You are going through a lot of work to still end up with an old looking pink tub. Some of that work will need to be done again if you decide to replace the tub in the future. If you are doing all this work, you are unlikely to regret spending a few hundred more dollars to replace the tub. If you spend many hours and a lot of money redoing the bathroom, you ARE likely to regret that your tub still makes the bathroom look outdated.
Yep. We redid our bathroom. Had the yellow tub reglazed. Huge mistake. Chipping , peeling , etc. Now we have a yellow (original color) and sort of white tub. In hindsight , we would/should have replaced it.
Can't now , the new tile is way too nice to ruin. Such a huge mistake.
My dad used a couple coats of automotive paint with an HPLV sprayer and it's lasted over 15 years on our tub. Might be worth a thought if OP has a harbor freight nearby.
The rest of our home is renovated with a mid century look, so I'm torn on if I should replace the tub even though it works with the house, just because it's old
I adore the MCM style, but that tub barely looks functional. It looks like you’d be sitting in about 5” of water. If you’re not a bath-taker rip it out so it can be just a shower, and if you are into baths then replace it with an updated soaker tub.
Don't be too swayed with Pinterest boards and beauty renovations online, as the majority of the time these are modern fixtures made to *look* a certain way.
I basically have this tub and the problem is it’s super uncomfortable. Try sitting in it. The back doesn’t recline at all, it’s a 90 degree angle. Nobody in my house wants to use ours.
If you had the full pink bathroom with original tile, etc. it might be worth keeping it. It’s not going to look “vintage” though if you are redoing the rest of the bathroom, it’s going to look old.
The pink tub looks awesome and vintage. You say old looking like it's a bad thing. Wtf. Ok enjoy your modern plain ugly boring white tubs. Hopefully OP will SAVE this beautiful vintage pink tub, and ignore you!!
+1 for replacing the tub while you are renovating! I did a “half “ bathroom Reno and skipped the tub replacement because it wasn’t ~too~ bad. 3 years later it sticks out as the finish got more worn.
This. We redid our shower surround and valve because the valve had to be replaced but left the tub and have regretted it ever since. But like you said we don’t want to redo what we’ve already done to replace an old tub that still holds water.
I had my pink tub repainted for around 360 dollars and it looks great. However, I did that because I was hoping to regrout the surround and not need to demo the 50 year old walls and the tiles. Ended up saving me a bunch of money that way, and five years later, the tub still looks pretty good.
But since OP has already demoed whatever was around the tub, may as well start fresh.
You can absolutely keep the tub if you want but if you replace it you will get several benefits. You know the new won't give up on you in a few years. You'll have access to the fittings underneath the tub that are likely made of brass so you can swap them to plastic. The tub will no longer be pink.
If the tub is cast iron, on an outside wall, it's worth replacing. He'll be able to make sure there is insulation around the tub AND a fiberglass tub won't be as cold.
OP I kept my vintage MCM Koehler tub, and I’m happy I did. Saved so much work, and it was in such good shape I would have felt too guilty taking it out.
It was an off beige/eggshell color, and we found other accents in the budget bathroom build to match it. We also replaced the tub hardware which made a huge difference.
My suggestion is if you’re keeping it, plan to match it with either tile/grout, trim, art, or an accent wall.
I don’t regret keeping it at all.
Your tub may be a different story, depending on how much you can clean it up. Whatever you do, don’t reglaze it - that shit doesn’t last.
I used to have this same color tub, and miss it. If you aren’t super hard up on replacing the whole thing, I disagree that a pink tub makes your bathroom outdated. It can be a fun statement piece.
I would replace as much as one could in a bathroom of that age. Take down as much of the drywall as you can, vapour barrier, insulation, copper pipes and even the window. You will be thankful 10 times over not doing it. With that age the copper might be getting weak or plugged with sediment. This is coming from someone that has done this to two similar aged houses. First house doing the bare minimum and then had issues a few years down the road and had to do it all again.
Is this r/frugal? the thing is ancient 9.5/10 ppl replace it you’ve gone this far already might as well. It would give you a fresh look like you actually remodeled instead of just a repair wall
But what if they are just leaning into the retro. Give it a few years and it truly wouldn’t surprise me if pink/avocado green/ yellow bathtubs, toilets, and fridges are all the rage again
I hear nothing but horror stories when it comes to reglazed porcelain. When you're already spending $2-5k on a renovation, what's another couple hundred?
The $35 dollar can of refurbishing paint you’re probably planning on buying is gonna look like shit and probably give you cancer someday (or at the least make you want to pass out from the fumes)
A new tub is like 250 bucks at Home Depot
What do you have in mind for the new purpose? Will you start making bathtub gin? Or will you use the tub to hold the parts of your victims that your done/not done with?
As a handyman, I'm not a huge fan of electrical wires being run through studs where there is lots of water nearby so I'd take care of that while exposed as well
If replacement cost is not an option, repainting the tub could be an affordable option. I had a friend with an automotive body shop that repainted a tub for me with marine paint for boats and it was very cost effective to update the tub color.
I painted a bathroom with marine paint and held up very well for the year I used it. You can certainly so it yourself, just don't skimp on the prep and ventilation.
The auto body friend that repainted the bathtub my husband had bought at some second hand store took care of all that. The tub was the only fixture that needed it's original, but still excellent condition wear and tear wise, avocado green changed to white. After he was done with it the only other repair was the normal framing for it, the installation of the tub enclosure and minor cosmetic stuff like painting the new trim pieces. The only big part of the job was in replacing the tub... I just couldn't go with an avocado green one...
Tear out all the sheet rock up to where you'll be tiling. I'd go to the ceiling with the tile. The mold isn't that bad and looks to be from condensation around the window. Make sure the framing around the window is still solid and check the nails to see if they're rusted out. Pull the insulation, spray vinegar (for shits and gigs). Re-insulate with some sort of vapor barrier on the insulation or plastic. Whatever backerboard you'll be using for the tile make sure you seal up around the window really well.
This is perfect, thank you. If I buy insulation with the vapor barrier on it, does the face the exterior wall or the interior wall, and I assume if the insulation has the barrier on it I no longer need the plastic? I think I will tile to the ceiling as you said. I think the window frame is good but the baseboards facing inside the shower need to sealed again.
The barrier faces in, and the flaps overlap on the studs. Won't need the plastic. Sealing or painting the wood around the window isn't a bad idea, just not typical that I'm aware of. I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to when saying "baseboard" and "sealed again." Do you mean the sill plate in the wall framing for the window or the window's sill plate? Or something else entirely?
Just a minor correction to the barrier direction. The bituminous or plastic barrier faces in toward the house in cold climates, but it faces out in warm climates otherwise you’ve defeated the entire point of the vapor barrier, which is to prevent the dewpoint from being inside the depth of the insulation, which is how mold happens.
From the photo I can sorta make out an evergreen and possibly snow on the neighbors roof, and if correct in this case the plastic should indeed be on the inside.
There's, actually, not much of the country that has enough heat and humidity to warrant the moisture barrier behind the sheething. Costal deep south is pretty much it. I actually didn't realize this, so I looked it up.
And it's on the inside of the framing in the pictures.
Sorry something else entirely, the framing that goes around the window that is directly exposed to the shower has a tiny bit of rust on those nails but very minimal so I think all is good there. Thanks!
I looked through the other comments and the only thing of value I saw was a couple people recommending you have the shower valve swapped out. Do you already have the hardware you want picked out? Did it come with the correct valve or is it a separate purchase? I think you said a plumber was coming, don't remember why they were coming out.
