# Cheap bathroom update question.
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [December 28, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638 "2009-12-28T08:32:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/1 "2009-12-28T08:32:36Z")
So, I have this crappy 60’s/70’s bathroom
It’s really small with “gold dust” tile halfway up the walls with some brown trim tiles along the top edge.
My BR is very similar to this except it has a slight slope from the roof on the back half and the window is horizontal with a crank.
I’m looking to change out my institutional style wall mounted sink for a ~$200 vanity sink combo.
My question in on replacing the floor. WTF floor would go with gold dust tile and a brownish half size vanity cabinet
The walls are going to be some light blueish color the wife chose…
The way I see it, there is very little I could do to make the bathroom worse. But, I have no idea what to do to the floor. There are some decent 12" tiles she likes, but how can I put a tile floor in with shitty star dust tile.
I’m not sure it’s worth tearing the walls off and starting over as I’m not putting much money at all into the room($5-600). Its the only room of the house that has not had any cosmetic work and I hate it almost as much as my garage.
Any thoughts?
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### Author:  [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/2 "2009-12-28T08:38:05Z")
Just go with a floating laminate floor right over the top of your existing tile if you’re only doing a minor upgrade.
I just gutted my bathroom completely and started from scratch. Over $5k. 🖕
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### Author:  [@1slowMini](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/1slowMini)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/3 "2009-12-28T08:39:56Z")
I dont know if i would do laminate in the bathroom, most laminate flooring doesn’t do well with water.
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### Author:  [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/4 "2009-12-28T08:43:30Z")
> [@1slowMini](#):
>
> I dont know if i would do laminate in the bathroom, most laminate flooring doesn’t do well with water.
Yeah the bathroom at my old house started to peel really bad. If you can afford it (especially DIY) I’d do a light beige tile.
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/5 "2009-12-28T08:44:42Z")
I thought of that, but I can’t get over the sound when you walk on it. I also have no problem tearing replacing the existing floor and subfloor. Its small and it’s what I did on the rest of the house. I would also like something that can handle the watery mess made durring bathtime with the kids. I have seen some houses where the floor is a mess after only a few of years.
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### Author:  [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/6 "2009-12-28T08:46:37Z")
laminate is fine with water as long as you install it tight and moisture doesn’t penetrate the wear layer, and you buy decent quality stuff. Seeing it hold up in the mud room at the rents house constantly wet for 10 years swayed me.
If you have the money and dont mind a bigger job though, go ceramic. Only reason I didn’t is I hate cold floors in the morning.
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### Author:  [@camarojoe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/camarojoe)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/7 "2009-12-28T08:46:48Z")
Bathrooms are major jobs, aka inconveniences.
If you plan on replacing wall tiles, make it wasy on yourself and rip them out to the studs and put in new drywall. Not worth it to try and salvage wallboard under tiles. Plus it lets you insulate the walls. They sell paint specific for covering ceramic tiles.
As for the floor, if you use 12" tiles, it will make the bathroom look smaller. I’d recommend 4" or 6". It’s not a lot of surface area, so it won’t take a long time. If you don’t have a 2nd bathroom/shower, then plan accordingly to have downtime.
But if you are going to replace the vanity, I’d say rip out the floor tiles, level it out, put down all new tiles and be done with it. Don’t ghetto it with mismatched tiles.
If you plan on doing the whole bathroom, get everything you need and have them on hand, like wall tiles, floor tiles, vanity, sink, and even fixtures. Then get up at the crack of ass and gut the room from walls to floor salvaging the tub.
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### Author:  [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/8 "2009-12-28T08:47:08Z")
Is the current floor squeaky like in the joists? My current bathroom you can’t even look at with out it squeaking. My guess is tile would fix that.
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/9 "2009-12-28T08:50:12Z")
> [@ProgRocker](#):
>
> Yeah the bathroom at my old house started to peel really bad. If you can afford it (especially DIY) I’d do a light beige tile.
heh… The wife actually bought exactly that from the depot to see how it looks. Unfortunatly, I see things I hate MUCH faster than things I like.
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### Author:  [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/10 "2009-12-28T08:51:14Z")
Also forgot to add, with kids, you may want to go with more of a textured tile with some grip. Wet tile is slippery as fuck and with kids splashing all over the place you’re a puddle away from falling and hitting your head…
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/11 "2009-12-28T08:55:31Z")
The current floor does have a few squeaks I would like to be rid of and consists of crappy linoleum tile. They are 12", but the brown puke droplet pattern hides it reallly well.
