Need to replace one-piece fiberglass shower/tub

[TomFOhio]

Zanne, if you are an hour away from HF, I would think you would be better off to go to Lowe's. Porter Cable is a better brand. I bought
mine from HF because the only time I used it was to grind letters off of cast iron pipe where a band had to go. If I need it once in a while
I have one.

 

[Zanne]

Thanks, Tom. Lowes is also an hour away so its the same distance to both stores. I get a 10% discount at Lowes but the sales tax is 10.5%.

 

[frodo]

their are 2 different types of grinder wheel attachments. for the 4 1/2'' grinder
one has 5/8 threads and screws onto your 5/8 arbor
the other dose not have threads the hole is 7/8 and you can use it on a 5/8 arbor if you use an adapter
disc some grinders come with the adapter some do not and have to be bought separate

 

[Zanne]

Thanks, Frodo! Hope you're doing well!
Looks like all of the grinders I looked at are 5/8in-11 arbor. Kidney stones were bugging me the last few days so I'm hoping to go today (Friday).

 

[Zanne]

Picked up the Porter Cable Grinder & the diamond cup wheel. Lowes didn't have the wheels so I got one from Harbor Freight. The nice lady at the checkout applied a 20% off coupon even though I didn't have any coupons with me and applied other in-store coupons to some misc items we grabbed. I just need to get a face-shield since the old one fell on the floor & got stepped on. My best friend volunteered to do the grinding bc he's worried I might injure myself. I got extra safety goggles & gloves too.

Back to the reno for the ugly green bathroom, I'm wondering if I can get away with PEX and Sharkbite fittings if they are in the areas with access panels. That way I can check on them & fix them if there are leaks. PEX will give me a bit more wiggle room for adjusting valves & such so they will be positioned properly for the trim & faucets.

Before I cut any holes in the surround, I will do sort of a dry fit & mark things with tape where holes will be cut. For the grab bars, I'm thinking I can use some scrap wood that will be the same thickness as the bump-in of the walls & adhere them to the wall panels where grab bars will go. I'll put the bracing boards secured to the studs so they will line up with the backers. That way I can use screws long enough to go through the backers & secure to the braces. Frog tape should be able to mark where the braces are for grab bar placement.

The trim kit is about 7" diameter and I think the hole needs to be about 5"? I'll make it smaller first to err on the side of caution & practice with cardboard mockups.

I'm trying to figure out the best vent options. Since I'll be using a 2" trap, under IPC I should be able to run it toward the adjacent tub & tie together in the linen closet.

Question: Since it is unlikely that both showers will be running at the same time, would it be ok to sort of wet vent the shower by having it tie in to the same drain/vent as the other tub? Or should I do an auxiliary vent inside the linen closet (the lowest shelf is about 30" from the floor) and merge the vent below the lowest shelf?

If I do a vent before the pipe goes down vertically, what fitting should I use to attach the vent?

 

[Zanne]

I was going over the photos from under the house and I noticed something:
What I had thought (and previously labeled) was the toilet drain for B looks like it may have been a vent pipe. But it does not seem to go out through the roof (there is only one pipe coming out of the roof & it's on the southeast side of the house). When I was looking at the layout, I realized the one I've labeled in purple is behind the water supply line which would put it inside the wall. This could be one of the vent pipes our old plumber was talking about. He did the plumbing on the place starting in the 40s & 50s and swore he put in vents but that they were gone. The former owners of the house did some terrible DIY renos in the 70s & the tenants further mucked with the plumbing.


So, IF that was a vent & it terminates inside the wall or attic & is not capped off, could it be allowing gases into the house? If so, could that be contributing to what makes people in my house so tired all the time? Whenever we have visitors over, they say that being inside the house makes them unusually tired.

When we first moved back to the house, the sewer gas smells were very strong, but I know that over time people become nose-blind to things. My friends have commented on unpleasant odors & every once in awhile we catch whiffs of very unpleasant mystery odors & we can't locate the source. They smell quite a bit like the odors from the toilet leaking.

If that pipe is still a vent & still intact enough that it could be repaired, I would like to find a way to use it. I realize that it does not connect correctly to the toilet drain so that would have to be redone. My mother said that she is not attached to the fugly green striped wall paneling in her bathroom & that she would be ok with it being painted and/or have the lower portion covered with beaboard wainscoting. So when we go to renovate her bathroom we could open up that wall. Eventually we plan to paint the walls but I don't know if the seams would be visible if we didn't cover where the paneling was cut.

