• How do I get ugly old ceramic tile off my bathroom walls and floors?
  
• My bathroom walls and ceiling keep getting mildew on them. How can I get rid of it?
  
• How do I replace a toilet?
  
• Can I have a window in my shower?
  
• Why is the water pressure in my house so low?
  

• How do I fix loose or broken ceramic floor tiles?
  
• Where can I find a corner shower stall?
  
• Is it worth it to refinish an old tub or sink?
  
• After I put wainscoting on the bathroom walls, my toilet won't fit. What do I do now?
  
• What types of bathtubs are best?

Very carefully. For the floor, get a broad chisel or brick cutter, hammer, gloves, and eye protection and start chipping away. Do as little damage to the wood subfloor as possible.

How you remove ceramic tile from walls will depend on the type of walls.

• Plaster: Chip the tile off and then repair inevitable damage to the walls with new plaster or spackle.
• Drywall: Rather than chipping tile forever, it is often faster to simply pull the tile-covered portion of drywall away from the studs in large sections, then put up new drywall. If the tile only goes halfway or so up the wall, cut through the wall above the tile and then just replace that lower section. When putting up new drywall, make sure it is water-resistant greenboard, especially behind the tub.

My bathroom walls and ceiling keep getting mildew on them. How can I get rid of it?

The number one problem associated with mildew is lack of ventilation. Bathrooms naturally generate a lot of moisture that clings to the ceiling and walls unless it is quickly vented following a bath or shower. Warm air and moisture are perfect conditions for mildew, mold, and who knows what else.

If you don't have a bathroom vent, put one in. It's much less expensive than potential repairs to the walls, ceiling, and possibly even the house structure. Be sure to vent the air to the outside, not into the attic, where the moisture will only generate new problems.

An open window will help remove moisture, but not as effectively as a vent. If a vent is out of the question for the time being, wipe everything down after a shower or bath. Use a squeegee to wipe down the shower walls, and sponge off the shower door or curtain. You can use a variety of sprays to kill mildew while cleaning the walls.

When you repaint your bathroom, use latex paint, which contains ingredients that help minimize mildew growth.

How do I replace a toilet?

Remove the existing one by first shutting off the supply water valve, located near the floor behind the toilet. Remove the toilet tank lid, flush the toilet, then sponge out all the remaining water in the tank.

Disconnect everything on the toilet: the supply hose to the tank, the toilet tank (if it is a two-piece system), and finally the nuts from the flange bolts on each side of the toilet. They are often underneath plastic caps on each side, which you just lift off.

Now, lift the old toilet up and off the closet flange. Set the toilet on some rags to catch any spilled water and then carry or drag it away. Scrape off any wax around the closet flange. Turn the new toilet upside down on some rags or a bathmat to protect the finish. Press the wax ring firmly over the toilet's drain hole. If the toilet is being installed over a new tile floor that has raised the floor level 1/4 inch or so, use a wax ring with a vinyl sleeve on it that extends into the closet flange. Some plumbers like to put on two wax rings for extra precautions against a leak.

Turn the toilet right side up and set it carefully on the closet flange so that the flange bolts slip through the holes in the toilet base. Sit on the toilet and rock back and forth slightly until it is firmly seated. Tighten the flange bolt nuts until the bowl does not rock, but be very careful not to over tighten, which can crack the toilet bowl. If that happens, you will have to get a new one.

Put the new tank on the bowl, following the assembly instructions. Generally there are two bolt holes in the bottom of the tank. Install the rubber gasket flange between the tank and toilet, then bolt the tank to the bowl. When the bolts are snugged tight against their rubber washers, reconnect the water supply line, turn on the water, fill the bowl, and check for any leaks.

Can I have a window in my shower?

You can, but be prepared for possible trouble. Water getting between the window and the interior wall is the problem. It may lead to wood rot and can also cause tile or other surrounding finish material to separate from the underlayment. A better solution is to install a glass or acrylic block window flush with the wall that is sealed and caulked all around its edges. Some block windows have a small awning window at the top that opens to allow shower steam to escape.

Tub surrounds can be cut to accommodate a window, and some include special vinyl wraps to fit around the window and seal all openings.

You might also put a small shower curtain across the window to keep water off it. But whatever you choose, keep all joints between the window frame and the wall caulked, and sponge the area dry after each use.

Why is the water pressure in my house so low?

Corroded galvanized iron pipes are a common cause of low water pressure. If you live in an older house, it may well have galvanized iron pipes that have corroded inside over the years. The accumulated corrosion eventually restricts the water flow. Fortunately, there is usually a solution.

The corrosion primarily builds up behind restrictions in the pipe, such as the angle valves under the sinks and the shower or bath valves. To repair, shut off the water to the house and remove the valves. Use two pipe wrenches, one to turn the valve and the other to prevent the pipe from turning. Once the valves are off, you will likely see the hard, corroded material in the pipe. Chip it out with a screwdriver and hammer, and clean it out the best you can. Reconnect the valves and run water to flush out any debris.

Showers and baths are more problematic because the valves are usually in the wall. If you have an access panel, consider yourself lucky. Otherwise, you will have to break out the wall, remove the valve and clean the pipe, then patch the wall. But before you do that on a shower, check that it's not just a clogged showerhead. Remove it and clean out any deposits that might have accumulated in there.

How do I fix loose or broken ceramic floor tiles?

Remove the loose tiles. If the adjoining ones are also loose, scrape out the grout around them and then carefully pry them out, too. Slip a narrow putty knife under them to break loose any remaining mastic. Scrape the underside of the tiles and the underlayment to remove old mastic, then put fresh mastic on the underlayment and press the tiles into place. Allow the mastic to dry for 24 hours and then regrout the tiles.

Cracked or broken tiles are removed and replaced in the same manner. Cut the grout around the tiles first, then pry out the broken pieces, clean the underlayment, put the new tile down in fresh mastic, and regrout.

Where can I find a corner shower stall?

If you go to ImproveNet's Product Showcase and click on Shower and Tub Enclosures , you can find them.

Is it worth it to refinish an old tub or sink?

Results are mixed on refinishing a porcelain-on-iron bathtub or sink yourself. The process generally involves cleaning the tub, scrubbing it down with muriatic acid, then applying the refinish coats. Several people on ImproveNet's Message Boards have said the finish they applied began peeling off within a year or two. On the other hand, some people have reported good results with one brand in particular, called the Miracle Method for both tubs and sinks.

If in doubt but you want to keep that old tub or sink, call in professional refinishers and ask for references. Be sure to visit those references and ask how long the finish has been in place.

After I put wainscoting on the bathroom walls, my toilet won't fit. What do I do now?

The standard installation location for a toilet drain is centered 12 inches from the finished wall. If you add to the wall, you may have a problem. Fortunately, you can obtain an offset flange adapter at most large home supply stores and certainly through a plumbing supply shop, which you can find in the Yellow Pages. It fits right on the existing closet flange that the toilet is bolted to. On the toilet, place a new wax ring with a vinyl protrusion that fits into the closet flange.

What types of bathtubs are best?

A standard tub is 5 feet long, 14 inches high, and 3 feet wide. Tubs of all styles, including steel, cast iron, and acrylic, are commonly made in this size to meet remodeling requirements.

Steel tubs are generally formed by pressing and drawing them in forms to the desired shape. The tub is then sprayed with an enamel coating and fired in a furnace. Steel tubs outwardly appear much like enameled cast-iron tubs. Steel, however, flexes more than cast iron and as a result the enamel can chip more easily. But steel tubs are lighter.

Cast-iron tubs are formed by pouring molten iron into molds. When cool, the iron is smoothed and then an enamel powder is sprayed on and fired to provide the finished layer. Because iron is heavier and more rigid than steel, it resists chipping. The downside is that cast iron tubs are heavy and difficult to maneuver, particularly into a second story bath.

Cast polymers include such standbys as cultured marble, cultured onyx, and cultured granite. They are formed by molding a mixture of ground marble, onyx, or granite and polyester resin into the desired shape, such as a tub, sink, or shower. Because these products can be made in small shops anywhere in the country, quality can vary significantly. Check that they meet quality standards specified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

For more details, see ImproveNet's Bathroom Estimator and the Bathtubs section of A Guide to Baths and Showers.