Plan on tub replacement w/ drop-in...maybe?

[Jeff_Bathroom]

Hi folks,
I've read quite a few threads about which is the best tub for the $ and whatnot. Seems cast-iron is still the best, but I will probably be installing this myself and don't want to break my back.
Having said that, I had this thought and wanted to run it by you all:
I did not have a drop-in tub before, but was wondering if I built this for a drop-in and purchased an acrylic or americast or vikrell or Veritek or fibreglass tub that we pretty much know will not last as long as cast...
Would it be a much easier replacement three or five or ten years down the road if it's a drop-in? If it were not a drop in, seems that the tile over the lip of a standard tub would make make a change-out so expensive and time-consuming that you wouldn't want to do it unless it were really in bad shape.
And in my case, I had to remove a door jamb to slide the old tub out.
Reason I'm bringing this up is that my 22 year old cast iron tub had a dull, ugly finish when I removed it. Seems that ALL the tubs get crappy looking after some use. Seems if the tub were less expensive, light-weight, and a drop-in might make it somewhat easy just to replace the darn thing periodically when it gets ugly, chipped or whatever.
With a drop-in, shouldn't I just be able to disconnect the plumbing, remove the caulk around the lip edges, remove the tub and fairly easily drop in a nice new perty one again? Guess it depends on if you plan to keep your house for awhile. But, I was thinking that if needed, I could replace the tub just prior to selling the house if it's nasty looking at that point. Even mud is easy to remove from a subfloor if the previous unit were embedded in mud. Am I missing any gotchas that you pros can think of?

 

[Jimbo]

I guess from a replacement standpoint, a drop in makes sense.

Americast is considered a very close second to cast iron. And it does NOT get set in a mud bed.

For a drop in, there is a LOT of work preparing the surround. It really needs to have a drain, and the surface needs to be sloped to the drain. If you don't do this, constant cleanup and possible mold issues loom. I assume this is a tub only, as a drop in for a tub/shower combo is not a real good idea.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff_Bathroom]

It really needs to have a drain, and the surface needs to be sloped to the drain.

Hi Jimbo,
I'm a bit confused about your comment above. I'm just talking about a drop in, form-molded tub. I shouldn't have to worry about slope or anything. I thought the slope and drain are part of the tub iteself?

 

[hj]

drain

He is probably referring to the area surrounding the tub needing to be installed so water does not accumulate. They are never installed with a drain, and most are installed level. Properly maintained, none of the drop in tubs should need replacement in ten years or less.

 

[Jeff_Bathroom]

Thanks HJ,
that makes sense. Once that's done properly though, it would seem
that as long as the dimensions are close, a new drop-in could be dropped
in much easier than most other install methods. I'm just looking at what I had to go through to get my old one removed...that is; door jamb and tile walls in the tub surround. Even though I wanted to remove the bathroom tile floor anyway, that also probably would have to have been replaced if I only wanted to swap out the old tub. After all the tile was laid right up against the old tub. Not sure if I could find a new tub with exactly the old tub dimensions to meet up w/ the tile. Thanks for your input.

 

[Jimbo]

Yes I was referring to the deck area around the tub, which can collect water. I do agree that you almost always see them with no drain, but it is a cleanup/mold headache.

 

[Jadnashua]

If the tub is never used as shower, make your decking so it goes under the lip of the tub. Then, if you want to replace it, you just need one with a lip that will cover the old hole. If you are also going to use this as a shower, then a drop-in must have the walls covering at least part of the lip, and the lip needs an attached tiling flange to prevent water from leaking past the bottom of the tile into the wall behind. So, if for a shower as well, it is better to buy a tub designed for tiling with a factory tile flange. You'd have to tear out at least the bottom row of tile to remove it and part of the backer board. By the time you do this, since it might be impossible to find matching tile, it might be better to just remodel, and tear the whole surround out.

Properly installed and properly maintained, a tub should last a lot longer than 10-years. Don't use abrasive cleaners, and clean it periodically, not when it gets really gross.