For the roof, I've seen roof "boots" that go around vent pipes but don't know

Some numbered questions for the TL: DR version.

1. Could gases from a vent terminating inside the wall or attic be causing my family's fatigue?
2. Is cutting a hole in the roof to run a vent through within the skill level of a plumber? (roof is metal)
3. Should I be worried about leaks from the roof if I do get a vent added?
4. Could I still sort of wet vent my showers together (tie in closer one above and farther one below) & then tie in to the existing vent inside the wall?
5. Any tips or suggestions (other than "stop procrastinating & get it done already")?

Here are two rough sketches of the ideas. When I did plan A, I forgot that the toilet in B3 is farther west than the toilet in B2 & the pipes will be in a line going east to west. The lavs will have separate venting but will tie in to the same drain line to connect up with the main soil pipe. I will probably need some bends/long sweeps to get it to tie in with the main soil pipe.

I'm only including B & C pics. If I do C version, I will reduce the vent pipe size to 1.5" in case it has to pass through studs. Although, if there are studs in the way, I will reduce to 1.5" for the B layout as well. Fewer holes through the floor would be easier, but I don't want to have problems with draining. I will also need to figure out what type of bit to use to drill the larger holes.

 

[Zanne]

I've decided I don't want to wet vent. I also think that what I currently have is an attempt to circuit vent but it's just not done properly. I don't even know if circuit venting is allowed these days.

Anyway, I have plan D now. Although, depending on stud location, I may need to move my toilet's vent to the right instead of to the left of the main vent.


If I have to cut holes through studs anywhere, I'll reinforce them with Simpson Strong Tie Stud Shoe which will also stop nails from going through. Might not be necessary in a non-loadbearing wall, but better safe than sorry.

*Can one of the toilets have a 1-1/2" branch vent before tying in to a 2" vent?
*Can a vent serving 2 toilets, 1 tub, and 1 shower be reduced to 1-1/2" before going out the roof?

(I think it's a yes if I go by toilets being 3dfu each so that is 6 & the tub & shower is another 2 each so it's 10 & that is the max allowed dfu for 1-1/2" vent, but I want to be certain).

 

[frodo]

https://www.jakesales.com/Black-Dek...ipe-Boot-p/black-round-epdm-pipe-flashing.htm

use dektite on a metal roof...100% sillycone between flashing and roof..screwed every 3'' all the way around

1. Could gases from a vent terminating inside the wall or attic be causing my family's fatigue?
yes
2. Is cutting a hole in the roof to run a vent through within the skill level of a plumber? (roof is metal)
yes
3. Should I be worried about leaks from the roof if I do get a vent added?
yes, if it is not done correctly, you should be worried
4. Could I still sort of wet vent my showers together (tie in closer one above and farther one below) & then tie in to the existing vent inside the wall?
question confused the crap out of me
5. Any tips or suggestions (other than "stop procrastinating & get it done already")?
lol
you have been plotting and planning for 3 years



*Can one of the toilets have a 1-1/2" branch vent before tying in to a 2" vent?
is it being wet vented? if yes, 2'' minimum
*Can a vent serving 2 toilets, 1 tub, and 1 shower be reduced to 1-1/2" before going out the roof?
any et vents? 2''

 

[Zanne]

Thanks, Frodo! I was looking at this Oatey roof boot designed for metal roofing. Lowes has about the same thing in stock. But if you think the Dektite is better, I'll add it to my list. Does Dektite #3 gray look ok?

HD recommended this flashing silicone on the website. I'll use it under the roof boot, around the roof boot, around the screws, and around the pipe- I want to make sure that thing is sealed up nice & tight.

Note to self: Get 8' ladder to access attic. The 6' ladder isn't tall enough for me to see into the attic bc I can't safely stand on the top (I lose my balance w/ both feet square on the ground).

Screws every 3"- (writing this down). Photos have shown the hex head ones with attached washers but I'll have to figure out diameter & length. Since the boot has aluminium & the roof is steel (I think) what metal for the screws would be best?

Disregard question #4. I was thinking of wet-venting my shower through the tub's drain but have decided that even though it will be more work & materials, I'll give them each their own branch vents.

