I'm re-tiling my laundry room before our new appliances arrive on Friday. I'm trying to figure out the best way to set up a washing machine drain pan with the existing pipe that's in the plywood subfloor. I confirmed the pipe is the emergency drain for the washer and that it should fit the drain pan. However, the subfloor is cut just right for the pipe, and I can't get the fitting under the pan. My idea is to use a hole saw to cut back the pipe so the fitting sits flush with the new tile. Is this the right approach?
2 Answers
Before laying tiles, it's good to check if you want to replace the existing OSB floor. It's often better to remove it, use a decoupling membrane, then tile. But if your drain hole isn’t aligning with the pan, consider drilling a new hole in the pan. Just make sure you're comfortable with that—some pans can be a bit finicky!
Hardiebacker is a solid option for your flooring. If the subfloor is in decent condition, you can go straight to tiling with a decoupling membrane, no need for cement board. It’s all about ensuring your base is level!
I was considering both Hardie and Ditra, leaning towards Hardie due to cost. Are you suggesting I should remove the OSB to get the floor level?
Are you suggesting to remove the whole subfloor? We planned on laying Hardiebacker on top instead. The drain hole doesn't line up with the pan's punch-outs, but can I drill a hole anywhere on it?