# Subfloor and Tile in Basement Bathroom



## Winchester (Jun 29, 2008)

Hello!

Hope I can find some advice in here. Doing a small basement bathroom. There is a 4-1/2" drop at the entrance to the bathroom and a small 3-1/4 high concrete ledge on the exterior wall of the room.

HO wants floor to come to the level of the hall (4-1/2) or close to it.

I was thinking:


2x3 sleepers
3/4" subfloor to put me about level with ledge
5/8" subfloor over previous 3/4 *and* ledge
1/4" cement backer board
this gives me under 1/2" left for nuheat, ditra, and tile. Should I just drop the cement backer and use ditra xl, if I need to make up any height?


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

You don't want to fill it with concrete? I couldn't see any ledge on the wall in the photo.


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## Winchester (Jun 29, 2008)

Well, I could... :blink:

But I'd have to mix it in the basement, form around the wall framing (?) and then the sill plates would be below the level of the concrete, and that seems weird to me. I've never done that before.

The exterior wall is opposite the doorway.


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## kevjob (Aug 14, 2006)

How about a mud bed?


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## Greg Di (Mar 12, 2005)

How dry is the floor? Do you have seepage?

4-1/2" is a long way to come up and a real material eater any way you slice it.

I've done mud beds over concrete, but not 4-1/2 thick. 

You might be better off using 4x4 sleepers to get that much height. Just a thought.


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

Well, you're the man on the ground. I'll leave this to your best judgement.


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## OCRS (Apr 29, 2008)

It looks like the existing floor has a slope to it. I vote fill it with concrete as well. Put your wall blocking on edge like they did for the other side. You've gotta crack open the floor for flange access anyway so just fill it all after.


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

This might be a good opportunity to install a curbless shower. Make it a big one.


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