DtownDIYer
New Member
I am renovating a basement small full bath. First time DIYer. I previously installed an American Standard Studio acrylic tub over a perfect mortar bed of piles. After everything was set I realized the tub was warped as it was level on the sides but the middle had a significant drop towards the long wall. American Standard agreed and sent me a new tub. I installed the new tub after having to plane down one of the uneven legs and connected the drain assembly, cemented everything in, connected and sweated the copper pipes and was about ready to begin the kerdi board process when I had a sinking feeling the the mortar piles did not fully support the underside. The reason is I was tapping on the base and it sounded hollow.
I looked with my phone snaked around the only access point I have at the rear of the tub and my heart sank as it looks like the piles weren't tall enough - I can see a little bit of light from the front of the tub.
So I'm in a quandry - remove all the piping I did, unseal the drain, try and lift the tub out of the tight alcove again without chipping it more, put more mortar down and try and to reseat everything, do 2 solder couplings on the supply lines, and hope I can get it set, or....
accept the fact that this will be a very little used tub (used mostly by a 120 lb au pair for a year or 2 using the basement for quarters). After that a rare shower or bath here and there. As I step in it (190 lbs) I don't feel a lot of flex or noise. My guess is *some* of the mortar supports the base, but there are definitely some pockets where it doesn't.
Advice is welcome. We have a baby due any day and my wife will make me hire someone if I have to take the tub out again lol.
Thank you all.
God bless Terry.
I looked with my phone snaked around the only access point I have at the rear of the tub and my heart sank as it looks like the piles weren't tall enough - I can see a little bit of light from the front of the tub.
So I'm in a quandry - remove all the piping I did, unseal the drain, try and lift the tub out of the tight alcove again without chipping it more, put more mortar down and try and to reseat everything, do 2 solder couplings on the supply lines, and hope I can get it set, or....
accept the fact that this will be a very little used tub (used mostly by a 120 lb au pair for a year or 2 using the basement for quarters). After that a rare shower or bath here and there. As I step in it (190 lbs) I don't feel a lot of flex or noise. My guess is *some* of the mortar supports the base, but there are definitely some pockets where it doesn't.
Advice is welcome. We have a baby due any day and my wife will make me hire someone if I have to take the tub out again lol.
Thank you all.
God bless Terry.
