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The Right Way To Replace The Flooring In A Bathroom

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There comes a time when replacing the bathroom floor can no longer be ignored. Perhaps the old linoleum is starting to curl up in the corners or the tile has become chipped in several places. Regardless of the reason, it may be time to replace that old flooring with something that is newer and that will bring your bathroom to the 21st century. In order to make your investment last, there are certain guidelines that should be followed when replacing any kind of bathroom floor.

Remove all of the old flooring first

In order to ensure that your new flooring will adhere properly, it is important to make sure that all the old flooring material, adhesive, and any damaged subflooring is removed. This may require some physical effort on your part, but the labor is well worth it since it will affect the overall durability of your new floor. Depending on what your old floor is made of, you may need to have special tools to do the job or you may be able to use a prybar, hammer, and scraper.

Ensure that the subfloor is level

Over time, the subfloor of a home can shift and this can create some spots in your floor which are not level. Once you've removed all of the old flooring material, it is a good idea to carefully go over your subfloor and check for any uneven places. If you find some, you will need to fill those places in before proceeding any further.

Protect against moisture

One of the most important qualities that flooring should have is the ability to resist moisture. As you probably know, tile and stone are laid down in squares and then the gaps are filled with grout. However, moisture can still find its way through these gaps, gathering in your subfloor. If you are going to be using ceramic or stone tile, for example, you may want to use it with Schluter kerdi, a type of waterproof layer that is rolled out on the subfloor before you lay down the tile or stone. This is an effective method and will prevent your subfloor from becoming damaged over time.

Stay organized

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Laying ceramic or stone tile can be a bit complicated so it would be a good idea to take some time before you begin the project and organize your materials. By putting them in order of use, you are less likely to skip a step and make a mistake. Start with the Schulter systems that you have decided to use, setting them on the subfloor. Then make sure that you have enough tiles to cover your floor and stack them neatly in piles at the entrance to the room. Your tools should be laid out in the order that you will be using them.

Focus on one step at a time

As you begin working on the project, you should make sure that you are focusing on one step at a time, double checking to make sure that each process is correctly completed before beginning the next one. In this manner, you will be able to work in a systematic method that allows you to create a beautiful floor.

Any house project, including that of laying tile in a bathroom, should be approached with careful thought and planning.

By on February 19th, 2013

About Powered by Mom

I’m Michelle aka Powered by Mom. I’m married with one daughter, my hubby was my high school sweetheart, our two dogs Nyx and Cleo and our cat Oliver. As you can see we’re a family of animal lovers. We love to travel when we can, try different food and activities all over the world and enjoy being together. My passions are writing, travelling, creating new recipes, encouraging people to adopt not shop and just to enjoy life while we can.

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76 thoughts on “The Right Way To Replace The Flooring In A Bathroom”

  1. We are planning to redo our bathroom soon, so thanks for the information. I would like to install radiant heating under the flooring. I can't wait until it's done!

    Reply
  2. We just replaced our living room and hall with laminate. DOing the bathroom next! I never thought about using ceramic in the bathroom, but now I am considering it.

    Reply
  3. Good ideas! Right now, our main priority is the hardwood floors. But, the bathroom linoleum won't be too far behind and it's always helpful to know these things BEFORE starting. 🙂

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  4. My bathroom is the top of my list for replacing the floor! Don't have the money just yet but when I do I will refer to this list. Thank you for the info!

    Reply
  5. My fiancee' he has had his own flooring installer business for about 16 years, and I love how you described doing the flooring , and the the best way to do it !!!

    Reply
  6. Great tips on redoing a bothroom floor, I have a 5x5 foyer that I am going to redo myself. My living room is pergo. What do u think I should use for the entry? Thanks!

    Reply
  7. THANKS FOR YOUR TIPS, I AM FAIRLY NEW AT DIY AT HOME AND NERVOUS OF MAKING COSTLY MISTAKES SO I TRY TO ABSORB ALL I CAN FROM OTHERS.

    Reply
  8. My house is 115 yrs. old I don't want to know whats under the subfloor! I want to redo my whole bathroom floor and all! Thanks for the awesome tips! Love your blog!!

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  9. Also, I would add be prepared for what you might find under the old stuff when you pull it up! Don't be shocked if you find out that you have mold under there or broken floor boards that you have to replace. This is especially helpful knowledge to know if you buy or live in a house that is more than 15 years old. Standards for floors were so much different for older homes than what it is with new construction. Also, if you live in a historical house, make sure that it is not registered with the historical society, if it is, you can only make improvements to the house as they would have been built in the year your home was built. I know this because my house is a historical house, but I have chosen to not register it with the historical society so that I can keep the integrity of the house on the exterior the same as it was when built, but can make the modern day improvement to the interior of the house as I need to and have been doing.

    Reply
  10. Fantastic info! We've got a small 1930 farmhouse that we've been slowly remodeling - the upstairs (main floor) bathroom is next, so I will definitely be using this post as a reference!

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  11. great info on replacing flooring in bathroom. I have been planning to update the floors in 2 of our bathrooms. good tips for me to follow

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  12. Well, for me --this is just a little scarry--I know I will be doing this real soon(by myself) That worries me some--But with your tips I just might be able to do this--I have been putting this off,praying that someone from church would see to it but I just feel like its time. Thanks for all the insite--and steps, I know I will have to refer back to make sure I'm doing this correctly

    Reply
  13. I think this could a be a list of reasons Not to refloor my bathroom, haha.

    I've wanted to retile our entryway, and it's just not practical for our layout. The bedrooms and bathrooms are on the northside of the entryway, and the living room and kitchen are south. There's no avoiding walking on the tile, especially with a 2-year-old in the house. I thought maybe paint it, and then just leave for a few days to let it dry because there's just no way to actually live in the house while redoing the floor is in progress.

    Reply
  14. Thank you so much for the information! My husband and I are buying our first home and one of the first things on our To Do List is to replace the bathroom floor.

    Reply
  15. Great information! Like others, I did not know about the moisture repellent layer that you should put down before replacing your bathroom flooring.

    Reply
  16. We are getting ready to re-do floors in our bathroom and these are very good recommendations and helpful tips.
    Thanks, I've book marked to my favorites. Chris

    Reply
  17. I like to do project myself and save all that I can on costs. Thanks so much for the tips on doing the flooring. I also never heard about the waterproof layer to put down. Makes good sense tho to use for a bathroom.

    Reply
  18. Make sure to teach your kids how to use the shower curtain properly! It will help to keep the water inside of the shower. Don't just assume they know to do it!!

    Reply
  19. I would so love to replace out bathroom floor. One of the last things we need to do in our bathroom reno! It doesn't sound toooo difficult, which is good to know. I'm kinda the handy(wo) man around here, so I think it would be up to me..I can't wait to start 🙂 Thanks for the tips!

    Reply
  20. I am thankful that I will never have to use this for myself. There are some hings that my husband, and only he, will be in charge of; taking out garbage, mowing lawn, maintaining vehicles, and maintaining/remodeling home. That is a great trade off for me staying at home with our three children and home schooling them I feel.

    Reply
  21. Thanks for these tips and things to be aware of. My home was built in the 50's here in the West Tx desert and our flooring is cement/concrete with tile over that.....it's time to put down new tile and I KNOW that floor isn't level so we have a job ahead of us

    Reply
  22. I learned this info the hard way.. after just doing my floor over OLD subflooring.. needless to say if i had just replaced the old subflooring i would not of had to have a whole floor makeover.. ugh.. this advice is great! Follow it!!!

    Reply
  23. wehad to replace floor in living room because someone went through it
    and then it was funny but it was mess we had to move all the furniture and then we had to knock
    the boards out form the tailer and then add 2 by 4 and then we laid sheet wood down and then we had the carpet down the bath room was different

    Reply
  24. My Husband and I made the mistake of taking out some of the sub flooring due to water damage and we got the wrong thickness of wood and we had to sand it for so long well after I laid the squares we realized that when it gets hot the floor will swell and guess what it did. now we have to replace the squares. UGH!

    Reply
  25. We are not planning to replace flooring anytime soon, but I like your method and advice.
    You are correct that careful thought and planning are essential!

    Reply
  26. Excellent tips. The floor in our bathroom needs replacing. The boards are crowning and creak so loudly. Have to save up for it 🙂

    Reply
  27. Thanks for posting this wonderful tips. If I ever decide to change my flooring I will make sure to look back over this post since it is super helpful. Thanks again. I hope you have a wonderful day!!

    Reply
  28. THANKS SO MUCH AS TONIGHT MY MOM'S TOILET HAS OVERFLOWED FOR THE 50TH TIME AND WE NEED TO PULL THE TOILET UP REPLACE FLOOR AND SEAL. THIS IS SO IRONIC. THANKS:)

    Reply
  29. We just (like, today!) finished our bathroom reno and another tip I owuld give, especially if you live in a condo, is be prepared to change your plans. I had such great ideas for my new floor that had to be amended quite a bit when we realized there was no way we could move the drain in our shower (I wanted to have a seamless single floor in the whole bathroom with a walk-in shower -not possible).

    Reply
  30. I like that you explain each step. Making sure the floor is level is important. I don't know if that's a job I could do on my own. My husband is the handy guy.

    Reply
  31. These are some excellent tips you've mentioned! I enjoy doing remodeling projects and am always looking to further my knowledge. Thank you!

    Reply
  32. Great tips. I' thinking of replacing y all bathroom flooring and was going to try it yelf. Glad I read this as I didn't know about the moisture repellant stuff to put down

    Reply

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