Welcome to Our Shower Remodeling Profile - Indianapolis Contractor Central
Indianapolis Home Remodeling Tips - Shower Renovations, Bathrooms & Updates
A popular choice for Indianapolis homeowners when it comes to bathroom remodeling is the updated bathtub and shower remodel. Unlike renovating a shower, the bathtub is the hardest of all bathroom fixtures to install for the same reason it is the hardest to remove from your bathroom - it's big, clunky, heavy and you almsot always have to make some plumbing arrangements during the removal. Thus, a quality shower and bath remodeling expert is usually needed. However, if you are considering DIY work, read up below:
If the tub is cast iron, you will probably need two remodelers to help. The tub itself rests on the room's subfloor, so it goes in place before you lay your surface floor and tile. You generally attach the supply and drain pipes after the tub is in position. The faucet, spout and shower fittings go in when the walls are finished. There are all sorts of bathtubs, made of different materials and varying in size and configuration. Each has its own peculiarities of installation, and you should be sure to get printed installation instructions from your dealer or the unit's manufacturer in the Indy area. Again, as qualified shower remodelers, we can help with this process.
Tools: dolly, wrench, screwdriver, hammer, drill, caulking gun
Supplies: 2 by 4 supports for built-in tub, common nails, shims, roll of fiberglass insulation, several runners, joint tape or compound
If your shower tub does not come with a blanket or padding or insulation attached to the base, buy a single roll of fiberglass insulation at your home remodeling center like an Indianapolis area Home Depot and cut a section to fit against the sides of the fixture. The insulation cuts down bathtub noise and also keeps the fixture holding heat longer. If there's enough space, you can put insulation under the tub as well.
Built in shower tubs require 2 by 4 supports along the walls for the tub's flanges to rest on. Sometimes you can use the supports already in place from a previous tub, but you must measure heights very carefully. If there is any discrepancy, replace the supports. Otherwise your tub will never rest at a proper level. When the 2 by 4 wall supports are in place, lay a few 1 by 4 runners where the tub is to go and push the tub along these runners until it is in place. Learn more local remodeling tips at our blog>>
Flooring Reference Lines
The procedure for making reference lines in showers and on bathroom floors is similar to that for walls, but varies somewhat depending on your particular floor plan.
Square floors - Plot reference lines that intersect at the exact center of the room or at a desired focal point.
Built-ins - If the room to be tiled contains a built0in counter or a bar set at a right angle to the wall and the room is not square, you will have to make a decision. If you square the layout to the room, the built-in may appear crooked; if you square the layout to the built-in, the out-of-squareness may be emphasized. Try laying it out both ways and then deciding what looks best going forward with the remodeling.
Multiple rooms - Draw initial reference line through the center-point of the doorway that connects the rooms to be tiled.
Countertops - For bathroom countertops and sink areas, consider that they are generally small enough to do a complete layout with dry tiles. You can draw the references lines after you have tested various layouts.
On walls - Plot references lines using a plumb bob, a spirit level, and a framing square. Drop plumb bob at the exact center of the wall and mark this vertical reference line with a pencil or chalk mark. Make a horizontal reference lin at about eye level, making sure it is exactly perpendicular to the vertical line.
Making Adjustments - Layout is a process of experimentation. If you end up with a small square to fill or with a layout that requires cut tiles in noticeable places, there are three simple ways to make adjustments. You may come up with others. 1. Shift all the tiles a few inches on way or another. This requires erasing the reference line, but it is well worth it. 2. Adjust the width of the grout joints. Generally, it will be necessary to readjust the grout lines over the entire layout, although there may be cases in which a difference is not noticeable. 3. Consider adding different sized tiles as a border or to define a particular area. Obviously this will affect the look of the layout, but it can make the overall design more interesting looking.
Square floors - Plot reference lines that intersect at the exact center of the room or at a desired focal point.
Built-ins - If the room to be tiled contains a built0in counter or a bar set at a right angle to the wall and the room is not square, you will have to make a decision. If you square the layout to the room, the built-in may appear crooked; if you square the layout to the built-in, the out-of-squareness may be emphasized. Try laying it out both ways and then deciding what looks best going forward with the remodeling.
Multiple rooms - Draw initial reference line through the center-point of the doorway that connects the rooms to be tiled.
Countertops - For bathroom countertops and sink areas, consider that they are generally small enough to do a complete layout with dry tiles. You can draw the references lines after you have tested various layouts.
On walls - Plot references lines using a plumb bob, a spirit level, and a framing square. Drop plumb bob at the exact center of the wall and mark this vertical reference line with a pencil or chalk mark. Make a horizontal reference lin at about eye level, making sure it is exactly perpendicular to the vertical line.
Making Adjustments - Layout is a process of experimentation. If you end up with a small square to fill or with a layout that requires cut tiles in noticeable places, there are three simple ways to make adjustments. You may come up with others. 1. Shift all the tiles a few inches on way or another. This requires erasing the reference line, but it is well worth it. 2. Adjust the width of the grout joints. Generally, it will be necessary to readjust the grout lines over the entire layout, although there may be cases in which a difference is not noticeable. 3. Consider adding different sized tiles as a border or to define a particular area. Obviously this will affect the look of the layout, but it can make the overall design more interesting looking.
