I'm going to completely remodel my bathroom, but I've been getting
different opinions on issues. So I am asking for advice.

Background: it is about 11' feet square. The wall tile in on some
kind of board/morter, so there is a ledge about 4 feet high going all
around. It's original to the house, built in about 1950.

1. One person has told me that I should take everything out down to the
studs and in new wallboard. Some one else told me just to take the
tiles off and to refinish the walls. Which is better advice.

2. There is a slight drop going into the bathroom, so it would be
possible to put new floor tile over the old. The old tile is very small
pieces with some of the grout pretty much gone. One person said hat it
would be OK. Someone else said that it would never stick. Who is right?


Thanks.

We remodel bathrooms all the time. One person correctly said that under
the existing tile, there is a layer of mortar applied to a metal lath.

When the tile was installed, the installer nailed the metal lath
directly to the studs where the tile was to be applied. He then mixed
up mortar (concrete without the stones) and applied a "scratch coat" of
mortar about 1/2 thick. Before the mortar set up, he actually put
scratches in the surface. The scratches help hold and bind the tile
and mortar to the first layer.

When the first coat is dry, a new batch of mortar is mixed and the tile
is installed using the mortar as kind of an adhesive. The tile is
placed one by one with temporary "grout" spacers between the tiles.
Tile was sometimes available on paper or fiberglass "sheets". This
saved the installer of having to place every tile separately.

When removing the tile from your walls, you'll want to remove
everything, right down to the studs.

Our company has used every method we can think of to make the process
easier. But no matter what, removing the tile, motar and metal lath is
very physically demanding, dirty, dusty, and potentially hazardous to
your health.

Here's some tips we have found over the years:

1. Wear long blue jeans (and leather welding type chaps over them),
workboots, SAFETY GLASSES, a GOOD, snug fitting dust mask and a good,
heavy, thick pair of LEATHER GLOVES WHEN REMOVING THIS STUFF. Trust me!
2. Tools needed, 2 lb. sledge hammer, full sized crow bar, wonder bar,
"dyke" type side cutting pliers, cold chisels, at least 2 sturdy 5
gallon buckets with handles, 30 gallon plastic garbage can, shop
vacuum, dustpan, window fan (point fan to exhaust dust outside),
plastic and blue painters tape to seal doorway (take door off first),
seal off supply and return air vents (if any).
3. Reciprocating saw and/or circular saw with appropriate blades to cut
tile, mortar and metal lath, all at once.
4. You'll also need a cooler with 6 ice-cold beers per man and a bottle
of asprin!! (OK, not the beer!)

BEFORE YOU START:

Empty the vanity, closets and medicine chest.
Take wall pictures down (or anything that might vibrate loose from
banging) in adjacent rooms.
Protect EVERYTHING FROM DROPPED TOOLS AND FLYING DEBRIS. Two special
mentions, anything below the tile (if you don't want to damage it), and
especially the tub! We duct tape two layers of cardboard to the tub and
then cut and fit a 1/2" sheet of cheap plywood for the bottom of the
tub. Place this on top of the cardboard to stand on.

Cover the mirror(s) with cardboard, cover the vanity and stool (or
remove it) with fabric drop cloths.
Remove the towels and shower curtain (and rod if possible.
Remove glass shower enclosure doors and store.Cover metal enclosure
rails with blue painters tape. Tape cardboard to protect the bottom
rail.

If you intend to reuse the flooring, cover it with plywood or sub-floor
material.

Have a plan for removing debris. If carrying debris, protect the floors
you'll be walking on. Prop the storm door open, have your containers
(Dumpster, pick-up, whatever) parked near the door. Dump debris
directly into the container, not on the grounfd to pick up later. Trust
me!
Better yet, protect the window, and throw the debris directly into the
Dumpster, pickup, etc. Protect siding, plants, lawn.

Do nothing until you have accomplished the above.

Next, put on your safety glasses, mask, leather gloves.

Then, take a cold chisel and knock a hole all the way through the tile,
mortar and metal lath. See what you're dealing with. Measure thickness
for setting saw depth.

If you can, cut all the way through the layers (but try NOT to cut the
studs more than a 1/4" deep) into 12" (or so) strips. Use a reprocating
saw with an appropriate, short blade or a circular saw. You can cut
either vertically or horizontally.

Use a crowbar to remove get under the tile and mortar and pull out the
metal lath nails from the studs. This will release the whole layer
(tile, motar and metal lath) at one time. BE CAREFUL. The sharp edges
of the metal lath will cut your skin in an instant. Trust me!

Use whatever means you have to get these nails out. Every installation
is a little different. Do whatever works best. It's handy to have two
people working together . . . one using the tools and one holding and
pulling off the layers.

What I've written is a digest of nearly 30 years as a home remodeling
contractor.

It's a much longer story than I had intended. Nevertheless, that's the
story.

Robb B.