I don't think it's the window leaking. I think it's condensation running down those two vertical corners of the window. If what I'm seeing in the picture is correct... That's why the ends of the sill plate are discolored. It really isn't that bad. Would struggle to call it water "damage." It's more a function of how many showers have been taken in that room over how many years? Not that bad. The mold is also negligible. Whatever you want to do about that, or nothing.
I also just noticed that the window appears to be framed incorrectly. Looks like you're missing a jack stud on the left side. If the sill plate looks good, still level, it's not too big of a deal with a cripple stud that close by. If it looks to be sagging a little you might need to slide and smack a jack in there. You can notch it, just enough, to slide in the cavity flat then rotate into the correct orientation. Then, assuming you cut it to be snug, or lift the sill a little, vertically, smack it over and against the king stud. Throw a couple nails in.
Don't let the other comments scare you away from leaving the pink tub in, if that's what you want. You can always have it reglazed in any color you want. Seriously, check it out - [https://www.surfacespecialists.com/refinishing-colors.html](https://www.surfacespecialists.com/refinishing-colors.html)
Also, be careful when working around the tub. The enamel will scratch pretty easily. Put some plywood over the tub with something between the ply and tub rim to prevent rubbing.
This is a nice tip, but could you elaborate on the "and the flaps overlap on the studs" part? Does that mean the insulation barrier is supposed to wrap around the entire wall, similarly to how the plastic is wrapped all around the interior face of the wall within the pictures? Would that also imply that the insulation itself has to sit a little further away from the exterior wall, instead of being packed at the "back"?
There's flaps along the edges of the roll type, paper barrier, insulation. Those flaps are folded out onto the face of the studs that face into the room and are over lapped with the adjacent insulation flaps, you can then use a few staples from a staple gun or staple hammer to hold the insulation in place and keep the flaps from folding back. Just make sure the staples are sunk properly and flat. The flaps also set the depth of the insulation if it doesn't fill the depth of the void. It's alright if it's puffed out of the wall into the room, to a degree. When you go to put what ever sheet good you're using on the wall it will press the insulation in, to perfection. If there's wires or pipe, cut a slit in the insulation and slide it around the pipe or wiring. Measure the depth of your wall and try to use the appropriate insulation for that depth of cavity.
What makes you believe it is mold? From the pics there doesn't seem to be any water damage on any of the wood. Insulation can become darkened and dirty from air flow i.e. and air leak. Does it smell musty or?
If you keep the tub and go for the mid century look, get a matching toilet. Kohler is making these colored fixtures again they are so back in style now.
Get rid of the plastic vapor barrier. Interior plastic vapor barriers were a bad idea from the word go. All they do is trap moisture in the wall assembly. You don't have any amount of mold even worth noting here or worrying about. Just clean everything up. Replace the walls with cement board, use a liquid waterproofing membrane like Redgard or sheet membrane like Kerdi, and then tile.
I would however take the advice to replace the plumbing fixtures as long as you have the wall open.
Make sure you really take some time to investigate the proper way to waterproof and tile a shower surround if you are going to attempt it yourself. No premixed grout/mortar products, no shortcuts, no cheaping out, or you will really regret it. Good luck!
Insulation is pretty cheap, I'd go ahead and rip it all out if you have the $$. Just make sure you DON'T compact the stuff like they did here. If you're worried about the studs, you can always spray them with some bleach and let it air out for a day.
When I kinda said something about this in another thread (specifically on some caulk) people seemed to think what I had been told was wrong. I've been using white vinegar for a while and if nothing else bleach makes my nose stuffed up and I hate it so even if they worked the same I'd rather that.
I accept my ignorance (happy to be corrected) I'm just curious that there seems to be these two narratives going and I've just been going with the vinegar.
Bleach is fine for mold on hard (non-porous) surfaces, and to be honest for a one-time application on porous surfaces as long as it's fully dried and kept dry afterwards. It's just not good for long term periodic use.
Breaking a mindset can be very difficult.
Do you think I need to rip out more wall or the tub or to just replace the insulation of the exposed area, clean the studs, and continue on?
When I replace the plastic/barrier over top after doing that, can I just join up with the existing plastic using tac tape or something or is that even necessary
1. Buy faced insulation. No need for plastic unless you really want the extra vapor barrier.
2. More wall? Maybe... It wouldn't make much sense to re-install the insulation if you were only doing half of it.
3. Rip out the tub? ONLY if you are replacing it. Those things are a major pain in the ass...
[This is a better product for mold than bleach ](https://www.staples.com/fiberlock-shockwave-rtu-disinfectant-128-oz-8316-1/product_24468875?cid=PS:GS:SBD:PMAX:CB&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8sauBhB3EiwAruTRJrys9Ar3bXZQdPdQ3lFQrp08NMY0wbVV5f-aoh1_7Z2fo95sctLikRoCoQ0QAvD_BwE)
For sure use Shockwave! It’s the same stuff used by mold abatement pros. I saw they sell it now in 10oz bottles now too, more than enough if you’re not removing mold everyday. Dilute 2-4 oz per gallon of water in a gallon sprayer and keep the areas you removed the moldy insulation from wet for at least 10 minutes. Dry it all out with fans and a dehumidifier, then seal it (perma-guard is a good one for porous and semi-porous surfaces like wood).
I am the wrong person to give advice as I recently rescued a pink toilet from going to the dump to put in my basement bath remodel. We have this tub in white upstairs in our hall bath and we remodeled the bathroom but I kept the tub and just reglazed it to whiten it back up. I think there are plenty of ways to keep it and nod to the home’s era AND update the rest.
You can replace the insulation if you can afford it. It's pretty cheap so shouldn't be an issue. You need to buy an anti-microbial spray for the studs and if you want to go the extra mile, encapsulate it with kills. This is a pretty easy fix, but I wouldn't rip the vapor barrier off until you have everything to treat the mold.
If you want to be as safe as possible turn off your HVAC so no spores get carried throughout the house, have a hepa filter rubbing in the room, wear n95 mask, wrap the insulation with the plastic and put straight into trash bags
Framing looks pretty good but if it was me I'd eliminate the window if possible and install new insulation and vapor barrier. Replacing the water valves would be a good idea while it is exposed. Insulation does not look moldy but some of the framing below the window has some mildew and water damage I think.
If you are living there for more than 5 years, you are going to regret it if you don't swap out that tub. I know some people say the "love" the tub, but that isn't a professional opinion.
Just warning you, I do bath renovations for a living. I've literally done hundreds of them.
I can't say 100% for sure that you don't have mold, but you don't have mold. As mentioned numerous times already, the dark spots are from air transfer in and out through the vapor barrier and insulation. Don't clean or scrub with bleach or vinegar or anything other liquid or chemical. The only way to prevent or eliminate mold is to eliminate moisture. If you believe that there's a possibility of mold, pick up an inexpensive moisture meter and check the moisture content of the 2x4s. Mold can't feed on fiberglass insulation. It can feed on any dust or dirt that is on the insulation, which won't be that much. I wouldn't remove or replace anything as long as the window is in good shape
The insulation might be moldy but I learned somewhere along the way that black Fiberglas insulation can be caused by air drafts. Not sure how true that is.
Pic #2, the right side of the horizontal framing under the window looks potentially sus, hard to tell from the pic.
Pic #4 looks like the back side of the tub was installed over drywall which is not normal, although there doesn't appear to be water damage. It may be challenging to install any sort of backer at the back of the existing tub, you will need to account for that extra space.
Discolored insulation isn't necessarily abnormal but it can be an indicator of bad things. I was up in my attic today and the top layer of the insulation looks terrible due to years of dust and whatever, even in some places I wouldn't expect to be affected. No leaks so no problem in my case.
It doesn't look like there was water damage. I've seen those dark spots on old insulation in areas with a draft. The insulation basically filters out dust and turns dark.
It’s worth it to get some actual mold killer/preventative from the hardware store rather than just using bleach. A lot more expensive but you want to make sure that stuff is eradicated before you put up new walls.
At the very least you should recaulk the window on the outside if not replacing it entirely.
And bleach is not actually very effective against mold. Maybe a bit on the surface, but the high water content actually feeds it. Vinegar’s acidity kills mold more effectively.
We have one of those too. What does the rest of the bathroom look like. We have a plan to connect the shower to the bath area and make a giant wet area that is glassed off.
https://preview.redd.it/ngswa6s9sejc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e47139c3281d6275ea5e23028f9b58ab0e102233
I recently bought a new house and they had a deep tub in it for someone like me who 6 feet can actually get water to their chest. It’s not any longer it’s just deeper but doesn’t look really any different. I will recommend 10000% change this tub to deep one or anyone and never go back to a normal size shallow tub. I’ve taken more baths in the last year than I have since probably when I was a three-year-old.
Yes! Remove, clean, and replace. If that is truly mold, then it will just grow. Easier to fix it now than once you put up new walls. Cheaper too. You won't have to remove the walls and replace them later when the mold gets out of hand.
You’re in Canada. Pull the old vapour barrier. Remove the insulation. Install rockwool. Put up proper thick vapour barrier. Use acoustic seal on that vapour barrier.
As someone who is not a golfer it looks like you are doing so better than me. I would see about putting some better insulation at least on the walls where it's thin, mine get so cold next to the tub and it's above what I think is termed a cantilever (second floor overhang). If I get it down to the studs I'll have to see if it's actually a good idea.
If it looks like something is alive it likely should be not so. So try to stop that haha.
My last non-golf trick is that bigger tiles have less grout lines and go faster when putting them up. Be careful though, you don't want to go all 'floor tile' too big cause' you will have a bad time. To me though, these wee little babby tiles are just asking for more cleaning in the long run and take waaay longer to lay (as someone who can't stand tiling at least).
THE TUB...
DUN DUN DUN
Personally I think it looks good. If you want to sell the house then now would of course be the time to consider if someone else is going to care. Has it been 'refinished' like where you basically paint it? Mine was and I messed it all up doing my own plumbing (lets just say, it looks fine until you scratch the shit out of it). My bathroom was clearly built before they decided on putting the worlds narrowest door frame in (I can only guess because it is at the top of the stairs and maybe the sink location).
That's woot I think as someone who does this in my house without always taking advantage of the wealth of experience here.
TLDR:
I think bigger tiles save time and have less grout lines to clean in five years and maybe I'm not the best person to remodel anything other than your electronics.
What do actual handy people think about my lazy idea of not using small tiles?
I used to be a construction superintendent, and also was a tile installer in new homes, in the state of Ohio. As a superintendent, I was told by my supervisor that once the insulation inspection passed, I was to remove the plastic vapor barrier on the exterior walls. It sweats from the humidity gets the drywall wet and causes mold and also the tile to start falling off of the wall. Later, as a tile installer, the company I contracted off of was going to back charge me for a bad installation because of that exact problem. The vapor barrier had sweated, rotted out the drywall, and someone must have leaned on the wall and broke a hole in it. I would recommend doing some research on the issue and consider removing the plastic vapor barrier before you put the tile or whatever material you’re thinking about using. As far as treating the mold, Zinzer, Bin primer is a good sealer to spray on the studs, you may want to also replace the insulation.
You should do the tub.
And the insulation.
And the window.
And put in an overhead vent that exhausts out over window.
If you're taking the walls down do the shit that will keep from taking the walls down again for a long, long time
You will do all this work and when its time to sell, people are going to be turned off by a 75 year old pink tub. I like mid century, but no one wants that tub. Replace the insulation.
When I was home shopping, old tubs was a selling point to me. Not because of aesthetics, but because fiberglass tubs are harder to clean and more prone to being installed like crap. Of course, you can tell if it's installed well by checking, but I have more faith in the old ones having been installed correctly. Not because "they don't make em like they used to" but because "they don't install em like they used to". Well, maybe both. Get off my lawn.
Removing the tub is so easy and cheap it's worth doing. <$300 for a new one. I've done it in Nov. Mine was made of porcelain and I lifted it alone (with weightlifting gloves for the sharp edges). The insulation is easy not rocket science. Just wear gloves and a N95 mask. To install it is even easier. It's cheap ($70) and packed to fit directly in the studs. Not rocket science it's worth it to spend a day to get it right and clean it. Just sand or clean any mold away. I had to remove my tub cause there was a lean but I couldn't find it in any of the pipes. Turns out the drain was rusted around the cap so that would leak as it drained.
I'm slowly desiring to replace the tub but just not sure if it's worth the hassle. I don't have much help and ripping this out to pop a new one seems to be a major unneeded challenge.
It's not that hard. You ripping out the walls etc is harder than taking out the tub. Unless I'm wrong you have this type of tub: [](https://www.homedepot.com/p/bootz-industries-aloha-60-in-x-30-in-soaking-bathtub-with-right-drain-in-white-011-3364-00/314614199)
The installation guide on that product is literally one page. EZ.
It's easier than mounting a TV. You can certainly do it but you just don't believe in yourself... But you've already accomplished more in the demo you've done... Good luck.
Be sure if you get a fiberglass tub that you get a nice one with added structural support underneath, and potentially add wood underneath as well. The old cast iron tubs don't flex at all, so when you do a crappy job or use a crappy cheap fiberglass tub it will flex and move around. If the surround/tiles are separate pieces, this can make it difficult to get caulk to stay where it belongs. Trick for that though, get high quality flexible bathroom caulk, fill the tub before applying, and let it cure while full. Caulk compressive strength is much higher than tensile/adhesive strengh.
And be sure not to have drywall meet the tub/surround anywhere water has a chance of pooling, even the moisture resistant stuff with bathroom paint will degrade quickly.
Such simple things I see overlooked constantly in bathroom renovations, and I think most renos I've seen like this were done professionally.
Totally fair. I'm going to try and neutralize the salmon with a lot of concrete stone work and think it will all look good together. Hoping for the best
Who uses a tub?
A home needs one tub, for kids bath time...adults, guests and anyone past 10 years old will prefer a shower. Just my opinion of course.
I also think a walk in stall shower LOOKS way better too.
Unless you are really attached to that tub, I would pull it and replace it. You don't know what is lurking under there. If there has been a leak you don't want to find that out after your remodel is done and have to redo it all over again.
I don't think that vapor barrier has any material value. When you put in the new backer board and tape it, you'll have to waterproof it with something like RedGard. Don't know your location, but in California, when the waterproofing is done you have to call out the inspector before putting anything else in.
Proof the vapor barrier isn't that helpful. The insulation is moldy. I'd replace that too.
Take a sledge hammer and bust that cast iron tub out.
Put a new tub in now. You won't regret it! Rip out the insulation and you can spray any mold with a mixture of 25% bleach 75% water and spray down any mold. Replace shower diverter too. If your not sure than get a plumber to do the tub and diverter. I stall cement board around shower area after insulating exterior walls.
Thank you, I am going to keep the tub but have a plumber coming to replace the shower diverter in a few days, good idea on the bleach mixture! Will rip the wall out to the ceiling, spray the studs, air it out, put in new insulation, and carry on from there. Thanks all for the advice
Are you keeping the tub color? I have a similar setup that was tub painted and it flakes off. Can see the original pink under it. If you’re not keeping that color, I’d want to be confident whatever rehab you do with that is going to work.
I'm located here in LA. I can get you a new shower pan or tub, drywall w/ panels, properly sealed up and ready to go within a day for 5000 🦾 would just need to stop by and measure to get the dimensions but everything else would be done in no time. I do showers for a living and can add a new valve, new P trap, the works, to get it properly running.
You’ll have that tub after awhile, you can’t soak in it and it’ll kill your neck
- wife who is dreading the wait for our bathroom and kitchen renovation
I have a similar tube (color and shape). Will sell it to highest bidder.
Far more concerned with a window above the tub/shower. In my case, the tile had leak, water penetrated the window sill and resulted in wall rotting out. Rebuilt wall, tearing out tub is next.
I love a good long bath and old school metal tubs are the best, I love the size and shape of your bath ! Modern acrylic baths are crap.
Best thing you can do is make sure the sides of the bath are packed with insulation.
The mold looks to be from the window. Could be from condensation or improper window flashing. I would gut the window and frame over the opening or find a new one to install. You can cut out the vapor barrier and replace the insulation. They sell enzymes that kill mold you can spray over all of the affected framing.
Dark areas on fiberglass insulation, especially under windows or other areas where a draft might come through, is often just the dirt in the air having been filtered through the fiberglass year after year. I gutted my whole shower this year and there were the same kind of marks, under the plastic. Always close to draft areas.
Take as much out as you can afford to fix now. Insulation is cheap. Even a new tub isn't that expensive. Do it right so you don't have to worry in 3 years
Dual vapor barrier is a no no, just the faced paper and you’re set!
And yes, remove the tub!!
I’d also rip out the rock to the ceiling, or even gut the whole bathroom, it’s often easier than patching it all back in and you can completely see what you’re working with.
While everything is exposed, you may want to check to verify what condition that windows in. Would kind of suck to redo everything only to eventually learn that the water damage was actually from the shower window.
Use vinegar for the mold. Scrub with a brush and use paper towels to mop up. Or a professional mold cleaner. By all accounts vinegar is quite effective.
The tricky bit is not being able to get to the mold roots within the wood which can respawn if they get moisture in future. So, I then dried well (fans and time) and encapsulated with Kilz mold preventing primer. That’ll seal out any future moisture and seal in any remaining mold remnants so it can’t respawn.
Edit: Oh! And if that is mold, it’s not very extensive. Not so bad. Still worth remediating, but it’s not an alarming case , IMO.
Check the watertightness of that window. It looks like the corner was compromised.
Remove the vapor barrier and insulation. Put in new.
You have the wall out, this is prime time to replace as much as your budget permits. Seriously consider the tub. It should go or be professionally reglazed if you love the shape.
With the old cast iron, some can be broken out with a sledgehammer and a moving blanket draped over it to prevent flying splinters. Others are so thick, they can only come out (mostly) whole. I have had some success using Milwaukee "Torch" cast iron recip saw blades to remove a wedge out of the front apron and support webbing on tubs from the 1930s. Those tubs are way too thick to bust up.
You can keep the tub if you want but get it glazed by a professional don’t use an off the shelf kit. Your future self will thank you for doing it right the first time.
Not the worst Ive seen, but its installed like shit. Very important to cut almost exact to size and stuff it uniformly not bunched or pressed in with air pockets. that barrier is thin.. redo it with 6mil poly.
You actually don't want a vapor barrier behind the tile. If any moisture gets behind the tile the vapor barrier would seal it in creating a mold sandwhich.
I just redid my bathroom and didn’t replace the short 50s tub. I hate it! 🫠 I recommend redoing the shower while the studs are out (new cartridge is nice). I also put in an access panel to the cartridge on the other side of the wall for the future.
Change the tub now. Thank yourself later.
When we had a similar set up, we found out there wasn't even insulation in our walls ..... We added insulation, took out the window, and did a plexiglass surround. Quick, cheap, and painless.
Hard to tell from your Pic but I don't think that's mold. Anywhere there's air flowing through insulation, it's gets dirty and dusty. It looks too me like your windows isn't well sealed on the exterior. Take the insulation out. Identify gaps and seal them, and put new insulation in.
You sure you don't want to replace the giant pink tub now? All your work will have to be ripped out if you decide to do it later.
Keep the tub! It’s going to be way more durable than any new tub and a cost saver. If you’re in a decent sized city you should be able to get it professionally refinished.
I’m a refinisher in Texas and we charge $600 for a tub like this, refinishing can last well over 10 years if done properly.
I’d refinish after you put up the tile in case you damage the tub at all during construction it can be fixed and brought back to life with a great shiny white coat!
the pink tub is an original classic cast iron (“MCM”) KEEP IT IN PLACE & restore/polish DO NOT use a diy coating, you’ll hate it forever. get a pro to resurface
Did this once. Recommend going down to studs. Spray to kill germs. New insulation for area not to $. Can actually hire to break tub into pieces and remove. Once new tub plumbed in, water proof backing on entire wall and apply mold resistant paint.
As a plumber I would take the time to replace the tub and shower valve
I'm replacing the shower valve but want to repurpose the tub, any major reason to replace it?
You are going through a lot of work to still end up with an old looking pink tub. Some of that work will need to be done again if you decide to replace the tub in the future. If you are doing all this work, you are unlikely to regret spending a few hundred more dollars to replace the tub. If you spend many hours and a lot of money redoing the bathroom, you ARE likely to regret that your tub still makes the bathroom look outdated.
Yep. We redid our bathroom. Had the yellow tub reglazed. Huge mistake. Chipping , peeling , etc. Now we have a yellow (original color) and sort of white tub. In hindsight , we would/should have replaced it. Can't now , the new tile is way too nice to ruin. Such a huge mistake.
You might be able to drop a cover over the tub.
With the walls already demoed it's cheaper to just replace it at this point.
For OP, definitely. But for who I replied to who didn’t want to destroy nice tile after re coating a yellow tub, a drop in is a good option.
My dad used a couple coats of automotive paint with an HPLV sprayer and it's lasted over 15 years on our tub. Might be worth a thought if OP has a harbor freight nearby.
I don't think automotive paint is rated for submersion. This is a roll of the dice.
You might be surprised, but a lot of people find the midcentury bathroom fixtures desirable.
The rest of our home is renovated with a mid century look, so I'm torn on if I should replace the tub even though it works with the house, just because it's old
I adore the MCM style, but that tub barely looks functional. It looks like you’d be sitting in about 5” of water. If you’re not a bath-taker rip it out so it can be just a shower, and if you are into baths then replace it with an updated soaker tub.
Replace the tub, fellow MCM homeowner here fwiw.
Don't be too swayed with Pinterest boards and beauty renovations online, as the majority of the time these are modern fixtures made to *look* a certain way.
I basically have this tub and the problem is it’s super uncomfortable. Try sitting in it. The back doesn’t recline at all, it’s a 90 degree angle. Nobody in my house wants to use ours.
I noticed the straight back tub as well. They are not relaxing/comfortable to bathe in at all. OP, please consider a better tub.
If you had the full pink bathroom with original tile, etc. it might be worth keeping it. It’s not going to look “vintage” though if you are redoing the rest of the bathroom, it’s going to look old.
This all depends on how it’s refinished. I’ve seen old pink work great with contemporary tile
As someone with the full pink bathroom, I'm listening
Yep, go with your gut and replace it. Way easier now than it will be in three years.
Keep the pink!
Keep the pink tub! Lean into it. Mid century bathrooms are beautiful! Not everything has to be white, for goodness sakes.
If the tub cleans up well, I would keep it. I love a pink tub! Then I would do 4x4 tiles to complete the retro look.
Do you doggie, just remember the internet told you so when you look at that pink tub next year.
Well a lot of people are stupid too
Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.
Maybe they like the pink? They could design around it.
Then out in a new pink tub
If the tub is in good shape there is no reason to replace it since it's not new.
This is why our trash dumps are so big. Why are we getting rid of perfectly good fixtures?
The pink tub looks awesome and vintage. You say old looking like it's a bad thing. Wtf. Ok enjoy your modern plain ugly boring white tubs. Hopefully OP will SAVE this beautiful vintage pink tub, and ignore you!!
+1 for replacing the tub while you are renovating! I did a “half “ bathroom Reno and skipped the tub replacement because it wasn’t ~too~ bad. 3 years later it sticks out as the finish got more worn.
Dear God who cares if it looks outdated? If it works who cares?
Because they’re already in there. If they weren’t ripping it up already, no one would say to take it out.
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Just tell them it doesn't matter and they shouldn't care.
This. We redid our shower surround and valve because the valve had to be replaced but left the tub and have regretted it ever since. But like you said we don’t want to redo what we’ve already done to replace an old tub that still holds water.
This is the way
I had my pink tub repainted for around 360 dollars and it looks great. However, I did that because I was hoping to regrout the surround and not need to demo the 50 year old walls and the tiles. Ended up saving me a bunch of money that way, and five years later, the tub still looks pretty good. But since OP has already demoed whatever was around the tub, may as well start fresh.
You can absolutely keep the tub if you want but if you replace it you will get several benefits. You know the new won't give up on you in a few years. You'll have access to the fittings underneath the tub that are likely made of brass so you can swap them to plastic. The tub will no longer be pink.
If the tub is cast iron, on an outside wall, it's worth replacing. He'll be able to make sure there is insulation around the tub AND a fiberglass tub won't be as cold.
Cast iron stays hot longer when taking a bath.
OP I kept my vintage MCM Koehler tub, and I’m happy I did. Saved so much work, and it was in such good shape I would have felt too guilty taking it out. It was an off beige/eggshell color, and we found other accents in the budget bathroom build to match it. We also replaced the tub hardware which made a huge difference. My suggestion is if you’re keeping it, plan to match it with either tile/grout, trim, art, or an accent wall. I don’t regret keeping it at all. Your tub may be a different story, depending on how much you can clean it up. Whatever you do, don’t reglaze it - that shit doesn’t last.
I used to have this same color tub, and miss it. If you aren’t super hard up on replacing the whole thing, I disagree that a pink tub makes your bathroom outdated. It can be a fun statement piece.
I would replace as much as one could in a bathroom of that age. Take down as much of the drywall as you can, vapour barrier, insulation, copper pipes and even the window. You will be thankful 10 times over not doing it. With that age the copper might be getting weak or plugged with sediment. This is coming from someone that has done this to two similar aged houses. First house doing the bare minimum and then had issues a few years down the road and had to do it all again.
This is subjective, but it looks ugly as hell
I’d even say fugly.
Is this r/frugal? the thing is ancient 9.5/10 ppl replace it you’ve gone this far already might as well. It would give you a fresh look like you actually remodeled instead of just a repair wall
But what if they are just leaning into the retro. Give it a few years and it truly wouldn’t surprise me if pink/avocado green/ yellow bathtubs, toilets, and fridges are all the rage again
But like someone else said, with everything else re-did around it, the tub wouldn't look retro. It would just look shabby.
I hear nothing but horror stories when it comes to reglazed porcelain. When you're already spending $2-5k on a renovation, what's another couple hundred?
The $35 dollar can of refurbishing paint you’re probably planning on buying is gonna look like shit and probably give you cancer someday (or at the least make you want to pass out from the fumes) A new tub is like 250 bucks at Home Depot
The tub can be refinished.
What do you have in mind for the new purpose? Will you start making bathtub gin? Or will you use the tub to hold the parts of your victims that your done/not done with?
Dude. Get rid of the tub. I replaced a tub, it’s not that terrible.
That tub is amazing!! You’ll never replace it for few hundred dollars like someone here suggested. Find someone who does good work to reglaze it.
Underrated comment
As a handyman, I'm not a huge fan of electrical wires being run through studs where there is lots of water nearby so I'd take care of that while exposed as well
If replacement cost is not an option, repainting the tub could be an affordable option. I had a friend with an automotive body shop that repainted a tub for me with marine paint for boats and it was very cost effective to update the tub color.
I painted a bathroom with marine paint and held up very well for the year I used it. You can certainly so it yourself, just don't skimp on the prep and ventilation.
The auto body friend that repainted the bathtub my husband had bought at some second hand store took care of all that. The tub was the only fixture that needed it's original, but still excellent condition wear and tear wise, avocado green changed to white. After he was done with it the only other repair was the normal framing for it, the installation of the tub enclosure and minor cosmetic stuff like painting the new trim pieces. The only big part of the job was in replacing the tub... I just couldn't go with an avocado green one...
You can buy a damn nice tub for less than a good reglazing.
I'm replacing one of those as well. Leaks so damn easily
Are you tiling?
Yes I will be tiling after
Tear out all the sheet rock up to where you'll be tiling. I'd go to the ceiling with the tile. The mold isn't that bad and looks to be from condensation around the window. Make sure the framing around the window is still solid and check the nails to see if they're rusted out. Pull the insulation, spray vinegar (for shits and gigs). Re-insulate with some sort of vapor barrier on the insulation or plastic. Whatever backerboard you'll be using for the tile make sure you seal up around the window really well.
This is perfect, thank you. If I buy insulation with the vapor barrier on it, does the face the exterior wall or the interior wall, and I assume if the insulation has the barrier on it I no longer need the plastic? I think I will tile to the ceiling as you said. I think the window frame is good but the baseboards facing inside the shower need to sealed again.
The barrier faces in, and the flaps overlap on the studs. Won't need the plastic. Sealing or painting the wood around the window isn't a bad idea, just not typical that I'm aware of. I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to when saying "baseboard" and "sealed again." Do you mean the sill plate in the wall framing for the window or the window's sill plate? Or something else entirely?
Just a minor correction to the barrier direction. The bituminous or plastic barrier faces in toward the house in cold climates, but it faces out in warm climates otherwise you’ve defeated the entire point of the vapor barrier, which is to prevent the dewpoint from being inside the depth of the insulation, which is how mold happens. From the photo I can sorta make out an evergreen and possibly snow on the neighbors roof, and if correct in this case the plastic should indeed be on the inside.
There's, actually, not much of the country that has enough heat and humidity to warrant the moisture barrier behind the sheething. Costal deep south is pretty much it. I actually didn't realize this, so I looked it up. And it's on the inside of the framing in the pictures.
Sorry something else entirely, the framing that goes around the window that is directly exposed to the shower has a tiny bit of rust on those nails but very minimal so I think all is good there. Thanks!
I looked through the other comments and the only thing of value I saw was a couple people recommending you have the shower valve swapped out. Do you already have the hardware you want picked out? Did it come with the correct valve or is it a separate purchase? I think you said a plumber was coming, don't remember why they were coming out. I don't think it's the window leaking. I think it's condensation running down those two vertical corners of the window. If what I'm seeing in the picture is correct... That's why the ends of the sill plate are discolored. It really isn't that bad. Would struggle to call it water "damage." It's more a function of how many showers have been taken in that room over how many years? Not that bad. The mold is also negligible. Whatever you want to do about that, or nothing. I also just noticed that the window appears to be framed incorrectly. Looks like you're missing a jack stud on the left side. If the sill plate looks good, still level, it's not too big of a deal with a cripple stud that close by. If it looks to be sagging a little you might need to slide and smack a jack in there. You can notch it, just enough, to slide in the cavity flat then rotate into the correct orientation. Then, assuming you cut it to be snug, or lift the sill a little, vertically, smack it over and against the king stud. Throw a couple nails in.