I’m OK with spending some money on a decent floor as It could be salvaged if I decide to tear it down to the studs in a few years.
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### Author:  [@Vrooom](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vrooom)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 11:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/12 "2009-12-28T11:05:12Z")
What about cork tile flooring in a nice espresso color?
The guy at Lumber Liquidators here said putting any sort of cork/bamboo/wood in a bathroom wipes out any sort of warranty but you can seal the cork real good.
Great for sound insulation and also warm/soft to the touch and has anti-mold properties.
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### Author:  [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/13 "2009-12-28T14:33:35Z")
Do either a vynl floor or ceramic tile
You can get grout vynl floor tile, same as ceramic… it’s really easy to put in… u just glue it instead of quikset
Idk what color your window is… assuming it’s white
You can do, beige almost peachy colored tile, beige/tan whatever (slighty darker than the tile) grout, white baseboard, maybe if u wanna get fancy… white panel board, (idk what it’s called, but i have it in one of the bathrooms at my house and i think it looks nice) with a chair rail
Personally i would just cut off the drywall where the tile is and put up new drywall as camarojoe said, that way u can see if ur insulation is ok etc…
tear up the floor, ever have any problems with leaks? the floor could be rotting, u have no idea…
if ceramic, tear up the existing floor to the plywood, lay down hardy board… screw down
if cynl tear up exisiting floor to the plywood and lay down 1/8" subfloor… staple down
if it does squeek, also nail down the plywood on the seams to the floor joyces(sp)
I Dont know what your tools are, so that can also have a big impact on what u decide to do
If you’re a noob at cutting tile, then just lay the whole floor and then put the sink base in
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### Author:  [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/14 "2009-12-28T14:41:59Z")
I’d keep it how it is, retro rocks.
> **[Retro Renovation](http://50sstyle.blogspot.com/search/label/bathroom)**
>
> SITE HAS MOVED PLEASE GO TO: http://RetroRenovation.com
Just remove anything modern.
Get one of these though.
My parent’s house is back in style!!
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### Author:  [@JustinH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JustinH)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/15 "2009-12-28T15:02:06Z")
I just did a budget remodel in an apartment that I own.
The subfloor was rotten around the toilet, we sawed out the floor, then replaced with hardwood, luan, floor leveler, then we laid some nice sheet vinyl flooring over top of it. It was $45 at home depot, and is waterproof.
The vanity I picked up is the basic one, it came with a sink also for $39. I put a $29 faucet on there.
A lot of work can be done for a couple hundred bucks.
Since its your house, I would consider doing tile but vinyl sheet is not a bad choice and simple to install (glue it down and roll it out).
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### Author:  [@Maksim2000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Maksim2000)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/16 "2009-12-28T15:15:08Z")
> [@ultradriver10000](#):
>
> I’d keep it how it is, retro rocks.
I agree, it actually looks kind of cool as it is
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### Author:  [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/17 "2009-12-28T15:18:20Z")
that’s not a picture of his bathroom
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### Author:  [@Mike93](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mike93)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/18 "2009-12-28T16:12:15Z")
I recently did a similar job to what you’re describing…check it out here, may help you out a bit.
[http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59083&highlight=bathroom](http://www.nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59083&highlight=bathroom)
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/19 "2009-12-29T06:01:51Z")
lol.
Thats the same sink combo wifie wants, and I like the tile floor.
I too have plaster walls… its actually 12 or 18" wide drywall sheets covered in plaster.
And a very similar layout. I’m thinking it was original to the house, so that would make it 50’s vintage. Crappy brown edge tile on white w/gold specs.
Your shower tiles look like the $.77 tile the wife bought.
I really do not have the time, motivation, or money to tear off the walls.
I think the question is, how crappy would your floor tiles look with my crappy existing tile. Maybe i’ll go buy a few of them to see.
Also, I wish my BR was that big ☹
I’ll have to get a pic someday. I think my floor is only about 33 sq/ft.
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### Author:  [@Mike93](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mike93)
#### Post date: [December 29, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cheap-bathroom-update-question/77638/20 "2009-12-29T07:11:56Z")
Yeah, I invested as little as possible while still achieving the look I was after, this was more for making the house more desirable when I got to sell. Pretty much got everything from Lowes/HD and on sale. I think the total bill came to~$1200.
Did I miss it, or are there no actual pics of your bathroom? If you had those, it would be easier to offer design opinions.
Oh, and I’m not at home to double check but I doubt my floor is any bigger than 30 sq/ft.
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