This past July my wife and I hired a contractor to finish our basement. It was already plumbed for a bath so we decided to put in a full bath, tub, toilet and vanity. We were taking bids on someone doing the bathroom and my contractor said that he could do it and for about $600 less then the other bids we received. We asked him if he had done baths before and he said he had not only referbed old ones, but had also done new installs too. Since the rest of his work was above par, we decided... why not. Save a few hundred bucks.. Well I think we made a big mistake. Around this past Thanksgiving he stopped showing up. We called him a dozen times at various numbers and even emailed him. But no reply. It's like the earth just swallowed him up. This left us in a dilemma to say the least. I am a good carpenter and handy man. I use to build houses from the ground up. Rough framing and finish. But I have never worked on installing bathrooms. Minor plumbing around the house yeah, but not tiling. I told my wife that I would try and finish it up myself since I am now on a fixed income. I went to work to finish up the shower wall. That is when I started noticing things. The tile used on the walls is a 12x12 porcelian. All the threads I have come across on installing tiles in a shower/tub surround suggest using a Durarock board, which the disappearing contrator did use. And also spacing the tiles 1/16 to no more then 1/8" apart. Here is the problem(s). Some of the tiles have as much as 1/4" gap which was covered up with grout. Others have less the 1/32" gaps. Well actually these tiles are butted up againt one another the grout line looked like 1/16 until you scrap a little away and you see that this grout is actaully sitting between the beveled edges of the tile. When I stared to remove the grout he layed in one inside corner (1/4" gap) I noticed that the Durarock boards didn't even meet at the corners and that he didn't even use fiberglass tape to seal the gaps.
What I am thinking of doing is to remove all the tiles ( I have enough spares to complete a new set). I am then going to get new Durarock and screw and tape it the correct way. What I will do is start at the top (this is approximately 7' above the floor line) and score (cut into the old board) and work my way around and down to the tub. I will leave the board that is above the tile line since it will never get wet. At least I don't this it will. I will then install the new board, tape and re-tile.
Questions..
Does anyone here think this will work?
Should I put a vapor barrier behind the Durarock. I'm sure he also didn't do that and I have seen similar threads that suggest a 6mil poly on the studs and the board over it (we are lucky in that we have very low humidity)? Also one wall is an outside wall and there is isulation between the outside wall and studs. The whole basement was insulated when we purchased it.
Or skip the VB and just tape the corners and seams of the board and put the thinset right over it and lay the tiles?
What type thinset should I use?
And should I go with a polyblend grout? You see, one thing I discovered was that this contractor used a sanded grout.
And one person I talked to suggested running a bead of caulk above the top tiles and along where the tub and tiles meet.
I'd appreciate any help in this matter. Thanks.
What I am thinking of doing is to remove all the tiles ( I have enough spares to complete a new set). I am then going to get new Durarock and screw and tape it the correct way. What I will do is start at the top (this is approximately 7' above the floor line) and score (cut into the old board) and work my way around and down to the tub. I will leave the board that is above the tile line since it will never get wet. At least I don't this it will. I will then install the new board, tape and re-tile.
Questions..
Does anyone here think this will work?
Should I put a vapor barrier behind the Durarock. I'm sure he also didn't do that and I have seen similar threads that suggest a 6mil poly on the studs and the board over it (we are lucky in that we have very low humidity)? Also one wall is an outside wall and there is isulation between the outside wall and studs. The whole basement was insulated when we purchased it.
Or skip the VB and just tape the corners and seams of the board and put the thinset right over it and lay the tiles?
What type thinset should I use?
And should I go with a polyblend grout? You see, one thing I discovered was that this contractor used a sanded grout.
And one person I talked to suggested running a bead of caulk above the top tiles and along where the tub and tiles meet.
I'd appreciate any help in this matter. Thanks.
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