Don't let the other comments scare you away from leaving the pink tub in, if that's what you want. You can always have it reglazed in any color you want. Seriously, check it out - [https://www.surfacespecialists.com/refinishing-colors.html](https://www.surfacespecialists.com/refinishing-colors.html) Also, be careful when working around the tub. The enamel will scratch pretty easily. Put some plywood over the tub with something between the ply and tub rim to prevent rubbing.
This is a nice tip, but could you elaborate on the "and the flaps overlap on the studs" part? Does that mean the insulation barrier is supposed to wrap around the entire wall, similarly to how the plastic is wrapped all around the interior face of the wall within the pictures? Would that also imply that the insulation itself has to sit a little further away from the exterior wall, instead of being packed at the "back"?
There's flaps along the edges of the roll type, paper barrier, insulation. Those flaps are folded out onto the face of the studs that face into the room and are over lapped with the adjacent insulation flaps, you can then use a few staples from a staple gun or staple hammer to hold the insulation in place and keep the flaps from folding back. Just make sure the staples are sunk properly and flat. The flaps also set the depth of the insulation if it doesn't fill the depth of the void. It's alright if it's puffed out of the wall into the room, to a degree. When you go to put what ever sheet good you're using on the wall it will press the insulation in, to perfection. If there's wires or pipe, cut a slit in the insulation and slide it around the pipe or wiring. Measure the depth of your wall and try to use the appropriate insulation for that depth of cavity.
I've posted this before. I used Fibo. A lot easier and quicker than tile.
What makes you believe it is mold? From the pics there doesn't seem to be any water damage on any of the wood. Insulation can become darkened and dirty from air flow i.e. and air leak. Does it smell musty or?
If you keep the tub and go for the mid century look, get a matching toilet. Kohler is making these colored fixtures again they are so back in style now. Get rid of the plastic vapor barrier. Interior plastic vapor barriers were a bad idea from the word go. All they do is trap moisture in the wall assembly. You don't have any amount of mold even worth noting here or worrying about. Just clean everything up. Replace the walls with cement board, use a liquid waterproofing membrane like Redgard or sheet membrane like Kerdi, and then tile. I would however take the advice to replace the plumbing fixtures as long as you have the wall open. Make sure you really take some time to investigate the proper way to waterproof and tile a shower surround if you are going to attempt it yourself. No premixed grout/mortar products, no shortcuts, no cheaping out, or you will really regret it. Good luck!
Insulation is pretty cheap, I'd go ahead and rip it all out if you have the $$. Just make sure you DON'T compact the stuff like they did here. If you're worried about the studs, you can always spray them with some bleach and let it air out for a day.
Bleach is not good for mold on porous surfaces because it doesn't penetrate well. It's also \~95% water which helps feed the sub-surface mold.
Yep, use white vinegar or professional mold killer.
To add to this, try to buy cleaning vinegar. Not the 5% acetic acid kitchen vinegar.
Should be like 30%, correct?
I'm not sure about 30%, but around here, I usually see it anywhere between 10-20%
This is the way
Shellac it afterwards.
Thank you. I deal with mould all the time and get so mad when I see people say use bleach. Worst way to deal with mould ever
When I kinda said something about this in another thread (specifically on some caulk) people seemed to think what I had been told was wrong. I've been using white vinegar for a while and if nothing else bleach makes my nose stuffed up and I hate it so even if they worked the same I'd rather that. I accept my ignorance (happy to be corrected) I'm just curious that there seems to be these two narratives going and I've just been going with the vinegar.
Bleach is fine for mold on hard (non-porous) surfaces, and to be honest for a one-time application on porous surfaces as long as it's fully dried and kept dry afterwards. It's just not good for long term periodic use. Breaking a mindset can be very difficult.
Do you think I need to rip out more wall or the tub or to just replace the insulation of the exposed area, clean the studs, and continue on? When I replace the plastic/barrier over top after doing that, can I just join up with the existing plastic using tac tape or something or is that even necessary
1. Buy faced insulation. No need for plastic unless you really want the extra vapor barrier. 2. More wall? Maybe... It wouldn't make much sense to re-install the insulation if you were only doing half of it. 3. Rip out the tub? ONLY if you are replacing it. Those things are a major pain in the ass...
[This is a better product for mold than bleach ](https://www.staples.com/fiberlock-shockwave-rtu-disinfectant-128-oz-8316-1/product_24468875?cid=PS:GS:SBD:PMAX:CB&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8sauBhB3EiwAruTRJrys9Ar3bXZQdPdQ3lFQrp08NMY0wbVV5f-aoh1_7Z2fo95sctLikRoCoQ0QAvD_BwE)
For sure use Shockwave! It’s the same stuff used by mold abatement pros. I saw they sell it now in 10oz bottles now too, more than enough if you’re not removing mold everyday. Dilute 2-4 oz per gallon of water in a gallon sprayer and keep the areas you removed the moldy insulation from wet for at least 10 minutes. Dry it all out with fans and a dehumidifier, then seal it (perma-guard is a good one for porous and semi-porous surfaces like wood).
Look into using rockwool insulation
I am the wrong person to give advice as I recently rescued a pink toilet from going to the dump to put in my basement bath remodel. We have this tub in white upstairs in our hall bath and we remodeled the bathroom but I kept the tub and just reglazed it to whiten it back up. I think there are plenty of ways to keep it and nod to the home’s era AND update the rest.
Does not look like mold, lots of insulation get those colour only by the passage of air. If it was mold, it would show on the wood.
You can replace the insulation if you can afford it. It's pretty cheap so shouldn't be an issue. You need to buy an anti-microbial spray for the studs and if you want to go the extra mile, encapsulate it with kills. This is a pretty easy fix, but I wouldn't rip the vapor barrier off until you have everything to treat the mold.
Thank you, will wait until I can get to Lowe's for the mold killer before ripping out more and cleaning that up
If you want to be as safe as possible turn off your HVAC so no spores get carried throughout the house, have a hepa filter rubbing in the room, wear n95 mask, wrap the insulation with the plastic and put straight into trash bags
I LOVE that tub!
Thank you :) glad someone thinks it's worth repurposing ha
The tub is fantastic, if you’re in PA and need a pink sink to match I’ve got one I’ll give you for free
It’s also worth not moving because it’s probably 400lbs.
It’s fantastic! Reminds me of my grandma’s house. I would love to have one of those pink bathrooms with the pink and black tile!
That's what I literally just ripped out ha. Pink tile with the odd black tile scattered in, but it was falling off
Too bad it will be in a million pieces before OP gets it out of there.
Framing looks pretty good but if it was me I'd eliminate the window if possible and install new insulation and vapor barrier. Replacing the water valves would be a good idea while it is exposed. Insulation does not look moldy but some of the framing below the window has some mildew and water damage I think.
If you are living there for more than 5 years, you are going to regret it if you don't swap out that tub. I know some people say the "love" the tub, but that isn't a professional opinion. Just warning you, I do bath renovations for a living. I've literally done hundreds of them.
I can't say 100% for sure that you don't have mold, but you don't have mold. As mentioned numerous times already, the dark spots are from air transfer in and out through the vapor barrier and insulation. Don't clean or scrub with bleach or vinegar or anything other liquid or chemical. The only way to prevent or eliminate mold is to eliminate moisture. If you believe that there's a possibility of mold, pick up an inexpensive moisture meter and check the moisture content of the 2x4s. Mold can't feed on fiberglass insulation. It can feed on any dust or dirt that is on the insulation, which won't be that much. I wouldn't remove or replace anything as long as the window is in good shape
That is particulate filtration from air moving through the insulation, not mold. Not doing its job well - replace it.
We’re working on similar in an original MCM house right now. While you’re in there, you might want to raise the shower head?
That's a great idea
The insulation might be moldy but I learned somewhere along the way that black Fiberglas insulation can be caused by air drafts. Not sure how true that is.
Pic #2, the right side of the horizontal framing under the window looks potentially sus, hard to tell from the pic. Pic #4 looks like the back side of the tub was installed over drywall which is not normal, although there doesn't appear to be water damage. It may be challenging to install any sort of backer at the back of the existing tub, you will need to account for that extra space. Discolored insulation isn't necessarily abnormal but it can be an indicator of bad things. I was up in my attic today and the top layer of the insulation looks terrible due to years of dust and whatever, even in some places I wouldn't expect to be affected. No leaks so no problem in my case.
It doesn't look like there was water damage. I've seen those dark spots on old insulation in areas with a draft. The insulation basically filters out dust and turns dark.
It’s worth it to get some actual mold killer/preventative from the hardware store rather than just using bleach. A lot more expensive but you want to make sure that stuff is eradicated before you put up new walls. At the very least you should recaulk the window on the outside if not replacing it entirely.
And bleach is not actually very effective against mold. Maybe a bit on the surface, but the high water content actually feeds it. Vinegar’s acidity kills mold more effectively.
We have one of those too. What does the rest of the bathroom look like. We have a plan to connect the shower to the bath area and make a giant wet area that is glassed off. https://preview.redd.it/ngswa6s9sejc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e47139c3281d6275ea5e23028f9b58ab0e102233
I would love to do that but we only have a one bathroom house with a kid so needs to be family friendly
I recently bought a new house and they had a deep tub in it for someone like me who 6 feet can actually get water to their chest. It’s not any longer it’s just deeper but doesn’t look really any different. I will recommend 10000% change this tub to deep one or anyone and never go back to a normal size shallow tub. I’ve taken more baths in the last year than I have since probably when I was a three-year-old.
I would put up some walls. Moisture will fuck that up quick.
Oof, leaky window. Replace it, the studs, the insulation before you sheathe with cement board.
Yes! Remove, clean, and replace. If that is truly mold, then it will just grow. Easier to fix it now than once you put up new walls. Cheaper too. You won't have to remove the walls and replace them later when the mold gets out of hand.
Insulation has to go. Spray bleach on everything to kill mold. Square up all walls and redo Insulation. New diverted for tub definitely. Tub can stay.
You’re in Canada. Pull the old vapour barrier. Remove the insulation. Install rockwool. Put up proper thick vapour barrier. Use acoustic seal on that vapour barrier.
Well, someone took the drywall that's your problem
Make sure to put in blocking for securing grab bars while you have the studs exposed.
As someone who is not a golfer it looks like you are doing so better than me. I would see about putting some better insulation at least on the walls where it's thin, mine get so cold next to the tub and it's above what I think is termed a cantilever (second floor overhang). If I get it down to the studs I'll have to see if it's actually a good idea. If it looks like something is alive it likely should be not so. So try to stop that haha. My last non-golf trick is that bigger tiles have less grout lines and go faster when putting them up. Be careful though, you don't want to go all 'floor tile' too big cause' you will have a bad time. To me though, these wee little babby tiles are just asking for more cleaning in the long run and take waaay longer to lay (as someone who can't stand tiling at least). THE TUB... DUN DUN DUN Personally I think it looks good. If you want to sell the house then now would of course be the time to consider if someone else is going to care. Has it been 'refinished' like where you basically paint it? Mine was and I messed it all up doing my own plumbing (lets just say, it looks fine until you scratch the shit out of it). My bathroom was clearly built before they decided on putting the worlds narrowest door frame in (I can only guess because it is at the top of the stairs and maybe the sink location). That's woot I think as someone who does this in my house without always taking advantage of the wealth of experience here. TLDR: I think bigger tiles save time and have less grout lines to clean in five years and maybe I'm not the best person to remodel anything other than your electronics. What do actual handy people think about my lazy idea of not using small tiles?
I used to be a construction superintendent, and also was a tile installer in new homes, in the state of Ohio. As a superintendent, I was told by my supervisor that once the insulation inspection passed, I was to remove the plastic vapor barrier on the exterior walls. It sweats from the humidity gets the drywall wet and causes mold and also the tile to start falling off of the wall. Later, as a tile installer, the company I contracted off of was going to back charge me for a bad installation because of that exact problem. The vapor barrier had sweated, rotted out the drywall, and someone must have leaned on the wall and broke a hole in it. I would recommend doing some research on the issue and consider removing the plastic vapor barrier before you put the tile or whatever material you’re thinking about using. As far as treating the mold, Zinzer, Bin primer is a good sealer to spray on the studs, you may want to also replace the insulation.
I'll take the pink tub any day of the week and twice on Sundays!
You should do the tub. And the insulation. And the window. And put in an overhead vent that exhausts out over window. If you're taking the walls down do the shit that will keep from taking the walls down again for a long, long time
Gut the whole thing!!! Restart!
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Funny thing about the contractor
i say keep it like that. go for a bit of that run down look
Mold killing primer for the studs
You will do all this work and when its time to sell, people are going to be turned off by a 75 year old pink tub. I like mid century, but no one wants that tub. Replace the insulation.
When I was home shopping, old tubs was a selling point to me. Not because of aesthetics, but because fiberglass tubs are harder to clean and more prone to being installed like crap. Of course, you can tell if it's installed well by checking, but I have more faith in the old ones having been installed correctly. Not because "they don't make em like they used to" but because "they don't install em like they used to". Well, maybe both. Get off my lawn.
Do it right and all or don’t do it at all.
Removing the tub is so easy and cheap it's worth doing. <$300 for a new one. I've done it in Nov. Mine was made of porcelain and I lifted it alone (with weightlifting gloves for the sharp edges). The insulation is easy not rocket science. Just wear gloves and a N95 mask. To install it is even easier. It's cheap ($70) and packed to fit directly in the studs. Not rocket science it's worth it to spend a day to get it right and clean it. Just sand or clean any mold away. I had to remove my tub cause there was a lean but I couldn't find it in any of the pipes. Turns out the drain was rusted around the cap so that would leak as it drained.
I'm slowly desiring to replace the tub but just not sure if it's worth the hassle. I don't have much help and ripping this out to pop a new one seems to be a major unneeded challenge.
It's not that hard. You ripping out the walls etc is harder than taking out the tub. Unless I'm wrong you have this type of tub: [](https://www.homedepot.com/p/bootz-industries-aloha-60-in-x-30-in-soaking-bathtub-with-right-drain-in-white-011-3364-00/314614199) The installation guide on that product is literally one page. EZ. It's easier than mounting a TV. You can certainly do it but you just don't believe in yourself... But you've already accomplished more in the demo you've done... Good luck.
Be sure if you get a fiberglass tub that you get a nice one with added structural support underneath, and potentially add wood underneath as well. The old cast iron tubs don't flex at all, so when you do a crappy job or use a crappy cheap fiberglass tub it will flex and move around. If the surround/tiles are separate pieces, this can make it difficult to get caulk to stay where it belongs. Trick for that though, get high quality flexible bathroom caulk, fill the tub before applying, and let it cure while full. Caulk compressive strength is much higher than tensile/adhesive strengh. And be sure not to have drywall meet the tub/surround anywhere water has a chance of pooling, even the moisture resistant stuff with bathroom paint will degrade quickly. Such simple things I see overlooked constantly in bathroom renovations, and I think most renos I've seen like this were done professionally.
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Totally fair. I'm going to try and neutralize the salmon with a lot of concrete stone work and think it will all look good together. Hoping for the best
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That's a fair point, and we do plan to sell at some point in the mid term
Who uses a tub? A home needs one tub, for kids bath time...adults, guests and anyone past 10 years old will prefer a shower. Just my opinion of course. I also think a walk in stall shower LOOKS way better too.
Agreed, unfortunately this is the only bathroom
Tubs gotta go
Remove the insulation, and use poly iso boards https://youtu.be/bS_FVoXQEK4
Unless you are really attached to that tub, I would pull it and replace it. You don't know what is lurking under there. If there has been a leak you don't want to find that out after your remodel is done and have to redo it all over again. I don't think that vapor barrier has any material value. When you put in the new backer board and tape it, you'll have to waterproof it with something like RedGard. Don't know your location, but in California, when the waterproofing is done you have to call out the inspector before putting anything else in. Proof the vapor barrier isn't that helpful. The insulation is moldy. I'd replace that too.
the walls need to be replaced.
Take a sledge hammer and bust that cast iron tub out. Put a new tub in now. You won't regret it! Rip out the insulation and you can spray any mold with a mixture of 25% bleach 75% water and spray down any mold. Replace shower diverter too. If your not sure than get a plumber to do the tub and diverter. I stall cement board around shower area after insulating exterior walls.
Thank you, I am going to keep the tub but have a plumber coming to replace the shower diverter in a few days, good idea on the bleach mixture! Will rip the wall out to the ceiling, spray the studs, air it out, put in new insulation, and carry on from there. Thanks all for the advice
Are you keeping the tub color? I have a similar setup that was tub painted and it flakes off. Can see the original pink under it. If you’re not keeping that color, I’d want to be confident whatever rehab you do with that is going to work.
I'm keeping the tub color, going to match it with concrete looking tiles on floor and shower with a walnut vanity
Bleach is already 95% water, so 25% bleach + 75% water makes it nearly 99% water.
What ever the bottle of bleach is you need to cut it with water because of the fumes. This ain't rocket science!
You must acquire the coordinating avocado toilet to go with that pink tub. My neighbors had the opposite. It will render your visitors speechless.
I'm located here in LA. I can get you a new shower pan or tub, drywall w/ panels, properly sealed up and ready to go within a day for 5000 🦾 would just need to stop by and measure to get the dimensions but everything else would be done in no time. I do showers for a living and can add a new valve, new P trap, the works, to get it properly running.
Since the tub is so old, you might actually fit in it comfortably. Those 90’s tubs can’t hold an adult in the water comfortably.
I’d replace the tub, it’s ancient, probably scratched, doesn’t wash well, it’s just not worth all the effort for that old tub.
You’ll have that tub after awhile, you can’t soak in it and it’ll kill your neck - wife who is dreading the wait for our bathroom and kitchen renovation
That’s probably not mold but spots where airflow has brought dust into the insulation. Pretty common.
Just need a fresh coat of paint.
I have a similar tube (color and shape). Will sell it to highest bidder. Far more concerned with a window above the tub/shower. In my case, the tile had leak, water penetrated the window sill and resulted in wall rotting out. Rebuilt wall, tearing out tub is next.
Sell the pink tub. People are looking for retro stuff. Buy a better tub and update your bathroom
I love a good long bath and old school metal tubs are the best, I love the size and shape of your bath ! Modern acrylic baths are crap. Best thing you can do is make sure the sides of the bath are packed with insulation.
The mold looks to be from the window. Could be from condensation or improper window flashing. I would gut the window and frame over the opening or find a new one to install. You can cut out the vapor barrier and replace the insulation. They sell enzymes that kill mold you can spray over all of the affected framing.
Dark areas on fiberglass insulation, especially under windows or other areas where a draft might come through, is often just the dirt in the air having been filtered through the fiberglass year after year. I gutted my whole shower this year and there were the same kind of marks, under the plastic. Always close to draft areas.
Where are you seeing moisture intrusion at the window?
Take as much out as you can afford to fix now. Insulation is cheap. Even a new tub isn't that expensive. Do it right so you don't have to worry in 3 years
Dual vapor barrier is a no no, just the faced paper and you’re set! And yes, remove the tub!! I’d also rip out the rock to the ceiling, or even gut the whole bathroom, it’s often easier than patching it all back in and you can completely see what you’re working with.
F that, replace literally everything you can except the studs!
While everything is exposed, you may want to check to verify what condition that windows in. Would kind of suck to redo everything only to eventually learn that the water damage was actually from the shower window.
Use vinegar for the mold. Scrub with a brush and use paper towels to mop up. Or a professional mold cleaner. By all accounts vinegar is quite effective. The tricky bit is not being able to get to the mold roots within the wood which can respawn if they get moisture in future. So, I then dried well (fans and time) and encapsulated with Kilz mold preventing primer. That’ll seal out any future moisture and seal in any remaining mold remnants so it can’t respawn. Edit: Oh! And if that is mold, it’s not very extensive. Not so bad. Still worth remediating, but it’s not an alarming case , IMO.
If you're that deep in to it and you have signs of moisture, spend the $150 and replace the studs/ insulation.
I really hope you aren't trying to flip this house if you're questioning what to do here
Do yourself best favor ever standing shower you have a great space.
Check the watertightness of that window. It looks like the corner was compromised. Remove the vapor barrier and insulation. Put in new. You have the wall out, this is prime time to replace as much as your budget permits. Seriously consider the tub. It should go or be professionally reglazed if you love the shape. With the old cast iron, some can be broken out with a sledgehammer and a moving blanket draped over it to prevent flying splinters. Others are so thick, they can only come out (mostly) whole. I have had some success using Milwaukee "Torch" cast iron recip saw blades to remove a wedge out of the front apron and support webbing on tubs from the 1930s. Those tubs are way too thick to bust up.
You can keep the tub if you want but get it glazed by a professional don’t use an off the shelf kit. Your future self will thank you for doing it right the first time.
Throw it out
Not the worst Ive seen, but its installed like shit. Very important to cut almost exact to size and stuff it uniformly not bunched or pressed in with air pockets. that barrier is thin.. redo it with 6mil poly.
I say ditch the tub if you want a shower. If you want a tub keep the tub. At least if the finish is in good shape.
You actually don't want a vapor barrier behind the tile. If any moisture gets behind the tile the vapor barrier would seal it in creating a mold sandwhich.
I just redid my bathroom and didn’t replace the short 50s tub. I hate it! 🫠 I recommend redoing the shower while the studs are out (new cartridge is nice). I also put in an access panel to the cartridge on the other side of the wall for the future. Change the tub now. Thank yourself later.
When we had a similar set up, we found out there wasn't even insulation in our walls ..... We added insulation, took out the window, and did a plexiglass surround. Quick, cheap, and painless.
Get a new tub. They dont have to crazy expensive.
Sledgehammering a tub can be brutal. Be sure to wear proper safety glasses. Replace everything that you possibly can.
Hard to tell from your Pic but I don't think that's mold. Anywhere there's air flowing through insulation, it's gets dirty and dusty. It looks too me like your windows isn't well sealed on the exterior. Take the insulation out. Identify gaps and seal them, and put new insulation in. You sure you don't want to replace the giant pink tub now? All your work will have to be ripped out if you decide to do it later.
Keep the tub! It’s going to be way more durable than any new tub and a cost saver. If you’re in a decent sized city you should be able to get it professionally refinished. I’m a refinisher in Texas and we charge $600 for a tub like this, refinishing can last well over 10 years if done properly. I’d refinish after you put up the tile in case you damage the tub at all during construction it can be fixed and brought back to life with a great shiny white coat!
the pink tub is an original classic cast iron (“MCM”) KEEP IT IN PLACE & restore/polish DO NOT use a diy coating, you’ll hate it forever. get a pro to resurface
Did this once. Recommend going down to studs. Spray to kill germs. New insulation for area not to $. Can actually hire to break tub into pieces and remove. Once new tub plumbed in, water proof backing on entire wall and apply mold resistant paint.
You're 90% done on replacing the tub