Question:

I am building a shower. I floated a motor bed over a hot mopped pan. I didn't slope the floor correctly - there are humps and valleys. How do I remove some of the mortor? I have scraped it with little success. Can I sand or grind it down. Any advice is appreciated.

Answer:

Not much help for you on this one. Scrapping and chipping is about all I could suggest before telling you to rip it out and start again. Maybe an electric power chipper could help you but that is about all I can suggest. I would use plywood but the real issue is making sure you have the same thickness of subfloor in the repair area than you have in the rest of the floor. Cut out the rotting floor to the point where you have good solid flooring left; I suspect this will only require a few square feet of flooring to be removed; not the entire floor. Cut a patch of plywood to fit the area; screw support pieces of 2 x 4 to the neighbouring joists to which your plywood will be screwed. Test the floor by standing on it to ensure there is no weak area. also check the toilet flange and plumbing below it as the rotting floor may have allowed the toilet to rock on the plumbing and possibly crack it. any evidence of leaks in the plumbing itself (not the seal) should be cause to replace that portion. When all is done, screw the flange tight to the plywood and your toilet and seal should be held secure. Bob Bathrooms First Inc. www.bathroomsfirst.ca

Answered By: Bob Steele

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