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Matt Meiser
08-24-2007, 8:53 AM
We are heavy into our bathroom remodel and on Wednesday gutted the room to the subfloor and drywall walls. I had to cut a 2'x2' hole in the wall behind where the vanity will be to do some drain work and cut a 6"x10" hole hole in the subfloor next to where the toilet used to be to get access to cut off the elbow and closet flange and install a cap. There will be a cabinet over this area when we are done. There are also about 6 holes in the floor where supply pipes used to come through that won't be reused.

My question is there a reason I should patch all these holes? The floor holes will get cement board and then tile over them. The hole in the wall will be hidden by the vanity. I'm wondering if it is a fire-spread issue? This is the first floor over a basement with an open ceiling.

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Jim Becker
08-24-2007, 9:20 AM
While there may not be a "need" to cover them up, my personal preference is to do so for neatness and to keep "creatures" at bay.

Matt Meiser
08-24-2007, 9:33 AM
I know what you mean. We had "creatures" at our old house (built about 1900), but knock on wood not here. Ahh, the joys of an old house. :D

David G Baker
08-24-2007, 9:55 AM
Matt,
My house is pushing 70 and the critters are visiting me on occasion. I use rolled aluminum that is used for gutters on roofs for the smaller holes. I cut the patch a little over size and tack or glue it down. For the bigger access holes I use plywood and try to match the thickness of the surface that is being covered. I caulk around the edges and have on occasion lined the edges with aluminum.
It is not that much extra labor to do the patching while everything is open.
Another thing I do when I feel that I may have to access plumbing or electrical in areas that are hard to get at and are out of sight is to put removable panels in those areas so I don't have to do a tear out if repairs are needed at a later date.

Matt Meiser
08-24-2007, 10:03 AM
Just to be clear--all the floor holes are through into the basement, which is a modern, dry basement. Additionally, we are putting in a tile floor so they will be covered over by cement board which will be mortared down with thinset--so I don't think that even in 60 years critters are going to get through.

Peter Stahl
08-24-2007, 11:07 AM
If it were me I'd patch them. I don't think 1/2" cement board is stiff enough on it's on but that's me. My brother said if it won't hold a elephant then I didn't make it strong enough.

Randal Stevenson
08-24-2007, 11:19 AM
I did a bathroom project where I had to take out a laundry chute. Since the old wood was TRUE dimension, I had to adjust for that. I built an H frame between the floor joists/basement ceiling joints, then laid a subfloor, then the floor. It was a good thing too, because the leg of a claw foot tub sits on that spot.