NativeNYerChicHK
New Member
Remodeling my second bathroom ever! Got some great advice from the awesome people on this forum then so I’m back with another question!
What I want to know if you guys recommend keeping the old bulkhead/soffit over the shower/tub combo or do you recommend removing it. The bathroom itself is on the second floor (with attic access) and has a typical 8’ ceiling, so shower/tub is 7’ with bulkhead. In the first bathroom remodel I did (my small master bathroom, same size as this second one) I removed the overhead bulkhead/soffit that was attached to a vertical side bump out wall (previously there to create a smaller enclosed stand up shower) which I also removed, in order to extend the width of the new custom shower I built, adding a bench & niches to that freed up space, and added the benefit of height with the bulkhead removed. But honestly, my main objective there was getting rid of that bump out, not really so much the bulkhead. But if I didn’t remove the bulkhead in that situation then I would have had to extend the bulkhead’s frame to the new extended wall where I removed the vertical bump out. Didn’t want the pointless hassle (wasting time & money) and I kinda wanted the new height anyway for my 6’3” husband to finally have a shower that didn’t feel like a cramped box.
However, in the other bathroom there is a shower/tub combo and it’s used by our teenage daughters, as well as any guests. The only thing that was inside the bump out I removed in the previous remodel was the drain vent pipe and that was easily remedied by extending the piping and hiding that in the new enclosed wall. The bulkhead itself was completely empty, so nothing to remove or rehome from there, simply a demo. Since there is no vertical bump out in this bathroom I believe this overhead bulkhead will be empty as well. Just drywall and wood framing to be removed, if I decide to go that route.
I’m unsure what’s most desired now though, keep the bulkhead or remove it and extend the height of the shower area? I am going to tile the ceiling anyway to prevent dealing with mold on painted surfaces. So either way, bulkhead or no bulkhead, I’m tiling all the way up. I just want to know what’s more common and desirable now in newer remodels, bulkhead or no bulkhead?
What I want to know if you guys recommend keeping the old bulkhead/soffit over the shower/tub combo or do you recommend removing it. The bathroom itself is on the second floor (with attic access) and has a typical 8’ ceiling, so shower/tub is 7’ with bulkhead. In the first bathroom remodel I did (my small master bathroom, same size as this second one) I removed the overhead bulkhead/soffit that was attached to a vertical side bump out wall (previously there to create a smaller enclosed stand up shower) which I also removed, in order to extend the width of the new custom shower I built, adding a bench & niches to that freed up space, and added the benefit of height with the bulkhead removed. But honestly, my main objective there was getting rid of that bump out, not really so much the bulkhead. But if I didn’t remove the bulkhead in that situation then I would have had to extend the bulkhead’s frame to the new extended wall where I removed the vertical bump out. Didn’t want the pointless hassle (wasting time & money) and I kinda wanted the new height anyway for my 6’3” husband to finally have a shower that didn’t feel like a cramped box.
However, in the other bathroom there is a shower/tub combo and it’s used by our teenage daughters, as well as any guests. The only thing that was inside the bump out I removed in the previous remodel was the drain vent pipe and that was easily remedied by extending the piping and hiding that in the new enclosed wall. The bulkhead itself was completely empty, so nothing to remove or rehome from there, simply a demo. Since there is no vertical bump out in this bathroom I believe this overhead bulkhead will be empty as well. Just drywall and wood framing to be removed, if I decide to go that route.
I’m unsure what’s most desired now though, keep the bulkhead or remove it and extend the height of the shower area? I am going to tile the ceiling anyway to prevent dealing with mold on painted surfaces. So either way, bulkhead or no bulkhead, I’m tiling all the way up. I just want to know what’s more common and desirable now in newer remodels, bulkhead or no bulkhead?
