Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - installing a hatch in a tiled surround

I'm installing a jacuzzi tub in a corner and would like to tile my surround, the only problem is i would need to create hatches to access my pipes if there ever would be a problem in the future. this is a corner tub against outside walls so i can't come in from the back. along with that my faucets come up the back corner so each wall of my surround needs a hatch, 1 for access to the pump for the tub, one to access my faucet shut offs, and 1 to access my drain. my final issue is i'd like to tile my surround. any ideas on how to make a hatch to access each of these?

I don't know how other installers do it, but I can tell you how I do it. I put in extra framing so each door can be screwed on, independent of the rest of the backer board. I do my layout to determine where grout joints will be and that determines the location of the framing. I make sure the edges of the intended door fall on grout joints. I tile the doors separate from the surround, drill holes through tile, backer, and all, screw the doors to the extra framing, and use caulk to fill the screw holes and seal the joints around the doors. The dots of caulk on the tile surface tell any one in the future where the door is and the caulk is easily removed with a knife if access becomes necessary.

Smokey sounds like he does a very neat job.

I installed a hot spa in my basement years ago and didn't have the advantage of this forum. I put in two panels for later access, which I still have not used some twenty years later, but one never knows.

What I did was I framed the openings with 2X4s around where the plywood panels would go so I could screw them to the frame, tiled them separately, drilled holes for the four screws to install it, then after putting them up caulked over the screws and around the joint. I did not match the edges of the panels to the tile grout lines (that's a tough job requiring quite a bit of accuracy since you're doing that at the framing stage and the tiles come later, heck I didn't even have the tiles picked out at that stage LOL, but it would improve the look a little) and it still looks great.

I do mine similar to Smokey's. The only major difference is I dont screw the panels in place. I find that if I tape them in place temporarily, the caulking will hold them just fine when it sets up. When access is needed, cut the caulk away, and replace the panel the same way when the work is done.

Also Schluter Systems has an access panel kit. I havent used the kit yet but it looks interesting. Check out this link.

http://www.schluter.com/11_1_rema.aspx

You may have to cut and paste this into your browser if links arent working here.

thanks folks. i didn't even realize a kit like that exsisted. i have a friend helping with my tile and he also said in his limited experience he had never crossed such a kit. so i'll be picking it up. i'll post more later to let everyone knows how it turns out. i know to go thru all this trouble in making the hatches i'll never use them, but you never know. thanks again.

Huh, I never thought of that trick Johnny. That would make the door virtually invisible with out the screw holes and the caulk would hold it just fine, I'll remember that on the next one.

I used magnetic cabinet latches on mine. I also planned and framed the layout so that the panel seams fell on grout lines. I used caulk instead of grout on the seams.