Ceramic Tiles in Bathroom

[Sputnik]

We just bought a condo and it has hideous orange 70s tile for the tub surround in the bathroom. We want to redo it - my bf wants it re-tiled and I was thinking of one of those pre-formed tub surrounds. How hard will it be to remove the old tile and install new tile? I've been looking online and mostly what I see is stuff about removing the whole drywall and starting fresh. Has anyone done this before?

[Sputnik]

I think it would be fairly easy/straightforward if the old tile wasn't there... so I'm just trying to find out the complexity of this before we get into anything. I think installing a fibreglass or plastic tub surround over the tile would be much easier.

[joatmon]

The tub surround is going to very much easier to do. You won't really know what prep work you'll have to do to the walls until you get the old tile off, how beat up the wall is from taking off the old tile. A smooth wall is more important for tiles than for a big sheet of plastic. With tile, after you glue it on, you have to grout it and then seal the grout. The tub surround would be a whole lot easier to keep clean afterwards, The. tile isn't that hard to do a decent job,I think the tile will look better, classier, in the long run if done well. I put in plasstic when I redid the bathrooms in my house.

[Sputnik]

My mom was saying that you can get really nice looking plastic type tub surround these days. My boyfriend prefers the look of tiles - as do I, but this is our first place that we've owned so we have NO home improvement experience whatsoever so I'm worried we're going to cause some kind of serious damage.

[joatmon]

You're talking about the walls around the tub, not floor tiles, correct?

[Sputnik]

Oh yeah I love it too - I watch stuff on TV all the time. We're going to install laminate wood flooring throughout the whole condo, do repainting, new kitchen counter, new or redone kitchen cupboards, and the bathroom tub surround. I can't wait!!!

[Sputnik]

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »You're talking about the walls around the tub, not floor tiles, correct?Thats correct. The floor is tiled already and its actually not bad.

[Sputnik]

My preference would be to just hire someone to come in and redo my tiles, give me a new showerhead and faucet and give me a new kitchen counter... but my bf wants to do it. I'm now reading the google groups for more info as well... lots of stuff there.

[joatmon]

Does the place only have the one bathroom? Do yoou have to live in it while doing the work or can you fix it up before you move in?If you do it yourself you will likely save some money and also learn how to do it. If you pay someone, it may get done quicker.

[Sputnik]

It has 1.5 bathrooms - so only one tub/shower area. We have it for a month before we have to move out of the apartment. We planned it that way to do the flooring and painting mainly.

[Caretaker]

I had 3 bathrooms which had 1962 small square pink/blue/tan floor tiles, and the common salt and pepper wall tiles in the shower. I just gutted one down to the studs. I recommend you do the same. Doing it 1/2 a$$ed will only make you a slave to the uneven walls and floors which you will encounter. Tear the whole thing out and put in the proper blue board around the tub/shower area. Then tear up the floor and put a new gray cement board floor down to allow the tile to adhere properly. Go to sterlingplumbing.com and pick out a great insert with glass doors to make your bathroom look bigger. Go to home depot and buy some nice 12' ceramic floor tiles and Thomasville cabinetry from stock. Go to plumbingexpress.com and find yourself a nice faucet and get a Toto Ultramaxx one piece toilet. Now then, that wasn't so bad was it???

[Sputnik]

Well the floor and toilet are fine... I just need to do something about the hideous orange shower tiles.

[Sputnik]

Well I think its decided that we will just buy some tub surround and put that over the tile. I'll have to take photos of it all beforehand. Rona and Home Depot here I come!

[Sputnik]

For those curious as to what the hideous tile looks like, here it is:

Attached files

[joatmon]

that tile isn't what I'd put in, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. when do you move in?

[Sputnik]

End of April, but we take possession on March 31st. Painting next weekend, followed by flooring on Easter weekend.

[Sputnik]

I took some "before" photos on Wednesday when went to check it out one last time before the 31st. I plan on taking lots of photos throughout the whole thing. I've never done any renos before so it should be ... interesting!

[Vibe]

Best of luck in your new home adventure. Being a homeowner since 1993 I can say it has it ups and downs,but the plus side is that when you do improvements --do them right --and watch the value increase over the years. Besides it is fun to sit back and say , "This is MINE".As for your 70ish orange tiles--I think for now the molded shower liner would be OK-- My bathroom has that and is just fine. Then later if you all decide to drastically gut and redo the bathroom down the road --you still have that option.GREAT LUCK on your new home and we know that you will be real busy ---but keep us posted.James (Vibe)

[Mojo72]

I like porcelain floor tiles better because they don't expose white nicks like the ceramic will if chipped.

[BlueCrush]

Nice one!

[Whelan]

Have you considered painting it? Ceramic tile is paintable as long as you do it right and cover with a clear urethane. http://www.askthebuilder.com/7...shtmlAlso, removing Tile can be problematic and you can get into more than you bargained for. Given that the tile is from the 70's you could maybe have rot or mold issues behind it as they did not have the kind of mold and waterproof backboarding like we do today. Preformed tubs are a great option, if you seal them properly. Sealing them properly then keeping up on maintenance of resealing every few years makes a huge difference. I would personally paint the tile, and get a new vanity with the money saved!

[ParknVibe]

The wall tile is not a bad design in your picture. First, you should inform the Condo Assoc. or Board that you would like to remodel your unit. Your neighbors may not like what you are doing on the other side of a party wall.Your old tile seems to be applied to blueboard or greenboard sheetrock with thinset cement (mastic). You perhaps can pry the tile off with a stiff putty knife and hammer. Then you can cut out the sheetrock. If you retile, cement board is better as a backerboard then sheetrock. You may have a firerated separation wall or party wall in which case you may need firecode sheetrock. To be safe try to use firecode C or X sheetrock if you are ripping walls apart. Remember you are in a Condo.Did you consider refinishing the wood floors by sanding and polyurthene instead of installing laminate flooring. I think some cheap laminate flooring may have a vinyl laminate film as a finish and not real wood. I like good old solid hardwood.

[Sputnik]

Holy thread resurrection batman!I don't even own this condo anymore (sold it five years ago).

[ParknVibe]

Sorry, I never notice or bothered to look at the dates. but a few of the Vibes here were leaving a comment just before I came to add my two cent.I took interest with the blog because it is somewhat connected with my profession. (of which I will not name)Question: Did you do the remodeling and sold the condo soon after?

[Sputnik]

Yep, we put in laminate flooring, had the tub surround covered over (not tiled), and a couple of new appliances. Then decided a year later we didn't like condo living so sold the condo for 18K more than we originally paid.