For questions regarding the room where one bathes or uses the toilet.
2
votes
2answers
784 views
Bathroom vent pipe going down instead of up? Is it OK?
I'm considering connecting the vents of two bathrooms to the same inline fan.
See my previous question on inline bathroom fans.
Does the fan and the exterior vent grille really need to be above the ...
6
votes
3answers
270 views
Stink in Washroom - Possibilities?
I had a previous question about my toilet leaking in my washroom. For some strange reason, the washroom has a strong, persistent stink despite everything we do to remove it. What are the possibilities ...
6
votes
3answers
568 views
Easy way to get crayon out of grout?
My daughter decided to get a little artistic in the bathroom and colored the grout with yellow crayon. Does anyone have a simple way to clean this out?
3
votes
2answers
752 views
Building a sunken tiled bath
I'm planning to build a sunken bath/wet room type shower. The plan is to raise the floor of the bathroom by 18" and then build a bath with its bottom just above the original floor level (to allow for ...
0
votes
1answer
198 views
What is “skin” time for bathroom sealant?
I need to replace the bathroom sealant around our bath, as our bath has moved by about a cm over the years and the watertight seal has broken.
The sealant I have says "Skins in 15 minutes, dries in ...
3
votes
4answers
702 views
Product recommendations for clearing a drain connected to a septic system?
Our shower drain appears to be clogged and is draining slowly. What product can I use to safely clear the drain without damaging our septic system?
According to Drano's site ...
7
votes
8answers
3k views
How common are wet rooms in the US?
I have a half bath to which I'd like to add a shower. It is quite small; currently, the smallest shower pan I've found (32"x32") is too large to fit. I've considered turning the entire room into a ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I secure a shower curtain rod?
In my bathroom I have one of those spring-loaded shower curtain rods that you twist to get tight. When any real weight is on it, it moves, and if it moves enough, the whole thing comes crashing down.
...
4
votes
3answers
374 views
Fire hazard of exhaust fan with heating bulbs in bathroom?
Our strata gave us permission to install an exhaust fan with 4x 250W heating bulbs into our bathroom. We are on the top floor and the roof cavity above us is the cieling for the building. There are no ...
3
votes
1answer
592 views
What wall material should be used behind the Kerdi system in a tub/shower?
I know from my previous question that in most cases a cement board of some kind needs to be used. However, when the Kerdi membrane system is being used behind the tile, is it still necessary to use a ...
6
votes
1answer
771 views
Will my pocket door affect my installation of a tub surround?
My wife and I have decided to install a tub surround around our tub (best place to put it!). We are planning on removing the tile and the drywall behind the tub and installing one of the surrounds ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Will an exhaust fan made for ceilings work in a wall instead?
Does anyone know whether a bathroom exhaust fan designed to be installed in a ceiling would have any problems if installed in a wall instead? From a mechanical, ball bearings, noise perspective. Not a ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
What is causing the minor leak in flex supply line under sink?
I had new shutoffs and new flex supply lines installed by a professional plumber a few months ago. Today, I installed a new faucet because mine was very old and starting to fail. I installed ...
1
vote
2answers
287 views
Bathroom faucet drip
I had a faucet drip in my bathroom sink. I determined it was the hot water (confirmed by the warm drip and it stopped when I shut off the hot under the sink). I assumed that the stem went (which ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
What are the pros/cons of using porcelain over ceramic tile in a bathroom?
I'm planning on tiling a bathroom floor and a walk-in shower (including the ceiling). I haven't looked into pricing yet, but I've heard that porcelain would be a better, yet more expensive material to ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I remove a frameless glued mirror?
I have an ugly giant frameless mirror glued to a tiled wall in my bathroom I want to remove.
It's probably been there > 20 years.
How do I get rid of it? I'm thinking of just covering it in tape ...
3
votes
1answer
287 views
Bathroom Vent is tied to ceiling vent in adjacent room
I live in a bungalow with a bathroom on both levels. The bathrooms both have exhaust vents. Outside of each bathroom is a ceiling vent. The previous owner stuck towels in these to block them off. ...
2
votes
2answers
4k views
How do I seal a leaking plughole fitting?
The plughole in my bathroom basin is leaking. The leak is between the plughole and the basin (i.e. through the circular hole in the basin in which the metal plughole is fitted), and it seems to me as ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Shutoff in shower very tight all of the sudden
I have a Symmons hot/cold shutoff in my shower. Normally, when I shut it off it goes a little beyond "12 o'clock" (more like 12:30/1:00). Anyways, I've noticed lately that it stops at exactly "12 ...
1
vote
1answer
135 views
Tub re-glazed and re-caulked, drippy residue from caulking
I recently had my bathtub re-glazed and re-caulked by a company that specializes in this. The tub was re-caulked 3 days after it was re-glazed by the specialist. Everything looked ok. We waited ...
5
votes
2answers
164 views
How should I handle bare wooden posts in a wet area?
In a post-and-beam house (built from Douglas Fir), I will have a bathtub right next to a couple of the posts.
Should I be worried about the effect of water on the longevity of the wood?
The other ...
5
votes
2answers
283 views
Is installing crown molding a DIY project?
My wife has lately been thinking about ways to improve our home, and has settled upon installing crown molding in our 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms as one of the things she would like to do. My ...
3
votes
1answer
243 views
What is the order of tasks when refitting a bathroom?
I need to completely refit my bathroom, including the following tasks:
Replace an old boiler (involves removing an immersion heater from the first floor, adjusting gas supply and changing pipe work)
...
5
votes
3answers
8k views
How do I replace a bathtub drain trip lever?
The trip lever for the drain in my bath tub is very old (I'm guessing 30+ years) and has begun corroding and rusting. It's definitely time to replace it. I plan to replace the entire trip lever along ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Why does my toilet intermittently run continually?
I've pretty much fixed up my bathroom since moving in. The last bit of annoyance now is this:
Not every time, but every 10 or so flushes, my toilet will run continually. It'll sound like it's water ...
9
votes
2answers
4k views
How should I address my bathroom's flickering lights and GFCI tripping mysteriously? (Schematic included.)
So I inherited a bit of a nightmare for wiring in my bathroom. I'll be calling in an electrician, but wanted to have an understanding of the problem first, as not to be ripped off, lead astray, etc.. ...
3
votes
2answers
6k views
Is there a “standard” height for towel bars in bathrooms?
I'm hanging a towel bar on a wall in a newly-built bathroom (part of a major remodel). I would like to avoid placing the bar at an "awkward" height, but I'm not sure what the proper height would be. ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
What kind of wall material should be used in wet areas in a bathroom?
I'm replacing a one piece fiberglass tub with a two piece (tub + surround) unit. In the bathroom right now, there's just drywall, no special material. Should I replace the drywall with greenboard, ...
5
votes
4answers
982 views
How can I finish this “peeled” drywall?
While doing some work in my bathroom, one thing led to another and paint started peeling. I found that under many layers of paint was some wallpaper so it seemed natural to pull...
I started peeling ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
How do I safely and cleanly remove sealant from a plastic bath?
I really need to replace the sealant around the bath, but I want to do a good job of removing the old stuff first.
The bath is a plastic one, and the walls are tiled.
What's the best way to get the ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Is there a home made solution that will clean drains?
Not sure if this counts as "Home Improvement", but it's worth a shot:
I'm currently in an apartment where I'm not supposed to use chemicals to clear drains, like in the sink/tub.
I've cleared out ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
In a brick layout for tile, how do I handle exposed cut edges?
My second in the line of "redoing a bathroom" questions. For our tub surround, my wife and I have picked out some very nice 16"x4" subway tiles, that we would like to arrange in a brick pattern. To ...
5
votes
3answers
241 views
How do I build a wet room for a wheelchair user?
How do I build a wet room that:
Does not leek
Does not have water run out of its door
Is wheelchair accessible (e.g a very low slope)
It is very hard to get the slope right by hand and I have need ...
3
votes
2answers
614 views
Will I be able to replace the tub and shower fixtures in my [apartment] home myself?
I live in a roughly-50 year-old apartment building and would like to renovate the bathroom myself. I've tiled and replaced sinks and toilets in the past, but I'm unsure about replacing the tub and ...
2
votes
3answers
523 views
Do above counter bowl sinks require special cabinets?
I am currently renovating a bathroom. In the process, I'll be replacing the ugly 1970s vanity with a new craftsman style cabinet, solid surface countertop, and two above counter glass bowl sinks. ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Can a bathroom vanity be installed higher than 30 inches?
"Standard" bathroom vanities are 30", where as kitchen counter tops are typically 36".
For me (6' tall), the 30" vanity is rather low. Is there any reason to leave vanities that height, or can they ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the practical difference between cement board and greenboard?
When installing tubs I've mostly used cementboard. I find it a bear to work with though.
A guy I know uses the water resistant greenboard; he claims that for home applications it is entirely ...
3
votes
1answer
305 views
Sealing a cork tile floor?
I just finished installing a cork tile floor (US Floors brand). If I do say so myself, it looks gorgeous! Cork is not generally recommended for a bathroom, but we felt that a half-bath should be a ...
6
votes
1answer
174 views
Why does it take a long time for water to start draining from my tub faucet?
Sorry for the awkwardly worded title, I couldn't really describe the issue in one sentence.
My shower has a handle that controls both pressure and temperature. To begin showering, I turn the handle, ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
How to have a free-standing bathtub resurfaced
I have a nice free-standing claw-foot tub. It was re-finished poorly by a previous homeowner and now we're getting white flakes in the water. There are also rust spots in a couple of places.
...
5
votes
4answers
12k views
Why won't my shower's temperature handle let the water get hot enough?
Whenever I go to take a shower, I have to turn the handle to the absolute hottest setting just to avoid freezing. I know the hot water works in my house, so that's not the issue. It just seems like I ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I secure a toilet bowl to a tile floor?
The bathroom in my house was redone right before I moved in. After moving in, I noticed the toilet is loose. It seems to only stay in place due to it's sheer weight, and it has quite a lot of jostle ...
7
votes
2answers
783 views
How do I sound-proof a bathroom?
I think most people would agree that sound proofing a bathroom is a swell idea. Since bathrooms are special rooms (high humidity), what are some tips and techniques you can use to sound proof one ...
2
votes
3answers
3k views
How do I remove dried paint from ceramic tiles and the bathtub?
The previous owner didn't bother to lay down a dropcloth when painting the bathroom, and there are multiple, small paint stains on the ceramic tile and bathtub. What is the best way to remove them?
...
