How to redo a bathroom floor? Do you feel an instant feeling of sadness as you walk into your bathroom? Maybe you feel like the floor is sagging beneath your feet, or you see that your tiles have a dull look and are buckling up from the ground. If you relate to this feeling even a little bit, it’s time for a bathroom floor remodeling!
It can seem like a daunting task at first: taking out your floor and putting a new one in. But we assure you that it’s easier than it sounds. All you have to do is put your DIY hat on and follow our easy guide on how to redo a bathroom floor!
Types of Flooring
Firstly, you’ve got three main options to choose from when it comes to bathroom flooring. Each has its pros and cons, so choose whichever you feel is best. Most of the time, it’s better to stick with the type installed already.
Wood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is usually found in period houses and other older homes. If you already have wood flooring in your house, a natural refresher is to just paint over them using the color of your choice. Make sure to use paints that are resistant to water and humidity. Put down rugs to protect wood flooring from scratches and cuts.
If your hardwood floor is damaged or is suffering from mold, you will need to replace it. This will cost more than the other types of floors at around $800 on average.
Not many people go for this flooring type when they redo a bathroom floor.
Vinyl Flooring
This is the newest type of flooring out of the three. Sophisticated printing technologies now allow you to make synthetic Vinyl look like virtually anything you want. You can have prints that exactly resemble and have a texture similar to wood, natural stone, or any other materials.
Vinyl is the most water and humidity-resistant type of flooring available in the market. New choices of luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) involve a thicker material with a high-class appearance at a fraction of the cost of traditional hardwood or stone flooring.
Vinyl is super cheap and easy to install. Coupled with the many different colors and textures available, Vinyl becomes one of the best flooring choices for you when you redo a bathroom floor.
Tile Flooring
This is the most popular choice among homeowners. You can go for standard ceramic tiles that are cheap, durable, and easy to maintain. Ceramic tiles are a great inexpensive option, but they don’t offer much more than a basic look.
If you are looking for a more elegant tiling choice, porcelain tiles will make for a great alternative. Porcelain has a moisture absorption rate of less than 0.5 percent, making it an ideal choice use in bathrooms that have humid environments.
Tiles are a beautiful, inexpensive, and easy option for your bathroom floor remodeling job.
Step 1: Gut the Current Fixtures
Make a plan of how you want your floor to look after the remodeling and what new fixtures you need to install.
Now that you’re ready to fully or partially redo a bathroom floor, you’ll begin by gutting the drywall and any other fixtures along the floor. Everybody gets the temptation to just grab a hammer and start swinging, but you’ll have to use a controlled hand if you want a decent bathroom floor remodeling job.
Here are the steps you need to follow to demolish old fixtures successfully:
- Start by turning off the water supply to your bathroom.
- To avoid any nasty spills, you must drain and remove the toilet. Plug the waste pipe using an old cloth/rag to prevent anything from falling inside and clogging it.
- Next, unplug the plumbing from your sink and remove it. If you have a bathtub, lift it out to check for mold. Clean out any mold.
- Cover your tub and begin detaching the bath tile down to the studs. We do this so we can rework the plumbing for the new tub/shower design.
- Remove all the baseboards and store them away for later use if needed.
- If you’re replacing your lighting, turn off the electricity before you remove the electrical fixtures in your bathroom.
- Use a reciprocating saw to pry out insulation from the bathroom walls by carefully cutting out the panels. Do not use a hammer. You will need gloves, safety masks, and goggles to protect yourself.
- Remove mirrors, towel racks, vanities, floor tiles, cabinets and all the fixtures you plan to replace.
- Remove the baseboards while removing the tile flooring. You can reinstall them later. Check for water damage under the tiles.
Now you’re ready to begin your bathroom floor redesign. Let’s see what’s next!
Step 2: Install the Shower/Bath Tub
Your bathroom is not gutted and ready for you to begin undertaking your design ideas. The first order of business is to install your new shower or bathtub. Ensure that your new shower or bathtub can sit comfortably in the space available and fits the décor design you’ve envisioned.
You have three shower remodeling design choices regarding shapes: square, rectangle, and pentangle. The base shape you decide to go with will be the foundation of your layout, so make sure you put some thought into it. Think about the location of the door or other features of your bathroom. You’re free to do as you like; you can even install a shower and tub together if your bathroom is big enough.
You should also replace the shower control and the toilet flange.
Now that we’re done with the tub/shower, you should check how well your new cabinets and vanity fit in your bathroom. You may have to adjust your electrical wiring if the dimensions for your new fittings are different.
Generally, you should move your power outlets and GFCIs (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) to be in line and level with your vanity. If you’ve never worked with electrical wiring before, your best option would be to call an electrician to make sure the work is done right.
Step 3: Install New Tiles
This step is the crux of your project to redo a bathroom floor. This is where the magic happens and the sweat drips down. It’s hard work! Take your time to pick out new floor tiles to make sure they match your preferences.
Before you begin tiling, we need to make sure that you don’t end up with crooked tiles that will ruin the look of your new bathroom floor. Keep your tiles in a straight line: mark reference lines perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the wall with the longest continuous line using a mason’s chalk line.
Make sure to install any wall tiles before working on floor tiles. Utilize grout in both wall and floor tiles but caulk the corners. You can find grout in a range of colors that you can use to enhance your overall bathroom decor.
Step 4: Paint the Walls
Your tiles are now down, and your new bathroom is starting to take shape. We need to paint the wall now. Firstly, hang a new dry wall and cut it to fit around your vanity and other fixtures. This can take some time, but don’t rush it as mistakes can ruin the look of your bathroom. Once they’re nailed in, you can move fast!
Now that your walls are up, this is the fun part. Use your creativity when choosing a paint color for your bathroom. Don’t be too extravagant, but don’t be too boring either. Opt for paint that has a satin or semi-gloss finish that is resistant to mold and damp.
Step 5: Add the New Fixtures and Features
When you redo a bathroom floor, it’s best to add new fixtures so that you can upgrade the look of your bathroom. Once you’ve taken care of the new flooring and walls, add your modern vanity, cabinets, and accessories you may want.
Get the vanity installed first and hooked up to the drain before moving on to installing other fixtures like the mirror or towel rod.
Now your bathroom looks like an actual bathroom! Let’s finish up by getting it functioning. Put your toilet in and make sure all your plumbing is working as it should be.
One last step: draw up a nice old shower or bath to reward yourself for a job well done!
Final Words
Knowing how to redo a bathroom floor can save you a lot of money from having to spend hundreds on hiring professional help. Now that you’ve got your new bathroom floor ready, you can move onto upgrading the rest of your house like a true DIYer! Check out our various guides on how you can improve your living space.