LOL. I've been working on my own bathroom project for 10 years & it hasn't had a toilet since July 2008. I think I should get like negative stars for that procrastination. But I feel good about getting moving on things & Mom even bought me the flooring saw I wanted. I can use it to cut trim as well as floor.

I've been trying to prioritize better. Right now I'm focused on getting my floor fixed enough to put the toilet in. I may even be able to get my shower set up before we start working on Mom's bathroom. Once my bathroom is working & she can use it, we can then work on hers. I need to do some measuring & figure out which half of the room to start subfloor removal on first. I'm thinking on the tub side-- we can move stuff (including the toilet) over to the vanity, tear the tub out, cut out a section of the wall panel behind where the toilet sits, rough in some of the plumbing, remove the subfloor (giving better access to lay out drains & connect to vents), put new subfloor in, notch/shim linen closet studs to make sure shower fits & get it in, caulk around that mofo, put wall panel back on, move stuff over to shower side & get it out of the way, pull remaining subfloor, replace it, paint walls & vanity, bring sheet vinyl in, move everything out of the way, lay it down & trim, use a little doublesided acrylic tape to lock it down in specific areas to keep it from moving, get everything back in place & toilet set in,

I think the biggest problem will be that the doorway is narrow-- only 24" & that tall cabinet will be a total pain to move out of the way & find a spot where it won't block the doorway. I think I'll have Mom set up in the living room watching her Dr. Pimplepopper stuff on TV while we work. She can DVR that crap on the Hopper now.

Still a ton to do, but I'm trying to get my bathroom done very soon. Hoping to get self-leveling done on Thursday. It takes a few hours to dry so hopefully I can get the sheet vinyl secured the next day.

Just for reference: here is the botched floor job before grinding:


And after:


Cant see from the pics but there were high ridges all around the flange. I vacuumed after those last pics so it's even cleaner now.

 

[frodo]

set a toilet, you can always pull it later when you figure out what floor you want

 

[Zanne]

I already have the floor- vinyl sheet. It's cut & already in place, but it was too bumpy underneath before the grinding. This pic is from when it was put in loosely- it doesn't bump up like that anymore.
It still needs some adjusting, tightening, and trimming.
I had to fold it back to grind the bumps & I put it back in place until we do the leveling. Once the leveling dries, I'll roll the sheet vinyl back on, and do the aforementioned adjusting, tightening/securing, & trimming.

This is the same stuff that will be going in to my mother's bathroom. We already have the roll of sheet vinyl waiting to be rolled out cut once we fix the subfloor. It's ugly, but it is thick & inexpensive.

 

[Zanne]

The Delta shower arm flanges just arrived. They are very shiny & pretty. Nice solid metal. Our old flanges are rusty. I'll have to get some pics once my phone charges. Battery has been going down while the phone is off & I don't know why. But, I'm excited about getting more stuff done.
My Skil floor saw arrived too. The box was so large that the postal worker couldn't pass it over the counter. She had to wheel it over to a door on the cart so I could take it off the cart & carry it out to my truck.
I'm still waiting for the shower trim/lever to arrive but the valve came in.

I just had total brain freeze.

 

[Zanne]

Well, the best laid plans of mice & men... While we were at Lowes, my friend got a call that they urgently needed him to come in to work (even though it was his day off). ALL of the arcade machines stopped working & he needed to get over there to fix the problem. I forgot a couple things on my shopping list bc it took longer at the store than expected - due to the store having re-organized & the website hadn't been revised to have things listed in the right aisle & bay so I was searching for aisles & bays that no longer existed & having a hard time finding stuff. It also just poured rain most of the day & didn't seem like a good day for the project. It's still raining now. I want to try it tomorrow after I run up to the nearer Lowes to grab some stuff I forgot. Something I ordered was shipped to store & we got the notice that it arrived so I need to pick it up tomorrow.

I'm going to practice using the stirring attachment on my drill in some water just to get the hang of it before I do the actual mix. This time I'm not using any additives to speed along the drying process like last time & the mix is fresh. I'm also going to make sure there are no lumps when I go to pour. I need to grab some sort of sifter to make sure no big lumps get through (if there are any) & I'll break up anything that seems lumpy. I may just go ahead & do it w/o my friend since he's not off again until Tuesday. I want to get this done.

