Shower report
Sep. 26th, 2007 11:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bunnyjadwigaFor those new to the story---
the Tuesday before Southern Region War Camp in mid-July, we started having water coming out of the kitchen light fixture when the shower ran. A visiting friend and Sarah discovered that was not the tub drain, and it didn't happen when running a bath; but that there were more soft spots in the bathroom floor than there had been, and the toilet was never properly supported (and now of course the seal was failing due to movement etc.) So we've been using the downstairs toilet and only taking baths, pouring water over our heads with a pitcher.
Since then, the following things have happened:
- several contractors were called, including 2 personal friends; even if we could afford them, they didn't have time to work for us.
- the tub spigot & diverter washers, stems, supports and all but one actual knob have been replaced (thank you Sarah, Juergen, and Piscatello's Home Center)
- we now own a lot of new tools, including the $5 wrench for removing and replacing the brass washer inside the diverter because there is no other tool that will do it-- trust us, we tried
- The evil fake half-wall put up by the previous tenant to make a corner tub into something he could use a 3-sided tub surround on was removed. It was apparently held to the real wall with three screws.
- the L-shaped pipe from the diverter to the tub spout was replaced as it was still leaking, with PVC piping. (Thank you, harried Piscatello's guy, for walking us through this.)
Since Friday:
- 75% of the walls of the shower area were removed and replaced with greenboard (moisture and mold resistant drywall), which was duly spackled. (Juergen did some deedy work with a chisel and hammer so we didn't have to remove all the plywood)
- Home Despot showed its mofo incompetence by renting us a tool to cut stuff and selling us a blade which together would NOT cut 1/2" plywood; they did refund us the cost of the blade but not the rental.
- all the old caulk was removed from the tub.
- 3 sheets of waterproof FRP fiberglass and their connectors were latex cemented on to the wall to replace the tub surround. (Silicone caulk was used to attach the sheet connectors.) Sarah is the queen of gunk application and trowel wielding.
- Last night we recaulked the corner connector with regular caulk and caulked the tub-touching edges as well
- We also bought a corner stand and an over-the shower stand for toiletries
- We purchased the parts to make an L-shaped shower curtain rod out of PVC. (Lowe's employees actually have a clue about what they are selling and were helpful. All hail Lowe's, home store of choice when Piscatello's is closed.)
- We also purchased and applied special stick-on, l-shaped vinyl tub-to-wall edging to be triply sure no water could creep under. Also a massive splash guard for the back corner of the tub.
- Juergen will build the PVC curtain rod tonight, and we should be able to shower at home again-- the last three days, to allow things to cure, we've been going to a friend's house with towels in hand every night.
*whew* no wonder we're exhausted. We are not home remodeler types, generally. I know something about home remodeling from my mom (a plumber's granddaughter); Juergen is a carpenter's son; but we learned everything we knew about this project from my mom and the good folks at Piscatello's home center. Really, it pays to know your real local independent hardware store/home center-- any place where they will teach you carefully how to install stuff and give you advice on what's cheapest gets my vote.
the Tuesday before Southern Region War Camp in mid-July, we started having water coming out of the kitchen light fixture when the shower ran. A visiting friend and Sarah discovered that was not the tub drain, and it didn't happen when running a bath; but that there were more soft spots in the bathroom floor than there had been, and the toilet was never properly supported (and now of course the seal was failing due to movement etc.) So we've been using the downstairs toilet and only taking baths, pouring water over our heads with a pitcher.
Since then, the following things have happened:
- several contractors were called, including 2 personal friends; even if we could afford them, they didn't have time to work for us.
- the tub spigot & diverter washers, stems, supports and all but one actual knob have been replaced (thank you Sarah, Juergen, and Piscatello's Home Center)
- we now own a lot of new tools, including the $5 wrench for removing and replacing the brass washer inside the diverter because there is no other tool that will do it-- trust us, we tried
- The evil fake half-wall put up by the previous tenant to make a corner tub into something he could use a 3-sided tub surround on was removed. It was apparently held to the real wall with three screws.
- the L-shaped pipe from the diverter to the tub spout was replaced as it was still leaking, with PVC piping. (Thank you, harried Piscatello's guy, for walking us through this.)
Since Friday:
- 75% of the walls of the shower area were removed and replaced with greenboard (moisture and mold resistant drywall), which was duly spackled. (Juergen did some deedy work with a chisel and hammer so we didn't have to remove all the plywood)
- Home Despot showed its mofo incompetence by renting us a tool to cut stuff and selling us a blade which together would NOT cut 1/2" plywood; they did refund us the cost of the blade but not the rental.
- all the old caulk was removed from the tub.
- 3 sheets of waterproof FRP fiberglass and their connectors were latex cemented on to the wall to replace the tub surround. (Silicone caulk was used to attach the sheet connectors.) Sarah is the queen of gunk application and trowel wielding.
- Last night we recaulked the corner connector with regular caulk and caulked the tub-touching edges as well
- We also bought a corner stand and an over-the shower stand for toiletries
- We purchased the parts to make an L-shaped shower curtain rod out of PVC. (Lowe's employees actually have a clue about what they are selling and were helpful. All hail Lowe's, home store of choice when Piscatello's is closed.)
- We also purchased and applied special stick-on, l-shaped vinyl tub-to-wall edging to be triply sure no water could creep under. Also a massive splash guard for the back corner of the tub.
- Juergen will build the PVC curtain rod tonight, and we should be able to shower at home again-- the last three days, to allow things to cure, we've been going to a friend's house with towels in hand every night.
*whew* no wonder we're exhausted. We are not home remodeler types, generally. I know something about home remodeling from my mom (a plumber's granddaughter); Juergen is a carpenter's son; but we learned everything we knew about this project from my mom and the good folks at Piscatello's home center. Really, it pays to know your real local independent hardware store/home center-- any place where they will teach you carefully how to install stuff and give you advice on what's cheapest gets my vote.
