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installing bath tub

Installing a bath tub isn't as easy as it seems. If you install it incorrectly, it will cost you a lot more in the long run. Here are a few things to consider.

The Ins And Outs Of Bathtub Installation

Christopher Smith

It can be a hard, heavy job to install a new bathtub, even if you purchase one that the manufacturer calls “lightweight”. If anyone should ever offer you a 6-pack and $20 to install one for him, make sure you turn the offer down.

All bathtubs are either freestanding (claw-foot) or framed, and you’ll have to decide which type you want to install. Usually it’s a good idea to replace an existing tub with a similar one, but if you have the money and the space for something larger and fancier, then the choice is up to you. Whichever type of tub you select, you’re going to want to take some space measurements prior to shopping so that you can find a tub that will fit. Once you have your tub, you’ll be able to follow the following steps in order to install it:

Tips for Installing a Freestanding or Claw-foot Bathtub

To start with, you’ll need to jack your new freestanding or claw-foot bathtub up the way you would do if you wanted to work on your car. Since you won’t have jacks that are made for this purpose, you can use some of the packing material or some bricks draped with towels to provide you with the space you need.

The feet are the first thing you’re going to want to install on your tub. Be careful to get each foot where it was meant to go. Start with the two on the end of the bathtub where the plumbing goes and then move down to the foot.

The plumbing fixtures go on next. Mount them carefully making sure that the hot and cold are on the sides where they belong. It’s really easy to make a mistake, and it’s a lot simpler to correct it at this stage of the game instead of having to do so later.

When all of the hardware has been installed, remove the packing material or bricks you used to “jack” up your bathtub. Now’s the time to use your level and make sure it’s plumb. As long as your floors are level, it should be a simple job to adjust the space washers on the legs until the tub sits the way you want it to.

Mounting a Framed-In Bathtub

When you remove an old, framed-in tub from its space, it should be an easy matter to replace it with a new one, because the framing and the plumbing will already be there for you to hook it to. If the tub is going to be put into a spot where there hasn’t previously been a tub, you’ll first have to build a frame and then run the water lines before you can install the tub.

Have some friends on hand when it’s time to lift the new bathtub into place, because it is going to be heavy and awkward to move. Once you have it where you want it, make sure the sides are level. If they aren’t, use some shim to level them out. Put the ledgers into place so you’ll have something to sit the tub on which will support its weight along the sides.

Once you’ve situated the tub on the ledgers, it’s time to assemble the drainage system, including both drain and overflow pipes. Fit the assembly into place to make sure that if fits properly. Make any needed adjustments. Once this is done the drainpipe should easily slide down to fit over the p-trap. Nail the tub down with the hardware that came with the tub, attach all of the plumbing and cover plates, and then check it out to see if everything runs smoothly without any leaks.

It never hurts to recheck all of your work a couple of times after you’ve finished installing any kind of a bathtub, because mistakes can happen. If you don’t have everything installed the way it should be, for example, there’s a chance that the tub could slip off the ledgers while someone is bathing in the tub, and you wouldn’t want that to happen. The last thing you need to do is to add a bead of caulking around the edge of the tub to seal it and then wait 24 hours for it to cure. If all of this sounds overwhelming to you, feel free to call a plumber!