 plywood.

Under this was again a sheet of 1/8 Plywood. It too was wet. I wanted to get down to the original floor and make sure it was solid and to get a chance to dry it out. I finally got to the original ¾ inch plywood floor it to is wet.

Next thing is to pull all the nails that might be left in the floor and with a fan dry it out. I will then treat it with 1 cup of Clorox and a gallon of water. Apply with a sprayer. Let it dry. Make sure the whole area is dry before refinishing the floor. Also make sure the original floor is solid and does not need replaced. If you find bad wood then it must be cut out and replaced. This floor looked like it had been leaking around the Toilet Seal in the floor. See last Photo