Repair the Floor Around a Toilet
If your toilet is unsteady and the ceramic tile under it is loose and crumbling, it's time to pull the toilet and repair the floor. The problem is caused by water leaking around the area, either from within the toilet or from overflows. It may simply be that the tiles have come up from the moisture and need to be replaced, though it's likely you'll also have to do some patching of the plywood underneath. This is a fairly involved project, and you shouldn't attempt it if you're not sure of your carpentry skills. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Turn off the water to the toilet at the valve coming out of the wall, and disconnect it from the toilet. Flush to empty the bowl. With your wrench, remove the mounting bolts holding the toilet to the floor. Remove the lid from the water closet and set it aside. Lift the toilet straight up and move it to another part of the room. Be careful not to tip it, as there is likely still water in the trap under the bowl that could spill out.
2. Stick a large, balled-up rag in the toilet hole in the floor to block the odors. Pull up the loose tile from around the hole.
3. Assess the plywood subfloor under the tile, where it meets the toilet hole. If it's in good shape, proceed to Step 6. If it's soft and crumbling, it will have to be patched. Cut out the damaged area with your jigsaw, taking it to the closest floor joists on both sides and then running alongside them. Get the hole as square as possible. After you've figured out what's under the tile floor, purchase the replacement plywood.
4. Cut lengths of 2-by-4 to fit along the joists at the edges of the hole. Use your screwgun and long wood screws to attach the 2-by-4s to the sides the joists, matching the top edges to provide a shelf for the new plywood to sit on. Put two additional 2-by-4s under the unsupported part of the hole, using half the width of the board to support the existing floor and leaving the other half open. Attach the board to the joists at both ends with long screws.
5. Cut your new plywood piece to match the shape and thickness of the hole, and screw it down into the 2-by-4s.
6. Lay your new tile over the subflooring, lining it up with the old tile and using tile adhesive and a trowel to secure it. Chip the tiles as needed around the toilet hole with your tile nippers. Let the tiles set overnight, then grout the lines and let them dry. Replace the toilet in the same manner you removed it, putting in the new wax ring. Hook the water back up, and turn on the valve.
Tags: toilet hole, Floor Around, Floor Around Toilet, joists both, Repair Floor
