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Join Date 07/2004

How not to miss your husband

Part 1

My husband is at JRTC. Normally, I try to think of something to do while he's gone. I rearrange furniture, paint a room, maybe do some fix-it stuff around the house. These are things that he appreciates when I'm done, but really, hoonestly wants nothing to do with. That's fine with me, because it keeps me busy so I am to tired to mope around.

I have one up-ed myself this time. I started exactly one hour after I KNEW he was on the bus and driving away (I didn't want an Army Snafu to send him home for a few hours)
I started swinging a hammer and knocking out the tile in our bathtub. Here is a pic.

Now, I've been saying for years that there must have been water damage behind the tiles because they were shifting. (BTW I was right) I wish I wasn't, it was a nasty mess. The contractors had not put in hardi-board or waterproofed the drywall behind the tiles so the small amount of water wicked right up the wall, into the insulation etc. I had a good mask, and gloves, but yikes!

Now my standard is that when my DH walks back in the house after a field problem/deployment, ALL traces of repairs or construction HAVE to be wrapped up. I remember how exhausted I felt after dragging myself home and I know he feels the same way. NO mess. When he gets here IT HAS TO BE FINISHED.

Plus then he can't see any mistakes I make. Did I mention that I have no clue what I'm doing? I'm learning as I go.

I've learned that after the first swing, you are in for the long haul. There is no going back. Even if you instantly wish you hadn't opened this can of worms.

I've learned that if you pull at just the right angle, the entire wall will peel off. Provided that there is not water damage, of course, then it just crumbles.

I've also learned that tile is HEAVY and a 3x5 ft chuck of wall is not easy to carry and balance while unlocking a door.

I've learned that my dumpster is too small for all the stuff I pulled off, so now I have a stack of wall outside, waiting to be dealt with.

I've learned that even if the salespeople at Home Depot say, "It's easy to cut greenboard...just score it with this $10 blade and break it", THEY ARE LIARS!!! LIARS!

I've learned that Hardi-board is heavy, doesn't break if you score it even a third of the way through.

Hardi-board also will chew up your saw blade if you are too lazy to drag all the kids back to Home Depot and buy the right blade.

I've also learned that when you only have to finish a project you stop wishing that your DH's return date would come sooner. In fact, although you miss him very much, you start to wish you had just a little more time.

More on the continuing adventures later.....How to get free plumbing and a 4 year olds opinion on home repair

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I have done this myself and found exactly the same type thing.

One thing I learned the HARD way. If you plan on retiling.....use #15 felt (the kind roofers use) between your studs and hardibacker. And bring it down to the lip of the tub...(I did a shower stall, not a tub enclosure so it may be different but I'd still do it for extra protection.)

I already had the hardibacker up and had to take it all back down. The hardibacker is "water proof" but IS water penetrable. That means water can pass through it eventually. Take a piece of it and turn a glass of water upside down on it....after a while the water goes through the backer board, even though the backer board keeps it shape and doesn't get saturated. Something I didn't know until a contractor mentioned it.

The felt keeps the eventual moisture (if this shower is used a lot) from going into the wall....it leeches it back down into the tub if you leave a few weep holes at the bottom of your tiles when caulking.

Good luck! You are in for a LOT of work....I used big tiles thinking it would be less work....hahahahahahahaha. Not.

I also bleached my studs to make sure to kill all the mold....

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Oh my FIL built houses for years...he said they used the strips of drywall on the studs for leveling the wall and bringing it out flush with the tub...I used wood furring strips as my hardiback was 1/4" too shallow.

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Ok, here is a photo, if you look close at the bottom you can see the black felt coming to the lip of the tub....it was eventually covered by tile...

The tile, the mud, all of it is water penetrable eventually. That's why felt helps.

Final product.

I just did this a few months ago so if you have any questions just let me know.

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Good luck on your project! The deadline you've set makes it all the more exciting. You amaze me.

I couldn't even imagine undertaking a task like that.

How about replacing all that mess with something like this...

with no tiling necessary? (I think that's a picture of one giant piece of fiberglass...or at least that's what I intended.)

