Bathroom Floor Question

If the floor is so rotted that the toilet fell thru, just put down three or more layers of floor tile on top of the rotted wood. Then mount a new toilet, and you're good to go!

If you still feel the need to add bracing, just put one or two bungee cords below the toilet, between the floor joists.

Reply to
Home.Wrecker
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I've been mulling this over since I had a portion of my bathroom floor replaced back in January. That was due to a leak that went undetected until it was too late. Bathroom plans are to do to a complete remodel in the near future.

But my question is, is something like angle iron or some other type of brace ever used under the subfloor to lend support? Don't laugh, it's a legitimate question although many may think it's a silly one. I'm simply curious if this is ever done.

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

| But my question is, is something like angle iron or some other | type of brace ever used under the subfloor to lend support? | Don't laugh, it's a legitimate question although many may | think it's a silly one. I'm simply curious if this is ever | done.

Anything's possible. I've used I-beams in the past where I couldn't fit wood. You can find charts that translate their support values. But without details there's no way to make any further sense of your question.

Reply to
Mayayana

Wouldn't say "never", but certainly in residential would be exceedingly rare. IIRC from earlier thread, this would be in reference to laying tile and rigidity for same; normally if the floor were judged to be too flexible, it would be fixed simply by sistering additional joist material to existing with, perhaps if there weren't living space below some vertical support added underneath in a crawlspace or unfinished basement.

Reply to
dpb

There are a multitude of ways to support a floor from below, but it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish and, maybe even more importantly, *why* you feel it needs extra support.

Bracing can be done from below the joists to support the entire floor or blocking could be installed between the joists to just support the sub-floor.

However, unless you can tell us what is wrong and/or what you are trying to accomplish/fix we can't offer any specific advice.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Ok, thanks. It was just a curious question and now it's been answered.

I appreciate all the answers.

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

Do you study ways to be a prick or does it come naturally ?

Joan - if it's for short term support until you remodel I see no problem . Long term you might run into issues with rust .

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Look at the name. My guess is natural attribute.

Reply to
Meanie

Do you have access to the subfloor from underneath? -- for example, if there is a basement or crawl space under the bathroom with an open ceiling?

If so, usually the bracing is done with wood, not metal -- unless you meant a metal lally column underneath and an angle iron to support several joists at once.

If there is no easy access from underneath, when you do the remodel the contractor can probably remove the existing fixtures, remove the subfloor, and rebuild the joists to create a strong and level new floor.

Reply to
TomR

Thanks, yes, I have access to the floors beneath as I have a daylight basement. I was just wondering why when houses are built they don't ever use something like angle iron as extra strong bracing for bathroom floors. But someone else in another post said the problem of rusting would then be a problem. When the bathroom remodel occurs they'll definitely be doing some repairs to the floor as I'd like to have floor heating installed as well. (I have a somewhat extensive wish list.)

:-)

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

Galvanized iron lasts for years. Windmills that were put up years ago are still standing. Irrigation systems are galvanized and still standing after forty years. There is also galvanized Super Strut or its equivalent. That might be handier if the builders want to use it.

Reply to
Dean Hoffman

Why do you think bathroom floors need extra support?

They don't ever use "something like angle iron" because it is not needed.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

+1

Bathrooms have existed and supported all the traditional stuff for hundred plus years using wood construction. Steel is used in special applications, but only when needed and that isn't for a bathroom, unless something unusual is going on.

Reply to
trader_4

Gee, I must have upset your apple cart by asking a question. A question that probably makes no sense to you, but it's a question just the same.

I'm not going to run my questions by you in advance to make sure they meet with your approval.

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

Let us look back...

You said:

"I was just wondering why when houses are built they don't ever use something like angle iron as extra strong bracing for bathroom floors."

I responded:

"They don't ever use "something like angle iron" because it is not needed."

I also asked:

"Why do you think bathroom floors need extra support?"

Shall I repeat your words? They apply to my question, as much as they applied to yours:

"...it's a legitimate question..."

Some might call it "making conversation".

I could react the same way you did and ask what crawled up your ass so far that caused you think I was mocking you in some way, but I won't. If you've had a bad day, I hope tomorrow is better.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Sometimes plumbers do stupid shit like improper notching of the floor joists. If a floor moves too much under a toilet you'll be plagued with wax ring leaks.

Reply to
Joe

| I was just wondering why when houses are built they | don't ever use something like angle iron as extra strong bracing for | bathroom floors. But someone else in another post said the problem | of rusting would then be a problem.

That shouldn't be an issue. The main reason is simply cost. If the floor isn't leaking then the wood structure should be adequate. The joists are not the problem. The water leaks are the problem. Therefore, extra reinforcing with i-beams would just be wasted money. Though I've renovated bathrooms (maybe even more often than not) where plumbers have ignorantly cut/burned away so much structure that it's hard to see why the tub didn't fall through.

Reply to
Mayayana

DerbyDad03 posted for all of us...

Maybe she has an extra heavy load of ready mix?

Reply to
Tekkie®

Since you have open access from underneath, you're all set for whatever you have in mind -- bracing, floor heating (although I don't personally know how they do that), etc.

I was thinking that you were originally asking in regard to trying to brace or correct a problem floor that developed in your bathroom area. I see now that you were mostly just curious in general if steel or angle iron is ever used for bathroom floor bracing/support and, if not, why not.

I have a "row home" (townhome?) style triplex property with an open basement. The properly was built in such a way that there is a steel I-beam running across the basement about 2/3 of the way back from the front of the property. The first floor floor joists run from the front of the property back to and on top of the I-beam, and from the back of the property forward to and on top of the I-beam. I have a person who does work for me who is multi-skilled but his real forte is anything to do with framing and framing structural support. Due to some poor design in the structure of the property (built in the early 1940's), and the way in which the property settled over the years, the first floor hardwood flooring had a "hill" or high spot where the I-beam is located and low spots everywhere else. That's because the I-beam area never settled at all where the rest settled a little. Strangely (to me), we were able to resolve the "high spot"/"hill" issue by supporting the floor joists temporarily, then undercutting them a little with a sawzall above the I-beam, and then lowering them down onto the I-beam.

Reply to
TomR

YES!! It was just a plain old curious question. From some of the comments I got you'd think no one here e-v-e-r had a curious question in their life of why or why not things are done.

Good solution!

Reply to
ItsJoanNotJoann

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