Bathroom Remodel Tool List: Everything You Need

Demolition

Reciprocating saw. Cuts through drywall, old tile backer, vanity connections, and pipe if you are rerouting. The demo tool. A corded model has unlimited runtime for a full gut; cordless is fine for a partial remodel.

Pry bar (flat bar and cat's paw). For pulling old vanities, removing base trim, and prying up tile. A 15-inch flat bar and a smaller cat's paw (for nail pulling) cover everything. Buy these because they cost $10 to $15 each and are useful on every future project.

Oscillating multi-tool. Cuts door jambs flush for new flooring height, removes old caulk, scrapes adhesive, and gets into tight spots the recip saw cannot. If you don't own one, borrow one. If the bathroom has old laminate or vinyl that needs removal, the scraper blade attachment is faster than anything else.

Heavy-duty trash bags and a bucket. Demo generates a lot of debris. Contractor bags (3-mil thickness) hold broken tile without ripping. A 5-gallon bucket is your constant companion for carrying debris, mixing thinset, holding tools, and sitting on during breaks.

Safety gear: N95 mask (old bathrooms may have mold behind walls), safety glasses, work gloves, hearing protection for the recip saw. Not optional. Old tile dust contains silica. Mold spores behind water-damaged drywall are a respiratory hazard.

Plumbing

Pipe wrench (10 or 14 inch). For supply line connections and drain fittings. You need two if you are working on threaded connections (one to hold, one to turn).

Basin wrench. For tightening faucet mounting nuts in the cramped space behind the vanity. No other tool reaches those fasteners. $15 and worth every cent.

Adjustable wrench (10 inch). General-purpose wrench for supply valves, compression fittings, and shut-off valves. You probably own one already.

Tubing cutter. If you are working with copper supply lines, a tubing cutter makes clean, straight cuts that solder properly. A hacksaw works too but leaves burrs that must be filed.

Channel-lock pliers (tongue-and-groove, 12 inch). For drain basket removal, trap disassembly, and any plumbing fitting that needs grip. These handle a wider range of fastener sizes than a pipe wrench in the bathroom context.

Teflon tape and pipe dope. Not tools, but consumables you will need. Teflon on threaded connections, pipe dope on compression fittings. Both for $5 total.

Tile Work

Wet tile saw. The big one. A 7-inch wet saw handles wall tile and most floor tile. A 10-inch handles large-format porcelain. Buy a cheap one ($100 to $150) if you plan to tile again. Borrow or rent ($50/day) if this is a one-time job.

Tile cutter (manual, score-and-snap). For straight cuts on ceramic wall tile. Faster than the wet saw for simple cuts. Not strong enough for porcelain or large floor tile. $30 for a decent one.

Tile nippers. For curves, notches, and cutouts around pipe penetrations. Nibble away material in small bites. Takes practice but handles shapes no saw can cut.

Notched trowel (1/4 x 3/8 inch V-notch for wall tile, 1/2 x 1/2 inch square for floor tile). The notch size determines thinset coverage. Wrong size = tiles popping off later. Check the thinset bag for the recommended notch size.

Grout float. Rubber-faced float for pushing grout into joints. Held at 45 degrees and swept diagonally across the tile so grout fills the joints without pulling back out.

Grout sponge. Large-cell sponge for cleaning excess grout off tile faces. Rinse frequently in clean water. Two passes: first to remove bulk grout, second (barely damp) to clean haze.

Level (24-inch or 48-inch). For checking that every row of tile is level and the walls are plumb before you start. A laser level speeds up layout lines for the first row.

Spacers (1/16 to 1/8 inch depending on the tile). Maintain consistent grout joints. Cross spacers for most tile. Wedge/leveling systems for large-format tile to prevent lippage.

Finishing

Caulk gun. Silicone caulk goes everywhere in a bathroom: tub-to-tile, floor-to-vanity, toilet base, around fixtures. A dripless caulk gun ($12) prevents the mess that cheap guns create.

Putty knife (2 and 4 inch). For patching drywall around electrical boxes, smoothing caulk lines, and removing old adhesive. Two widths because the job switches between tight spots and broad surfaces.

Cordless drill/driver. Drives vanity mounting screws, towel bar anchors, mirror clips, and electrical cover plates. The tool you pick up 50 times during a bathroom finish.

Stud finder. For mounting the vanity, mirror, grab bars, and towel bars. In a bathroom with tile walls, a stud finder with deep-scan capability works through the tile and backer board.

Painting supplies: 2-inch angled brush for cutting in around fixtures, mini roller for walls, painter's tape for tile edges. Bathroom paint should be semi-gloss or satin for moisture resistance.

Buy vs Borrow Summary

Buy ($100 to $150 total for the basics): pry bars, basin wrench, Teflon tape, notched trowel, grout float, grout sponge, spacers, caulk gun, putty knives, safety gear. These are cheap and either consumable or useful on future projects.

Borrow (save $500+): wet tile saw, reciprocating saw (if you don't own one), oscillating multi-tool, laser level, 48-inch level, pipe wrench set. These are the high-value borrow targets because they are expensive, heavy, and used for one phase of the project.

Rent only if nobody in your network has one: wet tile saw (if borrowing is not an option), rotary hammer (for removing tile from concrete substrate).

Frequently Asked Questions