New tub faucet - old holes don't line up. What to do?

[Yukoner777]

Hi there
I have an older Acri-Tec Valhalla tub and the new brushed nickel Moen roman tub faucet set I bought to install does not line up with the old holes. I've considered having a custom baseplate fabricated from 22 gauge brushed nickel, but the metal itself is very difficult to acquire (I only need about 4" x 18", not a 4' x 8' sheet). I have found 2" hole covers available in brushed nickel, but even those will interfere with the other faucet and I'm looking for something that looks less like a patch job.

Do you have any suggestions for covering the old holes?

Maybe something to match the finish of the tub?

Thanks
Ross

 

[hj]

The three parts of the tub faucet SHOULD connect together with hoses so the distances are "infinitely" adjustable. That "positioning" hole may be the only thing you have to cover up.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Yukoner777]

The three parts of the tub faucet SHOULD connect together with hoses so the distances are "infinitely" adjustable. That "positioning" hole may be the only thing you have to cover up.

The rough-in 2-handle roman tub valve that goes with the trim kit I got is fixed on 5 inch centers. The old one looks to be 3 3/4" centers, with the center one being slightly forward - plus that positioning hole.

I made up some aluminum foil faucet hole covers to just see how the covers might work - they definitely won't. Plus having them there would be butt ugly. I think my only alternative is to make some kind of plate to both cover the holes and provide a decorative base plate for the faucet set. I'm still searching for the correct metal and brainstorming of other materials that might do the job and not look too out of place. The nearest I've come to finding the metal is a door kickplate, but reviews reveal that although they say "brushed nickel", they're actually stainless steel, so they wouldn't match.

 

[Yukoner777]

Here's the tub valve.

One possibility (if I could find someone confident/competent to do so) may be to cut the pipe between the valves and reassemble so that the valves line up with the existing holes. Thoughts?

 

[rjbphd]

A really good licensed plumber with brazing experience can cut and rebraze the tubing between the faucet body.

 

[hj]

I would return it and get a faucet with an adjustable body which would fit your holes. MOST Moen Roman tub faucets are made that way. As aside, your holes are NOT in a straight line anyway.

 

[Jadnashua]

The safer thing is to return it for one that would work out of the box.

Cutting and shortening the connecting pipes between them would be possible, but as was said, the holes in the tub don't seem to be on the same centerline. you could tweak the pipes with an appropriate angle, but that just adds to the complexity of the job.

 

[hj]

They do NOT make "appropriate angles" that would work.

 

[Yukoner777]

The middle hole is only a 1/4" offset, so I could just enlarge the middle hole and the flange of the faucet would still easily cover the hole. If the unit was being brazed, would the plastic parts in the valves be in danger of being damaged? There are the two black o-rings at each end and the white valve in the center.