Renovating laundry bathroom and toilet on a budget

[MGusto]

Hey I thought I would share my experiences in updating my daughter's 1980's wet areas without spending a whole lot of money.

Laundry.

First I removed the old school taps and replaced them with 1/4 turn ceramic disc Lollypop set. Then removed the old tiles from around the tub and replaced them with subway style. I have never done any tiling before but as it was not a big job I thought I would give it a go. (In retrospect I should have renewed the tub)

Next I replaced the running tiles at the base of the walls with large white 400 x 200 tiles.

Finally, I laid 4.5mm hybrid waterproof floor planking directly over the old tiles. These are easy to work with - you can score them with a hardiplank knife and then they easily snap. The manufacturer requires that there is an expansion gap between the wall and the edge of the board and not to use silicon sealant - I ignored this so sue me. The effect is better and so far there has been no warping especially since the expanse of flooring is so little. Some photos..

Bathroom

Taps were replaced with Lollypops and a fancy shower rose.

I replaced the vanity unit with a relatively inexpensive replacement. Then the hybrid floor planking again. The sealant is essential here to stop water from entering under the boards. The planking cannot be used in the shower alcove so the original tiles still show. 

Next I decided to paint the tiles. I was looking at the Dulux renovator range but I believe they have changed the formula and is purely water based. So I decided on a cheaper option and bought Dulux Precision Maximum Strength Adhesion Primer (which is white unlike the clear renovator primer). Naturally good preparation is in order cleaning dirt and grease and soap residue with a scourer and sugar soap. I did not bother to sand the tiles as a trial showed that it was not effective in roughing the surface. A 4mm nap roller was used. I then used Dulux full gloss Aqua Enamel in Vivid white - 2 coats. And finally 2 coats Dulux Design Clear Top Coat which provides a durable shiny hard coat over the tiles. I have yet to do the shower alcove because of logistic issues - the top coat should not be exposed to humidity for 48 hours.

Towel rails were replaced with the Caroma Cosmo range and lastly a new mirror.

Toilet

As there was nothing wrong with the toilet bowl I replaced the cistern and seat with the Estilo replacement cistern with seat which is good value. Running tiles at the base of the walls were replaced with the same 400 x 200 tiles and the same hybrid planking.

Just a tip with applying the sealant. As you can see from one of the photos, I masked both the tile and floor area about 4mm from the edge and then applied a bead of silicon without worrying too much about getting it perfect. Then I dipped a pop stick in a solution of dishwashing liquid about 1 tablespoon of water and ran that along the silicon to get a nice smooth finish with the excess running onto the masking tape. Then carefully remove the tape.

In conclusion, the tapware unsurprisingly was the most expensive part of the renovation but all up I am sure it was less than $2000

[EricL]

Hello @MGusto

Thank you so much for sharing your daughter's laundry and bathroom revamp. It certainly looks a lot more modern than before, the new tiles and flooring really make a difference. Did you run into any difficulty while doing the renovation?

Again, thank you for sharing your daughter's wonderful laundry and bathroom renovation.

Eric

[Jason]

Well done @MGusto and thanks for sharing plenty of detail. You should be really proud of what you have achieved. Your daughter must also be thrilled.

Jason

[Remarka6le]

That bathroom and toilet area look so much better @MGusto , well done! I think you did a fantastic job with your flooring. Does your daughter have any plans in the future for renovating the Laundry? 

[MGusto]

Hi there @Remarka6le, thank you for the positive comments. Perhaps you did not see the photos at the beginning of the post showing the laundry updated

[Remarka6le]

Hey @MGusto , totally did see those photos, sorry for not clarifying 😂. More so in regards to bench space over the washing machine, adding a dryer or some wall storage. I loooooove Laundry builds and would love to follow any future updates if there were any plans.

[MGusto]

My apologies. When I first thought about the reno, I wanted to do a bench with inbuilt sink because they look so cool but the previous owner had installed a floor to ceiling 2 sliding door robe on one end of the laundry making the idea redundant. When they installed the robe there was a sliding door in place which meant the robe couldnt go from wall to wall. I removed the sliding door and then filled the gap by making a timber frame and attaching plasterboard to it.

[Dave-1]

@MGusto 

I was wondering how many coats of paint did you use on the tiles? And also have they held up?

Looks liek a nice job

Dave

[MGusto]

Hi @Dave-1 

I did 2 coats each of primer, gloss and clear top coat. Before the primer and gloss have fully cured there is a risk of scratching but once the top coat goes on it seems to provide a durable hard finish. I have not noticed any chips or peeling at all. I will soon be doing the shower alcove which will be the true test with the constant wetting. I'll post an update when done

[EricL]

Hi @Dave-1

It's great to see that you got a quick answer from @MGusto. Just keep in mind that preparing the tiles before painting them is the key to a great long lasting finish. If you're planning on painting your own tiles, please make sure to post an update. I'm sure our members would be keen to see what your tile painting project looks like.

Eric