New Throne - Day Two

If you haven't ready Day 1, I'd suggest reading that first so you get the whole story.

After a well deserved rest at the hotel Saturday night, and a hearty hotel breakfast we headed back to the house on Pickerel Pond to continue our rehabilitation of our bathroom.

Step fifteen: Replace floor. We bought the replacement vinyl tiles years ago for the other (non-working - a story for another day) bathroom in our house. Early this year they made their way to the yard sale pile. They didn't sell so when we decided to replace the floor and toilet it made sense to put them to use.

The entire floor contains 20 tiles. I took probably 25 to get them in. First error I started in the corner nearest the door (bottom right of photo). The problem with this was that the tiles at the end fit further under the threshold and baseboard than the third tile on the wall with the door. Despite numerous vacuum passes the tiles picked up fuzz and other debris so were unusable again. With that problem solved the job went quickly until it came time to start cutting tiles.

Seven of the tiles required cutting - 2 around the drain, and 5 along the tub. Cutting the tiles for the drain went smoothly. I got a little bit cocky at that point, thinking I had this job nailed. It took probably 30 minutes and 2 tile to get the cuts scribed and cut correctly for the piece next to the tub at the upper right of the picture. A few more missteps and the floor was done. The only problem with the new floor - it's really slick. Imagine, if you will, a dog on a newly waxed floor. That's pretty much what I looked like trying to stand up.

Step sixteen: Caulk edge of tub. Nothing major to report here, other than that the directions on how to open the tube need to be larger. Once I located a nail large enough to pierce seal inside the spout the job went without incident.

Step seventeen: Cleanup. Because of the small space all of the tools I'd used needed to be collected before the toilet install could begin.

Step eighteen: Toilet install, part 1. We unpacked the new toilet. For anyone planning this in the future - cut the box away from the toilet. This method worked great for us. Then we cut portions of the box to use to cushion the toilet while we got it ready for install. First we installed the closet bolts in the flange, then squished the wax ring onto the bottom of the toilet. At some point during this (don't remember exactly when but it was before the wax ring was attached to the fixture) Dad called. Brief conversation and promise to call back.

To paint a picture of the next maneuver in your head - imagine if you will one large, heavy toilet with really sticky wax blob on the bottom, and two rather large women in a 4' X 5' space. The toilet needs to be lifted and dropped into place over two small bolts without dropping or even setting down the toilet, without hitting the supply line, and without injuring either of the women. Amazingly Amy and I managed to get the toilet upright and into place without incident. Wish I had pictures, but there was no one left to take them not that they would have been able to take a decent one.

Step nineteen: plumbing connections. (Insert screeching tire sound here). After wiggling my way under the toilet, I discovered that the new supply line didn't fit - the helpful sales person at the big box store had provided me with the wrong size.

Step twenty: Trip to big box store for correct size supply line. More helpful sales people - why is it that even when I know what I'm looking for and where it is the sales people in the Plumbing department can't leave me alone. With the correct supply line in hand (receipt #4) I headed back home.

Step twenty-one: Final installation. Attach supply line. Hack saw bolts. Add caps. Turn on water - no leaks YEA! With Amy in the basement to check for leaks I flush - no leaks there either. Added a bead of caulk between the toilet and floor.

Here's the new throne in place. It's quiet, flushes and refills quickly and doesn't run!

Step twenty-two: Reattach door.

The evening concluded with lots of cleanup - tools back to the basement, vacuuming in the basement (debris had made it's way between the boards that make up layer one of our subfloor), more tools away, cutting up the cardboard for recycling, and packing up all the trash.

Cleanup was followed by dinner and celebratory cupcakes. Life is good in the house on Pickerel Pond.