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Bathroom Remodel Questions

12K views 52 replies 6 participants last post by  Bob Mariani 
#1 · (Edited)
This could get lengthy, I'll try to be as clear as possible.


I am going to completely remodel my bathroom. I am ripping everything out to the studs.

In the attic there is blown in insulation, but no vapor barrier. When I tear down the drywall, the blown in insulation will fall through into the bathroom. Do I go up into the attic, move the insulation away from the bathroom, and tear down the drywall, put up a plastic vapor barrier, hang the new drywall, then go into the attic and move the insulation back?

I will also be installing a fan in the ceiling. Do I install the fan directly over the shower/tub, or do I install it in the center of the room? Also, do you cover the fan up with insulation in the attic, or keep the insulation away from it? Is a Broan 150 CFM/1.5 Sones a good one?

The tub I am getting will have a wall surround. Do i use water resistant dry wall just around the surround/tub area, or do I use green drywall throughout the entire bathroom? Do you install the surround right over the studs, or do you put drywall behind, then install the surround on top of that?

Do I put a plastic vapor barrier on all of the walls of the bathroom or just the exterior wall and the walls behind the tub/surround?

I think this is all the questions I have for now, but I'm sure I will have more soon. lol! Thanks a bunch!
 
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#2 ·
Either move the insulation or let it fall with the drywall and replace it. Your choice. No greenboard... was used years ago and was found to be useless. Use mold free drywall everywhere. This fan is a basic fan. Something like fantec will be much much better. a good fan is critical. Place it on a timer which starts when the light is used so the fan always gets used. Do not place it over the shower. A covered recessed light can be used over the shower. Not sure where and why you intend to use plastic. Kraft faced insulation is fine.
 
#9 ·
do you cover the fan unit in the attic with insulation? is it ok to completely cover it up after installation, or do you leave it uncovered? I am going to be using insulation flexible duct to the roof.

Also, can you go straight up from the fan, or should i run the duct straight for a few feet before going up to the roof?

Do you just lay the fexible duct on the ceiling drywall or do you fasten it to the ceiling joists somehow?

sorry for all of the stupid questions.
 
#10 ·
all good questions and you may find many different answers. I use flex duct about 2' laid flat in the ceiling. This keeps the run from being straight out in case of minor water drops entering from above. Then I transition to 4" metal with a 90 ell and go straight up thru the roof. You can insulate completely around the fan.
 
#11 ·
Can I use the flex duct all the way to the roof opening? Can i just run the flex duct about 2 feet, then make a gradual turn up towards the roof?

I got some radiator type clamps to connect the flex duct to the fan, and to the roof, will this work? How can I be sure that the duct stays connected to the roof?
 
#13 ·
OK, thanks for all the help so far, but I have some more questions....

The tub surround that I bought says to install the surround directly over the studs. I was told by a couple of people to not install it over the studs, but instead put cement board behind it, then install the surround over that. How do you match up the top drywall that butts up to the surround?

Also, what kind of drywall should I use in the bathroom? Should I use all green drywall, or just regular drywall?

When installing drywall, how far off the floor do you keep it? I will be puting new plywood on the floor, then a cement backer board, then ceramic tile.

Do you put the cement board under the tub and vanity as well, or tile up to the vanity and tub?
 
#14 ·
to drywall at top question: This depends on your surround. If it says to mount directly on the studs then do so. This would mean the to top is built in such a way the drywall will sit above it. Just caulk this seam.

I would put the CBU on the entire floor (not under the tub) as well as the tile. Then set the vanity. Now it is easier to change this latter if needed and the height remains correct.

Do not use green board. Use mold free (paperless) drywall in the entire bathroom. Use Zinsser's perma white paint for primer and top coats which adds mildicide to prevent any mold.

Drywall should be kept off the floor. I keep it up 1". This prevents any water from wicking up the sheet.
 
#15 ·
Should the drywall be 1" above where the tile will be, or one inch above the plywood floor?

Do you put the drywall up, then the cement board, and tile last?

so just put the cement board right up to the tub, or leave a space? same with the tile?

and yes the surround has a lip so the drywall sits right on top of it. do you leave a little gap, or sit it right on the surround?

Thanks!
 
#16 ·
drywall 1" above tile. Baseboard will cover this gap.

drywall, cbu then tile

leave a 1/4" gap. fill tub after tile and grout. No grout in corners or tub edge. caulk these areas with color caulking to match grout which you will find at the tile supplier.

leave gap above surround (1/4") which allows space for caulking to grab.
 
#17 ·
OK, I might have changed my mind again! lol

How much more work is it to tile the tub surround instead of buying one? How high up the wall do you tile on the 3 sides of the tub surround walls? do you put the cement backer board right over the studs on the walls, and how high up?

do you butt the cement board right to the top lip of the tub? do you have to seal the tile after grouting and stuff?
 
#18 ·
tile will take a day, tub surround 2 hours.

tile up as high as you want, usually about right below the shower head. CBU slighly lower so the CBU / drywall seam gets covered with the tile

keep the CBU 1/4" up from tub edge

tape CBU seams and coat with waterproofing like Redguard

Seal with grout sealer. Caulk edges and corners.
 
#19 ·
Tile will take longer every time you have to clean it...

Regarding the insulation in your ceiling -- if you have easy access to the area, you might want to move it with a rake. You can also just let it drop into the room. It makes a mess. Wear a mask. That's what we did when we took the living room ceiling out -- just let it fall.

Don't try to put it back though -- just get new. It's pretty cheap and moving it kind of mats it down. It doesn't work as well, and you really want good insulation in a bathroom.

Regarding the fan, the instruction manual should tell you if you can put insulation on it. More particularly, it will definitely tell you if there are required clearances.

Do you need to take a bathroom fan through the roof? Around here they usually either go through a wall (like a dryer) or end inside the soffit. That ending in the soffit leaves me uncomfortable, but a licensed guy who does a lot of them tells me he's never seen any problem as a result.
 
#20 ·
so if i just move the insulation in the attic, and then spread it back out when im done, that will be ok right?

Also, I cant go out the wall since it is only a single story, and there isnt enough room, and I live in Minnesota, and I don't like the thought of hot moisture going out my soffit and rotting out the wood or going back into the attic.

I would much rather go out the roof.

How hard is it to keep tile clean in a shower? is it worth going that route instead of a surround?
 
#21 ·
tile is not hard to keep clean. The fan will help a lot there also. What I do is use a squeegee after each shower to wipe the tile and glass door down. It takes only a few seconds. Never had to do more to keep it looking new for many years now. Also seal the grout twice helps and should always be done.
 
#22 ·
You could spread it back, but it won't be as good, and insulation is really cheap. If it was me I'd put new in.

My parents house has tile surrounds on steel tubs. The grout is always nasty looking. Whether it's worth the extra hassle depends on how much you want it vs. how much you don't like cleaning it. How hard it is to keep clean depends in part on your water. It also depends on the size of the tiles -- bigger tiles have fewer grout lines.

We have a one piece fiberglass tub/surround in the bathroom we just put in. It's not something we use on a regular basis, so for us it would have been silly to put in tile. In our main bathroom we have a fiberglass shower. Tile would look nicer, but it would have cost more and taken more time.

If you have tile you have to scrub the grout lines individually. Or spray them with heavy cleaners.
 
#23 ·
I have heard of some tub surrounds leaking where the surround meets the tub...

man im just not sure what i want to do...

I have blown in insulation in the attic, so its not that easy to replace, have to buy the insulation, rent the blower, and do that entire process over again.
 
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