Bathroom floor question

Steve972 · Thu May 07, 2009 11:41 pm

I am currently in the middle of a bathroom remodel. We had carpet in it and right by the tub, the floor had a rotten spot about 1' x 1' give or take. Apparently, when the kids got out, the carpet got wet where they stood and this had been happening for awhile. I removed the rotten spot and patched it with other wood. Best I can tell there are no leaks and the floor is staying dry. I found another spot not near as big as the first, but this one runs along the side of the tub. It is dry and not as rotten as the 1st hole...just the top layer is coming apart and is not very soft at all. We are wanting to put vinyl flooring down in place of the carpet. My question is can I just fill the spot on the floor were the top layer is coming loose? Would you lay a 1/4 sheet of some sort of plywood on top of the existing floor before installing the vinyl flooring? I really don't want to cut more of the floor, not much room between the tub and stool. Any ideals? Thanks

Added a pic of floor in question.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3611/351 ... 7b9f40.jpg

Yanita · Fri May 08, 2009 12:45 pm

Hi,

Thanks for the pic. I am not sure that any floor filler/leveler is going to stay put in that hole. If it does I think I would remove the toilet and do a skim coat across the entire floor.

If you do a skim coat across the entire floor you may be able to get away with not getting the luan (1/4" ply). But, if it was me, and it has been I would remove the particle board flooring, and install 3/4 ply. Then install with staggering joints the luan and then the vinyl.

JMO,

Yanita

Greg · Fri May 08, 2009 5:44 pm

Steve, Hi & welcome. I'm with Yanita on this. If possible, do the job once, the right way! It will involve some time, but over all it is a simple job. Mark's book covers this repair as well as about any other you may run into. Greg

68Marlette · Sat May 09, 2009 7:18 pm

Hey Steve,
I can't see the pic, says unavailable, but considering the information in Yanita's reply you have particle board (?). As Yanita says, best case... tear out the particle board and replace with approved plywood sub flooring. If not, approved underlayment panels are the best choice. Luan is not recommended as it is not regulated well and can cause "bottom staining". If you have ever seen yellowish stains in vinyl that can't be removed and are basically random with no distinguishable patterns... that is bottom staining. I think I would look into a particle board screws as fasteners. Skim coats I am familiar with are not approved for particle board. OSB is similar in its restrictions for vinyl also. Some perimeter bonds will work over smooth particle board, some total glue downs will work over OSB, the newer modified loose lays only over plywood. Where ever you are looking for vinyl get the manufacturers installation requirements. Do not rely on the sales people. Also try looking it up on their web page. A lot of info yes, but consider this... if flooring goes in and fails, it will likely cost 2 1/2 - 3 times the original install price to tear it out and do it over the right way.

Hope this helps and good luck!
Jim

Yanita · Sun May 10, 2009 8:25 am

Ummm, luan has been an acceptable over lay for many years. If a person was to read the manufacturer's install directio9ns with the vinyl they choose they will not that many recommend not to use the "birch" luan.

Yanita

68Marlette · Sun May 10, 2009 5:52 pm

Actually resilient flooring is not recommended over luan as a rule. There are many luan manufacturers from other counties that use exterior glues and there are wide varieties of qualities and species. Problems can be staining, indentations, loss of bond and delamination. As a rule manufacturers tend to recommend BC plywood or underlayment grade plywood. Multiply is great, but the plant burned down and i never heard if it went back into production. It is no longer carried in this region. Luan is commonly not stamped but if it is use BB or CC. In honesty one can do and choose whatever they want. If I had a dime for everytime I heard a contractor say "I've never used that or did it that way before" I'd be a rich man. If I had another dime for every consumer that told me their floor failed and they can't get a response from their contractor and after the right questions and answers it was determined improper practices or materials were used I'd be a richer man. Technology continues to evolve and with it new characteristics of flooring arrives and what is deemed acceptable or not acceptable in prep, materials and installation.

Jim