Hiya
I am going to help my Dad redo his bathroom that is in dire need of repair. It’s a slab built home so the floor is concrete. We aren’t moving anything so no slab cutting is going be done. This pass we are going to concentrate on the shower/bath which was tiled over sheetrock over 40 years ago and has been crumbling. I want to put up a moisture barrier and then wonderboard. My questions are
*Do we have to take out the tub?
*If we don’t take out the tub, how do I handle the place where the wonderboard meets the wall? In otherwords, do I need to do any sort of special edging with the membrane or wonderboard?
*Does tub refinishing work? If so, what kind works best? My Dad has a cast iron tub which he really likes but it has a black place where the porcelain has chipped off.
Thanks in advance
Lisa
Replies
If you use that tub every day, I think refinishing is not for you. You might as well look in the yellow pages and call somebody like a Bathcrest rep and get them to repair the black spot, though, or it's going to get worse. I had a tub redone with the Bathcrest stuff, and the instructions warn you not to leave wet washcloths on it. Now THAT is delicate!
At any rate, you shouldn't have to move the tub. But protect it while you do your demolition with cardboard, dropcloths, whatever it takes.
You need to do plenty of research into that vapor barrier idea. That's not always a good idea.
There's a lot of information about the things you're doing on the journal of light construction website tile forum. I've learned a lot there. The moderator tells it like it is. I recommend his book, too, which is a Taunton press publication. Setting Tile, by Michael Byrne. You can buy it right off this web site. I will say it's worth the $19.99, even though I got my copy off eBay for $7 ;-)
B
I agree with BReese to pick up a copy of Michael Byrne's book, it is well worth it. Secondly, you should pick up a copy of the most recent TCA handbook (www.tileusa.com) for the most current spec on the type of installation you want to do.
You will need some sort of waterproofing for this installation, as the wonderboard itself is not waterproof. If this is a heavily-used shower, the best waterproofing is a trowel-on liquid membrane that goes on over the board before the tile. Otherwise, common practice is to use 6 mil poly or 15# felt behind the board, taking care to seal the seams and where the membrane meets the tub. There is a very good discussion of this in Byrne's book.
Regarding replacing the tub- you don't have to do it, however unless you figure the tub will last another 30 or 40 years, given that it has some wear in the finish, I would probably replace it, as now is the time. Kohler and others make very nice cast iron tubs.
Have fun!
Andy