 

[Zanne]

I'm not forgetting about this. Friend had his own plumbing emergency & wasn't able to come over. I actually went over & helped him. He didn't take my advice on vent pipes or running the PEX under the house instead of on the outside on the ground where they will likely freeze when winter comes. It will bite him later but I'll be too polite to say "I told you so". But, for now he has running water. I'm going over tomorrow to help make a template for his kitchen sink to cut in the new countertop. He has my tools again, but I made sure he knows I'm taking them all back on Thursday so I don't have to wait months to get them back & have some things come up missing or broken (he doesn't mean to do it, but there are other people who come through & mess w/ stuff in his house sometimes- although one of them is no longer allowed over).

I did show him the difference between a wye & a tee and made sure he got a wye instead of a tee for going from vertical to horizontal. At least he listened on that part. I told him I'd help him configure it to vent properly. The upside is that he has a tool to close the pex crimp ring thingies (I think they are crimp- they have a metal bit that is pinched to make them tighten). So I can borrow it & use those types of fittings instead of push-fit. Maybe it's a cinch-fitting? I'm not sure about the name.

I was planning to do this on Thursday instead but the guys at the flooring forum are strongly advising me to use the additive, but I'd have to order it & either have it shipped to store or delivered to my house. I just had a horrible experience with Lowes losing an expensive item I had shipped to store (and to add insult to it they just e-mailed me again to remind me to pick it up even though I wasted 5 hours- 2hrs driving time & 3hrs waiting in the store) & I'm not sure if I trust the delivery bc they tend to break things. I'm also trying to figure out how much additive I will need. I'm thinking of getting the gallon size just in case bc I think last time the amount I used was insufficient. It says mix 2-1/2 parts powder to 1 part additive. I have sieves to make sure there are no lumps this time and I have dry measuring cups and wet measuring cups.

I really want to get this done so the postponing is driving me batty.

 

[Zanne]

Finally did the first layer of repair patch & it went much smoother. We only mixed a very small batch & put it on very thin to fill in some of the pits. Some of the old bumps are still sticking up high enough to make it not feel as smooth, but it went on much better, didn't have the same horrible odor, & worked out much better. While it isn't completely smooth, it's a vast improvement thus far. It was pretty easy to mix so I think I can mix without help & do a test area to practice my trowel skills. I tried to wipe the trowel down when I was done but didn't get all the stuff off it so I will need to clean it off better before re-use. But, I'm still happy with the results. I'll take pictures during daylight hours to show the difference. Once I get it smooth/flat enough, I'll get my friend to help me adjust the sheet vinyl (it will take 2 people to move it w/o tearing it).

 

[Zanne]

This is what it looks like now. I'm still trying to find some misplaced tools but can proceed w/o them if necessary.
I'm hoping the bit on the flange won't interfere w/ the wax ring. If it could, I'll try to clean it off. I plan to work from the right corner next to try to get it to be flatter.

 

[Zanne]

Still procrastinating.
I'm sore from having to replace a phoneline under the house. It sounds simple enough, but my fat a$$ having to military crawl, twist, & squeeze around, over, & under things didn't do my body any favors. I did get an outside faucet replaced though. While I was crawling under the house to run the new line I saw that the joist under my tub wasn't just partially notched-- it was notched all the way through with a huge chunk taken out. Looks like I have an above-the-floor drain with plywood covering so all I can see is where the trap comes down under the overflow. I also got a better look at the patch in the floor under the toilet. It doesn't look as bad from the bottom as it does from the top. I'm not sure if there is more than one layer of wood. The top looks like it was particle board or OSB but the bottom looks like plywood. It needs better reinforcement though. I might not have to replace as much of the floor as I thought I would. I may just need to figure out the current thickness & see if I can find something that will fit. Meanwhile, I will need to address the notched joist as well. I think if I switch to direct drain (with trap below the drain instead of the overflow) it won't have a reason to go through the joist. I can route around it, maybe stick a chunk of wood in to the notch (which I know won't be sufficient reinforcement), add a joist box & possibly sister it up.

 

[Zanne]

You will need a professional cleaning service

Not gonna happen. Also, not sure why I would "need" one.

 

[havasu]

Ignore that spammer. I killed him.

 

[Zanne]

LOL. I suspected it was spam but there were no links.
Thank you!