Subfloor thickness

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Jedi

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I'm renovating my bathroom and have a question regarding the sub floor. Currently there is vinyl on top and ceramic tile in a bed of concrete underneath and the original sub floor is 1x6 laid diagonally over the floor joists. Any suggestions on how to remove the old tile flooring? I will also be replacing the tub and will be adding new sub floor to the whole bathroom with the intention of putting vinyl in the main section. Any recommendations on sub floor material/thickness?
 

Jadnashua

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It is heavy work, but the mudbed and tile will cleave off of the bottom layer. A demolition hammer - Hilti makes one, can be rented for a day and will chop it up into manageable pieces. That and a couple of wreching (crow) bars and it should come out. Watch out for the metal lath, it is quite sharp. If there are areas with only wood products in layers you want to remove, the easiest way is to use a circular saw (use an old construction blade that can handle nails), set to the depth of the layers you want to remove, then saw it up into reasonably sized pieces, then pry them out. It gets a little messier at the edges of the room if the sheets run under the partitian walls, but they probably don't, only the planks probably run under the walls.

Over the top of the planks, first, make sure that they are well attached to the joists. If any seem loose, squeak, or obviously move, reanchor them to the joists with deck screws. Then, install, preferably, 1/2" plywood over the whole thing. At that point, you could build it up further for tile, or vinal. Normally with vinal, you'd put down a layer of luan ply, fill the joints and nail holes if required, and then put down the vinal.
 

Jedi

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Removing the old floor is going to be interesting as the basement underneath has a finished drywalled ceiling. I'm sure small pieces of cement are bound to fall through.

Do I need to use the luan or is the 1/2" ply good enough for the vinyl? (assuming I buy the smooth plywood) If the luan is needed I assume I should use it under the tub as well so that the whole floor is on one level.
 

Jadnashua

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If you use A side on ply, you could put the vinal on it. If you do that, when you want to change things, you'd probably have to remove and throw away the 1/2" ply. Might be cheaper to put the luan on top of it. THen, if yo udecided to tile it, you'd be ready once you pulled it up clean from the subfloor.
 

Jedi

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Thanks for your help. I think I'll go out and rent one of those chipping hammers. I hope the cement lets go of the sub floor but I don't think it will be that easy.
 
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