First Floor Tile Project


  #1  
Old 09-06-13, 09:17 AM
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First Floor Tile Project

I am a pretty handy DIY'er but this will be my first real floor tile project. I am also from England and as I am discovering, things are done a little differently here in the US, in all walks of DIY life.

Its a small bathroom, approx 10' x 5'. There was a nasty vinyl flooring on top of multiple layers of ply veneer which someone installed with about 6000 staples, most of which are rusted out. Floor boards look to be in damn good condition considering the age of the house.

There is about 1" of play between the floor board and the top of the cast iron flange.

I am thinking I will go the typical route of plywood, hardibacker, tile but I have a few questions.

1. What thickness should the thin set be and how much will it add to the overall height of the floor? I plan to thinset the hardibacker to the plywood and then obviously the tile to the backer. I am thinking that a 5/8 board may add too much height.

2. I did read about the gaps in you need to allow for with the ply (edge and joints) to allow for expansion, but can someone remind me of the standard practice in this area?

3. I have also read a lot about shimming the toilet and I don't quite understand it. Can someone explain when this might be necessary. I plan to tile underneath the toilet and place the toilet on top, as appose to toilet down and tile around it.

Any help, advice or general experience would be most appreciated here.

Thanks to all! Happy Friday!
 
  #2  
Old 09-06-13, 01:26 PM
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Hi, welcome,

Just to get it correct, you are from England but are doing this work in the USA. Perhaps you're in California?

You said;
Originally Posted by jthebass
Floor boards look to be in damn good condition considering the age of the house.
That's nice, but tells me nothing. I'm assuming you're referring to the subfloor, but you said "boards". Boards mean planks, is your subfloor planks or plywood? You said;
I am thinking I will go the typical route of plywood, hardibacker, tile but I have a few questions.
but didn't mention plywood again.

Then in #1 you talked about 5/8" board. What are you talking about?

Please xplain.

Jaz
 
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Old 09-06-13, 03:38 PM
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Yep...lost in translation. I moved from England and now live in the US which is where I am doing this work. I was just commenting that American construction has many differences to English both in technique and in vocabulary.

Okay so I will try to be a bit more precise. Apologies for that.

I stripped back everything in the old bathroom which included the vinyl floor and the plywood underneath. i am now left with the raw floor boards (or planks) that were used in the original construction of the house. They look good.

I plan to add a layer of plywood to the planks, followed by the hardie backer. In question 1, I am trying to calculate how much height (including thinset) a 5/8 board and hardie backer would measure.

I think thats it...hope this makes a little more sense.
 
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Old 09-06-13, 08:47 PM
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5/8" ply underlayment should measure just shy of 5/8". Use 1/4" Hardie, the thin set under it will add at least 1/16" to 3/32". The thin set for the tiles will vary depending on the tiles, but safe to figure 3/32" - 1/8".

It's ideal if the finished floor is even with the bottom of the toilet flange. You're going to be about 3/8" high. No problem, they make shim rings for that.

Jaz
 
 

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