Each owner of his own home tries to create all the conditions for a comfortable stay. In fact, it’s easy to do, you just need to use your imagination, and your home will sparkle with new colors. Repairs are always a big financial expense and a lot of problems, so most people are reluctant to start it. At the same time, many nuances should be taken into account to ensure that the interior design is not only beautiful, but also practical. This is especially true for the toilet and bathroom, since both of these rooms are associated with high humidity and temperature. This is where many questions arise. What materials and plumbing equipment to choose? What style should the room be designed in? How to save money without sacrificing quality? Let's look at all this in more detail and find out where to start repairing a toilet with your own hands. This article will be especially useful for people who have no experience in construction and finishing work. After reading it to the end, you will learn how to quickly and easily transform your bathroom beyond recognition.
Do-it-yourself toilet renovation
You can repair virtually any room in a house or apartment with your own hands. It is important to correctly draw up a preliminary project, as well as evaluate your own skills and abilities. You can find various instructions on the Internet that help you visualize the intricacies of repair work.
Before you start making toilet repairs with your own hands, you need to:
Choose a suitable design concept. It should be based not only on personal preferences, but also on the characteristics of the room itself;
Select suitable materials. Taking into account the characteristics of operation and the premises itself, you cannot choose any materials; you must focus on reliable, durable, not subject to the negative effects of moisture and chemicals;
Select suitable plumbing fixtures (if you do not plan to do major repairs, do without this item, since they leave the old plumbing fixtures).
Rough wall finishing
After installing communications, they begin leveling the walls, which in small toilets can be done by plastering or frameless laying of plasterboard.
Plaster, as a durable and moisture-resistant coating, is preferable to gypsum board, since drywall will have to be additionally treated with a hydrophobic agent, but this does not guarantee its resistance to contact with water, which often happens in the toilet.
If the walls are prepared for painting, then after plastering they are puttied with cement-based mixtures - starting, then finishing.
Before finishing with tiles, there is no need to finely level the walls - minor defects after rough plastering are eliminated with a tiled coating.
If the ceiling, like the walls, is planned to be painted, then its final leveling is carried out before puttingtying the wall plaster.
Photos, design and ideas for toilet renovation
First, you need to clearly define the requirements. The most important thing is that the chosen design concept must comply with sanitary and hygienic standards, taking into account the specifics of the toilet room. It is also necessary to focus on space; if there is a lot of space, then there are also more options for design.
- Not enough space. When there is not enough space, you cannot waste it on designer delights. Every square cm should be used productively. We need to think through the optimal concept. It is available to view photographs from the Internet, where experienced designers demonstrate exactly how they solve the problem of limited space.
- Average area. You can put a small cabinet here to store cleaning products, toilet paper supplies, magazines and other things.
- Lots of space. When you have 2-3 sq.m. or more, then in the toilet they put a sink, a small table, and hang a towel.
The combined bathroom deserves special attention. It is the most difficult to work with, since you need to adhere to the functionality of two rooms at the same time. In this case, it is better to trust the specialists, or take ready-made projects on the Internet as a basis.
Hire a designer or plan it yourself
Renovating is often intimidating, especially at first. Especially for the first time. Therefore, in order to think through everything as much as possible and protect themselves from mistakes and failures, some seek the help of a professional.
A good designer, when developing an interior project, helps to create and visualize the final goal that the client strives for.
In addition, the designer:
- Will pay great attention to every element, thus ensuring long-lasting results and a well-balanced bathroom design that is sure to meet your wishes and expectations.
- It will help you find solutions that potential buyers of your apartment will like if you want to sell it.
- Will save your time.
- Will help you decide on the choice of various design elements.
If you have a sense of taste, have free time and know how to generate various interesting ideas, then you may well try your hand at design.
Do-it-yourself toilet repair: where to start?
First, they determine how large the work will be. If you plan to simply update the renovation, then little time and money will be required. But when the decision is made to make a major overhaul, you will have to invest a lot, both time and effort.
There are a few things you need to do first:
- Determine the scope of repairs. You need to roughly calculate the estimate and the time spent, and then make a final decision.
- Create a design project. This takes into account the functionality, features and style of the room.
- Remove old plumbing fixtures. This is carried out provided that capital work is planned.
- Remove old coverings from walls, ceilings and floors.
When the room is completely clean and ready for further actions, you can begin the main work. Preparing a toilet room for renovation takes about 1-2 days. It all depends on how easy it is to remove the old decorative trim. For example, with tiles things are more complicated than with wallpaper, and several times more.
Where do you get ideas?
If we are talking exclusively about ideas, look at as many photos as possible. Before starting repairs, it is advisable to imagine the final result as accurately as possible. Although some of them will definitely change. If your toilet is ready for renovation, you can use the following plan.
- Deciding on wall decoration (plastic panels, PVC, wallpaper or tiles)
- Choosing how to hide the pipes
- Deciding whether a closet is needed and where it will be located
- Choosing a toilet
- We look at the trends in decoration of the current year
These are the main steps. Read about each of them with photo examples here - use the sign for quick navigation. And now - cool ideas as such, so that you can pick up something interesting and useful.
Toilet floor repair. Screed and tiles. Step-by-step instruction
Repairing the floor in any room is the most expensive. Physical/time costs are also taken into account, especially if it is necessary to carry out not only finishing, but also screeding. Although there are many different types of screeds, it is recommended to choose the cement-sand format in the toilet, as it is excellent for subsequent installation of tiles.
Work is carried out according to the instructions:
- Preparing the base. It needs to be cleaned and leveled. The cracks are filled with cement composition. It is also advisable to prepare the right conditions. It is necessary that there is no draft in the room, and a suitable temperature should not exceed 25 degrees.
- Primer. Required for waterproofing and reducing the load from the base. This allows you to extend the service life of all materials used in the repair process. But some people prefer not to carry out waterproofing, which is considered by experts to be a serious mistake.
- Installation of beacons. This is required to ensure that the floor is level, without slopes or serious defects.
- Preparing the solution. Subsequently, it must be laid on the floor to the level of the pendulums in several layers. It is advisable to fill the screed within one day, or better yet, several hours. Then the cement will dry evenly, which will have a positive effect on the quality of the work performed.
- Drying out. The upper part must be constantly sprayed with water to ensure even drying.
- Laying tiles. It can be fixed with special tile adhesive. Some people prefer to work with cement compounds, since this option is a little more economical. But the savings are felt only if the work is carried out on a large room; in small rooms the financial difference is almost not felt.
Do not buy branded items and materials
Economy bathroom renovation involves the use of all kinds of budget materials. Thus, for such a process, it is advisable to choose all kinds of inexpensive materials for finishing the bathroom.
At the same time, it is important to understand that only obvious counterfeits of expensive brands and products of too poor quality can be extremely cheap.
Therefore, when choosing materials for repairs, it is better to buy something cheaper, but without fanaticism. After all, a stingy person always pays twice. Remember this!
Repair of toilet walls. Tiles, PVC and MDF panels. Step-by-step instruction
You need to repair the walls according to almost the same instructions as the floor. You should:
- Clean the walls down to the ground.
- Level the surface. To do this, you can no longer use cement mortar, but ready-made plaster compositions. It is advisable to make a perfectly flat surface.
- Prepare the base for finishing.
Further actions depend on which finish was chosen. If you plan to lay tiles, then you should buy tile adhesive. It is most convenient to work with him. But you can also use cement mortar.
For plastic or MDF panels you need to make a lath. It is made of wood or metal. It is advisable to measure the room, since individual panels will probably need to be cut. Laying the panels is convenient; there are special grooves. After installing the first panel, all subsequent panels are placed in the grooves. Also, after the work is completed, it is necessary to secure the corners.
See what can be restored
Be sure to see what can be restored from the plumbing fixtures and furniture in the bathroom. For example, it is better not to throw away an old bathtub if it can be used for many more years.
It is much cheaper to restore the surface of a high-quality structure than to buy a new product. So, covering a bathtub with acrylic will cost only about three thousand rubles, and after such a procedure the product itself will again become sparkling and snow-white.
Thus, this solution is optimal. You can easily and cheaply cover the pipes with a plastic screen.
Ceiling repair. PVC panels, suspended ceiling. Step-by-step instruction
To repair the ceiling, you need:
- Clean all trim down to the base.
- Level the surface. It is better to use only special compounds, since the cement mortar does not stay well on such a surface, so the work will be done less efficiently.
- Solve issues with electrical wiring and lighting. This is thought out before the ceiling work is completed. It is necessary to bring out the wires to all lighting fixtures that are planned to be installed in the toilet room.
- Prepare the surface for the final stage.
Then again you need to act in accordance with the final coating that needs to be used. For plastic panels, a lathing is prepared, onto which they are subsequently fixed. Working with a stretch ceiling is quite difficult. This requires a special frame. Moreover, it is almost impossible to carry out all the work on installing suspended ceilings without the appropriate knowledge and at least minimal experience. Therefore, it is recommended to contact specialists if the choice was made in favor of a stretch ceiling. And PVC panels can be installed independently.
Electrical installation
To avoid damaging the final finish, electrical wiring is first installed. If you hide the wiring in metal pipes, then in the future to replace it you will not need to open the walls; you can simply pull out the wires.
Due to high humidity conditions, wiring must be installed strictly according to the following rules:
- sockets and devices must be grounded;
- switches, lamps, sockets and cables must be protected from moisture and elevated temperatures;
- You can connect sockets and the lighting system only after the repair is complete.
USEFUL INFORMATION: Design and types of sink siphon
When determining the locations of future outlets, marking electrical wiring, as well as pipes, can be done directly on the walls. Afterwards, grooves are made along the marked lines using a puncher into which the cable will be laid.
Installation of sewer pipes and water supply. Step-by-step instruction
To install water supply and sewerage pipes, a wiring diagram is first developed. You can watch various video instructions available on the Internet. You can choose a ready-made project or create one yourself. The following are the instructions:
- The sketch is carefully worked out in full accordance with the dimensions of the room.
- Choose the method of placing pipes (hidden or open). Recently, mainly the first option has been considered, because it allows you to maintain the aesthetics of the room.
- They purchase materials.
- Installing pipes. If modern communications are used, there will be no problems with installation, since they are installed without the use of special tools. If these are old-style metal or plastic pipes, it is better to hire specialists.
Installing a box on sewer pipes in a toilet. Hiding the pipes
To install the box, you can use ready-made options on the construction market, or make it yourself. If you plan to work independently, you must:
- Draw up a project, take measurements and draw a sketch.
- Buy the required amount of materials.
- Assemble the box. Tools may be required, but fasteners are a must.
Next, you need to install the box and secure it to the wall. If you plan to install a wall-hung toilet, then you will not need to hide the pipes separately; in this case, the tank and other plumbing communications will be initially closed behind the wall.
If you purchase a box, you need to buy a model that fits the size, then mount it on the wall.
Plumbing installation
This article discussed the renovation of a toilet step by step. If you strictly adhere to the instructions described in it, then you will certainly be able to do everything at a high level. However, this is not the end, since you still need to install and connect the plumbing equipment, and this is also a very labor-intensive process.
It is performed according to the following algorithm:
- The toilet is installed in the designated place. At the same time, to prevent it from fidgeting on the tiles, it is recommended to place it on a special rubber lining.
- We make marks for the holes for the fixing bolts and drill them.
- We install the plumbing fixtures and fasten them with anchors, after which we connect them to the drain using a corrugated pipe.
- Next, screw the flush cistern to the toilet. The kit includes all the necessary fasteners, so you don’t have to buy anything extra.
- We connect the equipment to the water supply system.
- If you also planned to install a sink in the restroom and supplied hot and cold water for this purpose in advance, then there should not be any special problems with this. The sink is simply mounted on the wall and secured with anchor bolts. It is recommended to use an additional bracket, which will give the sink more stability.
- We connect it to the sewer drain through a siphon and install taps for hot and cold water.
When all work on the installation of plumbing equipment is completed, it is recommended to check the quality of all connections so that there are no leaks anywhere. After this, you can begin to install lamps in the ceiling and start using the bathroom. This, in fact, is the entire turnkey renovation, which you can handle yourself without the involvement of professional builders.
Toilet installation. Step-by-step instruction
Experts do not recommend installing the toilet yourself, especially if it is a complex wall-mounted plumbing device. To do this, it is better to hire specialists who are well versed in the matter, as well as use professional tools. If you have to install it yourself, follow the instructions:
- Preparing the toilet and materials
- Removing an old toilet
- Assembling the toilet structure in the right place
- Connection to sewerage
- Water connection
What does “Budget Option” mean?
The budget option for renovation always puts cost savings first. Repair of economy class bathrooms and toilets is based on the following three pillars:
- Doing all the work yourself . The entire process can be easily completed independently, thus significantly reducing costs. But for overly complex work, it’s better to hire professionals.
- Economical materials . Today, stores are able to offer their customers an economical option for a wide variety of finishing materials. They are designed for buyers with different income levels and allow you to quickly make interesting, cheap bathroom renovations.
- Having your own tool . For such work, it is important to have your own tool for all procedures performed.
Installation of lockers. Step-by-step instruction
It is advisable to install cabinets in the toilet room. Here you can store various toilet cleaners, toilet paper, air fresheners and other household supplies. To install lockers you will need:
- Drill holes in the wall (if this is the fastening method).
- Hang cabinets (or place them on the floor).
- Adjust the location. The doors need to be easy to open. If they open with difficulty, this indicates a crooked installation.
If you plan not to buy a cabinet, but to assemble it yourself, then measurements are first taken, after which a sketch is drawn up. Then the materials and tools for installation are prepared and the guide discussed above is used.
Designer lifehacks
Do-it-yourself bathroom renovation inexpensively step by step does not mean that you can save on design. It is important to simply approach the implementation of the project wisely.
DIY bathroom renovation interesting ideas:
- In interior design, eclecticism, that is, the simultaneous use of different styles, is very popular today.
- Light shades together with stone or wood materials will leave few people indifferent.
- It is better to decorate a small bathroom with light colors in combination with a darker floor.
- Bathrooms in dark shades are also popular today. The use of such colors together with a beautiful set will give the room a touch of real luxury.
- The combination of white plastic panels with powder-colored walls in Provence style will give a romantic mood and comfort.
