It has taken all weekend, But I finally have my Toilet back! With a brand new floor to boot! I knew if I finally have an entire weekend to complete it, I could... "complete" it. Meaning, I could complete all of the things that "have to get done!" in the time allotted.
I knew that once I tackled this project, I would essentially be out of a bathroom for at least a week. And I was pretty much correct on all fronts. My planning went like this: #1 Use the shower. #2 use the local Kwik Trip. And it worked!
But eventually the folks at Kwik Trip started to look at me funny every time I walked in with a roll of toilet paper and a newspaper under one arm. And the 2-3 hours of work I could complete before heading off to Haribo during the week were just not enough to make any progress. I had the opportunity to work this Saturday, but decided that being able to go to the bathroom in my own house took priority. So I started Saturday with the goal of fully completing the floor. It was the perfect time, because it rained all day! nothing to do but work on the project....
It was not as easy as you might think.... For me anyway. You would think that some simple math and measurements could easily solve all of your problems. I already know how to use the tools.. And I have a make-shift work area in the basement where I can make the cuts as needed.
But alas, there are techniques that an Amatuer like me can not discover until they face those hurdles. One of the bad things about YouTube is that sometimes they treat you like an idiot. Other times they treat you like you have been doing it your entire life. (Um, yeah! That is why I am watching a "how to!" video) And there are lots of redundancy.
Somewhere along the many hours of videos, you have to glean what is true, what is opinion, and what will work for you.
After finally installing the final subfloor ( Out of three subfloors!) I was able to move on to the laminate flooring. I tried my best to match the stuff the rest of the house was done in, but I think it is off my a slight shade of gray. Either way, I doubt anyone will notice. Nor do I really care.
I have done laminated flooring before. So you would think I was an expert or at least "experienced" in the handling of such material. However, I discovered something about an acquired skill set that has not been used for over 15 years.....
You forget!
I am a little embarrassed to admit that I completely forgot how to install the floor! All this time I have been watching plumbing videos instead of flooring videos figuring I had this part of the job in the bag! How wrong I was...
I will admit that working in such a small area was more than just a "challenge". The room I had previously worked on was a 12x 12 room with fairly squared up walls. I also had an assistant to help me with tools and remembering stuff.
This time, I had a cramped area where I had to climb into the tub to lay the boards. I had to switch directions with my legs each time too! Because I could not simply spin around without my lower legs binding up in the tub. it was a very time consuming operation.
I set the goal to finish the floor (at least) for Saturday. And, if all went well, I would instal the toilet on Sunday. By the end of Saturday, I was bushed! And there was still a little bit left to go! But by that point, I simply acknowledged that any further effort would only be wasted as my attention to detail was shot! So I figured I would finish up the trim areas today (Sunday) and hopefully the toilet would be a simple set up and done.
Today, after I finished church and took a short "nap". I began the task of finishing the floor. I probably made it more work than it needed to be. I knew I needed to cut some of the smaller strips to fit along the tub. And in doing so, they would be free floating and would need to be "glued" down somehow. What better way than with Bath and Tub Caulk? The idea is to waterproof as much along the edges anyway. And Hide any unsightly sections under some moulding. ( Once I find the right mounding that I can afford and will work in a bathroom...) Did I mention I am not very familiar with using Caulk?
Well, it should be ok once the walls are completed. (Am I doing the walls too?) And to be honest, by that point, I really stopped caring. The floor is covered, clean, and looks presentable. And it should stay put for a while without letting moisture through to ruin the subfloor.
Now on to the Toilet!
I decided to spring for the American Standard Round Bowl toilet. There was a cheaper Chinese version for $89 bucks; But nothing says America like an American made toilet! ( Do they even have toilets in China?) And I liked the look of this one better.
I have never "unboxed" a toilet before, but I have to say... There was definitely a certain level of excitement I have never felt before. It was almost like unwrapping a Christmas Present! At it was HEAVY! I think it was over 100 lbs. but it came with all of the bells and whistles that are normally sold separately.
I did spring for a rubber/wax ring for this one. after watching a lot of videos, I felt that a basic wax ring was not going to cut it. In fact, I kind of think that it was the Generic $3 wax ring that caused all of these issues in the first place! (That, AND the fact that the Previous "Landlord" probably did not want to spend money on this place to fix the issue properly. )
One other things I was concerned about was the location of the toilet. I wanted to turn the toilet 45 degrees so my knees would stop hitting the wall in front of the bowl. (there was only a 15 inch clearance!) But the orientation of the Flange was not set up for any adjusting. However, one of the things I gleaned from the numerous videos was that you can "make your own hole!" in your flange. As long as it was structurally sound.
This flange was Cast iron! And SOLID! So I used one of the other holes for the flange bolts and spun the toilet 45 degrees. I checked to see if the back tank would touch the wall... and it just barely makes it!
And so I set it all up. Bolted it down. Hooked up the water. And finally... Checked for leaks!
Uht ohhhh!
Did I mention that it rained all day Saturday? And it has been raining non-stop all day today. I think I have a new swimming pool in my basement.
But hey! At least the water did not come from the toilet!
There is a small leak coming from the water valve, but with a little jostling, I got it to quit. I will most likely replace that valve when I update my entire plumbing system to PEX. (another project!)
And tomorrow I will be working on bailing out the basement... again. The original reason for this entire list of projects was the last time the basement flooded. And the goal was to put in a Sump Pump. To do that I had to remove the rotted walls and fixtures that were in the way. But then the toilet jumped in line for Priority... But now that that is "fixed"... I can get back to focusing on that Sump Pump issue. I'm glad God gave me a little "reminder" that now helps me focus on that issued again...
As much as I would love to tackle the other parts of the bathroom, the basement is calling! And that will be a pretty big job as well. So I had better stay focused, get to bailing, and do as much before I head off to work each day... To make every second count!
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