How are Most Bathtub Supported? - Remodeling and Home Building Answers
Vložit
- čas přidán 28. 06. 2016
- www.homebuildingandrepairs.com... Click on this link to learn more about bathroom construction, home building and repairs. Most bathtubs are usually supported by the front apron or front of the bathtub bottom, back overhang and by either legs attached to the bottom or some type of fill material like Plaster of Paris or mortar. Don't forget to check out our website for more videos and ideas that can save you money on your next construction project.
- Jak na to + styl
I completely agree!!!
I bought a house that was built in 03 and the tubs in both bathrooms were obviously not supported in the way that you suggest. Each is now warped/misshaped and water pools up in the large sunken area and just sits there. That large puddle caused the enamel finish to become rough and dull. It was already that way when I bought the house last year. New tubs are high on my 2019 to do list and I will be following your advise!!!!!!! FOR SURE!!! 😁👍🏻😁👍🏻
Thanks for this video!!
Thanks for sharing. I have a Duravit tub and from the floor it measures 45 centimeters at the drain end and 41 centimeters at the head end. Do you know how to frame this tub?
great video thanks
Works fantastic, would recommend. Good value
Great to hear!
Foam definitely works, use a three foot piece of tubing to extend the can reach and then sit or put weight in it, foam is strong and will lift the tube up.
Just had my 6’6” cast iron leg tub which is just under 40 inches deep refinished after 25 years of the last refinish that I had some guy who was supposed to be the best in the business but only does in location refinishing and it’s basically a fancy paint that they spray over the existing tub , allow to setup under these heat lamps , then they use a bunch of sanding techniques to get the tub looking nice, and than the final coat goes on which must be aloud to dry for 48 hours . It looked good but after a few years you could see discoloration, than chipping on the bottom side of the tube and of course the drain hole starts to turn darker and after 10 years u can see the tubs defects . The guy doing the refinishing this time is a real refinishing contractor who will help me get the old tub out and loaded onto his truck where he will take it back to his shop and strip it down to the bare metal ,fix dings or any deep scratches, refinish using so many processes that it will take him about a week from the time he gets it out of my house until he is helping me get it back up and set into place . Since it’s so big and long I am taking all of the walls down to the nathrlp
Is it okay I can put plywood under the tub and will it work just as fine too cuz I only really have plywood at the moment
I've been a plumber for 8 years now. With my 1st boss we would always use a construction compound called structolite. [ Not available at any big Box store as far as I know; we always had to go to a construction supply house to get it] He was a super old school grumpy stereotypical plumber. The 2 other companies I've worked with -one of them we set everything in plaster or mortar and the 1 I am currently with we only follow manufacturers recommendations. Whether that be mortar or nothing at all
Structolite is plaster and can be found in most big box stores in the bag mix drywall compound area.
I live in a modular home and need to replace my tub and it's surrounded by 3 walls how do I go about measuring for the new tub ?
could you tell where I can find the form (on this video) that under the bathtub? what is the name for this form? Thanks!
Using the foam works great as long as it is the right kind of foam....they make a foam that will actually lift a tube out of level if to much is used...also yes a lot of commercial tubs have a flang(
i Like Your Style Thanks
Thanks and you're welcome.
I'm getting ready to install a porcelain enameled steel tub that has a leveling pad built into it so it doesn't require a mortar bed. I've been researching online to decide if I will actually set it in mortar or not. The tub being replaced was set in mortar, but this is a different tub. I started to come to the decision to try it without mortar and then it dawned on me that the rest of the bathroom floor consists of a mortar bed for the floor tile. It's a house built in 1950 and the tile floor is about 1-1/2" thick which is different than how houses are built today. So, if I don't use mortar under the tub, the tub will sit low. I could build up the subfloor under the tub with more plywood or remove the tile bed to make it even, but I think I'll go with mortar.
