FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

remodeling bathroom, what order ?

| Posted in General Discussion on August 1, 2003 05:45am

I’m fixing up this old ( 1920’s?)brick bungalow here in Tucson.  The bathroom is small, about 6’x12′ and I’m not making it bigger. It will eventually be a rental for college students. I have the bathtub, sink, toilet and linoleum torn out. I have the new tub, sink, toilet and I bought some nice mexican floor tile to put down. Put greenboard (or whatever you call it) around the tub.The width of the room is about an inch more than the length of the tub so I’m putting up some wood to build out the wall about  1″. I want to put the waterproof sheathing around the walls ( I can’t remember what it’s called. It comes in sheets, you fit it together, caulk or silicone the seams) to surround the tub and shower area. The plumbing itself is still in the walls and floor where it was originally and will not need to be altered much to hook everything up. The floor is just bare boards at this point. I’ll have to put cement board down to tile it. What I want to know is, What order do I do these things in? Any tips on how to make this go smooth and easy (haha) would also be appreciated.

Thanx in advance

Reply

Replies

  1. CAGIV | Aug 01, 2003 05:37pm | #1

    How old are these college students you are renting to, Grad students, or freshman right out of Highschool?

    If they are younger, you may be making a mistake putting in expensive tile, speaking as a 25 y/o college student, and repairing quite a few college rentals around my town, I'd beware of going to nice.  Girls are generally easier on a place then guys though.

    I'm not sure if I'm reading this right, but, if you have green-board around the shower and you are putting tile around the shower, you are much better off using cement board there as well.

    Or is the water proof sheathing, the finished tub surround?

    Someone with more authority will be along here shortly, but I would

    check to see what the subfloor condition is, how thick is it, and what is the size of the joists under it, to ensure your floor can handle the tile and be stiff enough as to not crack.  Generally speaking you need 1 1/4 in. of subflooring

    set the tub

    tile the shower area first and then the floor.

    then install the toilet/vanity etc.

    Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.



    Edited 8/1/2003 10:57:56 AM ET by CAG

  2. penelope | Aug 01, 2003 06:55pm | #2

    Its good to use felt paper behind the duroc, maze nails to attach it. Take into account your toliet flange when you change your floor thickness. Also your 1920 flange might be 14" from the wall and the new toliet will rough at l2. I'd get a toliet with three bolts tank to bowl or plan on some fill for the gap incase the students use it for an armchair.

    1. dwcasey | Aug 01, 2003 08:05pm | #3

      Good advice on the toilet height. I work with a guy how owns a rental and he just discovered the floor below the toilet is rotting. It appears to be because the subfloor/backer board/tile were too much height to get a good wax seal.

      1. shake_n_stir | Aug 02, 2003 02:44am | #4

        You can buy extended wax rings for just this purpose. 

  3. Piffin | Aug 02, 2003 04:57am | #5

    First thing on my list would be to replace the greenboard around the tub with cement board, but then with college students renting it, maybe you plan on replacing it every three years anyway.

    .

    Excellence is its own reward!

  4. toast953 | Aug 02, 2003 08:52am | #6

    How is your plumbing?? this is a great time to install All new Plumbing, especially if you had any of that CAP water in your pipes. If you don't go with all new, then go with New, on any fixture/valve that's in the wall, possible your tub/shower valve, I would also reccomend an independent shut-off for the tub/shower. I would take a close look at the lumber, relace as needed. May as well take a gander at the wiring, while you are looking at the balance in your check book. Best of luck Jim Jensen, Prescott AZ

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Podcast Episode 693: Old-House Hazards, Building Larsen Trusses, AI in Construction

The crew talks about work start times, fire-resistant construction, fixer-uppers, building Larsen trusses, and AI for construction.

Featured Video

Micro-Adjust Deck-Baluster Spacing for an Eye-Deceiving Layout

No math, no measuring—just a simple jig made from an elastic band is all you need to lay out a good-looking deck railing.

Related Stories

  • Podcast Episode 693: Old-House Hazards, Building Larsen Trusses, AI in Construction
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Finding Hazardous Materials in a Fixer-Upper
  • A Classic Paint Sprayer Gets a Thoughtful Refresh
  • Podcast Episode 692: Introduction to Trade Work, Embodied Carbon, and Envelope Improvements

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2025
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in