Video: Bathroom Remodeling Tips – Wall framing

If bathroom remodeling is on your home improvement checklist, then you should become friendly with in-wall blocking as something that’ll make life easier. Tip: One size does NOT fit all.

From towel bars and DIY toilet paper holders to pedestal sinks and shower wands, having something to fasten into that you DON’T have to search for is a godsend in the finish phase. I use two main approaches.

Two-by blocking is pretty standard, pretty obvious and what most of us use. But—as in the case of this pedestal sink—not usable in all situations.

Where there are obstructions in the wall (pipes for example) I switch to plywood and thin strips of 2-by material (aka ‘rippers’) which I usually cut on the table saw. In the case of the pedastal sink I’m prepping for here, my bathroom remodeling tip is to screw 2-by rip-strips to the inside face of each stud, then screw the plywood to the rip strips flush with the front face of the studs.

I also recommend adding blocking to the stud bays left and right of the sink location in case the bolt holes for the sink are spread wider than it might appear.

For shower supply walls, I scale this bathroom remodeling technique up to a larger format and ‘sheet’ large sections of the shower wall. Why?  The plumber always needs something to fasten the shower diverter. Or there’s a hand-shower that needs to be placed just so. I’ve had too many plumbers cause me great dismay because they’ve been unable to locate studs after the tile is applied.

The basic idea for successful bathroom remodeling is to set yourself up for success early in the process.