How to Build Floors in Bathrooms
A bathroom floor must stand up to moisture and possible leakage around pipes. Water splashing over from sinks or bathtubs will be commonplace, if you have children. Install floors that will look good over time. Design floors that will be easy to mop and maintain on a regular basis. Flooring surfaces should withstand occasional bleaching to kill germs. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Half-inch plywood
- Fiberboard subflooring
- Nails and screw
- Tar paper
- Linoleum
- Tile
- Adhesive
Instructions
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1
Cut off the water and drain all lines. Remove the commode from a bathroom. Remove the bathroom door and all trim as well. Pull up the old vinyl sheeting and discard. Or, break up and discard old ceramic tilework on the floor to begin work on a new bathroom floor.
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2
Assemble your new subflooring material. Use 1/2-inch plywood or particle board. Inspect every piece to make sure it is solid and free of moisture. If you're installing a new floor over old subflooring, inspect carefully and rip out any plywood or fiberboard that is warped or damp.
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3
Measure for drain pipes and cut out plumbing holes in the subflooring. Allow for water lines coming up to the commode. Trim subflooring to fit around bathtubs, showers or sink vanities. Cut new pieces to be screwed down to floor joists to butt against each other tightly. Use an electric screwdriver to countersink screws that will secure subflooring to floor joists.
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4
Lay tar paper over the entire bathroom floor before installing a finished floor. If you use vinyl sheet flooring, use an industrial staple gun around the edges. Install trim work around the room's perimeter to hide the staples and secure the flooring. Put the commode and plumbing lines back in place.
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5
Install ceramic tile flooring, if you prefer. Use ceramic porcelain tiles that will stand up to moisture. Use tinted grout versus white grout to make the floor show less dirt. Place tilework at least 4 inches up on each of the walls to create a baseboard. This allows for mopping the floor more easily.
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Tips & Warnings
Install new sink vanities, garden tubs and commodes on top of vinyl sheet flooring. The sheeting will curl and create water problems if you cut it along these accessories. Ceramic tile will need to be laid after vanities, tubs, showers and commodes are in place. Caulk and grout to make nice seamwork to finish off tilework positioned next to sinks or other accessories. The weight of these items and movement during use will crack tile placed underneath.
You do not want movement in the subflooring if you install ceramic tile. Take time to secure plywood or particle board flooring with enough screws in place. Ceramic tile will crack over time, if you do not secure the subflooring properly.
