Solution to this weirdo 60s tile job?

last month

We had no intention of gutting this pretty retro pink and gold bathroom, but the vanity had to go-(rickety, formica, and chipped white porcelain over an old pink sink.)

And we hate the commercial looking floor and intended to take it up.. But look at this canyon...WTH?

We honestly thought it was some weird 60s linoleum (we already hazmatted out the asbestos kitchen lino.) This floor feels nearly smooth, and plastic than an old tile job would typically feel and a bit of digging at it last week with a razor, made us certain we were right, so maybe it has some sort of coating on it?

We really do not want to keep the floor, nor do we want to demo the whole room, which at this point might require taking out the tub, too. Aside from rebuilding a vanity in place, and just living with this ugly thing, solutions?

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Comments (5)

Jeanne Cardwell
last month
This is what is known as a can of worms. I had the same situation in my house built in 1966. The floor tile is in a thick bed of cement. We had to sledgehammer it out of there and gut the whole room. Good luck!
Keen B thanked Jeanne Cardwell
bbtrix
last month
last modified: last month
The vanity was recessed 2 1/2” into the floor? If the floor is linoleum you have the asbestos to deal with if you want to remove it. Consider building up the recessed subfloor to match existing. Find a vanity that fits that space and use floating tiles over the linoleum if the floor is flat. That way you would not disturb the linoleum. Have you tested the floor for flatness? Can you add pics of your entire bathroom. I am doing my 60’s bathroom right now, also leaving the wall tile. We found an Ikea vanity that covers the wall spaces with no tile.
Keen B thanked bbtrix
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Keen B
Original Author
last month
Thank you for the good advice. Yes, the vanity was that deep. and set at a weird angle, as you can see in the wall tile by the window.

The other bathroom had similar mosaic in a putrid mint green (the walls are pretty, but the floor was in rough shape). It did have a solid build up under it, but nothing like this concrete slab.

And the green floor was clearly tile, with typical bumpy surface of mosaic, unlike this pink room.

We have finally unwedged some of this pinky mosaic and it is not lino. (We already hazmatted lino from the kitchen and are grateful not to have to do it again.) But it definitely has some sort of finish over it, unlike the green tile in the other bath.

Sorry , this is the best picture I have right now. (I did see a bathroom on houzz that had a very similar tile pattern.)
bbtrix
last month
Are you wanting to remove the mosaic or go over it? There are techniques for tiling over tile. You should make a plan for the entire room before proceeding further. Can you take a pic straight on to include the mirror and toothbrush/cup holders, the entire sink area. I would also want to simplify that if possible. Another issue you have is the tile baseboard. Will you remove that so floor tile can go to the wall? It may also be difficult to remove.
Keen B thanked bbtrix
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last month
Less is more here. Save as much as the tile as possible please. Throw some nice rugs down.
Keen B thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC