Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest

Read article : Dream Camper Floor Plan Contest

Readers reveal 14 dream truck camper floor plans that are sure to have industry pens, pencils, and mousepads wagging from coast to coast.  The dream plans start here. This whole thing is another hair-brained idea of mine gone completely amok.  About a month ago I was supposed to be working on an article but, in the back of my inexplicable brain, I was attempting to design a sofa camper, with a booth dinette, dry bath, and no slides. Eventually Photoshop opened and I started creating my dream floor plan.  Two hours later, it was done; a non-slide dry bath sofa camper.  It’s alive!

The problem was that Angela would not be pleased with my lack of progress against my to-do list.  Even so, I wanted to show her my design.  How could I show her my floor plan without spending another night on the slacker sofa of solitude?

“I was thinking we could do a dream truck camper floor plan contest.  To see if the idea could work, I designed my own dream floor plan.  What do you think?”

Angela glanced at me with that, “I know what you’re up to” look, and promptly fell in love with my floor plan and contest idea.  Sometimes being creative can get you out of trouble as fast as it gets you into it.  Not always, but sometimes.  Don’t tell Angela.

What follows simply amazes me.  I was a bit concerned that no one would actually draw and submit a dream floor plan.  It’s a lot to ask, and quite a commitment.

It turns out I had nothing to worry about.  Within hours we had our first floor plan entry.  Within days we had over a dozen.  What follows are the first fourteen of twenty-six reader submitted dream floor plans.  How awesome is that?

Later this week we will publish twelve more dream floor plans and the winner.  And all of this happened because… squirrel!

Click to enlarge the floor plans below to see them bigger.

#1 – Andrew Bengtson, Riverside, California (age 16)

This is my dream 11-foot, side-entry, dry bath truck camper.  It has a passenger side slide-out that includes a large-booth dinette, and a floor to ceiling pantry/closet.

The kitchen is located on the rear and driver side, like most fifth wheel trailers, to give the floor plan a more spacious feel.  The dry bath is huge with one of those roll doors.

In the bedroom, the camper features a queen-sized bed.  This camper has storage everywhere, and large windows everywhere.

#2 – Lorin Lowe, Orem, Utah

This is a 9’11” camper with a dry bath and 57-inch wide floor.  It’s a perfect size with everything you need!

Here are the key features:

1. U-Shape Dinette.  Why a U-shaped dinette instead of a full-booth dinette?  Well, with a U-shaped dinette, all you need to do to convert it into a couch is to remove the table top and leg.  You just saved two feet of camper length, an extra slide, and 600 pounds (and a redundant sitting device and sitting area).  Just store the table top and leg in the shower, under the bed, between the wall slide, or some other handy spot until you are ready to use it again.  Plus, you get an added, long storage compartment outside.

2. Dry Bath in Rear.  Who wouldn’t want a dry bath without adding extra length to a 9’11” camper?  That way you can tow without needing an excessively long hitch extension.  Plus, by putting the dry bath in the rear, it opens up the floor space so the camper feels big and you are not bumping into each other.  Ah… space.

3. Swing-Out Pantry.  Look at that open space in front of a full-wall slide refrigerator just begging for productive use.  This nifty cabinetry allows you to swing open your pantry and have full access to your food items on height adjustable, full-depth shelves.  This allows space on the other side of the camper for a dry bath.  Okay, so you need to open the pantry before you open the refrigerator, but how often are you getting in the refrigerator anyway?  And aren’t you accessing your pantry items most of the time when you open your refrigerator?

Here are the specifications:

9’11” floor length.  This is a manageable length for a camper.

57-inch floor width.  Over the wheel-well height basement design.  Yes, it has winglets, but who cares when you have 57-inches of floor width?

Dry weight 3,200 pounds.  This will be a challenge for the manufacturer, but doable.

Reasonable tank capacities.  45 gallons fresh, 40 gallons grey (yes, 40 gallons so we can take showers for a week), 35 gallons black (dump your excess grey water in your black tank).

Synchronized jacks.  Jack manufacturers take note.  We need jacks with turn counters so they all go up and down at the same rate.  If I press two or more buttons on the remote, the corresponding jacks should move at exactly the same rate.  The next advancements should be height memory settings and auto-level using an accelerometer.  Who will be the first to develop this feature set and take over market share?

#3 – Donald Fox, Chesapeake, Virginia

I would like the bathroom to be smaller.  One way to do that is to incorporate the sink into the wall of the shower.  The sink could fold down during showering and transportation.  You would have to step into the shower to brush your teeth and wash your face, but it would save a lot of space for other stuff.

In order to incorporate the sink, you would move the shower drain to the outside wall and then the sink could have its own drain behind the shower.  Or, it could lay against the shower wall incorporated into that shower wall with a bump out.  This would also place all water systems in the bathroom against an outside wall making maintenance easier.

I would also move the toilet ninety degrees which will give ample leg space between the shower and toilet.  This would free up space for a large pantry; drawers on bottom, and doors on top.  I would install a sliding door to the bath.

Part of the shower would have a side wall, near the door area.  To give more space in the bathroom, the sliding door could be on the outside, or just install a regular door.

I would also like the dinette to be six feet or more in length so that it could be made into a bed.  I’m not certain how long it is in our drawing.  I think it is only five feet.  I would want one dinette seat to slide back toward the sofa to allow for a six foot bed at night.  That would cramp the sofa.

If I could, I would do one of three things to the sofa:

1. I would like to lengthen it once settled so that the sofa could provide more seating.  The sofa could be pulled out toward the steps when desired.  This would also allow it to convert into a bed long enough for a person almost six feet tall.  I know this would interfere with the entrance, but once in for the night, or when inside due to inclement weather, it would provide more space to stretch out.

2. I would like the sofa to slide to the right toward the door once settled in for the night giving more leg room for the person seated on the left of the couch.

3. If that’s not possible, then I would want two small comfortable recliner chairs that, once settled into a place, could be unlocked and moved around.  Once the food is cooked it would be nice to move a recliner chair near the area of the stove providing more comfortable room.  The chair or recliners would be the two options to choose from.

I have on order a Lance 1172 (due for delivery in mid-June).  Had this model been made available, I would have purchased this rather than the two-slide model.  I only went with the 1172 because of the sofa.  Another possibility with your design, which is the best non-slide design I have ever seen, would be to not have a window at the bed step area.

If I could purchase this floor plan from Lance, with a single slide, I would select your design and have the dinette and refrigerator slide out.  I would have the sofa installed like you show it and could easily not slide out when boondocking for the night.  Everything could be used without sliding out but obtain the extra space when needed.

Thanks for the opportunity.

#4 – Tom Rives, San Diego, California

I have a Phoenix pop-up.  Phoenix Campers are custom built to your own floor plan, so it’s exactly what I wanted.  My constraints were how to have a wet bath and queen size bed on a six foot bed, and be self-contained.  The underfloor plan was just as important.

The most innovative item is the passenger side 45-degree seating area.  Even on a narrow truck it gives you enough seating depth and leg room to lounge rather than sit upright.  It gives the cook more room and, at 90-degrees to each other, you can play cards without cheating.

The driver’s side from front to back is a sliding bed over cab, refrigerator/freezer, sink/stove, and the wet bathroom under a flip-up counter/wall at the rear.

There is ample storage because a 7-inch raised floor (basement) accommodates the 25 gallon fresh water, 10 gallon gray water, batteries, and storage for table, two chairs, firewood, and outside kitchen box, all without intruding into the living floor plan above.

During the day, the floor plan is all kitchen and seating with extra windows all around.  This camper provides great air flow and a very spacious (no upper cabinet) feeling.  At night there is a queen-sized bed.

It is very comfortable to live in.  The flow and functionality is amazingly good for such a small space.  For us, it’s all about being comfortable without sacrificing drivability or economy.

#5 – Howard Bisco, Washington, Illinois

Not to cheat, but if this Okanagan 90W had a cassette toilet, this is the floor plan that I would like.

#6 – Scott Mote, Westport, Indiana

My ultimate truck camper would have an L-shaped sofa in the back with an extension that would slide back into the sofa when in travel mode.  The picture doesn’t show it, but a sliding door for the bathroom would make it accessible with the slide-out in.

#7 – Bill and Sue Billyard, Fort Erie, Ontario

Gordon, while Sue and I were impressed with your floor plan, we feel it could be even better.  A copy of our revised plan is included with this email.

The changes we made are:

1. Move the dinette closer to the sofa so the sofa could be used as a seat on one side of the table.  You could also add a removable table extension which would allow two people to sit side-by-side on the sofa and eat, use a computer, or whatever.

2. That would also move the refrigerator closer to the rear and closer to the kitchen area making it more accessible.

3. By making that move, you would have space for a pantry and a hanging closet.

4. Put a microwave over the stove taking part of the overhead storage away.

5. To make up for the microwave storage loss, put overhead storage above the sink.

6. Put overhead storage above the head of the bed.

#8 – Stan Carman, Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Since most manufacturers seem hooked on slide-outs, we offer the attached modifications to the new Lance 975 plan.   Swapping the dinette for a sofa with overhead storage and a skinny wardrobe should be possible in the same slide-out.

Replacing the bathroom door with a slider or folding door might make it possible to access the bath with the slide-out in.  A small folding table in front of the sofa could be stored under the sofa or in the wardrobe.

#9 – Fred Patterson, Fairfax Station, Virginia

Over the years, truck camper manufacturers have steadily improved design and efficiency to the point where we, truck camper owners, can only think we could do a better job if we started from scratch.

That said, there are a couple of improvements most truck camper owners agree should be made and it seems are never adequately achieved – at least in light-weight and mid-weight campers.  This design intends to correct that problem while still maintaining a weight suitable for a single rear wheel truck.

The goal is to add more and bigger windows, so one feels like they are outside, and to add more interior wardrobe/pantry/counter space while not significantly increasing weight.  Most campers without this extra storage space are 9-foot to 9.5-foot floor length, so this design is 10-foot to 11-foot floor length without adding significant weight.

The entire rear half of camper consists of as much window space as possible without weakening the structure.   Most of this design comes from existing camper designs, but the areas marked by red arrows show the storage improvements.

Specifications:  8-foot bed, hard-side, non-slide, shallow basement to allow facing dinette.

#10 – Mary Grandlund, Babbitt, Minnesota

#11 – Burt Brar, Surrey, British Columbia

My dream floor plan is a hard-side, four season design with a north-south cabover and a queen-size bed.  There would be overhead storage and cupboards on both sides of the cabover bed.

The kitchen would feature a small sink, two burner stove, and a refrigerator/freezer in the center of the camper.  The center of the camper would also feature a dry bath with shower, toilet, and sink.  Next to the dry bath would be a storage cupboard.

The rear of the camper has a three seat roll-out sofa that opens into a double bed for two adults.  The entry into the camper is a side-entry.

There would be a large rear window, a large window in the kitchen area, smaller windows in the cabover area, a small window in the dry bath, and a skylight.

This is a basement design with two large drawers for additional storage.  The camper would have two propane tanks, a generator, 100-watts of solar panels on the roof, two batteries, and a furnace that runs of propane, coal, or wood for colder climates.

The camper is aluminum framed with fiberglass or aluminum skin.  The interior cabinetry is also aluminum framed with fiberglass skin.  The floor wold be laminated or aluminum.

Everything on this camper can be 100% recycled.  The weight would be about 1,500 pounds with a 2,500 pound dry weight maximum.  This camper would be for a short box truck, and have full-size truck options.

