Bathroom Tub surround.

oldhouseguy

I was thinking about just putting a bucket in the basement underneath it and then adding that to the list of things I do every week.


#134. Empty bucket from drip I was unable to fix.

Bud Cline

Now there's a real good idea - I never thought of that.

oldhouseguy

Ok, finally found my little leak and got it tight and not leaking. I installed 90% of the concrete backer board.

I am not a huge fan of that working with that stuff. But once I got it in, it looks good and is a really solid surface for my tile.

I understand that concrete board is not harmed by water. I bumped the shower handle and both me and a piece of board got wet.

It will just dry out and be fine, right?

Bud Cline

Correct.

bubbler

...not enough sanding first? not enough flux? Too much or too little heat? Not getting enough solder in the joint?

I would say that 5 out of 6 of my joints are leak free... and maybe 1 out 6 is what I'd call "good". I agree tho, I hate soldering plumbing, always leaves me feeling worried!

oldhouseguy

When I was working on this one. I was in a fairly confined space with the water shut off. Also, I have been running a dehumidifier in my basement for months.

I was under there with the torch going and I look around and there is all this dry wood.

I was thinking... this seems exactly how someone is left explaining a house fire to their insurance company.

"see, I had the water shut off, so it was just a wrong move with my torch... and I did throw my coffee at it, but I couldn't turn the water on fast enough because I was stuck behind the stairs..."

Bud Cline

Have none of you people ever thought of taking a spray bottle of water with you when you enter the bowels of a structure intending to set fire to the framing members? How about metal shield of some kind, like a piece of duct or an old license plate?

How fast can you turn 180 degrees and scramble on your belly out of a crawl space to save your own life?

oldhouseguy

I ended up taking the spray bottle in the next time! It doesn't take me more than once to learn something so important.

oldhouseguy

Old Leaking plumbing.


New plumbing (non leaking) yes, I think I went a little crazy on the teflon tape and pipe dope combo. I am sure it's not exactly how you do it, but it does not leak anywhere. knock on wood.

Note: I replaced it with steel piping, my torch commentary earlier was not when I was joining pipe, it was when I had to heat up the old pipes in order to get them apart. They were stuck and I could not get any leverage down there at all.

Bud Cline

It certainly looks improved! Good job.

I wasn't born with that knowledge either. I learned it the same way you did. I've a had fire or two over the years from using a torch recklessly. It wasn't doing plumbing but none-the-less...a fire is a fire.

Bud Cline

Burned down a whole damned park one time in Texas. That was fun and hard to explain.

oldhouseguy

One time I was literally in the drive thru of Mcdonalds, and the house right next to it had smoke pouring out of it.

The Italian speaking people who lived there were shouting "bambino, bambino"

Recognizing they were trying to say there was a baby inside, myself and another fast food eater were trying to get in the house. Windows were blowing out and the heat was unreal.

It turned out, the mother had gotten the baby out another door and there was nobody inside.

Fire has scared the hell out of me ever since that. It is amazing how fast it gets out of control. Burned a turkey on my grill once and the thing burned like a tire in my driveway after I launched it.

Yikes!

oldhouseguy

Ok, I am off to install my final piece of concrete board. I am finding this fairly difficult because it is an existing shower.

Then, I guess I do the seems with thinset and fiberglass tape?

Then paint it with a membrane material?

Then, I am ready to tile?????? I am going to pick out tile tonight.

Bud Cline

Go!

oldhouseguy

Ok...

Now I have moved away from the shower, because a couple aspects of it are frustrating me, so I want to get away from it for a day or so, and think about it.

When I get like that, that is when I tend to start cutting corners. I am not going to do that.

So, I starting tearing out the floor.

I had ceramic tile directly over some sticky tile, over 1/4 inch plywood, under that is the original subway tile floor.

I wish I could save the original floor, but I just cant scrape all that goop up.

The subway tile is in great shape too, it really is a shame that someone tiled over it with all this crap.

Does the Subway tile need to come out? It looks so solid, uniform and the grout is near perfect. Unreal really.

If I do tile over it... what do I do? concrete board over the tile? Sand it and just tile right over it?

I fear if I remove it, it will take days and days to get it out, and I simply don't have days and days.

HELP!!!! Suggestions????