Tile question

[Fishboy]

I'm remodeling my bathroom and want to take up the tile floor. When I installed it, I took the old covering off to the plywood, mortared down a layer of backer board and using backer board screws, then a layer of mortar and then the tile.

My question is whether I should expect to replace only the tile and upper layer of mortar, keeping the backer board and underlying mortar layer.

I figured I'd rent a demolition hammer to do this job quickest, but wanted to ask if it's reasonable to expect that I can retain the backer board layer.

Aloha pumehana,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour

[Kapohocat]

What kind of flooring are you putting down in place of the existing tile?

[Fishboy]

Sorry, Kat, I should have mentioned that I'm replacing the tile floor with travertine. I'll be installing a heater coil over the backer board (we're in a cooler climate), laying down a scratch layer of mortar to cover the coils, another mortar layer, and the travertine.

The specs on the heater coil says the surface has to be smooth, so I figured I'd use a 9" disc sander to smooth the surface if I need to.

The reason I want to salvage the backer board that's there is my concern for taking out the screws that hold it down. I just figure it'd be less of a mess if I can chip along that layer above the backer board. This'll all play out when I actually get started on the job next weekend, but I wanted to ask in case I'm way off base and should just take out everything.

Aloha pumehana,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour

[JWFITZ]

I think you'll save yourself a lot of work if you take it all up. That stuff busts out with a flat bar very fast, and you take the screw stubs off with a disc grinder. Be very sure that the subdeck below the backer board is sound, as it often isn't, and the floor is super strong. I'd probably tear it out of that reason alone, because if it isn't, has rot or bugs, you'll put crazing in your nice new floor in short order, and the whole works will be a waste of time and money.

[DanielP]

If, in your first installation, you used a good admix to your thinset, chances are you have adhesion so good that even the plywood will be ruined. If the existing installation is sound and solid, you might consider applying a bonderizer right to the existing tile and then thinsetting your travertine right over the tile. The obvious problem could be that the finish floor might end up too high.

Good Luck, Dan

[EightFingers]

Be sure to seal the travertine well, mold likes to get into it and it's hard to clean once the mold gets going.

[Kapohocat]

quote:

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Originally posted by JWFITZ

I think you'll save yourself a lot of work if you take it all up. That stuff busts out with a flat bar very fast, and you take the screw stubs off with a disc grinder. Be very sure that the subdeck below the backer board is sound, as it often isn't, and the floor is super strong. I'd probably tear it out of that reason alone, because if it isn't, has rot or bugs, you'll put crazing in your nice new floor in short order, and the whole works will be a waste of time and money.

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Fishboy - I second JW's opinion.

[DanielP]

I must admit that it is better to remove anything questionable, down to the framing and start over with new plywood. 3/4" minimum.

[Fishboy]

Thanks a lot you guys. I guess there's an underlying reason for my asking the question in the first place: I'm basically cheap. I'll plan on taking up the whole thing.

Oh, and the framing and flooring is sound. No question about that.

Aloha pumehana,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour