Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Bathtub ledger & cement board
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Bathtub ledger & cement board
joengn
05-14-07, 09:53 AM
Had success remodeling our 1/2 bath so I moved onto the full bath. Relatively handy guy but this is my first house so I'm still learning. I'm replacing all the 'fixtures' in our full bath and putting down a new floor and have a quick question. I removed the vanity, toilet and then the tiles and old avocado green cast iron bathtub with relatively no surprises (taking the sledge hammer to the tub was fun -- yes the new one will fit in the door/bathroom!). The water lines are all currently capped off. The bathtub sits adjacent to an exterior wall, all of which are constructed of concrete block covered in plaster. Much of the plaster was falling down because there is a window there that must have leaked. I'm having the window (along with all the others in the house) replaced Wednesday. So here's my two main questions:
1. There was no ledger supporting the old tub, just 2 or 3 1x1's sitting on end, nailed to the wood floor. Do I need to put a ledger on the wall (after leveling the new tub) and if so should I just attach it to the walls with tapcons? Or are the 1x1's sufficient for the new tub (which I expect to buy an acrylic/lighter tub).
2. I've knocked off all the old plaster that was loose but there is a significant amount left on two of the walls, along with old glue from the tiles. Can I put cement board on top of all this with construction adhesive and tapcons? It would be a very daunting task to try and get all that plaster off because what is still remaining is attached very well.
Never posted here but I'm looking forward to starting some conversations! Thanks in advance for the help!
Joe
1. There was no ledger supporting the old tub, just 2 or 3 1x1's sitting on end, nailed to the wood floor. Do I need to put a ledger on the wall (after leveling the new tub) and if so should I just attach it to the walls with tapcons? Or are the 1x1's sufficient for the new tub (which I expect to buy an acrylic/lighter tub).
2. I've knocked off all the old plaster that was loose but there is a significant amount left on two of the walls, along with old glue from the tiles. Can I put cement board on top of all this with construction adhesive and tapcons? It would be a very daunting task to try and get all that plaster off because what is still remaining is attached very well.
Never posted here but I'm looking forward to starting some conversations! Thanks in advance for the help!
Joe
Just Bill
05-14-07, 05:10 PM
1. Cast iron tub needed no ledger, had plenty of support built in. What is the new tub?? If not cast iron, yes it needs a nailer.
2. It depends on where the cement bord hit the tub. Board should just sit inside the tub lip. but not touch the the tub itself( to reduce chance of wicking water). But you want a good flat surface with not bulges or bends. Might need shimming, or cleaning off all the old stuff.
2. It depends on where the cement bord hit the tub. Board should just sit inside the tub lip. but not touch the the tub itself( to reduce chance of wicking water). But you want a good flat surface with not bulges or bends. Might need shimming, or cleaning off all the old stuff.
joengn
05-15-07, 11:03 AM
Well I haven't bought the new tub yet but I was planning on acrylic so that it was light and easier to maneuver into the spot. So I guess I should put the tub in, level it and mark the wall and then screw the nailer into the cement block wall and then put the tub in and attach it.
If I attached the cement board to the existing plaster wall there will be spots where there is no plaster (its crumbled away). I don't think it will make a bulge but it would be 'hollow' behind the cement board at those spots. No good? Maybe I should try to chisel away all the old plaster, it's just pretty stuck on there which is the problem.
Thanks for the reply!
If I attached the cement board to the existing plaster wall there will be spots where there is no plaster (its crumbled away). I don't think it will make a bulge but it would be 'hollow' behind the cement board at those spots. No good? Maybe I should try to chisel away all the old plaster, it's just pretty stuck on there which is the problem.
Thanks for the reply!