M
manbehindthecurtain
Guest
First time DIYer...
Finished ripping out the fixtures and disconnecting the cast iron tub in my third floor bathroom yesterday. I am planning on installing a subway/hex tile floor, where there currently is very old (probably 1970s) vinyl flooring installed. Will likely keep the cast iron tub, but add a shower attachment to it - we need to move the plumbing to the other side of the room - I'll be hiring a plumber for that. Re: the floor, we originally planned on removing the vinyl floor, putting in cement board on existing subfloor, then tiling. The vinyl is not cooperating with plan A.
I used a heat gun to start pulling up the vinyl, but all that comes up is the top layer, and the foamy/glue back of the vinyl stays behind. Additional elbow grease with the scraper only leads to splintering up a couple of millimeters of the subfloor. I did about two square feet in this manor before deciding to check with cooler heads whether I should keep going as planned. If I keep at it, the subfloor is going to be pretty scraped up and not level.
I'm considering the following alternatives:
1) Give up on pulling up vinyl, and apply thinset to vinyl, install cementboard, continue as planned with tiling. (Downside here is lower quality bond and built up floor right?)
2) Keep going and see how bad the sub floor looks when I'm done. Will likely require some form of self leveling compound before applying cement board. Is this feasible?
3) Use a saw to pull up and replace entire subfloor. I am very uncomfortable doing this.
Any feedback would be appreciated. I am leaning towards #1. A couple other issues:
1) There is a 1# bow in the floor from wall to wall as it is, so I am considering a leveling compound anyway. How much does this add to height? Can I still thinset and cement board effectively over top of a leveling compound?
2) No matter what, I am going to have to shorten my bathroom door - it barely clears the vinyl as it is.
Thanks
Finished ripping out the fixtures and disconnecting the cast iron tub in my third floor bathroom yesterday. I am planning on installing a subway/hex tile floor, where there currently is very old (probably 1970s) vinyl flooring installed. Will likely keep the cast iron tub, but add a shower attachment to it - we need to move the plumbing to the other side of the room - I'll be hiring a plumber for that. Re: the floor, we originally planned on removing the vinyl floor, putting in cement board on existing subfloor, then tiling. The vinyl is not cooperating with plan A.
I used a heat gun to start pulling up the vinyl, but all that comes up is the top layer, and the foamy/glue back of the vinyl stays behind. Additional elbow grease with the scraper only leads to splintering up a couple of millimeters of the subfloor. I did about two square feet in this manor before deciding to check with cooler heads whether I should keep going as planned. If I keep at it, the subfloor is going to be pretty scraped up and not level.
I'm considering the following alternatives:
1) Give up on pulling up vinyl, and apply thinset to vinyl, install cementboard, continue as planned with tiling. (Downside here is lower quality bond and built up floor right?)
2) Keep going and see how bad the sub floor looks when I'm done. Will likely require some form of self leveling compound before applying cement board. Is this feasible?
3) Use a saw to pull up and replace entire subfloor. I am very uncomfortable doing this.
Any feedback would be appreciated. I am leaning towards #1. A couple other issues:
1) There is a 1# bow in the floor from wall to wall as it is, so I am considering a leveling compound anyway. How much does this add to height? Can I still thinset and cement board effectively over top of a leveling compound?
2) No matter what, I am going to have to shorten my bathroom door - it barely clears the vinyl as it is.
Thanks