[DMCForum] Re: Ripping Out Cement & Wire Tile Base
From: "cruznmd" <racuti1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 21:55:19 -0000
This style of construction is new for me too. I'm from Florida
originally. Ranch style homes, no basements.
Rich
--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Lauren" <LPLand@xxxx> wrote:
>
>
> > I replaced one of my bathroom subfloors from below, leaving the mesh &
> > cement (and tile) in place.
>
> What's a subfloor? For that matter, what's a basement? <GGG>
> Construction out here is so different from back East, what you're
> describing is way beyond my expertise or experience. Here, it's just
> a house on a concrete slab. Basements are almost unheard of. Two
> reasons -- one because it's easier to spread out than dig down. And
> two -- digging down would require blasting. The desert turns
> minerals into a natural concrete called caliche (kuh-LEE-chee) --
> rock hard and a bitch to cut through. We had to jackhammer out
> fence post holes - and even then we could only set them 18" down.
> >
> > Original house construction set the bathtub (cast iron) on the
> > subfloor, then the cement was laid to its front edge. Of course water
> > ran down the edge (step children), puddled and ran down the crack
> > between it and the cement, and eventually ate up the subfloor.
>
> Then you should have made the stepkids dig it out ;)
> >
> > I ripped out the plywood from underneath (crawlspace) one joist width
> > at a time, and fed in new 16" strips. Finished floor briefly hung
> > suspended while I did it. Worked like a charm.
>
> WOW -- that's a major undertaking. Glad I don't live closer so you
> couldn't take me up on my offer.
> >
> > And I didn't have to relay any tile.
>
> I'd relay tile in a heartbeat before doing all that work!
>
> ......................LP
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