Installing Tile; Floor and Counter-top Questions

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So, I’m almost ready to start tiling my bathroom but I’ve got some questions for those who have done this before.

I replaced the subfloor with 23/32 T&G Waterproof plywood; screwed every 6" with 2 1/2" drywall screws and liquid nails. All gaps and transistions between the old subfloor and new were filled with liquid nails as well.

I know you’re supposed to lay down a layer of cement backer board; but that would throw off the thickness of my floors like crazy. Has anyone ever used one of the isolation membranes instead?

I saw this at HD or Lowes the other day and did some research and it looks like it should work perfectly for what I want to do.

I’m going to be tiling the floor, 2 counter-tops, and one knee-wall top.

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I will comment on this later. I have to go sell lotion! bump, it on friday.

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I didn’t think you needed a backer board for the floors. Hell I just discovered that the floors in my kitchen (tile) were done right over some shitty old laminate.

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I’ve done with and without cement board.

Similar situation to you, my bathroom only allowed so much thickness of the floor. I tore out the old ply and replaced with 3/4 plywood and then we went right on it with 12" ceramic tile. 2 years and no problems.

I think you are fine as long as it feels secure under foot and the floor does not bounce or move at all. Schluter makes excellent products. I have not used that mat personally, but I know it works well.

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One other thing too… I’ve heard differing opinions and not sure which I should believe/do.

Drywall first or Tile the floor first?

If I tile the floor first I’d have to put spacers all the way around the outside of the room so I have room for the drywall though; right? This is what I don’t understand about doing the tile floor before the drywall.

I would think you’d want to rough in the drywall first; then do the floor; cover the floor, then finish the drywall.

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You wouldn’t have to leave spacers, you would just line the bottom of the sheetrock up with the top of the tile.

If I were you, I wouldn’t really worry about it. Although, I usually don’t go all the way to the floor with my drywall. I usually leave a small gap.

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^that’s why god created trim lol

I’m not an expert in this department, but I’d hang the drywall and get the durabond out of the way before tiling, so your finished floor doesn’t get all effed up.

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yep…no sense in stomping around on your brand new floor, tossing tools around on it for no reason.

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Drywall first. Tile will be one of the last things you do.

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yeah, tile the floor last. I use Hardibacker for any tiling I do, but it sounds like you now have a solid subfloor, so it should be ok. But if you have room for ditra, I would definetly use it. Its expensive but worth it in some situations.

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So do I, but not 3/4" (what I expect my finished floor thickness to be with the tile).

I’m just gonna hang and get all the sheetrock done; then do the floor.

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So it sounds like my plan forward is:

  1. Hang, tape, mud, and sand all the drywall
  2. Install the base cabinet (Which is going to have a tile countertop)
  3. Ditra & Tile the countertop.
  4. Ditra & Tile the floor
  5. Mask the floor and Paint the room
  6. Install the Upper Cabinets
  7. Cleanup and finish installing the fixtures and be done.

oh, and 8) Replace the window come spring time.

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solid plan

don’t forget the pictures between each step though!

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I would… but my only camera is my BB… my soon-to-be-ex-wife took my camera with her…

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In for pics… Might look to redo my bathroom +tile also. Good luck

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I changed a few things from my own experiences. My preference is to mud after most of the room is completed and cabinets have been mocked in. This way you can remove the cabinets and paint “Behind them” for a nice crisp paint job. Also, if you wait to mud you can make a last minute change without messing with finished walls.

Just my $0.02. Give me a holler when you need a hand again. Can’t wait to see this done.

EDIT: Have you looked into “floating cabinets?” I really like that look. I think that would be an added coolness factor.

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Nah, no floating cabinets. I need to customize the Vanity already to get what I want.

I’m going to do the Vanity Top in-place though; I don’t want to mess around with making it seperate then installing it; I’d rather just install the vanity; install the plywood top; then tile it in place.

The fun part is going to be Tiling the countertop over the washer/dryer… THAT I’m going to do seperate and just install it.

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My husband is a contractor and uses that orange stuff you posted all the time for flooring/tile jobs.