Precautions to take using half completed bathroom

Question

What sort of precautions should be taken when using a half completed bathroom that is mid-refurbishment, to avoid damage or extra time/money having to be spent.

Specifically, when using the shower (which is over a bath) and the toilet, if old tiles and sealant have been removed but new not yet put in.

Answer 1

Duct tape (very sticky, possible removal of more than just the tape) or Electrical tape (just sticky enough, easy removal) over open seams. Otherwise, just tape cheap plastic painting tarps from above the shower right down into the tub's walls, tight will keep blowing movement to a minimum. If it's a shower & not a tub you'll need tarps down to the drain & all overlapping seams taped with duct tape, just lay loose 2x4's around the floor perimeter to keep the shower's shape.

Answer 2

You can set the toilet right on the subfloor with the wax ring if the flange is not so high it hits the bottom of the toilet when it is set in place. Set it just like it is on a finished floor. When I renovated my bath the last time, I set mine on the bare subfloor for the short time before the tile went down.

In regards to the shower and mentioned in another post, if you have a tub/shower combination, you can use poly to cover the walls for the time before the tile goes on. It needs to be set up in one piece with the lap at the shower head.

If you have a shower stall with a tile floor to go in, DO NOT use it. I am sure the soap deposits will do harm on the bonding of the tile to the lower part of the shower. Typically showers are used with tile in place, the tile sheds a LOT of the water to the drain. The mud bed, at least the way I seen them done, accept water readily including the soap dissolved in the water too. Yes there SHOULD be a pan under it all, and yes it should divert all the water to the drain. This is not the intended use for the shower. It needs to be used with all parts in place....