Hire Pros Before You Get Bogged
Down
Don’t think you need to do the whole job solo if you
don’t feel qualified or able to perform all the tasks, especially the
plumbing and electrical work. Pros will greatly speed up the project, which is
particularly important if the bathroom under
construction is the only one in the house.
You
must get permits before tackling a bathroom
remodel. Contact your building inspector to go over the scope of the project to
find out exactly how much you’re permitted to do. When your permit is
granted, you’ll receive a schedule list that’ll tell you when to
call for inspections.
Remember To Shut Off The Water Before
Demolition
The special-order fixtures, fittings, shower pan, tile and
glass block panel can take weeks to get in hand, so do the necessary legwork
and ordering well in advance.
Before gutting the bathroom, check to make sure that there
are shutoffs for all the fixtures or a master shutoff for the entire bathroom.
If not, buy ball valve shutoffs sized to fit your pipes. Then turn off the main
water supply line where it comes into the house from outside, cut the pipes
feeding the bathroom and install the new shut-offs right away (see
Photo 7).
Disconnect the trap from the tub, remove any clips,
fasteners or screws that hold the tub to the wall, and demolish the old cast
iron tub with a sledgehammer (see “For More Information”). Remove
the sink and toilet. Turn off the electricity at the main panel and remove
light fixtures. Cap the wires with wire connectors. Then rip out the wall
finishes and surfaces clean down to the studs and pull out any insulation. If
your ceiling is in good shape, use a utility knife to cut the drywall along the
edges so the wall materials will separate cleanly from the
ceiling.
You Can Complete The Glass Block Project The
First Weekend
Converting a bathtub with a conventional window above it
to a shower is dicey business, but the result is striking. Order a premade
glass block window to fit your existing opening (see “How to Order a
Glass Block Window Panel). Look under “Glass Block”
in the Yellow Pages to find a supplier.
The key to a weatherproof, attractive glass block window
both inside and out is to encase it in a custom-built wooden frame (Fig. A) with inside dimensions that are 1/2 in.
taller and wider than the panel itself. That will give you room to adjust and
shim the panel exactly and then inject expanding foam between the frame and the
panel to lock it into the opening (Photos 3 and
4).
To begin, rip the top and side jambs to the thickness of
the wall framing plus the exterior wall sheathing. The cement board will lap
over the jambs. The windowsill should also be flush with the interior framing,
but hang over the outside sheathing about 1-1/2 in. and have a 5-degree slope
toward the outside to help shed water. To keep water from running behind the
siding as it drips off the edge, cut a shallow groove (or saw kerf) in the
bottom lip (Fig. A). Also, remember to flash behind the trim
to keep the window watertight. Trim the window exterior to match the house,
using caulk to seal between the trim and siding.
It’s important to set the panel so it protrudes 1/4
in. past the finished tile surface (Fig. A).
That way, a bead of caulk can seal the joint between the tile and block to keep
water out of the wall cavity.
