Do-it-yourself bathroom repair mistakes

Do not plan

It is wrong to start repairs with the purchase of plumbing and finishing materials: first you need to create a drawing plan, which will reflect:

• room dimensions;
• dimensions of furniture and equipment;
• places location of outlets and lamps;
• layout of ceramic tiles.

This step cannot be skipped if you want the bathroom to be comfortable and well-planned. After creating a drawing, you should study the construction market on the Internet, choose plumbing and materials that are suitable in style and color.

The Internet will allow you to navigate prices, learn about the reliability of suppliers and manufacturers, explore the possibilities of online ordering and delivery. Only after this stage can you go to the selected store to see the goods live and purchase them (or order).

Do not waterproof

After dismantling the old finish and before tiling the floor and walls, it is necessary to protect the surfaces with waterproofing. The construction market offers different options: applying a special solution (mastic, liquid, paste) or gluing strips of waterproof material.

Waterproofing is especially important in places where plumbing equipment is installed, where moisture is constantly acting and contributes to the development of fungus, including in the areas of sewer pipes and connections of water supply units.

Without insulating material, water will be absorbed into the concrete. In the event of a flood in an apartment building, repairs will need to be done not only at home, but also at neighbors on the lower floors. Mold can also develop due to leaks.

Forget about the inspection hatch

Tightly sewn pipes provide aesthetics in the combined bathroom and cause many problems and inconveniences. The hatch is necessary for free access to water metering devices (meters) in order to take indicators from them on a monthly basis.

The inspection hatch allows you to shut off the water in the event of a long trip, repair or accident, as well as replace water meters over time.

Totally save

Most people strive to save the family budget during renovations, and rightly so, but if you are remodeling a bathroom with the cheapest tiles, putty and paint, or buying used plumbing fixtures, the room will very soon stop looking new.

• When choosing building materials, give preference to moisture resistant - this information is always indicated in the description or on the packaging.
• Do not buy used faucets: they will soon fail.
• Do not skimp on tiles: the cheapest ones may turn out to be uneven, which will affect the installation process and the result.

Make a small bias

This error threatens water stagnation, which means - bad smell in the bathroom... This is especially important if you are installing a shower stall or moving a toilet. Pipes must be installed with a slope or made as short as possible.

The further the shower is from the riser, the stronger the pipe slope should be.

If the sink exudes an unpleasant odor, the problem lies in the improper connection of the sanitary unit with the sewer. The water must remain in the siphon to prevent bad odors from entering the apartment.

Forget about the joints

Bathroom sealants are excellent at protecting seams from moisture, preventing mold and furniture swelling. Sealing must be subject to:

• joints between tiles on walls and floors;
• between bathroom and walls;
• joints of furniture;
• shower tray joints with walls and floor.

If you do not use sealant, splashes and condensation will enter the crevices, creating a favorable environment for the growth of pathogenic bacteria. The most popular and high quality sealant is silicone. It is suitable for most finishing materials and has good adhesion.

Do not provide storage space

What is this error fraught with? Firstly, the abundance of jars and tubes on open shelves visually clutters up the room, reducing the pleasant impression of a fresh renovation. Secondly, a small bathroom seems even smaller if the care products are visible. Thirdly, open storage makes cleaning difficult: before wiping the surfaces, you have to move objects and then put them in place.

A cabinet with doors (instead of a sink on a pedestal) and hanging cabinets (instead of shelves) are ideal for storage.

Choose the wrong grout

Try not to skimp on grout at wall cladding and gender: a low-quality product will have to be updated frequently. The cement composition breaks down faster with constant exposure to moisture, therefore prefer epoxy grout: it is much stronger and more resistant to dirt.

Another suitable option is two-component grout, which consists of cement, but is diluted with a latex plasticizer. The mixture is so strong that it is often used on building facades.

Do not stir grout mechanically! To make its structure homogeneous, make the mortar by hand, otherwise the air trapped during stirring with a drill will violate the integrity of the grout. It will quickly crumble and wash out of the seams.

Ignore ventilation

City bathroom window - rare, therefore, to avoid condensation and stagnation of humid air, leave a small distance between the door and the floor. The tightness of the bathroom threatens with the same mold. Natural ventilation will prevent this.

If you are the owner of a tightly closing door, open it wide after hygienic procedures to ventilate, or take care of installing forced ventilation.

Damage tiles when drilling

The final stage in the repair is the installation of hooks, mirrors, wall cabinets and shelves. If drilled incorrectly, the material can split: this error will entail a time-consuming replacement of the element.

• Keep in mind that the top layer of the tile is the strongest, so do not use the drill in punch mode.
• Choose special drills for each type of product - ordinary ones for concrete will not work here.
• Before work, cover the place of the future hole with masking tape.
• Drill slowly and carefully at low RPM, keeping the unit straight.

Try not to make annoying mistakes when renovating a bathroom in order to make the room as beautiful and comfortable as possible.