OK for waste to run uphill a short distance?

[trf0412]

spot on looks lovely

2 points

1: copper shower pipes need gaffa taping so the plaster doesnt touch the bare copper also tape the ends so no rubbish goes in them

2: shower pipes need clipping or foaming in to stop movement when plaster comes etc

The previous photo was taken earlier in the day. I've just gone upstairs to take an updated photo. Re. your 2nd point – I believe they put that batten there to temporarily hold the pipes in place as the plaster sets. Re. your 1st point – pipes have been capped off, as mains water is back on, BUT, I don't see any evidence of anything protecting the bare copper from the plaster. And this issue would also apply to the radiator, bath & toilet pipes. How important is this? Is it similar to the issue of having cement corroding copper pipes? I don't think I can face any more alterations – I'm going to need a shower sooner or later 🙂

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Don't see the pic yet ?

Fair enough that's great

And for me I would always either tape them if I didn't have much thickness or insulate them

It's unlikely to cause much damage to the copper but there is a chance

And it's been raining cats and dogs round my area so go old school either wait till it rains or find a lake 😀

 

[trf0412]

Don't see the pic yet ?

Forgot to upload it initially, but it's there now.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes it's there to keep the centres at 150mm

 

[Ric2013]

Yes, cement on copper can cause trouble. That said, my gas pipe at home, installed in 1987, runs straight through the mortar on a supprting pillar. And it's gone horrible and green BUT not leaking yet. Hope this reassures you.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes, cement on copper can cause trouble. That said, my gas pipe at home, installed in 1987, runs straight through the mortar on a supprting pillar. And it's gone horrible and green BUT not leaking yet. Hope this reassures you.

Now you've said that I think I smell gas ;D

 

[trf0412]

See the chases that have been filled above the batten? That's how high up the other guy had set the pipes! Still scratching my head in utter bewilderment! 😱

On the advice of a building surveyor, I'm going to remove the short bits of softwood currently reinforcing the joists (where the 1st plumber went crazy drilling holes) and bolt on some longer pieces of 18mm ply on both sides.

Then I'm going to put down new ply wood with screws that are about twice as long as the 1st plummer/muppet used, as well as using glue. (Based on what's been said here I think I'm happy to go with standard ply as opposed to marine ply.) Then the plumbers will be back on Mon to cut holes for the wastes and fit bath and shower tray.

In preparation for Mon, I'm also going to try and get all the silicone off the bath and shower tray. One of the plumbers today told me about silicone remover. Anyone used this? Is it any good and is it safe to use on shower tray and bath?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

See the chases that have been filled above the batten? That's how high up the other guy had set the pipes! Still scratching my head in utter bewilderment! 😱

On the advice of a building surveyor, I'm going to remove the short bits of softwood currently reinforcing the joists (where the 1st plumber went crazy drilling holes) and bolt on some longer pieces of 18mm ply on both sides.

Then I'm going to put down new ply wood with screws that are about twice as long as the 1st plummer/muppet used, as well as using glue. (Based on what's been said here I think I'm happy to go with standard ply as opposed to marine ply.) Then the plumbers will be back on Mon to cut holes for the wastes and fit bath and shower tray.

In preparation for Mon, I'm also going to try and get all the silicone off the bath and shower tray. One of the plumbers today told me about silicone remover. Anyone used this? Is it any good and is it safe to use on shower tray and bath?

Rubbish better off with a Stanley blade and a set of gloves

Also glue and screw the patches in

 

[trf0412]

Yes, cement on copper can cause trouble. That said, my gas pipe at home, installed in 1987, runs straight through the mortar on a supprting pillar. And it's gone horrible and green BUT not leaking yet. Hope this reassures you.

But not all plaster contains cement, right? I think I spotted a purple bag on our front lawn this afternoon, so it was probably Thistle Bonding Coat and as far as I can see cement isn't mentioned on the fact sheet about this product.

 

[Ric2013]

One of the plumbers today told me about silicone remover. Anyone used this?

I use the Screwfix No Nonsense silicone eater. It helps for getting the dregs off after you've taken the bulk of the old sealant out with a knife. I wouldn't bother for what you're using it for.

See the chases that have been filled above the batten? That's how high up the other guy had set the pipes! Still scratching my head in utter bewilderment!

I like showers to be high up, personally, perhaps you changed your mind, I mean your plumber did 😉. Still, easier to not use the entire chase than chase a bit more if the customer decides it needs to be higher, credit where credit is due.

 

[Ric2013]

But not all plaster contains cement, right? I think I spotted a purple bag on our front lawn this afternoon, so it was probably Thistle Bonding Coat and as far as I can see cement isn't mentioned on the fact sheet about this product.

Even if it were cement, I'm more concerned about the effect on you worrying about this than I am about the pipes.

 

[trf0412]

I like showers to be high up, personally, perhaps you changed your mind, I mean your plumber did 😉. Still, easier to not use the entire chase than chase a bit more if the customer decides it needs to be higher, credit where credit is due.

We have a rain shower head, with a hand held shower on a riser bar, and the distance between the mixer bar and the rain head is fixed. With the lowered pipes the rain head will end approx 5cm below the ceiling (so nice and high), but the way the previous guy did it there was no way it was going to fit!

 

[trf0412]

Just in the middle of putting down hardwood ply, ready for Mon when plumbers are coming to fit bath and shower tray. The screws I'm using are almost twice as long as the ones used by first plumber! Anyway, can I just screw the boards down? Or do I need to glue as well?

 

[huddster]

Yeah, since coming on here a few days ago my plumbing skills have come on in leaps and bounds. Think I'm just about qualified now. Check out what I achieved today!

So, the top half of the cast iron soil pipe has been cut out and replaced with plastic. All the waste pipes have been re-run so that each appliance has its own waste direct to the soil pipe, and amazingly this time around with a fall (3rd time lucky!). The shower pipes now come out of the wall on copper elbows. They have also been set at a lower height which will allow the riser and shower head to not disappear into the loft!! I have absolutely no idea what I (sorry, Plumber No. 1) was thinking there! The hot and cold feeds for the towel radiator, bath, sink and toilet (i.e. everything else!) also had to be tweaked. The pipework going to the shower has also be rerun so that the shower waste doesn't push down on it. All pipes have also been clipped to the joists.

All in all, I think this is a much, much better job and it's now very clear just how terrible the 1st "plumber's" work was.

[For the avoidance of doubt, I'm just playing along with the cynicism (if you can't beat 'em, join 'em), but neither the previous work nor the remedial work were carried out by me.]

I would like to retract my previous comment and wish you all the best with your bathroom.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Just in the middle of putting down hardwood ply, ready for Mon when plumbers are coming to fit bath and shower tray. The screws I'm using are almost twice as long as the ones used by first plumber! Anyway, can I just screw the boards down? Or do I need to glue as well?

Best to glue as well (stops squeaking) but if you haven't got any screws will do

 

[trf0412]

Squeaking would imply slight movement wouldn't it? And wouldn't that mean cracked tiles? In any case, there is only a single join in the whole room, so I'm not overly worried.

What am I more worried about, though, is that I took the advice of the guy at Jewsons and have laid the sheet of ply in the same direction as the joists and now everything I read says they should be perpendicular. However, the reason for him suggesting this is because the length of the bathroom is exactly the length of the sheet of ply, so by lying them in this direction I was able to rest the long edges of the ply directly on a joist and avoid having to put in noggins along the side. Is this going to be ok? Most of the joists are only 30cm apart, so provided ply isn't significantly stronger along its length, this should be fine, even if not optimal, right?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

depends where the joists land in relation to joints

 

[trf0412]

depends where the joists land in relation to joints

Room is approx. 2.44 x 2.20, with 7 joists running down the length of the room. The 5 joists in the centre are about 30cm apart, the two outer ones about 40cm.

So, the plan was to cut down two sheets of 2440 x 1220 ply along their length, to ensure they meet on the centre joist (leaving cut edges at sides of the room to ensure the uncut edges are the ones that meet on the joist).

Thought I'd see what the big fat Collins DIY Manual (that I'm sure most households have!) says about this and was interested to see that it says to lay square-edged boards parallel with joists, but most internet advice seems to suggest ply is significantly stronger along its length and that it *must* be laid perpendicular to joists. (But ply is made up of sheets laid in opposing directions, isn't it, so I really don't get why it would be so much stronger/stiffer one way over the other?).

 

[ShaunCorbs]

its so you dont have a join in mid air will always pick up a joist with a join

 

[trf0412]

So what's the people's verdict? Buy a new sheet and lay it in the "correct" orientation, or leave it as it is?