Bathroom Floor/Tile Remodling HELP!
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Bathroom Floor/Tile Remodling HELP!
I had my bathroom redone about a year ago and it was beautiful but the grout started coming up and breaking off from the brown floor tile. I got a quote from a contractor for $400 + parts to rip it up and redo the tile, add the step into the shower.
After ripping it up he told me that it leaked and he will need to put down fresh plywood, then hardiebacker and replace the foamboard which was used for the step with 2x6's and then lay some sort of liner over it all so it doesn't leak.
for the shower he said they didn't use that liner so he is recommending ripping up the shower tile and completely redoing the floor. apparently there is foam under there and there was a shower kit liner that was used.
I'm wondering if there is a foolproof way to seal off that shower section so he only needs to redo the step and floor tile? any ideas? He says that the only way to make sure it is done right is to rip up the shower tile and just redo it all at onece?
After ripping it up he told me that it leaked and he will need to put down fresh plywood, then hardiebacker and replace the foamboard which was used for the step with 2x6's and then lay some sort of liner over it all so it doesn't leak.
for the shower he said they didn't use that liner so he is recommending ripping up the shower tile and completely redoing the floor. apparently there is foam under there and there was a shower kit liner that was used.
I'm wondering if there is a foolproof way to seal off that shower section so he only needs to redo the step and floor tile? any ideas? He says that the only way to make sure it is done right is to rip up the shower tile and just redo it all at onece?
#2
Welcome to the forums!
Alas, it looks like it was done wrong. I see little choice but to redo. It looks like they attempted a Kerdi system but did not follow through correctly.
For a custom shower pan, here is a quick lesson link to show you all the steps involved. How to build a shower - Building a shower pan with pre-sloped mortar bed, liner and curb.
Alas, it looks like it was done wrong. I see little choice but to redo. It looks like they attempted a Kerdi system but did not follow through correctly.
For a custom shower pan, here is a quick lesson link to show you all the steps involved. How to build a shower - Building a shower pan with pre-sloped mortar bed, liner and curb.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for the help I took your advice and spent now over $1k ripping everything out and redoing
Anyway we are down to the final stretch however having some last minute issues here and I could really use some advice:
1- the brown grout issue come to find out that under that brown tile originally they didn't use hardybacker it was just tile on top of straight plywood which is one reason I believe that brown grout started breaking up and coming apart. When we ripped it up water had gotten all down in there and rotted the wood. Also I think maybe that grout sucks, they accidentally got it wet too early, or it was old grout from an old job or something that may be a reason it started coming apart within 1 year after the shower was done. The issue you can see in the picture below is now we redid the grout using the same grout from the last job (it may be old) but this is days after being set and look at the gap you can see brown grout already dried and flaking into powder. Its very soft to the touch and really is not hard like concrete at all and just breaks apart.
I'm very worried about this that this grout will do the same thing as last time. I bought some grout sealer but I think this will only put a bandaid on the problem rather than fix it. I'm going to talk to the contractor tomorrow about this but. I feel like the right way to do it is scrape that crappy grout out and just regrout it with some really solid good grout because thats mainly the area where water splashes out of the shower/glass door/when you step out etc. is this possible can he scrape out that grout and just regrout with new grout and it will seal up really nice? or will we have to rip up the tile and redo???
2- that gap between the floor tile and the wood floor. So I'm very worried now about sealing stuff up properly. What is the best way to fill that gap properly and then seal off the metal piece to put over it so if water gets on it..theres no way it'll get down in there? I was thinking just fill it with concrete then use silicon under, on the sides and in the nail holes of that metal piece?
3- dirty contractors.. as you can see my nice hardwood floors are sullied with all kinds of crap. some I feel will come off and some not. What can I do here as a quick fix to clean those woods from all this crap?
Anyway we are down to the final stretch however having some last minute issues here and I could really use some advice:
1- the brown grout issue come to find out that under that brown tile originally they didn't use hardybacker it was just tile on top of straight plywood which is one reason I believe that brown grout started breaking up and coming apart. When we ripped it up water had gotten all down in there and rotted the wood. Also I think maybe that grout sucks, they accidentally got it wet too early, or it was old grout from an old job or something that may be a reason it started coming apart within 1 year after the shower was done. The issue you can see in the picture below is now we redid the grout using the same grout from the last job (it may be old) but this is days after being set and look at the gap you can see brown grout already dried and flaking into powder. Its very soft to the touch and really is not hard like concrete at all and just breaks apart.
I'm very worried about this that this grout will do the same thing as last time. I bought some grout sealer but I think this will only put a bandaid on the problem rather than fix it. I'm going to talk to the contractor tomorrow about this but. I feel like the right way to do it is scrape that crappy grout out and just regrout it with some really solid good grout because thats mainly the area where water splashes out of the shower/glass door/when you step out etc. is this possible can he scrape out that grout and just regrout with new grout and it will seal up really nice? or will we have to rip up the tile and redo???
2- that gap between the floor tile and the wood floor. So I'm very worried now about sealing stuff up properly. What is the best way to fill that gap properly and then seal off the metal piece to put over it so if water gets on it..theres no way it'll get down in there? I was thinking just fill it with concrete then use silicon under, on the sides and in the nail holes of that metal piece?
3- dirty contractors.. as you can see my nice hardwood floors are sullied with all kinds of crap. some I feel will come off and some not. What can I do here as a quick fix to clean those woods from all this crap?
#4
Was the tile flooring in the shower redone with a proper sloped bed? Difficult to tell in the picture. It still looks as if they laid your floor tile in the toilet room directly on top of plywood. No cbu. If so, be ready to do it again soon. At present it appears the only thing you can do is tape off the hardwood and tile and fill the gap with a concrete patch product. Not good preparation at all.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
I'm not 100% sure about the slope but I'd assume so as he spoke about making a "shower pan" but I'll ask. If not and it's only a slight slope and after each shower water sits on there...is that bad? Also..if so anything we can do now?
No thank god the toilet room has tile, grout, adhesive/mortar, on top of hardybacker board, then plywood. Although I'm not sure if there is a layer of mortar between the concrete board and the plywood does that matter?
When you say tape off the hardwood and tile what do you mean? What tape product? Do you have pictures?
Also a concrete patch product? Can you recommend one?
All products from home Depot would be good.
Thanks guys...I want this,all sealed up..no leaks!
No thank god the toilet room has tile, grout, adhesive/mortar, on top of hardybacker board, then plywood. Although I'm not sure if there is a layer of mortar between the concrete board and the plywood does that matter?
When you say tape off the hardwood and tile what do you mean? What tape product? Do you have pictures?
Also a concrete patch product? Can you recommend one?
All products from home Depot would be good.
Thanks guys...I want this,all sealed up..no leaks!
#6
Member
Thread Starter
He said he used a steeper than normal slope & it's all leveled off.
He said he was gonna fill the gap with plywood and liquid nail because filling with concrete wouldn't work because it's all plywood under there and concrete doesn't stick to plywood.
I think the grout in the toilet room was old/bad so he's gonna scrape it out and regrout. Can anyone else recommend a good process for this? What about the top of the line sealed grout product for bathroom floors? I want no leaks! I'd need it in a chocolate color.
He said he was gonna fill the gap with plywood and liquid nail because filling with concrete wouldn't work because it's all plywood under there and concrete doesn't stick to plywood.
I think the grout in the toilet room was old/bad so he's gonna scrape it out and regrout. Can anyone else recommend a good process for this? What about the top of the line sealed grout product for bathroom floors? I want no leaks! I'd need it in a chocolate color.
#7
Group Moderator
I think you believe it's possible for a ceramic floor to be waterproof but that is not the case and the grout lines are one of the areas it can penetrate. There is a bed/pan in the shower to handle any water which gets through the tile but you're not going to have a floor which will be impervious to standing water.