Bathroom Remodel How To Guides and Tutorials

When is the bathroom lighting addressed?   When starting a bathroom remodel - When is the bathroom lighting addressed? At the beginning of the project, or at the end?

I know the bathroom needs ...

How do I install grab rail in a tiled tub/shower stall?  Will you please explain how to install bathtub grab bars in a tiled tub shower stall.

Steve -

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How ...

Beginning Bathroom Remodel Help  I am getting ready to completely gut bathroom to the studs to begin a bathroom remodel. Its a huge bathroom. I'm going to put a temporary shower stall ...

What size shower door do I need?  My shower is a 31" shower purchased at Lowes. I do not know what size shower door to buy. There is one at the website that shows a 27-1/2 door as the ...

How high should you tile up the wall in a stand up shower  I have started a stand up shower remodel. The floor is in now. I'm using a 12x12 tile in a 3x5.5x3 foot shower, and also adding an accent with 4 in wide ...

Tile on a bathtub to cover damage  We are replacing the tile floor in our bathroom, tub and surround in good shape. The old tile was in cement, and so the floor will now be lower by about ...

Shower/tub tile remodel  Is a hardy board enough or should there be a water barrier behind the tiles and does there need to be insulation on the outside wall and the hardy board?...

Shower Floor Slope  Is it necessary to slope my shower floor? I have a concrete foundation. The stepdown into my shower is 3". My tile installer is telling me that I need ...

Putting a shower in a non-shower room  My boyfriend and I just purchased a home built in 1952 from his parents, and there is no shower in the home - only a bathtub. We don't want to get rid ...

70's style bathroom remodel  what is the easiest, cheapest way to remodel a bathroom with 70's style tile?

Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom Remodel How-To page....

Updating a bathroom mirror and medicine cabinet  Our home was built in the late 70's so our main bathroom is in need of updating. We have a large mirror over the sink and vanity. Under the mirror is ...

How to start a bathroom remodel for beginners  I'm a DIY beginner. How do I start a bathroom remodel?

Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom Remodel How-To page...

Samantha - you ...

Replace bathroom floor tiles  I moved into a remodeled house and the floor tiles are all cracking in the bathroom. How do I replace the tiles and ensure that those will not just crack ...

Bathtub surrounding tile  I am pulling out this old non-working spa tub and in its place installing a regular standard bathtub. I know some of the tile that surround the existing ...

New home owner with old bathroom  I have a very old bathroom and I'd like to renovate it myself. Where do I start?

Some Tips

Mary Beth - Thank you for submitting a question on our ...

Bathroom Tile Removal or Remodel  My bathroom has blue and red ceramic tiles from floor to ceiling and is quite outdated. How can I update the look without spending a fortune?

Thank ...

How do I remove bathroom floor & wall tiles?  This is my First Bathroom Remodel, and probably the 1st of many questions I'll need answered before I can even start demolition.

How do I remove bathroom ...

Slope Shower Floor  How do I slope my new shower floor?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower
How To question...

The slope of the shower floor is done by applying ...

Replace bathtub with a seperate shower and tub  How to install a tub and stand up shower?

I have a traditional bathroom with a tub/shower combination and 2 sink vanity. I would like to install a ...

Install a basement bathroom  Please provide help to install a bathroom basement.

I would like information about tapping into the drain line. Will I need to use a sump pump?

Please ...

How do I move my bathroom sink about 1 foot to the right?  I am doing a bathroom remodel, and currently, I have a 60 inch vanity, and the sink is heavily on the left hand side of the vanity. About 1 foot to the ...

How to wire GFCI  I have stripped the bathroom down to studs, tiled the floor etc as a part of a bathroom remodel.

I did a "home run" to the circuit panel, added two ...

What is a Standard Shower Door Size When Framing Your Own Shower?  WHAT IS THE MEASUREMENT OF A STANDARD SHOWER DOOR SIZE TO USE WHEN FRAMING A SHOWER?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower
How To question....

Waterproofing after concrete backer board  What is the next step after concrete backer board is installed?

The most important thing to bear in mind after installing your concrete or cement backer ...

Which job comes first in our bathroom remodel?  We want to know in what order jobs should be done. The following are the things we are doing:

refinish vanity
remove old vanity top and install ...

How do I remove an acrylic shower surround?  We are attempting to remove an old 3 piece cracked shower surround and replace with a new five piece one. Where do we begin?

DIYBathroomRemodel: Thank ...

Replace a toilet with a sink?  In the basement, I do not need a toilet - I do need a sink... Can I make the drain for the toilet work for a sink?

DIYBathroomRemodel: It is possible ...

Small Bathroom Remodel - Replacing Everything - Where to start?  Small bathroom remodel
I am replacing EVERYTHING in a very small bathroom - where do I start, after design -- floor? walls? demo? Is there a begin here ...

How do I remodel a bathroom after everthing is out?   We finished taking out EVERYTHING from our upstairs bathroom. The tub wall was wet in a section over 3 ft high so we took out all of the drywall around ...

Where is the best place to start a bathroom remodel?  I want to remodel my bathroom but not sure where to start. Should I do the floor first or last ?

Hello Pazman -

The order that I would handle things ...

Can I replace only the frame of my bypass shower door on my tub?  I am updating my bathroom with oil rubbed bronze faucets etc. My tub shower door framing is brushed nickel. Can I just replace the framing and keep the ...

How can I redo the doors to my bathroom vanity  I have a 60" vanity that I like, I want to redo the doors to it, how can I do this?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Paint How To question...

You ...

Replacing corner shower with a tub/shower combo but not sure if bathroom is wide enough??  I bought an older home and want to replace my corner shower with just a basic all in one tub/shower combo. My problem is that all tub/shower combos seem ...

Tub Tile Spaciing  What spacing do I need between the tub and the tile on the first row around the tub?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Tile How To question...

The ...

Basement Bathroom plumbing above floor  Can a sink, toilet and shower be installed in a basement above the concrete floor and be joined in to the abs pipe that exists?

I know that the drain ...

Can I install vinyl or some such material over the small 1 " square cube like tile  Is it possible to put vinyl or some such material over small 1 inch square tile that is on an existing bathroom floor?

Yes - You can lay vinyl flooring ...

Removing old tile and re-doing bathroom shower?  How difficult a task would this be for two women to tackle?

Hi Patty -

The task is definitely not too hard for two women to tackle -

Remove ...

How to replace a mirror surround around tub and shower.  I have plain mirror surround around my tub which also has a shower in the tub. Can I tile over the mirror? This is plain mirror not mirror tile.

Thanks ...

Polish marble bathroom counter tops  Is there a product you can use to rebuff your man made marble bathroom counter tops?

Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom Remodel How-...

In floor heating  In floor heating...thoughts? Should it cover every square inch or are there areas I can skimp?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Tile How To question....

Is a membrane needed between cement board and tile in a shower?  Hi, We are re-doing our shower. Now we are putting 12x12 onyx tiles on the shower walls. Our contractor guy is using cement board, but said we do not need ...

Adding concrete walls in bathroom  I am remodeling my bathroom and want to do it right the first time.

I plan to remove the sheetrock and replace it with concrete wall such as Durock ...

What is the best bathroom stall remodeling material?  I'm re-doing my small master bath shower stall (~3 x 3 feet) and would like input on the best material. The reason we're replacing our tile shower stall ...

Shower and Backer Board Dilemma  We had some shower tiles fall off and now more have fallen. There does not seem to be any backer board or anything behind the tiles. What do we do?

Thank ...

Shower Pan Liner Installation Questions  Hello-
I'm hoping you can give me a couple quick ideas/direction on a project I'm working on. I'm just a regular homeowner trying to tackle a shower pan ...

Do I need to take up the bathroom vanity in order to lay new marble tile?  The home was built in 1957. The floor has ceramic tiles on it. The previous owners laid plywood down over vinyl flooring and then tiled the floor. A ...

Re 'paint' shower pan  I want to REPLACE the shower door (L-shape), which is easy...can buy anywhere.

But I want to REDO the pan for the shower...I do not wish to deconstruct....

Redirect the flow of hot water in tankless system  Hello,
I have a hot water system that has a pump that pumps the water around the house in a loop so you can have instant hot water in the kitchen an ...

Adding onto bath vanity top?  Hello... I have a 60" bathroom vanity and it needs a new top. Is it possible to buy a smaller vanity top and add on to it with tile or wood? I'm trying ...

