New tub decision

John/Charleston · Jun 20, 2014

I'm helping my daughter remodel her first home, a 1975 townhouse. The original tub/shower was 60x32 fiberglass and had cracked around the drain so it's history. We were planning on a cast iron tub with tile surround but of course budget is raising it's ugly head and we're now looking at an acrylic or vikrell tub and surround. From reading posts, I gather the acrylic is the more durable choice? Are there any options I'm missing other than Americast which seems about as expensive as CI and less popular? (and I guess would still need a tile surround?)

The tub alcove was originally framed out at 62" (I think an original framing error) so getting the tub in there will be fairly easy as I can fir out the end wall after the tub is in place. I don't think it will be enough room to get a full tub/shower unit in there though so we'll have to go with a multi piece unit. Any opinion on those? My daughter found one somewhere that had horizontal pieces that stack as opposed to the usual vertical seams... good idea?

I once installed one where the surround was all one piece. It was a bear to manage and we ended up removing studs to swing it around in the room but I like that the only seam was where the tub/surround mated. With the room 2" wider, I might be able to swing one of those in there... Does anyone know how much room width is needed for a one piece surround?

Thanks!

Terry · Jun 20, 2014

The Sterling tubs with surronds are nice for a retrofit. I have a link with pictures here.
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?37314-Sterling-Accord-bathtub-installation-with-pictures

The Americast is a heavy duty steel tub which needs a surround.
The Kohler cast iron is nice, but can be difficult to install. 300 plus pounds and in an akward shape.
Acrylic tubs are easier on the body than cast.

If you install a kit with walls, you will need to repair drywall, texture and paint.
If you go with a surround like tile or marlbe like panels poured to fit, you can cover what has been cut out and skip the drywall repair possibly.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

John/Charleston · Jun 20, 2014

Terry said:
The Sterling tubs with surronds are nice for a retrofit. I have a link with pictures here.
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?37314-Sterling-Accord-bathtub-installation-with-pictures

The Americast is a heavy duty steel tub which needs a surround.
The Kohler cast iron is nice, but can be difficult to install. 300 plus pounds and in an akward shape.
Acrylic tubs are easier on the body than cast.

If you install a kit with walls, you will need to repair drywall, texture and paint.
If you go with a surround like tile or marlbe like panels poured to fit, you can cover what has been cut out and skip the drywall repair possibly.

Thanks. I was concerned mostly about the Sterling/vikrell durability. It may be a moot point as I'm not finding much in the way of multi-piece remodel kits other than Vikrell. I've handled the CI tubs before and yes, it's a bear but you only do it once so I was willing. It's mainly a matter of budget.

The sheetrock is needing a lot of repairs anyway and we might just remove it all. I guess the choices are narrowing down to fiberglass or Vikrell. Do FG units come in multipiece remodel styles very often? I've only had a chance to talk to two suppliers so far but I haven't seen much outside of vikrell.

The supplier I was just talking to was insisting that Americast was "cast iron but lighter".

Terry · Jun 20, 2014

The supplier I was just talking to was insisting that Americast was "cast iron but lighter".

Your supplier has never looked at one then.

"The Princeton bathing pool is made of AmericastÂ®, our revolutionary alternative to cast iron that's more durable, 50% lighter and costs less to install."

A steel tub with a plastic backing. That's all it is.

"AmericastÂ® brand engineered material"

It is nothing like a cast iron tub. And they can chip if you are not careful.

John/Charleston · Jun 23, 2014

Terry said:
Your supplier has never looked at one then.

"The Princeton bathing pool is made of AmericastÂ®, our revolutionary alternative to cast iron that's more durable, 50% lighter and costs less to install."

A steel tub with a plastic backing. That's all it is.

"AmericastÂ® brand engineered material"

It is nothing like a cast iron tub. And they can chip if you are not careful.

Yes, I was pretty disappointed with that supplier's knowledge overall.

For cost, expediency and ease we've decided on the Sterling Ensemble tub + surround. I thought I'd seen tips on how to do the mortar bed under the tub for a solid feel but I can't find it on this site. Was it my imagination?

Terry · Jun 23, 2014

If your floor is flat, the felt pad works fine. Otherwise, just a little does a lot on these tubs.

Reach4 · Jun 23, 2014

LocalHero said:
I thought I'd seen tips on how to do the mortar bed under the tub for a solid feel but I can't find it on this site. Was it my imagination?

DougB · Jun 23, 2014

I recently installed a Kohler Expanse acrylic tub.

I put plastic on the floor, then mixed a bag of mortar. Put the mortar in plies, then covered that with plastic. Set the tub on top, and squished the piles with a little back and forth action.

John/Charleston · Jun 23, 2014

We got installed this evening. The install went reasonably well with the instructions saying that if the subfloor wasn't level to use a mortar bed to set the tub in. We did that and while it took a but of finagling to get it level both ways, I think it all ended well. What do you normally do along the front apron when the subfloor isn't level? Being mainly a carpenter, I set the tub in place, drew a line where the apron landed and then cut a nearly 60" long taper (3/8 to 0) which I glued and tacked in place to land exactly under the apron edge. It seemed to work pretty well and the floor will be tiled which will hide the shim.

Thanks for the help.

JohnfrWhipple · Jun 23, 2014

DougB said:
.... with a little back and forth action.

Doug is that the only back and forth action the tub has seen since? LOL

As for covering the shim on the tub. Make sure you consider flex and floor squeaks. You do not want any thin-set bonding to the tub. This can lead to a squeak..

Like this....

[video=youtube_share;XIUjugPvgSY]http://youtu.be/XIUjugPvgSY[/video]

Terry · Jun 23, 2014

LocalHero said:
We got installed this evening. The install went reasonably well with the instructions saying that if the subfloor wasn't level to use a mortar bed to set the tub in. We did that and while it took a but of finagling to get it level both ways, I think it all ended well. What do you normally do along the front apron when the subfloor isn't level? Being mainly a carpenter, I set the tub in place, drew a line where the apron landed and then cut a nearly 60" long taper (3/8 to 0) which I glued and tacked in place to land exactly under the apron edge. It seemed to work pretty well and the floor will be tiled which will hide the shim.

Thanks for the help.

That's a pretty kick ass shim.
I'm sure it's going to be solid with that.

And like you mentioned, with the flooring butted up to the tub, it will hide the slight difference.

JohnfrWhipple · Jun 23, 2014

Terry said:
.............Whatever

You missed the pictures post....

Nice show and tell.....

John/Charleston · Jun 24, 2014

John, you must have a lot of movement in your subfloor to get a squeak like that? Is the tile cracking anywhere?

Next bathroom on this remodel is changing a half bath into a full. On a slab so we're hiring a real plumber to re-route the drain lines but now I'm thinking we might want to go with a vikrell shower or tub/shower to cut costs there too. The room is only ~56" wide. Do they make a shower to fit that space?

JohnfrWhipple · Jun 24, 2014

Very little movement. I weight 230 and can flex a floor easy by applying my weight with each step. This bathroom has some funking sub flooring. It dips about an 1" over 5 feet.

The tub does not squeak anymore. Once the thin-set was removed and silicone went in the floor is a quiet as they come. My buddy weighs 160 maybe (soaking wet). He never heard the squeak..... I fixed something only I heard! LOL

New tub decision

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