#12 – William A. Ortiz, Nathrop, Colorado

#13 – Francois Jasmin, Montreal, Quebec

Thanks for your floor plan idea Gordon.  I want one.  Here’s an entry for the floor plan contest based on your camper.

1. Is it possible to move the refrigerator in place of the toilet, and the toilet at the place of the refrigerator?  Then put a flip lavatory sink in the shower, like in a boat.

2. Place the back of the toilet on the wall and put a flip lavatory sink in the shower.

3. Put a smaller window in the bedroom and a larger wardrobe.

#14 – Steve Machen, N. Little Rock, Arkansas

Everyone designs campers for as many people as they can squeeze in.  Nothing is designed for a single person.  Here’s how I would build a Northern Lite 6-10.

Eliminate the oven, move the grill outside to make room for a bathroom.  Seating would be one comfortable chair that you could swivel to the door.  Sit and take off your shoes.  There would be a small swing-up table and an area for pets.

Click here to go to Part 2 and see the winner of the Dream Floor Plan Contest.

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30 Ways To Upgrade Your Apartment On A Budget

Read article : 30 Ways To Upgrade Your Apartment On A Budget

So you’ve just moved into your first apartment on your own (or with roommates), and you seem to be baffled by how expensive everything is! Well don’t worry, because there are ways to upgrade your apartment on a budget. Sure, you pay electricity and internet.. and water..and heat. There is some serious budgeting needed in order to live comfortably. I also understand that you want to know more than just “put baking soda in your fridge to avoid it from stinking up.” So here are 15 great ways to upgrade your apartment while on a budget! Good luck!

*This article is in collaboration with Kayla Nannariello.

1. Use Command Hooks!

The most standard tool among students! Command hooks have a universal purpose, to make life easier. I have command hooks for clothes, I have command hooks for lights, I have command hooks for my whiteboard and anything else I want to hang. they can hold a lot of weight depending on the size of hooks you get. I have hooks for my keys, my umbrella, any dangling wires and even my night light! These little life and space savers not only make it easier to find stuff, but also make your place look so much cleaner and organized…something you definitely want to see when you come back from a long day of classes. This way you will have a place to put your keys instead of throwing them around and regretting it the next morning when you’re rushing around.

2. Use the free cups and bottles you get around campus fairs (housing fair, clubs and organizations fairs, career fair.)

Don’t just use them to drink; use them as pen stands, stands to hold your dish washing brush, fill them up with change that you don’t want in your wallet. I covered my cup with three layers of paper on the top and made a slit through the center and there you have it, your college piggy bank (you’re going to need that money for laundry and err..)
The bottles particularly, can be used to store pretty much anything. One of my bottles is filled up with paper clips. The other is in the fridge so I have cold water when I need it, and another one makes for an easy lime-juice dispenser.

3. Don’t hold back, get a huge trash can.

This is by far the most convenient thing I have done for myself in the apartment. We bought a 55 gallon trash can from Walmart and now we save on trash bags all the time…and the best part? We don’t have to take it out very often. If you want to budget and you’re lazy, this is a win-win. Moreover, these giant cans have a cover, so they don’t stink up the apartment even if you decide to dump food that’s days old because, come on, let’s face it, every college student forgets to throw away old food for a long time because they actually forgot or they’re just procrastinating.

4. Keep those twist ties you get with almost anything you buy.

You know when you buy a loaf of bread or something that has wound up wire over it? And you decide to throw it away? Don’t. These things can come in handy at any time in your apartment. Leaving for summer and don’t want to let the cutlery just lie around? Use this to wind up the spoons together and store them away. Phone charger too long for where its plugged in? Wind it up a bit and hold it together with this! Tape can make it sticky, very easily. Opened a pack of Doritos and want to save it for later? Don’t leave it open, use these!

5. Use an old or cheap blanket as a window blind.

I’m not kidding, some blankets at Walmart go for less than $8, and if you are renting an apartment, it’s highly unlikely that it will come with fancy blackout curtains. Get a blanket, and use command hooks to hang it up right around your window. Put two loops at the bottom corners so you can roll it up and hook it to the hooks on the top to make a blind, there you go! Cheap and easy blackout curtains to help you sleep in after that rough Friday night.

6. Use over-the-door hooks.

You don’t want to have to deal with putting 5 command hooks up when you know you need them there, and you want something that you can load up more than just the capacity of those sticky magicians. They’re cheap and there are so many options on Amazon. There are no restrictions for these and you do not need to do any work, just stick the hooks over the door so they hold on and hang away! In any case, most rental apartments will not allow you to drill holes and screw in hooks and this is the only alternative to get hooks as strong.

7. Get LED strip lighting for your apartment.

Ever get that feeling when you don’t want any lights on but also want to be able to see and move around your room? Here’s your solution, and it’s pretty cool. These lights go for anywhere between $15-$25, and they come in lengths up to 32 feet! You simply put them across the top of your room’s walls with command hooks (of course) or if the wall is flat enough then you can even use their built-in adhesive. They have a remote, and they are LEDs, so they’re barely using any electricity. They have brightness control and color changing capabilities for when you’re throwing that Saturday night party. It’s easy, cheap and will impress any guests. They can set the mood, become an ideal everyday light and even become party strobe lights.

8. When life gives you lemons, CLEAN!

You know how after you make a glass of lemonade, you throw out the squeezed lemon…right? Wrong. This is the perfect way to save yourself from over-spraying the kitchen with Febreze. Just throw that thing into the sink disposal, run it and run warm water as you do so. Crushed lemon will release a fresh aroma, much better than using any spray since it’s acidity will clean as well. Got a dirty or stinky microwave? Grab any microwavable mid-sized bowl and fill it halfway with water, cut a lemon in half and squeeze both halves only a little into the water, not all the way. Now dump them into the water and microwave for 3 minutes. Once it’s done, your microwave will smell fresh and will be much easier to clean!

9. Use a giant bowl of water to keep your room air from being too dry.

The weather gets dry and cold in the winter, which means we all start having dry hands, and feel really dehydrated. Our apartment heaters can be the culprit in this dry air problem. A simple solution is to take a large bowl, fill it with water and simply place it in your room. This works, and it works well. It will keep the air slightly humid and especially if you’re from a less cold region, you will be saved from terrible and painful dry skin. Save your money and don’t buy those heavy and space hogging humidifiers, do this instead!

10. Use Brita filters!

If you’re the kind that likes to drink bottled or filtered water, you’d be spending at least $4 a day or more than those who drink tap water. But what if I said you could drink filtered tap water? Look no further! If you don’t already know about Brita jugs and filters, you need to know. These things have filters built into them, so it’s as easy as filling up a jug by turning on the faucet. It even reminds you when to change a filter, and no its not every week, it’s around every 4 months.

11. Buy everything in bulk.

If you’re at Walmart and you love getting orange juice for that night, it is very likely that you will come back to get more. Instead, save yourself the trouble and the money…buy a giant jug of it, or even four jugs of it. Buying bigger packs saves more than you think, and you will have to make less trips, so there’s time and energy saved too! This applies to pretty much anything from frozen food to toilet paper. I would even recommend buying the large boxes of laundry detergent/pods. You’re not going to stop doing laundry, so you might as well stock up.

Using Amazon’s ‘dash buttons’ is a pretty neat way to be lazy too. Just press the button when you’re running low and there you have it, delivered supplies to your doorstep. They even have these things for Red bull and Gatorade cases, and they don’t cost anything extra. You get a discount on your first order that matches the amount you paid to get the button so that’s pretty neat and convenient.

12. Buy Windex, a lot of it.

This magical solution we all know is much more useful than you think it is. You can use it to clean counters, tables, wall stains, floor spills and pretty much anything that your apartment life can throw at you. Simply buy a refill after your first spray bottle. Fear not, Windex can even clean your stained bathroom mirror very easily so you can look good and feel fresh every morning!

13. Buy space-savers for literally everything.

I have one for snacks, one for stationery and one for cutlery. We also have one in the living room which helps when we simply leave our stuff out. There are sizes that fit on a table to keep small items and sizes that stand alone and can even be used as a bedside table or in my case, a place to keep the bowl of water so the air doesn’t get too dry!

14. Look into Mainstays products.

They make inexpensive household items such as the space-savers I mentioned. They also make furniture, so if you’re looking for a desk in your room, a chair, a comfortable chair to watch TV in, sheets, blankets and anything else you might need, they probably have it. Remember, most of these items are the cheapest when the semester starts and the large stores are having their sales. Most of my kitchen, including plates, cooking vessels and cutlery is from Mainstays, they have great deals and it’s definitely worth it.

15. Add some Throw Pillows!

Throw pillows are a great way to spruce up your apartment without spending too much     money. They come in millions of prints, so you’ll always be able to find ones that match your personal style and the look you’re going for!

16. Use decorative baskets as opposed to plastic storage bins.

Baskets are a great alternative to plastic storage bins. They act as decor but keep your things organized just as well! There are so many cute basket options out there whether you enjoy wired baskets, canvas, or woven ones and they come in all shapes and sizes to fit into whatever space you need!

17. Wall art makes a huge difference!

Dress up any boring drab walls you have in your apartment with some wall art. The possibilites here are endless! You can even buy just the prints or download prints from sites like Etsy and add your own frame.

18. Add slipcovers to your furniture.

Do you have an old beat up couch and can’t afford to buy a new one? No worries, just buy a slipcover. Slipcovers are awesome because they come in so many different colors and designs, and you can switch them out whenever you want a new look!

19. Make your space more inviting with picture frames.

Another cheap way to spruce up your apartment is to buy cute picture frames and fill them with your favorite pictures! It’s a great way to add a personal touch to your apartment. This will make your living space feel more cozy just like the home you grew up in!

20.  A rug.

If you don’t like your flooring, area rugs are a great way to cover it up. They come in so many different sizes that you’re bound to find one that will fit your space. A good rug can do wonders for an apartment by covering up any messed up flooring and making your apartment look bigger than it actually is.

21. Set out some candles.

They’re cheap, they smell good, and they act as decor. Candles have a great way of turning any drab apartment into an inviting atmosphere!

22. Decorate with artificial succulents.

Fake succulents are great because they require no maintenance. And unlike real plants, you don’t have to worry about replacing it when it dies.

23. Your table lamps can make a statement.

Instead of buying simple lamps for your end tables, get more interesting ones. Not only will they dress up the room, but they are bound to be a conversation starter.

24. Buy simple furniture.

When buying furniture, don’t buy anything crazy. Go for things that are neutral colors and won’t go out of style and can look timeless in any setting.

25. Choose the right comforter.

Your comforter can make or a break a room, and unless you are absolutely in love with a printed comforter, I wouldn’t buy it. Instead, go for a solid color, preferably a neutral. This way you aren’t limited on how you decorate your room. The solid color also gives the room a very clean feel.

26. Opt for placemats.

Placemats are a super cheap way to make your dining room or kitchen look instantly more put together.

27. Get a shower curtain.

Shower curtains take up the most room in a bathroom, so make sure yours is something that people won’t mind looking at. Resist the crazy printed ones and instead, go for a simple print that will dress up your bathroom and make it seem brighter and bigger.

28. Add a good throw blanket into the mix.

Throw blankets are great because they give a cozy feel to the room and it’s always great to have a blanket nearby, but they also work as decoration.

29. Add some mirrors to your walls.

Mirrors are amazing because they make the room look bigger and they tend to draw in people’s attention.

30. If you ever need anything for your apartment, always look it up Amazon first.

When I was setting up my apartment, there were many things I found that I didn’t even know would help me so much! For example, many of my sockets have a switch extension, so I can turn them off while I am not using them, without unplugging them. This is especially useful for behind the bed and under the desk sockets, since unplugging requires a lot of effort and plugging it back in is even worse…you might even have to move the entire piece of furniture. Power strips, USB adapters and anything you can think off, it’s probably cheaper on Amazon.

Do you have any other good ideas on ways to upgrade your apartment on a budget? Share in the comments below!

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Featured Image source:http: //homelk.com/apartments/cute-college-apartment-bedrooms-for-girls

Tags: apartment essentials, apartment hacks, things you need for your first apartment, upgrade your apartment, upgrade your apartment on a budget, ways to upgrade apartment

How to Lay Tile: Install a Ceramic Tile Floor In the Bathroom

Read article : How to Lay Tile: Install a Ceramic Tile Floor In the Bathroom

Cover up an old floor

Whether you’re replacing an old shabby floor or installing a new one, you can’t beat ceramic or stone tile for durability and appearance. When laid properly, it’s virtually a forever floor that requires almost no care and maintenance. And you can select materials from a vast array of colors and textures. We’ll cover how to lay tile in a few steps.

What’s equally attractive is that you can lay a first-class tile floor yourself, often in one weekend, and save the $500 to $1,500 cost of hiring a pro.

The key to keeping the job simple is to cover the old vinyl or other flooring with a new thin underlayment that gives you a fresh, clean start. No messy tear-out and repair. In this article, we’ll demonstrate how to install a thin “backer board” over the old floor. Then we’ll cover tile-setting techniques, from layout and cutting to grout and cleanup.

This is a two-day project for most bathrooms, even if you don’t have any previous tile experience. If you’re comfortable using basic hand tools and have the patience to align tiles just right, you can handle this job. The entire cost of this project for a typical bath ranges from $300 to $600.

Estimating the Cost of a Tile Project

The tile itself will be your biggest cost, so start by measuring the square footage of the floor. Then add 10 percent for cutting waste. If you choose a more complex layout than the simple grid pattern we used, your waste will be greater. Most tile sells for $5 to $15 per square foot, but you can spend as little as $3 or more than $50. If you have to install backer board, add $2 per square foot to the cost of the tile. Other materials will cost about $90, regardless of bathroom size. The tile tools you’ll need (including a tile cutter) will total $60 to $80.

Assess your floor

The success of any tile job depends on a solid base, that is, a floor that flexes very little as you walk across it. If you have a concrete subfloor, this isn’t an issue. You can lay tile directly over the existing vinyl as long as it’s well adhered.

If possible, avoid tearing out vinyl flooring. Leaving it in place saves time, of course, but it also reduces asbestos hazard concerns. Asbestos was used in sheet vinyl and vinyl tile until the mid-1980s. By leaving the vinyl undisturbed, you won’t risk sending asbestos fibers into the air.

If you have a wood subfloor, there’s a good chance that you’ll have to install backer board over your vinyl to make the floor thicker and stiff enough for tile. The easiest way to see flooring thickness is to pull off a floor register. Otherwise look for plumbing passageways through the floor. As a last resort, drill through the floor with a 1-in. or larger spade bit (your new floor will cover the hole later). To prevent asbestos dust from becoming airborne, mist the bit with a spray bottle as you drill. In addition to floor thickness, you’ll need to determine joist spacing. If there’s an unfinished basement or crawlspace below the floor, simply measure the spacing. If there’s a ceiling, probe for joists with a drill bit.

If the joists are spaced 16 in. apart, the layers of structural flooring beneath the vinyl should add up to at least 1-1/8 in. With joists every 24 in., you need 1-1/2 in. If your floor is too thin for tile, add a thicker layer of tile backer board. Our floor required 1/4-in.-thick backer. Yours might need 1/2-in. backer to reach the minimum thickness. If your floor is already thick enough, you can simply prep the vinyl floor (Photos 1 – 4) and skip the backer installation (Photos 5 – 8). Then tile directly over the vinyl, following the same steps we used over backer board.

Regardless of the type of subfloor, there are two situations where you can’t leave vinyl in place: First, if large areas of the vinyl are loose, don’t set tile or backer over it. Small loose spots are acceptable and easy to deal with (Photo 4).

Second, “cushioned” sheet vinyl must be removed before you can set tile. Cushioned vinyl has a foam backing that makes it noticeably thicker and softer than standard vinyl flooring. It’s too spongy to support tile or backer board. Before removing it, call your local health department for instructions on how to check for asbestos and proper procedures if asbestos is present.

Gather Advice While You Shop

Home centers carry everything you need for this project, but begin shopping at a tile store, where you’re more likely to get expert advice. Make a quick sketch of your floor plan and jot down all the dimensions. Also take a photo of the floor at the doorway. This will help the tile store staff recommend a “transition” to neatly join the tile to the hallway flooring. Transitions come in different styles to suit any situation.

When you choose the tile itself, ask if it requires any special installation steps. Some tile, for example, should be coated with grout release before grouting. Also ask about cutting techniques for the tile. You’ll use sanded grout for the floor. Ask if sanded caulk is available in a color that matches your grout for the floor/tub and floor/wall tile joints.

Prepare the room

First, get the toilet out of your way. Stuff a rag in the hole to block sewer gases. If your home only has one toilet, you can leave it in place until you install the backer board. Keep a supply of wax rings on hand if you plan to reinstall the toilet at the end of each day.

If you expect to keep your vanity for many years to come, leave it in place and tile around it. But if you think you might replace it, remove it now. When the job’s done, you can reinstall the old vanity or put in a new one. Having the vanity out of the way gives you more workspace, and you won’t have to cut backer board and tiles to fit around it. This also eliminates the floor repair problem if you install a smaller vanity or pedestal sink in the future.

Pull off the baseboard or plan to add base shoe molding. This leads to a neater-looking job because the edges of the tile will be covered later—jagged cuts and slight measuring mistakes are hidden. If your baseboard has base shoe molding, remove only the base shoe. Backer board and tile will raise your floor 3/4 in. or more. So you’ll have to remove and undercut the door. To mark the door for cutting, stack backer board, tile and two layers of cardboard on the floor (see Photo 3). Mark the door 1/2 in. above the stack, remove the door and cut off the bottom.

Scrub, screw and patch the floor

Photo 1: Scrub the floor with stripper

Remove the baseboard and toilet. Using an abrasive pad, scrub the floor hard with water mixed with vinyl floor stripper.

Photo 2: Drive screws into the floor joists

Mark the floor joists with chalk lines and drive 2-1/2-in. screws every 8 in. Don’t leave any screw heads protruding.

Photo 3: Cut the door trim to accommodate tile

Undercut door trim using a jamb saw or handsaw. A piece of backer board, tile and two layers of cardboard raise the saw to the correct height above the floor.

Photo 4: Fill low spots with thin-set

Cut out any loose sections of vinyl with a utility knife. Fill the void with thin-set using the flat edge of a notched trowel.

Scrub the floor with a vinyl floor stripper following the manufacturer’s instructions. The stripper will dissolve wax and other residue. Scrub hard with an abrasive scouring pad (Photo 1). The tiny scratches left by scrubbing help the thin-set bond better.

Next, drive screws through the floor into the joists (Photo 2). This ensures that the subfloor and underlayment are securely fastened. If there’s an unfinished basement below the floor, locating the joists is easy: Go to the basement and drill a couple of 1/4-in. holes up through the floor next to a joist. If you can’t locate the joists from below, pick a spot near one wall and drill a hole. If the bit breaks through into hollow space, move over 1 in. and drill another hole. Keep going until you hit a joist. Then go to the opposite wall and find the other end of the joist. Measure at intervals of 16 or 24 in. from the first joist to locate the others.

While you’re driving screws, look for any spots where the vinyl has loosened from the floor. Cut out loose spots and fill them (Photo 4). If there are any copper pipes that pass through the floor, wrap them with duct tape at floor level. Cement-based thin-set and grout can corrode copper.

Install backer board

Photo 5: Install backer board over the floor

Cover the floor with backer board. Cut inside corners, circles and curves with a drywall saw. Space pieces 1/8 in. apart and hold each one in place with two temporary screws.

Drywall saw

Use a drywall saw to cut corners, circles and curves in backer board.

Photo 6: Score and snap the backer board

Make straight cuts with a scoring knife. Make three or four scoring passes, then snap the backer over a 2×4. When all the pieces have been laid out, label them and set them aside.

Scoring knife

Use a scoring knife to score the backer board.

Photo 7: Trowel on the thin-set

Comb out a bed of thin-set just large enough for each piece of backer board using a 1/4-in. notched trowel held at a 45-degree angle. Screw the backer down before spreading thin-set for the next piece.

Notched trowel

Use a 1/4-in. notched trowel to spread the thin-set over the floor.

Photo 8: Cover the joints

Press adhesive-backed mesh tape over the joints and skim over the tape with thin-set. When the thin-set is firm but not fully hardened, scrape away any ridges with a putty knife.

The backer board is fastened with a combination of screws and thin-set adhesive. Cut and lay out all the pieces before you mix the thin-set (Photos 5 and 6). You can run the sheets in any direction, but be sure to stagger the joints so you never have four corners meeting at one point. Leave a 1/8-in. space between the sheets and along the vanity, tub or shower. The gap along walls must be at least 1/8 in. wide, but a wider gap (about 1/2 in.) makes the panels easier to set in place.

After cutting and fitting, label the location of each one and set them all aside. Vacuum the floor and have your drill and screws ready to go before you mix the thin-set. Read the thin-set’s label. Spread the thin-set with a 1/4-in. notched trowel. Comb in one direction so air can escape when you embed the backer (Photo 7). Drive screws every 6 in. around the perimeter of each piece and every 8 in. “in the field” (across the face of the panel). If the leftover thin-set is still workable, you can immediately embed mesh tape over the joints (Photo 8).

If the thin-set has become too stiff or chunky, mix a new batch. Use “alkali-resistant” tape that’s meant for backer board. While the tape coat of thin-set hardens, run a putty knife over all the screw heads to scrape off the “mushroom” bulges around screws. Drive in any protruding screw heads you come across.

CAUTION!

Cement products like thin-set and grout draw moisture from skin and can even cause burns that require medical attention. While most pros work bare-handed, wear gloves if you have any special sensitivity. Also wear eye protection while mixing thin-set and grout.

Figure A: Ceramic Tile Over Vinyl

Everything you need for this project is available at home centers. Most of what you need is also available at tile stores.

Careful layout pays off

Photo 9: Test your layout to avoid small pieces along the walls

Dry-lay tile to determine the best layout. Start with centered rows, leaving equal spaces at walls. Then reposition rows until you find the optimal layout.

Photo 10: Attach guide boards to guide the layout

Screw guide boards to the floor following your chosen layout. Position the guides so you can lay all the field tiles without moving the guides. Make sure the guides are at right angles by measuring out a 3-4-5 triangle.

Too often, tile novices simply start setting tile in a corner and continue along two walls until the floor is covered. Sometimes they get lucky and the floor looks good. But more often this method leads to trouble:

They end up with awkward-looking, thin slivers of tile along a prominent wall or at the doorway. And the tile looks even worse when walls are badly out of square or crooked—a straight grout line running too close to a wall emphasizes the wall’s imperfections.

Whether you’re laying a simple grid pattern like we show here, or a diagonal pattern with a border, the best tile layout usually calls for centering full tiles between walls so the partial tiles along the edges will end up all the same size. Don’t rely on your tape measure and mental arithmetic. Rip open a carton of tile, grab a handful of spacers and experiment with your layout on the floor.

To begin, center rows of tile between walls so you have equal spaces along walls that face each other (Photo 9). Set the two rows parallel to the two most prominent walls. Then make adjustments, trying to achieve these three goals:

• Use full tiles at doorways and along the bathtub or shower. These are usually the only places where the edges of the floor aren’t covered by baseboard. If you use full tiles in these exposed spots, you don’t have to worry about making smooth, perfect cuts.
• Avoid narrow tiles along walls. Ideally, you’ll end up with tiles cut to half size or larger. Avoid cutting tile to widths less than 2 in.
• Minimize cutting and try to avoid difficult cuts. For example: Cutting tile to an L-shape to fit around an outside corner is especially difficult when one arm of the “L” is less than 2 in. wide. The arm tends to break off as you cut.

Chances are, your layout won’t meet all these goals. Because the shower stall was the focal point in our bathroom, we made it our No. 1 layout priority. We chose to use full tiles in front of the shower. That left us with 3-in.-wide tiles along the opposite wall, which was less prominent. We also chose to center the tile rows on the shower; that meant we had to use cut tiles at the doorway.

Once you determine a layout, establish lines to guide your tile positioning. The usual method is to snap chalk lines on the floor. But chalk lines are hard to see after you’ve spread thin-set, and one row of tile may slip as you set the next row. Here’s a more reliable guide: Choose straight boards a foot shorter than the length and width of the room. Tape one edge of each board so thin-set won’t stick to them.

Then screw the boards to the floor at a right angle to form a guide that eliminates guesswork and shifting (Photo 10).

Video: Create Your Own Floor Tile Layout

Planning the layout for a tile project is usually the hardest and most time- consuming step. Watch this video to learn how a pro does it. You’ll see how to snap chalk lines and make sure they are perfectly square. Plus, you’ll learn how to avoid unsightly narrow, difficult-to-cut tiles along a wall. Don’t start a tile project until you’ve watch this video!

Set the tile (finally!)

Photo 11: Set the full tiles

Comb out a few square feet of thin-set and set tile against the guides. Continue until all the full tiles are in place. Tip: Watch for squeeze-out between tiles and rake it out with tile spacers.

Spacers detail

Keep the gaps between tiles even by using spacers

Photo 12: Spread thin-set and set the perimeter tiles.

Cut and set the perimeter tiles after the thin-set beneath the full tiles has hardened. In spaces too narrow for your trowel, comb thin-set onto the backs of tiles.

It’s usually easiest—and most efficient—to set tile in two phases: First set all the full “field” tiles (Photo 11). Then, when the thin-set has hardened for several hours, cut all the perimeter tiles and set them (Photo 12). Here are some tips for both phases of the job:

• The trowel you use for setting tile may be different from the one you used to embed the backer. The thin-set label tells you which notch size to use relative to tile size.
• Dampen the backer with a sponge just before applying thin-set. This keeps the thin-set from drying out too quickly.
• Comb the thin-set in one direction so air pockets won’t be trapped under tile.
• Open three or four cartons and mix the tiles as you set them. Pattern and color vary slightly from one carton to the next.
• Don’t just set each tile into place; press down on the tile and wiggle it to embed it firmly in the thin-set.
• Watch for “tipped” corners. When you press a tile in place, it’s easy to tilt it slightly so that one corner stands higher or lower than neighboring tiles.
• When you complete a section of tile, inspect it before moving on. Make sure the tiles line up correctly and spacers are in place. Wipe any thin-set off the face of tiles with a damp sponge.
• When the thin-set becomes chunky or too stiff, throw it away and mix more. Never try to extend the life of thin-set or grout by adding water.
• Cut perimeter tile so that caulked joints (at tub) are the same width as grouted joints.

Prepare the floor for grout

Photo 13: Install an extension ring over the toilet flange

Remove the old screws from the toilet flange and apply a heavy bead of silicone caulk. Fasten the extension ring over the old flange with stainless steel or brass screws.

Photo 14: Install the transition strip

Glue the transition into place with construction adhesive. If carpet meets the transition, you may have to add a new tack strip.

Photo 15: Stuff backer rod along the wall

Push backer rod into joints that will be caulked later. The foam rod keeps grout out of joints. After grouting, pull out the rod and caulk the joints.

When all the tiles are in place and the thin-set has hardened, remove all the spacers. Next, raise the toilet flange by adding an extension ring or two (Photo 13). The extended flange should be flush with or higher than the surrounding tile.

When you grout, fill in between the flange and tile. That way, any future leak around the flange will show up on the bathroom floor instead of on the ceiling below. If you plan to use a glue-down transition as we did, this is the time to install it.

Here’s how we dealt with our transition: First, we removed the old metal strip that covered the carpet’s edge. Then we cut our transition strip to fit between the door jambs using a miter saw. Next, we added a tack strip to hold the carpet in place. Before we could glue the transition to the floor (Photo 14), we had to remove a thin strip of the old vinyl floor.

Grout is too brittle to handle the slight shifting movements that are normal in any room. Keep grout out of joints wherever the floor meets the tub, shower, vanity or walls (Photo 15).

Pack the joints with grout

Photo 16: Grout the joints

Work the grout back and forth across the floor, diagonal to the joints and holding the float at a 45-degree angle. Then scrape off the excess grout, holding the float almost upright.

The thin-set directions will tell you how soon you can grout the floor—usually 24 hours. Grouting isn’t complex. Just plop a couple of scoops of grout onto the floor in a corner, work the grout into joints (Photo 16) and scrape off the excess grout before moving to the next section. In addition:

• Mix the grout to a mashed-potatoes consistency. Adding extra liquid makes grout easier to work with but weakens it.
• Don’t just spread the grout over the joints; press hard to pack it into the joints. If you’re doing it right, your forearm will get a good workout.
• Whether you’re filling joints or scraping off excess grout, always push the float diagonally across the tiles.
• Scrape off the excess to leave tile as clean as you can. The less grout you leave on the tiles, the easier cleanup will be.
• When you’re done, cover the grout bucket with a plastic bag and set it in a cool place to slow the hardening process. During cleanup, you may find spots that need a little extra.

Grout cleanup

Photo 17: Clean the tiles

Wipe grout off the tile surface with a damp sponge. Wipe gently on the first pass so you don’t pull grout out of the joints. Rinse the sponge often.

Clean the surface of the tile when the grout is stiff enough to stay put in the joints but still soft enough to wipe off the tile surface. During hot, dry weather, grout can become difficult to wipe away in just 10 minutes, so get ready for cleanup before you even mix the grout. You’ll need two buckets of clean water, two sponges, a synthetic scouring pad and a dry rag.

As soon as you’re done grouting, go to the first section you grouted and wipe across a joint with a damp sponge. If the sponge pulls grout out of the joint, wait five minutes and try again. In cool, damp weather, the grout may stay too soft for an hour. When the grout is hard enough, gently wipe the tile with a damp sponge.

Rinse the sponge frequently as you wipe the entire floor (Photo 17). If you come across tough spots, scrub them with the scouring pad. Be careful where you put your feet and knees—don’t mar your perfect grout joints.

Immediately after the first pass, grab the second bucket of clean water and the fresh sponge and make a second, more thorough pass. Then, as the tile surface dries, wipe it with a dry terry cloth. The dry haze should buff off easily. If not, go for fresh water and sponge the floor again. If you can’t get rid of the haze, don’t panic. Products that remove haze are available wherever tile is sold.

Let the grout cure overnight before you caulk joints, set the toilet or reinstall baseboard. Grout sealer is a good precaution against staining: Some products can be applied 24 hours after grouting; others require a two- to three-week wait. If you have leftover tile or grout, keep them in case you have to make repairs in the future. Be sure to write down the brand, color and retailer of the tile.

How NOT to Save Money on a Tile Project

I’m a devout cheapskate, but when it comes to buying thin-set and grout, I grab the most expensive products on the shelf. More expensive thin-sets and grouts generally contain a higher proportion of the polymers that improve adhesion, durability and stain resistance.

In most situations, cheaper products would perform just fine. But if I can reduce the risks of loose tiles or cracked grout by spending an extra $30 on a typical bathroom project, I consider that a bargain.

Liquid additive is another smart investment. If the thin-set or grout label says you can mix it with water or an additive, use additive. These liquids (labeled “latex, ” “polymer” or “acrylic”) are meant to improve adhesion and stain resistance. But as a bonus, they produce a slick, creamy consistency. Thin-set combs out more smoothly, grout flows easily into joints, and both remain workable longer.

Also buy a mixer for your drill. Mixers come in various styles and sizes. Go easy on the trigger. If you run the drill at full speed, you can create millions of tiny air bubbles, which will weaken the mix.

Tile cutting tools

Tile cutter

A tile cutter is the fastest way to cut tile. Just push the handle forward and a small wheel scores the tile. Then push the handle down and the tile snaps in two. You can’t beat a tile cutter for convenience. It makes no mess and you can drag it around the room as you work. But a tile cutter has zero versatility. It makes straight cuts across the entire tile—no curves or corner cuts. Cutting 1 in. or less off a tile can be difficult or impossible. You can rent one at rental centers and some tile shops.

Wet saw

A wet saw cuts with a diamond blade while water cools the blade and eliminates dust. You can cut notches, trim off tiny slivers of tile, cut miters and even make curves. You’ll get clean cuts in any type of tile. But wet saws are messy. They spit water and raise a cloud of gritty mist. If you use one indoors, contain the mist with curtains of plastic film and cover nearby surfaces. You can buy a small wet saw like the one shown here or rent a professional model from a tile store or home or rental center. If you only have a few cuts that require a wet saw, call a tile store. Many make cuts for a small fee.

Angle grinder

An angle grinder equipped with a diamond blade can make straight cuts, curves and notches in any type of tile. Since all your cuts are freehand, this isn’t a precision tool, but you can grind away imperfections with the tip of the blade. Use a grinder only outside. Wear a dust mask and eye protection.

Nippers

Nippers are useful for rough curves and notches. They don’t cut tile, but bite out small chunks, leaving jagged edges.

Contour gauge

A contour gauge is a great tool for marking troublesome shapes on tile. Just press it against any odd-shaped surface (like the curved corner of a bathtub) and transfer the profile to tile.

Here are the tools that can cut your tile. Buy or rent the ones that make the most sense for your project.

In addition to the tools shown here, a carbide abrasive blade that fits in a jigsaw cuts slowly but leaves fairly clean cuts in softer types of ceramic tile and natural stone. A carbide abrasive hole saw cuts perfect holes for plumbing pipes and fixtures.

A rubbing stone is simply an abrasive block, similar to the wheel in a bench grinder. Use it to smooth sharp or slightly chipped cuts that will be exposed.

Additional Information

Required Tools for this Project

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.

You’ll also need these specialty tools for working with tile and backer board:
Scoring knife, Margin trowel, Tile cutter, 4-in. diamond blade, Drill mixer, Offset saw, Tile cutter, Nippers, Wet saw
You can also use an angle grinder for cutting tile.