I know you embrace hard work, but this would be my choice for an easier way out because hard work freaks me out

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I know you embrace hard work, but this would be my choice for an easier way out because hard work freaks me out

Good idea! You may wanna consider it LH.

We may do this as an alternative to tile in another bathroom...we researched it and unless you want to tear out a wall to get a solid piece into the house, most of the units are in sections.

The sections go together somewhat like a tongue in groove pvc style....the price depends on thickness and namebrand....and whether the color goes all the way through the piece or is just a layer thing.....the solid color lasts forever, even with scratches...the other...about 10-15 years daily use.

They also make it to look like tiles....pretty cool.

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Thanks for all the comments.
Tova, OH NO! I didn't put felt behind the backer board and it's up. I wonder what I should do? My dad told me that you can waterproof it with a few good coats of latex paint. I thought that hardi-board wouldn't need that, but I guess I better go get paint now too.

Also, I bought big tile....thinking it would be easier than a bazzillion little ones. Why do you say it's harder? I can exchange it if needed.
What's the trick to cutting around the fixtures? I have three knobs (hot,cold and the flow from spigot o shower head) and the spigot and I'm not looking forward to that!

Angela, I looked into the surrounds. I've seen a few that are pieced together and they start to look bad after a few years, even if you get decent quality. (the silicon sealant on the corners etc) I decided that tile would look better...but you know me. I do everything 100% and not always with a lot of forethought!

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A new note on this project. hardi-board WILL break if you score it. but this method works best when you have a large (heavy) piece on either side of the score line. Close cuts and details don't "snap" off easily

but I'm getting there!

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The trick to the cut outs is a $50 wet saw you can buy at Lowes.....it saves lots of time and is well worth the expense.

The bigger tiles are heavier and you have to hold them in place longer while beating them with a mallet and holding the level....its tricky, and you'll sweat.

I'd take down the hardibacker and use felt. Paint is not waterproof and after a couple years of wetness will peel. I took down my hardibacker and it took me all of 30 minutes. I thought I was screwed because the screws would strip or something...they didn't! They came out EASY!

The felt really is the way to go.

Also a note on grout.....the sealant I used rocks but took like two weeks to dry....MAKE SURE YOU USE LITE GROUT! Dark grout changes color and gets kinda blotchy. Learned that the hard way..but I regrouted.....it has something to do with the moisture in the mastic? Something stupid anyway.

Keep me posted!

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I cut the hardibacker by scoring it and then laying it down on something right near the score line and snapping it that way.

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Looks like quite a project. Hopefully you'll meet your deadline and have it all wrapped up nicely as you wanted.

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Wow, I am so impressed that you take this kind of project on. I guess I should stop waiting for my husband to take on all the projects I want done and just jump in there myself. I'm scared I'll mess something up and it will cost more to fix than if I had just left it alone.

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MAKE SURE YOU USE LITE GROUT! Dark grout changes color and gets kinda blotchy.

Ohhhh, I didn't think of that. I'm planning on using 1/8 in spacers for the tile, so I have a med'ish color. I bought too much when I did the floor. I just planned on using the same stuff on the walll. sigh.

I cut the hardibacker by scoring it and then laying it down on something right near the score line and snapping it that way

That did work okay, but it didn't always leave a really flat edge ESPECIALLY when I just needed to cut off 3 inches.. So when I'm putting two pieces together, it didn't fit "exactly" right and my obsessive self had a field day till I just gave up and threw it together and figured the big tiles would be fine.

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The bigger tiles are heavier and you have to hold them in place longer while beating them with a mallet and holding the level....its tricky, and you'll sweat.

I can't find little tiles I like so I'll just get a workout. Besides I've lost 3 lbs since starting this project! It must be all the extra work.

I budgeted enough to pay for the work. But paying that much would HURT. So I am really motivated to do it myself.

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I budgeted enough to pay for the work

HAHAHA.

That's EXACTLY what I do....make sure I have enough to pay someone to come in and fix it if I need too.......hehe.

Smart cookie.

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