What is the best drywall for the bathroom  I have my bathroom gutted to the studs and want to know what is the best drywall to put in?


You should use cement board under any tile that you are ...

60 inch tub will not fit into the space because of the surrounding walls  60 inch tub will not fit into the space because of the surrounding walls..... help.

Without knowing the exact dimensions of the space you are trying ...

Remove bathtub from Master Bath - Is this ok to do from a resale point of view?  I wish to remove the tub from the master bedroom and install a large shower and change area instead, is this good idea? My home already has two other ...

Beadboard Paneling - Install during a bathroom remodel   How can I put an 8 foot beadboard panel in my bathroom when The ceilings are only 8 ft? Do I have to cut the paneling?

Thank you for submitting a question ...

I want to have large bathtub removed  What are the steps I need to take to remove bathtub and turn area into closet space.

Lorraine - Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom ...

Basement Bathroom Design Help  We are going to finish our basement bathroom, its a good size... 10 feet by 9 feet. When we framed up the basement our intention was to have a steam shower,...

How do I replace a bathtub drain  How do I replace a bathtub drain?




The first step in the process was to remove the old bathtub drain mechanism. Since the lift and lock drain is ...

Hi I live in a 60+ year old building. Some of the tiles in the Bathroom are falling off.   How should I go about replacing them? The Wall they were on also is damaged and brick size concrete/plaster can come off. Here is a pic of the worst area ...

Where to place accent tile in shower stall  If I tile the walls of my stall shower and want to put a 3" accent tile, how high from the floor should I put that accent tile? My ceiling is 8' high....

Bathroom Remodel Questions - How do you know  How do you know if your tub is in between the walls or a part of the walls? Mine, I think, is a standard tub that was installed in 1985 when the house ...

Bathroom remodel: Where to begin?  Hi. I'm looking to remodel my bathroom. Essentially the project will be done in two steps:
-Replace fixtures (bathtub, vanity, toilet)
-Tile the floor ...

Hot Water Pipe Problem  I am currently getting hot water in the kitchen and bathroom sinks but no water to the bath tub. I changed the faucet but that was not the issue. It ...

I want to remove a garden tub and put in a standard 60 in. tub. What do i do?  I want to remove a Garden Tub and put in a standard 60 in bathtub with shower. What do I have to do in order to rearrange the water supply and drainage?...

Replace Bathroom Grout  How do I replace bathroom grout?

Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom Remodel How-To page...

Common steps for removing and replacing ...

Leaking Shower Pan  Did they ever use tar paper as the water proofing when building old concrete shower pans? Just wondering if this was a DIY job done wrong or just the ...

How do I remove old tile in my shower that has a leak and has caused mold, and replace tile, shower pan and sheetrock?  I have a leak I am assuming in my shower pan. Which has caused mold in the sheetrock and some of the tile to pull apart and the baseboards to rot.

So,...

How do you tile over bathroom countertop when sink cannot be removed?  I have an odd bathroom countertop at 68" wide. I was thinking I would tile to be cheaper. Only problem is the sink is part of the countertop. Is it still ...

What is the best replacement for 4" x 4" shower tiles  what is a replacement for 4" x 4" tiles up the shower wall above the tub?


Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom Remodel How-To page....

Bathroom Remodel Project Replacing Tub Later  I am planning on replacing the bath vanity, toilet and install new tile floor and wall tiles. I don't want to tackle the tub removal and tub area tiling ...

Cost Involved in Converting Tub to Walk In Shower  How much work/cost is involved in removing a tub and creating a walk in shower?

Ingrid - Hello and thanks for submitting a Bathroom Shower How To question....

Tools to Use  Hello,
I would like to know what kind of tile saw is doing the best job in remodeling the bathroom?

Pankas - Hello , and Thank you for submitting a ...

Shower Tile size ?  We are in the midst of remodeling our Bathroom and are now tackling the shower.
We have selected a tile pattern for the walls, the size of the tile being ...

Which grout and sealer to use with tumbled glass mosaic tile  Which grout would I use with tumbled glass mosaic tile in a walk in shower? Also if I use a sealer would I lose the frosted look of the tumbled glass?...

How to paint over bathroom paneling?  I am renting an apartment with an old bathroom and it is not an option to remove or replace the paneling or the tub.

