After tearing out previous bathroom walls and doing mold remediation, I was planning to re-install the acrylic tub, planning to put in mortar bed, which wasn't done previously. However, tub appears to be type with plastic feet, only the feet were removed/not installed by previous owner, so there is a plastic framework on the bottom that is about 1.5" deep grid. It was sitting on the subfloor on the little x-shaped plastic tabs where the six feet would have been attached. The tabs appear intact, but not sure how strong they really are/whether it should take the weight of years of baths to come. Can I reuse this tub without the feet? I really don't want the extra height the feet would provide, and not sure where I could get them anyway. Can I install mortar bed and will it get into the grid adequately, especially if I place the mortar between plastic sheets? Should I keep the footless tabs on the subfloor or imbed in mortar? Thanks!
Reinstalling acrylic tub with feet removed?
- Thread starter diyShari
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If the tub is hanging in space, you're much better off setting it on some mortar. I normally place some piles and then squish the tub down on it.
Does this tub set on a deck?
Does this tub set on a deck?
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Here is a pic of the bottom of the tub. Not sure if this is what you mean by a deck. There is no plywood or foam base, just this plastic grid. I found a similar tub online that had feet attached, but mine is missing the feet. (8, not 6 as I said before). There are 8 little "x" marks on the subfloor marking where the weight of the tub/water had slightly indented in these places. Wondering if mortar should be used under them, or around them/under the rest of the tub or if the grid thing can be removed and mortar placed under the white acrylic only?
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Standardairconditioner
HVAC'ker
The plastic "grid" keeps the dry mortar bed from shifting about during its lifetime of use.
The feet only serve to shim the tub.
If you will lay this on a mortar bed, you won't need the feet.
The feet only serve to shim the tub.
If you will lay this on a mortar bed, you won't need the feet.
Thanks! I will plan to reuse the current tub as is, with mortar bed under it. Will put plastic over subfloor and not plastic between mortar and tub unless I hear any major recommendations against this before I get to that part of the project!
Next question (will put this on new thread too): previous owner cut part of the tile flange off. Only over a small area, on outside corner and along apron, but water was running behind grout, down side of tub and behind the woodwork along the floor. Looks like this was done to make the tub "fit" either due to uneven floor (which I haven't even checked yet, but certainly will) or due to not wanting to further cut the wall panel (looks like whole bathroom was done in cement board, perhaps entire thing tiled at one point, previous owners installed new tub, cut chunk out of cement board to install tub and faucet/shower plumbing and filled the hole with unfinished plywood and regular drywall and tiled right over that, then put thin drywall over the rest of the bathroom's cement board. Apparently didn't want to cut more cement board to fit tub, so they cut tub instead. Looked nice for a while until I wound up with a moldy mess behind the wall!) I will make sure the floor is level before reinstalling the tub, but thinking I can just build up silicone to make up for the small part of flange that was cut away? Right? I looked into "tile flange" that can be applied with adhesive, but it looks pretty questionable in terms of quality. Previous installation didn't have the cement board coming down low enough, nor did it or the tile come down around the side/apron part of the tub. So plenty of opportunity for water to go where it didn't belong. Thinking if I do the floor, tub and walls correctly, and do silicone between cement board edge and tub edge, then tile/grout over that I should be good. Right?
This is the first time I've done a bathroom, so trying to research everything and make sure it is done correctly this time. Would really prefer not to have to buy/fit new tub. Mostly because I don't want to have to have plumbing redone.
Next question (will put this on new thread too): previous owner cut part of the tile flange off. Only over a small area, on outside corner and along apron, but water was running behind grout, down side of tub and behind the woodwork along the floor. Looks like this was done to make the tub "fit" either due to uneven floor (which I haven't even checked yet, but certainly will) or due to not wanting to further cut the wall panel (looks like whole bathroom was done in cement board, perhaps entire thing tiled at one point, previous owners installed new tub, cut chunk out of cement board to install tub and faucet/shower plumbing and filled the hole with unfinished plywood and regular drywall and tiled right over that, then put thin drywall over the rest of the bathroom's cement board. Apparently didn't want to cut more cement board to fit tub, so they cut tub instead. Looked nice for a while until I wound up with a moldy mess behind the wall!) I will make sure the floor is level before reinstalling the tub, but thinking I can just build up silicone to make up for the small part of flange that was cut away? Right? I looked into "tile flange" that can be applied with adhesive, but it looks pretty questionable in terms of quality. Previous installation didn't have the cement board coming down low enough, nor did it or the tile come down around the side/apron part of the tub. So plenty of opportunity for water to go where it didn't belong. Thinking if I do the floor, tub and walls correctly, and do silicone between cement board edge and tub edge, then tile/grout over that I should be good. Right?
This is the first time I've done a bathroom, so trying to research everything and make sure it is done correctly this time. Would really prefer not to have to buy/fit new tub. Mostly because I don't want to have to have plumbing redone.
Standardairconditioner
HVAC'ker
Too much text to read, made my head hurt.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Literally.
Post a pic of this "flange" and surrounding area.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Literally.
Post a pic of this "flange" and surrounding area.
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
There are add-on tiling flanges designed for drop-in tubs. You MIGHT be able to buy some of that and add on in the area where it was cut out. When installing the tub, it is essential that it be level, as if it's out, it will make water pooling and going behind the wall where it was cut away much more likely.
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