Good points here, but I'm curious—did you also check your joist spacing and support underneath? Even the best subfloor prep won't hold up if there's too much flex in the framing below. Might be worth double-checking that next time around...
"Even the best subfloor prep won't hold up if there's too much flex in the framing below."
Yeah, learned that one the hard way myself... Thought my eco-friendly cork flooring was faulty until I realized the joists underneath had way too much give. Did you notice any bounce or creaking beforehand?
Yeah, usually you'll notice a bit of bounce or creaking beforehand—especially near the tub or toilet. If it's minor, adding some blocking between joists can help stiffen things up without major work... saved me a headache more than once.
Good call on the blocking between joists—wish I'd known that before diving into my bathroom reno. I noticed some creaking near the toilet and ended up pulling up way more flooring than planned. Turned out fine, but your method sounds way less stressful. Definitely keeping that tip handy for next time... though hopefully there isn't a next time anytime soon.
"I noticed some creaking near the toilet and ended up pulling up way more flooring than planned."
Been there myself—bathroom floors can be sneaky like that. Good on you for tackling it head-on though. Honestly, half the battle with renos is just rolling with those unexpected hiccups. Next time (and trust me, there's always a next time eventually...) you'll have this experience under your belt and it'll feel way less daunting. Sounds like you handled it solidly overall.