The paneling is white with flowers ...

Retile Shower Floor - tools, materials, and tips  I plan to remodel my shower floor and now I need to learn as much as I can before going to tackle the project myself. I have no experience with this. I ...

How do I Remove Old Caulking From Chrome Shower Frame? 
Check with your local home improvement warehouse store for some silicone caulk remover.

Apply the caulk remover, and allow it to sit for up to 30 ...

Bathroom Wallpaper Removal  What is the fastest and EASIEST way to remove wallpaper, and then prep the walls for paint?

Pam - Thank you for submitting a question to our Bathroom ...

No-Shower tub to a Shower tub  My husband and I decided to completely gut our bathroom. There are no walls or ceiling so the plumbing is exposed. Our house was built in the 40's and ...

Sheet rock  The sheet rock under the tiles on our bathroom walls is starting to disintegrate. The tiles are falling off because of it. How do we fix that?

---------
If ...

What is the sequence for the major parts of a powder room remodel?  My initial question was to be, "At what point in the powder room remodel do you install the new floor"? Overall sequencing could be helpful.

The project ...

Remove tub & replace with shower  What is the best way to do this project, replace the tub with a fiberglass shower or redo every thing with a tile shower?

I would like to make kind ...

How do you switch a bathtub to a shower?  How do you switch a bathtub for a stand up shower?

Hello Gary - and

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How To question...

You can start,...

Durock meeting Sheet Rock  Placed Durock around shower and will place sheetrock for the remaining wall area. How do you finish where the sheet rock meets the Durock? Do I use thinset ...

How to remove tile on concrete board in shower  we are remodeling and need advice on how to remove OLD tile from bathroom walls and shower. I started removing with a hammer and chisel, it is on concrete ...

How to repair wooden floor in bathroom   The wooden floor in our bathroom needs to be replaced where the kids spash water out of tub
onto floor.

-------------

Rebecca -

Thank you for ...

What to replace next in bathroom remodel?  My husband and I are remodeling our very horribly outdated master bath. We replaced the ceiling tile first because it was severely water damaged.

Our ...

How to remove bath/shower walls  How do I remove the plastic walls on my bath/shower? It looks like step one is to remove the caulking, but are the walls glued, nailed, just how are they ...

Updating a medicine cabinet  Our home was built in the late 70's so our main bathroom is in need of updating. We have a large mirror over the sink and vanity. Under the mirror is ...

Can you use the shower wall panels with a cast iron bathtub instead of retiling?  I have a cast iron bathtub and need to replace the tiles. I wanted to find out if I can install the shower wall panels that are sold at Home Depot/Lowes....

Redo Bathroom Countertops  Is there any way to recover the countertops that you already have in your bathroom, without having to buy all new cabinets and countertop?

For instance,...

Replacing a bidet with a shower  I need information on how to go about installing a shower where I currently have a bidet and the plumbing in place....

Thank you for submitting a question ...

I need a cheap stainless steel floor pan for a shower  I need a cheap Stainless Steel floor pan for my shower. Who can sell me this?
Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How To question...

Anyone ...

Moving a bathroom sink  I would like to move a bathroom sink about 2 feet along the same wall. Will I need to go underneath the house?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom ...

How to remodel a small bathroom  I have a 1/2 bathroom off my service porch. I want to gut the whole bathroom. It only has a sink and toilet. How Can I do it my self?

First of all, Thank ...

How to frame up and finish a bathroom shower   I am ripping out an old shower surround and want to replace it with tile. My question is, how do I build up the now non-existent walls? I assume I will ...

Separate Tub and Shower Drainage  We would like to install a separate tub and shower in our basement bathroom. There is an existing 2" drain pipe which we want to tie both fixtures to....

What type of backer board is code for tub and shower surround  What are the no-no's to backer boards in the bath/shower surround.......BLUE BOARD OR CEMENT BOARD?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How ...

Remove linoleum glue and backing 
To remove linoleum glue try Klean Strip adhesive remover. It is caustic, and will require ventilation and rubber gloves.

Good luck on your bathroom ...

How to remove bathroom tiles?  How to remove the current tiles in the bathroom?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Tile How To question...

There is nothing scientific about ...

Replace A Bathroom Sink  My current sink is 17" round undermount with the faucet holes in the sink. These are not made any longer.

I was told a 19" drop in sink would work....

Bathtub Faucet Problem  I have VERY hot water in the bathroom sink- but the tub/ shower water is lukewarm at best. Short of calling a plumber- what can I do?

Some Observations...

How to repair bathroom wall after tile removal  How would I repair a bathroom wall after tile removal? The wall needs to be prepped for painting.

Some Tips
Thank you for submitting a question ...

60 inch bathtub into a 60 inch opening  How do I fit my 60 inch tub into a 60 inch opening?

A little help
Thank you for submitting a question on our bathroom remodel how to page.

You ...

Move bathroom sink water pipes  How do I move my bathroom sink water pipes that are coming up from the floor into the wall?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Sink How To question....

How to install a shower in an old non-shower house  How do I install a shower and components in an older house than did not have one already installed. My house is about 60 years old. It was my parents ...

Replacing the bathtub and changing the supply lines  I am replacing my tub and also changing the supply from the existing three knobs (hot, cold and shower head) to a single arm control for on, hot/cold adjust ...

Revamp bathroom for handicap access  Replace bathtub with a handicap walk-in shower?

Some Suggestions

There are several alternatives - you can replace an existing bathtub with a walk-...

How to tile a shower  My bathroom has a stand up shower only and the tile needs to be replaced I don't have a lot of money and would like to do it myself where do i start and ...

How to replace bathroom faucets on sink and tub  I want to replace the existing chrome sink, shower, and tub faucets and handles(?)and replace with new ones, but I want to make sure I attach them properly....

Screening a shower situated over a bath in front of a window  Our new home has a power shower over the bath. The bath is situated under a fairly large window. Currently we have 2 shower curtains up on either side ...

Painting a Tub/Shower Combo  Could you paint a tub/shower combo a different color?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Paint How To question...

You can paint a tub/shower ...

How do I remove my bathtub?  I want to completely gut out my bathroom and start over. How do I remove by bathtub?

Some Suggestions
Thank you for submitting a question on our ...

How to remove bathtub and replace caulking  Once removed, how to replace bathtub caulk?

Our Response
Thank you for submitting a question on our bathroom remodel how to page.

To remove ...

Slate Deco Tile for Shower Walls  We are thinking of selecting a slate deco tile for the shower walls. Is slate acceptable for use in a shower on the walls? What is the maintenance to ...

Prep bathroom floor tiles to be replaced  what materials do I need to start floor replace project.....

Cookie - Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Tile How To question...

If you are talking ...

Replace a Bathtub With a Stall Shower  CAN I REPLACE A BATHTUB WITH A STALL SHOWER WITH MINIMUM DESTRUCTION IN THE BATHROOM?

Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How To question....

Replacing vanities   I plan to replace the vanities in two different bathrooms of a 1300 sq ft home. Do they need to match? How much should I coordinate? Cathy


[Our ...

How gut out a small half bath  I would like to remodel a small bathroom....

Everything needs to be replaced in it. My husband and I want to try to do it ourselves. We would like to ...

How do you remove a bathroom mirror that was glued on?  How do you remove a bathroom mirror that was glued on?


Our Tips...
Thank you for submitting a question on our bathroom remodel how to page.

If ...

Tub drain flange cracked  The ring around the tub drain is cracked and slanted, causing the fiberglass tub to crack as well.

I need to know how to fix both. A plumber looked ...

Tile over formica counters  Can you tile over formica counters?


Michel - Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Tile How To question...

If your Formica countertops are sound ...

DIY Bathtub Paint  How, or can you paint your old bathtub? No matter how you clean it, I can't get my bathtub clean. Can a person repaint a tub easily?

Thank you for submitting ...

Frame a New Custom Shower  NEED TO KNOW HOW TO BUILD A CUSTOM BATHROOM SHOWER. THE FRAMING OF THE SHOWER OR ROUGH IN.


Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower
How To ...

Bathtub that will fit into a 5 foot opening  Is there a bathtub available that can will fit into a 5 foot opening? We would rather not tear out walls to fit the tub.


One Possible Solution

Ben ...

Safe to leave a toilet removed during bathroom remodel  How long is it safe to leave a toilet off while remodeling a bathroom, and is there anything you need to do to keep gases from backing up?

Our Answer ...