Kohler Archer tub

[Queen50]

Planning a bath remodel and I'm looking at the Kohler 'Archer' alcove tub. It says its "Exocrylic" and weighs only 73 lbs. Is this material any good? Will it last or feel spongy? Their cast iron tubs weigh over 300 lbs. BTW, a contractor will be putting the tub in but it's a small bath so will be hard to manipulate a tub.

 

[Reach4]

From what I have read, with mortar under the tub, it should not feel spongy.
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/what-type-of-mortar-for-acrylic-tub-mortar-bed.55357/
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/enough-mortar-banking.57087/
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/acrylic-bathtub-recomendation.54880/

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Queen50]

Thanks for the info. I like my contractor and don't want to hurt him!

 

[Terry]

I've installed the Archer before.
It's a nice tub. Sometimes with Kohler, I can lay it down on the plywood and it's perfect. Some of it depends on how level your home is, and how it fits to the tub.

 

[Todds]

I've installed the Archer before.
It's a nice tub. Sometimes with Kohler, I can lay it down on the plywood and it's perfect. Some of it depends on how level your home is, and how it fits to the tub.

Hi Terry, Do you know if the apron on the Kohler Archer tub above fully recessed or raised. Your photo looks recessed and the stock photos is seem clearly undecided.

.

 

[Terry]

The apron has a slight recess.

 

[tanajo]

Help - seriously can not figure out how to install the backer board with this Kohler Archer Tub. it's model K-1946 just like to photo above. the instructions show typical flange that would be secured to studs BUT this tub flange looks nothing like that! the flange has a top rounded piece that sits parallel to the tub deck and perpendicular to would I would call the flange. We are not DIY virgins so feeling a little silly that we can't figure this out.

 

[Terry]

The backer goes to the top of the flange, not over. Maybe even a little gap there.
The tile then goes on, and it covers. That also has a gap, but that gap is at the tub. This gets a Silicone seal.

 

[tanajo]

okay, that makes sense. so do we put a shim between the tub "flange" and the stud? it's a about 1/2" of space between that and the stud of just nothingness. and then drill through that to secure it to the wall? I've never seen a tub without predrilled holes in the flange. it's a great tub but seriously Kohler, give the correct install instructions!

 

[James McMahon]

I've installed the Archer before.
It's a nice tub. Sometimes with Kohler, I can lay it down on the plywood and it's perfect. Some of it depends on how level your home is, and how it fits to the tub.

Terry, I recently purchased the Kohler 1946 R tub and it sits dead level on my floor. That's because I had to remove all of the rotten floor joists and replace them so now my floor is level . This tub is branded "exocrylic" and also has the "ribs" that run almost the entire distance on the bottom of the tub. Since it sits level and it is made of this "exocrylic" material is it absolutely necessary I bed it in mortar?

 

[Cacher_Chick]

If you really want it to feel solid when you are done, you bed it in small piles of mortar. No acrylic tub will ever feel as solid as cast iron, so the mortar is well worth a little extra effort.

 

[Terry]

We installed one like that last month. Level floor, and the tub was flush to the floor. We wound up using adhesive on the floor to quiet it. It was nice not having to shim.

 

[Jadnashua]

Stepping onto a tub like that can cause slight flexing. The thing also expands and contracts with temperature changes, like when it gets filled with hot water then cools off again later. Doesn't take much movement to cause a squeak.

 

[James McMahon]

If you really want it to feel solid when you are done, you bed it in small piles of mortar. No acrylic tub will ever feel as solid as cast iron, so the mortar is well worth a little extra effort.

Okay, good advice, thanks for the quick response!

 

[Jim T.]

Terry, I'm also in the process of installing the Kohler Archer tub, and want to mortar it. Here's my problem: how do I account for the extra height of the overflow drain that will result from the tub sitting higher in the mortar? WILL it sit higher in the mortar or do I push it down so close to floor level that it's negligible? I only get one shot at it since I do not have access from underneath, so I need to cut and glue my PVC for the overflow and account for some extra height. How much? The same may also be said for the drain - if the tub sits higher I may need a slightly longer length of PVC. Any help you can offer is appreciated.

 

[Terry]

You will need to dry set with all the shimming and ledger boards in place, do the measurements and then pull the tub back out.

 

[Reach4]

WILL it sit higher in the mortar or do I push it down so close to floor level that it's negligible?

It should be negligible.

 

[johnnytucats]

Has anyone here with this Archer tub had an issue with water collecting on the flat edges and running onto the floor?