slownsteady
Well-Known Member
You didn't specify whether you have vinyl planks or laminate. You would not have to put anything under the vinyl, but you need underlayment if it's laminate.
Last-minute DIY bathroom floor
- Thread starter Flyover
- Start date
Help Support House Repair Talk:
Spicoli43
Well-Known Member
I'm about to do the same thing on the shower like this one and the bath in the other room. One thing I wanted to point out is that shower door. Whoever made mine cut the seal 2 inches short so moisture got in and did the same thing with the mildew / mold.
I searched all over the Internet, and couldn't find a replacement rubber seal. I went to the local window dealer who also sells shower doors. Nope, they looked at me like I was an alien. "You want a $5 part when we can force you to buy a $500 door?" HAHAHAHAHAHA.
So, it went to the landfill and I have to buy a replacement at Lowe's. In case you were trying to get away on the cheap, sorry, I don't think it's possible.
Flyover
Trying not to screw things up worse
@slownsteady I believe they are vinyl. They came with a cork backing, if that helps. The contractors who saw them both said they don't need underlayment.
I completed the project today. Knocked a few firsts off my list with this one: vanity install, toilet remove/replace, flooring install, and use of a nail gun. For firsts I think I did a decent job, but next time I do this it will go even better. Thanks for your help, everyone!
I completed the project today. Knocked a few firsts off my list with this one: vanity install, toilet remove/replace, flooring install, and use of a nail gun. For firsts I think I did a decent job, but next time I do this it will go even better. Thanks for your help, everyone!
oldognewtrick
In memory of
Congratulations!
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Not too hard, right?
Flyover
Trying not to screw things up worse
@slownsteady Well, sort of.
Removing/replacing the toilet would have been easy except the previous owners (ugh) installed it without a wax seal (!!) so it was disgusting and all rotted away under there. After I scraped away all the shards of corroded flange and shop-vacked up the debris, I could see straight through the subfloor to a black abyss I assume was my crawlspace. So basically I had to do a lot of work including two trips to the hardware store just to get the toilet ready to go back on. I curse those previous owners!
The flooring went down easy enough but there were still some tricky parts to contend with. One tricky part was making sure everything fit just so, like with measuring for the little protrusions and stuff. Not too bad though. The other was clicking each new course together and having to hold the pieces together while I clicked them all into the previous course. I often would get a good bite on one section but lose my hold on the next section over, and it took lots of cursing and nudging and banging for things to go where they were supposed to. My bathroom is tiny, not even as wide as three planks laid end to end, so I can't imagine how people lay this stuff down over larger rooms.
The spacers I used against the walls were too thick so I wound up leaving gaps that were too big, which meant it was back to the hardware store (I made 3 or 4 total trips that day) to buy larger quarter-round. That was kind of a pain too, but it was totally my fault.
Still, I would consider this project "within my abilities" and I'm glad I did it myself. It was satisfying and worthwhile. Thanks for helping talk me into it!
Removing/replacing the toilet would have been easy except the previous owners (ugh) installed it without a wax seal (!!) so it was disgusting and all rotted away under there. After I scraped away all the shards of corroded flange and shop-vacked up the debris, I could see straight through the subfloor to a black abyss I assume was my crawlspace. So basically I had to do a lot of work including two trips to the hardware store just to get the toilet ready to go back on. I curse those previous owners!
The flooring went down easy enough but there were still some tricky parts to contend with. One tricky part was making sure everything fit just so, like with measuring for the little protrusions and stuff. Not too bad though. The other was clicking each new course together and having to hold the pieces together while I clicked them all into the previous course. I often would get a good bite on one section but lose my hold on the next section over, and it took lots of cursing and nudging and banging for things to go where they were supposed to. My bathroom is tiny, not even as wide as three planks laid end to end, so I can't imagine how people lay this stuff down over larger rooms.
The spacers I used against the walls were too thick so I wound up leaving gaps that were too big, which meant it was back to the hardware store (I made 3 or 4 total trips that day) to buy larger quarter-round. That was kind of a pain too, but it was totally my fault.
Still, I would consider this project "within my abilities" and I'm glad I did it myself. It was satisfying and worthwhile. Thanks for helping talk me into it!
slownsteady
Well-Known Member
I had the same problem starting my basement floor. The planks want to move as you nudge them together. But after the third row (or so), the weight of the planks is enough to keep them in place, and the more you add the stronger the unit becomes. After that, you just keep going row after row. Of course there are cuts to get around some things, but not really hard to handle. I especially like the fact that since there's no adhesive involved, you can stop anywhere and continue whenever you want.
Spicoli43
Well-Known Member
Congrats on getting that done. I bet an odd smell or two disappeared? Ah, nothing like the smell of soaked rotted plywood in the morning! I wouldn't put too much stock in wax rings though, see my post # 2439 in the "What did you do today" thread. My wax ring was perfectly intact, just didn't do anything. After doing demo as a part time gig many years ago, I don't recall ever seeing a clean footprint under toilets.
