# Bathtub frame questions



## Milhaus (Feb 11, 2007)

I have a customer that loves her old school cast tub, but wants her bathroom updated. I have approached her about 'boxing' the tub in with a frame for it to set in which would make tile work so much cleaner. 

The problem is that the one corner on the tub is rounded, rather than squared up. Any one have any ideas as to some kind of material that can be used to make this rounded corner of the frame work? She does not like the idea of a 45 on that corner because the rounded corner adds some elegance to the tub. 

Is there a material that I could wrap the base with that is still attractive in appearance? 

The only other option I can think of and she is not opposed to this, is to pull the tub, tile the floor, and then set the tub back in as it is sitting now, without any kind of enclosure. But, the plumbing is exposed as well as the base of the tub. 

thanks in advance,

mark


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

Your going to have to disconnect the supply and drain lines to tile properly...unless you are using 1x1 tiles. Use a car jack and carefully lift the front of the tub an inch to tile under the legs, a few days later tile the back legs. A little slow but saves moving a 300 - 400 lb tub.


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## cooks (Feb 7, 2008)

sell the customer on pulling the tub and put it in another room and have it refinished while you are doing the tile work. then put it back in the bathroom and reconnect. that way you are selling the tile and the tub refinish without buildind a frame around the tub.


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## wink (Aug 2, 2006)

can you sell here on designing the room around the period of the tub, she would still get a new bathroom, just styled so it will show off here tub.


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## Milhaus (Feb 11, 2007)

Great ideas. I know a company here in town that may refinish it. 

Then just set it back in on top of the tile? There are no legs so it would just sit as it is. I've talked with my tile guy about this. He said there is a specific mortar to use for this, as well as a porcelain tile that could withstand the weight. 

mark


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## cooks (Feb 7, 2008)

if you are worried about the weight of the tub then trace around it before you remove it and then have your tile guy cut the tile around your draw line. then you dont have to worry about the tile cracking from the weight of the tub and filled with water


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## Milhaus (Feb 11, 2007)

I could but I don't think it will look that good. I'd rather take the risk of a tile cracking under the weight. It would still be continuous across the floor. 

mark


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## cooks (Feb 7, 2008)

go for it. like you said use a good tile and be confident in the tile guy.(thats what he gets paid for).


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## masterk (Dec 29, 2007)

The tile should but up tight to the tub. This will help lock the tub in place.


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## hammerwhipped (Oct 19, 2007)

Purchase some legs from asalvage yard. this will make it more authentic and make the drain hookup alot easier if you don't have access below the tub.


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## Slovlik (Mar 13, 2008)

Done this january.


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