Retiling/ripping out old tile from bathroom
Hi. We're interested in doing a "facelift" on our master bathroom. The previous owners ripped out the shower door and replaced it with a curtain. The tiles on the floor of the shower, the walls of the shower, and the floor of the bathroom are all different colors and different sizes! It's awful.
I believe we're capable of doing some of the work, but was wondering if anybody has come across any problems with ripping up existing tile where there is radient heat underneath?
your radiant pipes shouldn't be an issues, since they be under the surface of the slab. Just be careful and don't dig up your slab when popping the tiles.
Here is a blog of a fellow rehabbing a mid-century modern home in Palm Springs. He offers good details in his DIY projects. I wish more Eichler owners would showcase their restorations and rehabs. They would be quite educational!
http://www.fridayfishwrap.com/houselog/
Let me know how your project goes. I am anticipating the same thing in a couple months.
Thanks so much for your advice. I'll take before and after pictures!
Good luck with your tile project. For technical advice from the professionals, you may also want to post over at the Tile Setting Forum at http://www.johnbridge.com --They have been very helpful in working w DIY'ers to avoid the common mistakes (cracking tile and grout; grout haze, etc.)
Cathye
Are these sites folks that have experience with Eichler homes? That's another issue I'm coming across... what to update it TO??!!
You can't go wrong with one inch mosiac tiles. Check out Bisazza tile at Home Depot's Expo. One inch penny tile would also work nicely on the floor. The ultimate would be terrazzo tile. Bisazza also makes.
Our original ca 1962 bathroom has 4x6 tiles on the shower walls, placed with 4 in parallel to floor, and 4x4 tiles on the floor. We intend to retile (old tiles very worn/chipping) but keep to the same sizes.
If you don't want authentic, marble or marble look or a subway style tile are also quite trendy. S
No, the site is not Eichler-specific. But technically, laying tile on slab is laying tile on slab. So if you are seeking advice as to tile setting technique, they can be helpful, as long as you thoroughly describe your situation. To your heating question, they would probably not be able to help with advice re the radiant heating under the tile (though some have had experience with this) or design advice.
I too, like many Eichler owners, have found the design decisions to be difficult and time-consuming to make. For ideas and inspiration, you may want to take a look at some issues of Dwell or Metropolitan Home magazine, if you have not already done so.
Cathye
Our mid century home is undergoing a bath remodel as I write this. some of the things i was able to do.
I salvaged 90% of the original bath tile, and saved all switches and appliances, (bathroom fan etc.) not exciting i know. but i wanted to reuse these items in an effort to maintain some originality in the work. we are using glass mosaics (colour backed) as well from interstyle tile in british columbia, http://www.insterstyle.bc.ca
to salvage the nice tiles that were there, we removed them carefully from the walls. and I chiseled the backs lightly to remove the old thinset. using a utility knife it just popped off the tiles in small pieces. (took about a weeks off hours work to clean these tiles.
our home isnt an eichler, but its so close in design ethic that i find many common issues and sources.
best
D.
