Flooring Tile - Clawfoot tub weight

We are building a new house. One bathroom will have an old cast iron clawfoot tub. This is a 6 ft long and very heavy tub! We want to use tile on the floor. What precautions should we take in placing this much weight on tile? Are we better off using large or small tile sizes? We have no concern about the flooring structure, just don't want to crack tiles from the weight of the tub. :confused: Help, please. Thanks.

i would talk to the builder and tell him of you're concerns he can beef up the sub-floor while building and head off any of those problems before they start use at least 3/4 ply for the bath and maybe an extra joist or extra bracing where that tub will sit 1/2 inch durock and bigger porcelain tile pocelain is alot harder than tile and will not chip as easy

Like Floorman said the tile it self will not smash(point load) so the concern is in the floor it self. Make sure it is strong enough so it does not bend or bow.

The specification for the flooring reads "24/16 joists 16" on center, 24/16 APA subfloor & 5/8" underlayment glued & nailed." Will this be sturdy enough?

Also, do I need to use something else on the floor before laying the tile? What do you recommend?

And I will shop for porcelain tiling as suggested, but will the mosaic size work as well as the larger sizes?

Sorry for so many questions, but I like to know what I'm doing before we spend the money and time. Thanks for all your help.

i think for that particular install since you are starting from scratch place the joists a litttle closer together in that space where the tub is going and the 5/8 will be plenty.Yes,you want tp put a layer of 1/2 durock before the tile goes in,but the floor guys you are using will be responsible for that make sure they do it per reccomendations and you will be just fine.Mosaic would be ok but iwould put some sort of block or something for the feet to sit on to disperse the weight a little too much weight on the tile since they are so small would probably break them :cool: