The Mudroom Bathroom

A few years ago I decided to gut and refinish the mudroom bathroom, the decision precipitated by the water pipes freezing and bursting behind the shower stall. This small bathroom was poorly finished, poorly heated, and only adequately insulated, and without an effective reconstruction was only going to have further problems.

The mudroom is a rebuilt addition to a small back entrance probably originally built in the 'twenties, then destroyed by fire and rebult in the 'eighties. Just a standard framed and vinyl sided structure on stone foundation. It has an entryway with a closet, as well as a small 3 piece bathroom.

The deficiencies included a shower that was build 'proud' of the finished wall, so that the water supply was located on the 'warm side' of the wall (little good that did); a flexible heating conduit that led to the mudroom entryway via the unheated/uninsulated portion of the attic (not smart when the attic can drop to -25 celsius!), no heating outlet in the bathroom itself; and among other things, a poorly located toilet that stood 5 inches from the wall.

I began by removing the shower and ripping down the drywall from the ceiling and two of the walls (the wall against the house, and the wall that the toilet and shower backed onto) to find out what I was up against. The soloution was fairly simply: Add a second framed and insulated wall to bring the wall flush to the shower; add additional high R-value froam insulation behind the shower to protect the pipes from freezing; divert the heating conduit down the inside wall of the mudroom, with two vents, one in the bathroom, the other in the mudroom. On top of all that, I decided also to drop the ceiling 2 inches and add styrospan insulation, add a pot light over the shower, add a new vanity light and ceiling drop light, build in some storage, and then trim out both the shower and the built in shelves in period style trim.

This wall backs against the brick wall of the house, the heating conduit now comes down the wall, with a vent in both the bathroom (pictured) and the entryway. Space for the built in shelves is accommodated by the chimney of the main house which is located directly behind the vanity light!

A view from the mudroom entryway. The shower and toilet were in good shape, so were re-used.

A close up of the trim around the shower. By adding the second wall on top of the first, the shower stall now fits flush to the new wall - giving a much neater, professional appearance!