Tub Drain Cutout

[Algae]

Hello. I'm doing a bathroom remodel and trying to decide on a tub. I'm looking at an American Standard Princeton 60x30. The specs call for the subfloor cutout to be centered on 14 1/4". Mine is centered at 15". Will that cause a problem with this tub?

 

[Terry]

Normally I cut the box out 8" wide and 12" deep. You room there to fit it in.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

Check your tub where the drain is typically the holes in sub floor are crazy big enough to work with so if its off a half or 3/4 inch it still wouldn't matter I make opening about 8 inches wide and from face of wall out past edge of hole by an extra inch so if center of drain is 10 inches I'd go 12 inches off wall with cut . I'm just approximating

 

[Algae]

Thanks for the quick replies! The cutout is definitely large enough accommodate.the drain location. I was concerned that being off a little might affect how the tub is supported. Sounds like I was overthinking it.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Thanks for the quick replies! The cutout is definitely large enough accommodate. the drain location. I was concerned that being off a little might affect how the tub is supported. Sounds like I was overthinking it.

well you are right it can if the foot is hanging in mid air its not good . having a good ledger board and support under the tub is all about a good and proper install but the cut out being centered or not isn't critical

 

[Algae]

I'm finally getting around to getting this tub installed. a few questions:

1. Should I use plumbers putty or silicone for the drain?
2. should i use teflon tape on the threads where the drain screws into the pluming?
3. The installation instructions for the tub says to use silicone caulking on the floor to account for out of level subfloor. Would you do this instead of a mortar bed? It's an American Standard Princeton steel tub.

 

[Jeff H Young]

1putty on drain, 2 nothing on threads of drain 3 ledger board against 5 ft wall supporting that side of tub, I usually use no mortar on steel tubs some piles of adhesive under neath some visqueen on strategic spots might be a help in a solid feeling tub. havent set a press steel tub in a long time they often have a styrafoam pad on bottom not sure what tricks others use

 

[Algae]

1putty on drain, 2 nothing on threads of drain 3 ledger board against 5 ft wall supporting that side of tub, I usually use no mortar on steel tubs some piles of adhesive under neath some visqueen on strategic spots might be a help in a solid feeling tub. havent set a press steel tub in a long time they often have a styrafoam pad on bottom not sure what tricks others use

Thanks Jeff. There is a styrofoam pad on the bottom. Interestingly the instructions say that it doesn't need to touch the floor for proper installation

In test fitting with the 5ft ledger in place, it feels solid, no visible movement, but I can hear slight creaking when stepping around in it. Perhaps the suggested silicone caulking on the floor and ledger would quiet that up.

 

[Jeff H Young]

If its only an 1/4 inch off floor or less some beads of liquid nails with a sheet of visqueen over the top might work? Just one Idea or a couple pieces of vinyl fooring under the pad

 

[Algae]

Is the visqueen to keep the liquid nails from bonding to the tub?

 

[Jeff H Young]

Is the visqueen to keep the liquid nails from bonding to the tub?

That was my thought

 

[Algae]

Hopefully the last question on this. When fitting the tub on the support stringer there is a 1/4" gap between the tub and stringer on one end. The stringer itself is level and flat. And even with that gap the tub sits level. I've added a shim so that corner of the tub is supported and everything feels solid when stepping around the tub. Should I be concerned that the shim was necessary?

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Americast tubs have an epoxy coating on the underside and an itegrated leveling base that I havent seen before. The epoxy coating might be a bit thin at the end where its not contacting the ledger board. I would shim it. I prefer a few blobs of mortar to make up the slight difference in the subfloor over construction adhesive. Once the glue sets up its a huge pain to try to remove. The mortar can be scraped pretty easily. Both methods, I would use painters film to allow removal after the fact.

If you use putty for the drain shoe, tighten it after a day and check it again periodically for a week. Putty will scooge out over time until its done scooging.

Also, I greatly prefer a cable drain over a typical tub waste and overflow, the shoe is tightened with a nut onto a bolt rather than spinning the strainer in the tub and eliminates the potential of scratching the tubs finish while spinning.

 

[Reach4]

Mortar will set in the absence of air.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Only reason I would use or concider adhesive would be for a smaller gap. prefer the mortar usually as well. I am not familiar with this tub And thought the base might not have a huge gap underneath for mortar. The Issue with ledger board , sometimes I put a screw or nail on each side and do a test run . usually the ledger is dead level but hieght might need adjusting Sort of trial and error with hitting the correct and perfect height first time every time. Ive put a shim befor but I dont like shimming the tub on ledger . I like Tuttles opinion on the cable waste and overflow the spinning of the spud against the porcelain just dosent seem right even though weve done it so many times. I like silicone on overflow gaskets

 

[Algae]

Thanks all. We ended up setting it in mortar and shimming the ledger board a bit on one side. Frustrating that the tub itself isn't straight/level.

 

[Jeff H Young]

oh yea I forgot those pressed steel tubs are notorious for them to be deformed the corners can be turned up or down and trap water.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

Thanks all. We ended up setting it in mortar and shimming the ledger board a bit on one side. Frustrating that the tub itself isn't straight/level.

These items are very large and very difficult to be perfect. Even large cast iron tubs can have bows and dips in them that need to be straightened out in the field. Ultimately the installation of the tub needs to be level in order for the tile to be level and plumb. Or at least appear that way.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Ive sent pack horrible pressed steel tubs. never straightened one but fudged the install to get the best levelness

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I haven't installed an Americast for a while. Had a few for one project that kept on showing up damaged.. one looked like it had been drug across the country.

Never have a tub shipped by independant carrier.. only 30% chance of arriving usable.