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October 9, 2009
Best floor for 1890s bath?
Insta-poll for all the design experts here: Our 1890s bathrooms have original beadboard wainscotting, wood floors, wall hung sinks, and incredibly heavy clawfoot tubs with fixed-length plumbing. The floors are going to be very wet all the time. Should we expose the wood floors, use 2-inch hexagonal unglazed porcelain tile a la the 1890s, or cover with vinyl sheet flooring? We originally had our hearts set on real linoleum, but it's outrageously pricey at $30 a square foot installed.
Comments
I recommend that either ceramic or linoleum type flooring would be best. Leaving exposed wood will cause sub-flooring damage and mold. $30.00 per square foot seems steep. Shop around I’m sure you can have it done for less.
Posted by: Ray Bascaglia at October 9, 2009 1:28 PM
unglazed hex tile. get it sealed.
Posted by: BHS at October 9, 2009 1:37 PM
Definitely the hex tile--the even smaller kind that's white with black inserts is nice. I think sheet vinyl is riskier--the heavy tub could tear it without too much trouble and then you get water underneath the vinyl. This was the problem in all the baths in our wreck of a house, although it's safe to say the vinyl was cheap and probably not professionally installed.
Posted by: tinarina at October 9, 2009 1:51 PM
Mopar, I aint no design pro but even I know the tiles would look better
Posted by: more4less at October 9, 2009 5:39 PM
3/4 ply over the existant floor, followed by 5/8 wonderboard (glued and screwed) with tile over thinset
Posted by: eman1234 at October 9, 2009 10:03 PM
It's unanimous! Tile wins by a landslide. On Facebook too.
Posted by: mopar at October 9, 2009 11:11 PM
And sorry the room is so gosh awful hideous looking. We hope to fix that.
Posted by: mopar at October 10, 2009 12:53 AM
Sad the real linoleum didn't fit the budget! I love that stuff too. If our kitchen hadn't already been newly tiled by the seller with something acceptable I'd have put real linoleum in there. I love the retro look and it's easier on the feet for standing a long time doing dishes and cooking.
My vote: tile definitely. Unless you can find some salvage real linoleum. Yours is a smaller room so maybe you could use some leftover linoleum from a bigger project, at one of the places that sells salvage building materials.
Posted by: traditionalmod at October 10, 2009 9:48 AM
yep disconnect the tub, sink, toilet and redo with b/w hex tile. When you're in the market for claw foot tub fixtures check out Overstock.com. They had a pretty good selection when I last checked.
Posted by: jack slade at October 10, 2009 6:06 PM
Why would the floors be "very wet all the time"? IMO not using shower curtains and bath mats is asking for trouble.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 10, 2009 7:02 PM
i meant leave the sink =)
Posted by: jack slade at October 10, 2009 7:24 PM
Bob, thanks to your recommendations, we'll be using the three-curtain method. But human nature being what it is, I bet the floor (and the wall) will get wet.
Since so many great minds are in this thread, does anyone know: There is a board around the marble under the toilet. Can we get rid of this somehow and tile over it? It looks so messy.
Also, I take it we hire a plumber and they can move the 700-pound tub in and out of the bath?
Thank you!!!!
Posted by: mopar at October 10, 2009 11:55 PM
I think Hexagonal tiles -- combo, white and black -- would be best. It would like nice, I think...
Posted by: donatella at October 11, 2009 9:44 PM
You can remove the stone piece under the toilet. Your plumber will adjust and install a new wasteline thats flush with new floor.
Plumbers are lazy(no offence) you'll need a couple of labors or the guys that you hire to refinish the tub to move it.
Posted by: jack slade at October 12, 2009 9:53 AM
This is great info.
So, Jack, the entire waste line has to be replaced, not just the flange? That sounds really expensive! I am starting to think the board must be there because the modern toilet is too wide for the marble. There is a marble yard not too far from us. Do you think I could get them to come and measure precisely for a new marble piece? Do they understand toilet plumbing?
Re the tub refinishers, do they move tubs? I thought they just refinished them in place.
Thank you so much!!!
Posted by: mopar at October 12, 2009 2:59 PM
Also, we stripped all the wallpaper Sunday, and you wouldn't believe what we found! Running right along the back of the tub there is what appears to be wallpaper original to the 1890s house. The pattern is fake tile. Totally impractical, considering that spot is a prime one for wetness.
I'll post a photo as soon as I have one.
Posted by: mopar at October 12, 2009 3:03 PM
Mopar, I've seen those extra platforms in areas where old lead pipes were used to make 45 or 90 degree bends. You wont have to replace the entire line, the vertical stack should be in good shape. Also if the home is a legal 2 family you can use PVC pipes which is a lot cheaper and easier to work with.
Offer the refinishing guys a few extra bucks to move it. Tell them you're providing a work area because A) you'd like to make sure that the entire tub is sprayed evenly. And B) You don't want the other trade men to ruin their work by accidentally dropping tools that will chip the new paint.
Posted by: jack slade at October 12, 2009 3:50 PM
You're too funny! Thanks so much, Jack.
Posted by: mopar at October 12, 2009 4:54 PM
anytime mopar. good luck!
Posted by: jack slade at October 12, 2009 5:46 PM
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Posted by: musetti at October 14, 2009 4:25 AM
End of story here: We called two more places and got quotes that were more like $10 or $11 a square foot installed. We are going with Marmoleum in the kitchen, vinyl sheet flooring in the baths.
Posted by: mopar at November 19, 2009 5:16 PM
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