Mortar... Yes
When in doubt follow manufacturers recommendations
ow to install prefab shower panel
I always filled a heavy trash bag with mortar to put under the tub. It helps keep everything contained and prevents any possible chemical reactions to the tub material
I like that idea....better to be safe than having a chemical bleed through the plastic. Thanks
What type of mortar should I use? I've seem CZcams videos using thinset, just mix 4 parts of sand with 1 of cement and several others. Mine is very similar to this one in this video. Thanks.
I think most mortar mixes are one part cement and three-part sand, but if you wanted to be stronger you could always mix one part of cement with two parts of sand.
The mix should be weaker, not stronger, and as dry as it can be. Just enough Portland cement to provide a little structure is all that's required. In fact, you can use perfectly dry play sand with no Portland cement at all to bed a tub/shower.
You said the mortar can go right on top of plywood - wouldn't this cause the plywood to absorb the moisture in the mortar and be damaged? I'm installing a tiny tub on top of the plywood subfloor and it just hit me about moisture. I don't want to start a mold issue underneath, or have the plywood expand and disintegrate if the mortar is directly on the plywood. Have you ever seen this as an issue or am I worrying too much? Thanks!
I know this is late... but might help someone down the road. The mix of mortar used to support a tub is (or should be) very dry (It's called dry-pack) and therefore will not damage the typical wood subfloor. Whether or not you want to add something under that mortar ( a piece of roofing felt, or housewrap, or even 6-mil poly for example) to act as a bond-breaker between the subfloor and the mortar is a different issue. Dissimilar materials are going to expand/contact at different rates... it cannot be prevented. Rather than have the mortar/plaster bed crack because it's bonded to a subfloor that is moving seasonally... or break that bond and allow it to float in one piece is arguable... I'd rely 100% on manufacturer's recommendations so you don't void your tub/shower warranty. BTW - Portland cement-based mortars are caustic and could potentially damage fiberglass/acrylic tub units. I personally think plaster of Paris is a safer alternative for bedding a tub, but the right answer might also be "nothing". It really depends on the manufacturers' instructions. Don't use a bedding compound of any kind if the mnfct. says "no". And NEVER use expanding foam. If you're going to use a spray-in-place foam product make sure it's minimally expanding. I've seen expanding foam put enough pressure on a tub bottom to crack it, and/or lift the unit off its shims. Hope this helps.
I've been fighting with my homeowners. Our tub cracked while my son was bathing. It's a one piece fiberglass tub/ shower. Cracked in base middle of tub. Now they are trying say it wasn't an accident. House built 2003 . They want me to cut a 4 ft hole in the ceiling under the tub. 1st guy from insurance said cut a one foot hole in tub. Since tub has to be replaced I thought cut in tub would be easier. Any thoughts?
Great video. Thanks. I've seen tutorials which have ledgers on the sides too (not just the back). Good to have the 2 shorter side ledgers or good enough to just have the long one in the back?
I've always used them, except for cast iron tubs. Check with the manufacture to make sure.
Do you put ledger on all 3 sides or just the back, long side (like in the video)?@@homebuildingandrepairs3122
When you used ledgers, did you put them on all 3 sides or just the back. @@homebuildingandrepairs3122
Had a tub replaced a month ago and now have a bubble in the middle of the tub. Heard a pop when taking a shower. Could it be a gap between the floor and tub? Installer put mortar down before tub went in. Thanks
watch this video: Biggest Problems Created When Using Mortar Under Bathtubs - Plumbing
potentially that mortar shrank and when pressure was applied while standing on the bath it moved back down on mortar bed which caused the problem.
I am not an expert but I believe it's better to use cement base tile adhesive instead of mortar in such cases. Or simply let the bath sit on its legs if it has them. Use poly glue to secure the bath in place to the supporting frame and there won't be a need for mortar bed.
Anyway get your warranty claimed, though might be installer's fault.
I don't know for sure what the problem would be, but I would contact the product manufacturer. If you want, you can always send some pictures of it and you can get our email information on the website.
I just took my cast iron tub out in one piece by myself. I wanted to keep it in one piece. Going to use it to melt snow!!😂😂😂
Great idea!!
I just bought a house which has, what our inspector called, a car decking subfloor. The subfloor is solid T&G 2x5's perpendicular to and resting on 4x6's spanning the length of the house. The beams are 4 or 5 feet apart. I want to replace the tub, and would like to reverse the side with the drain. I was worried about cutting a big hole, like you would normally do for a tub drain. The planks would be perpendicular to the tub. Is this concerning to you? I can't find much information about working with this type of subfloor.
P
Our tub is falling to the side. We contacted our home owner so he can come fix it but he brought over a plumber! That plumber said that our tub was not supported well except for a few pieces of wood holding it up.
Sounds like a handyman did the install that did not know what they were doing.
Does foam not aid the insulation, this helping the water stay hotter longer?
It would be an excellent way to retain heat, but most of the foam I have seen expands and could damage the bathtub if it expanded too much. I've actually used fiberglass insulation or insulation they use for walls around bathtubs, but couldn't really tell you if it makes a big difference or small difference.
homebuildingandrepairs hey i have a very old house built in 1897 needless to say its not level, but running into the bathtub problems it is an inch out of level how should i fix this and what is my best option. i have a 1964 cast iron 30 inch tub i could use but i want a new tub but do not know what to go with in my situation. please some advice would be great
+Tony B - Urethane foam does, indeed, insulate the tub. I replaced a worn-out cast iron tub about 17 years ago with a porcelain glazed steel tub, and before installing the tub, I flipped it upside-down, poured two-component urethane foam all over the bottom of it in small batches and then trimmed away the excess. The foam doesn't provide mechanical support, but it keeps the water comfortably warm for 30-45 minutes, making it great for soaking. I think it would be great if tub manufacturers encased the bottom of their tubs in foam insulation at the factory.
Just curious- what about the foundation under the floor? Is there ever any concern about all that weight?
The building should be designed so that the weight sitting on top of the floor will be transferred throughout the building and eventually to the ground through concrete footings or a concrete foundation. Let me know if that didn't answer your question.
Thank you for responding. Yes I think so! I have a new master bathroom w/ shower, 70gal whirlpool bath, tiling stone, and possibly 1-3 people made me look into it. I found a few online discussions that made me consider the fact the deep whirlpool tubs may lead to the need for additional support than what is standard...
Cant i use some sort of plastic wrap and layer it on top of the mortar then put the tub on top it?
I did tub repairs and installations for over 20 years. That's exactly what I did and recommended to people especially if they were installing a drop in jetted tub. Often the tub jetting systems develop leaks and need repairing. With a piece of visqueen or sheet plastic it keeps the mortar from sticking to the bottom and allows it to form to the tub like a shoe for easy removal and re-installation.
I don't see anything wrong with the idea as long as it doesn't form any type of container to trap water, if there is a leak.
My bathtub is sitting over a hole in the concrete pad. They placed metal supports under it. Stupid! Thanks for this video.
You're welcome and thanks for watching.
How can I stop the noise bottom f my acrylic tub .
You should find what you're looking for here, let me know if you don't.
www.homebuildingandrepairs.com/repairs/bathroom/index.html
What about a felt pad ? What type of felt is used ? Sterling says felt pad or mortar .
I've never seen a felt pad used, but contact the manufacture for more information.
American Standard has sent 3 tubs out and all of them were defective, so i question if i should even ready their instruction and just stick with what i know. I have never installed a tub before, but my plan was pretty similar to what this video shows. I think it shows a lack of conscience or common sense for the tub industry to build tubs that are not supported. Im guessing for $5.00 they could put in supports under the tub. I tried to measure the angle and cut wedges that fit, so i would have to imaging they could do the same with the fiberglass used to make the tub in the first place.
bathtubs here are different. They go in a timber frame all around.
is this an industry standard..is this out of industry standard if not applied
your logo covers up part of the video
Sorry about that and thanks for letting us know.
How many bathtubs have you actually installed buddy
Back it up or park it up
God forbid that you should try something new. Let me guess you only have a house phone because it is tried and true........
Would solid cap concrete blocks work ???
If it will fully support it, but won't form well under tub like mortar.