| Small-Bathroom Renovation -- Flooring and Wall-Framing |
From "Bathroom Remodeling"
episode DBR-101 |
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Sub-Floor and Cement Backer-Board With the old bathroom stripped down to the wood sub-floor and wall studs, the next phase in the renovation will be to level the wood sub-floor since the old flooring beneath the shower was raised higher than the rest of the floor. Since the old closet space -- that will now be incorporated into the expanded bathroom -- is at the same level as the old shower, the simplest solution will be to build up the rest of the floor. Once that is done, cement backer board is installed in preparation for installation of the tile floor. Materials: Five-quarter 1x6 boards
3/4-inch plywood sheets
Roofing paper
Cement backer-board
Pre-mixed mortar
Circular saw
Hammer
Utility knife
Trowel
Wood screws
Flooring nails
Steps: - A layer of "five-quarter" 1x6 boards is put down first. Despite their confusing name, these boards are exactly one inch thick. When the boards are covered by a layer 3/4-inch plywood, the floor will be level. Using proper safety equipment and safe cutting techniques, Sarah cuts the 1x6 boards using a circular saw.
- Safety Tip: When cutting boards that are resting on two sawhorses, make sure that the board is properly balanced so that the saw won't bind. Position the board so that the cut is made outside the sawhorses (figure A). If the cut is made between the sawhorses, the boards will drop after the cut is made, and the free end can "kick." If the free end raises up abruptly it may cause injury.
- Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when using power saws, drills, routers, etc. Flying wood-chips or debris can cause eye injury.
- To provide a vapor barrier from the crawl space, and to reduce the chances of creaky floor boards, a layer of common roofing paper is put down over the sub-floor (figure B) before nailing down the five-quarter boards.
- The end-grain of each board (figure C) is checked before it is nailed down. Each board is positioned so that any slight curve in the end-grain is facing down. This will reduce the possibility of any boards cupping upwards, possibly causing cracks in the tile later. It's important for the sub-flooring beneath the tile to be as secure as possible. Ring-shanked flooring nails are used to secure the boards to the existing sub-flooring.
- Once the boards have all been nailed down securely, the 3/4-inch plywood is cut and placed into position (figure D) to finish the leveling operation. The plywood is also installed using ring-shanked flooring nails (figure E).
- Once the sub-floor has been leveled, it is prepared for installation of tile by laying down cement backer-board. Half-inch cement boards come in 3-by-5-foot sheets. They are relatively easy to handle, and much simpler than the old method laying down concrete. The sheets are laid out, measured (figure F) and cut to fit using a utility knife.
- To cut backer board, score the line of your cut using a utility knife (figure G), then snap the board along the cut.
- Once cut to fit, the best method for securing backer board is to apply pre-mixed mortar to the wood sub-floor, then screw the backer board to the sub-floor. The mortar is the same as that used later for attaching the tile. A trowel with quarter-inch ribs is used to spread the mortar over the wood surface (figure H).
- The backer board is laid on top of the mortar, with the rough side of the board up for the best bond when the tile is attached later. The backer board is then secured with screws (figure I). (Nails would work as well, as long as they are placed six inches apart.)
These steps are repeated until the entire sub-floor is covered with backer board. Partition Wall The next major step is the construction of a simple partition for the wall where closet door facing the hall had been previously. This new frame will become the foundation of the shower walls. The partition frame consists of a top-plate, floor-plate and vertical studs -- all made from 2x4s. Materials: 2x4 lumber
Water-resistant drywall
Circular saw
#16 common nails
Steps: - After measurements are taken, the 2x4s are cut to length using a circular saw.
- The studs will be placed 16-inches on center -- meaning that each is placed so that its center is exactly sixteen inches from the center of the one beside it. After the boards have been cut to length, the partition is laid out on the floor for nailing (figure J).
- When framing a wall, it's easiest to assemble the partition first, then fit it into place -- provided accurate measurements are taken beforehand and followed precisely.
- Once the partition has been assembled, it is moved into position in the hallway (figure K) and installed using #16 common nails. It is nailed to the floor and to the existing header (previously part of the closet door). It is also nailed to the 2x4 studs on either side. The new frame becomes the foundation of the shower walls.
- Water-resistant drywall is installed on the partition inside the bathroom (figure L), and drywall is installed on the side facing the hallway.
RESOURCES :
Recessed bathroom fixtures
Model: #IW-103, #IW-104, #IW-105 shown
InWall Creations
InWall Creations
We apologize no further information is available.
The Complete Book of Kitchen and Bathroom Renovation
Time Life Books
Website: www.timelife.com
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