DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi. I have many questions!!!

Am currently laying 18mm ply onto floorboards and need to know what to use (ie jigsaw) to cut around pedestal and toilet. It's really hard stuff. My
jigsaw can't cut it. Also, to cut straight edges, what would you use?

For screwing in the screws, do I make a pilot hole first for the screw to go through or screw straight in?

And finally, when cutting the ply, how close to the toilet etc do I need to be to tile on top of it???

Many thanks for your help, and time!

can't understand why you'd want to cut 18mm ply around your toilet and basin pedestal. take them out and lay the ply beneath. might mean a bit of adjustment to the plumbing to account for the extra height but it will be a much neater result. or you could do as i did in my bathroom and completely remove the floorboards and replace with the ply. usually the same thickness and will reduce the amount of plumbing required.

use 36mm drywall screws to fix the ply down. no need for pilot holes. watch out for pipes and cables.

your jigsaw should easily be able to cut through ply. change the blade and make sure you are using the right type of blade, not too fine teeth. to cut straight edges use a normal general purpose wood saw or a circular saw with a straight-edge guide clamped to it (best avoid circular saws if you are a novice).