Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Tiling a tub deck
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Jakobi
04-06-08, 05:17 PM
I am in the demo phase of my bathroom remodel and have a question about tiling the tub deck I am planning on building. I have purchased a cast iron American Standard Stratford soaking tub and am wondering if I should tile the deck either before or after I set the tub. The installation instructions with the tub state that it should not be touching anything from underneath when installed and that all of the weight from the tub should be supported by the deck frame. Ideally it would be easier to tile before I drop the tube in but it seems like the weight of the lip of the tub on the tile when filled with water would easily be enough to crack the tile. Any suggestions as to what I should do would be greatly appreciated.
Wayne Mitchell
04-07-08, 08:11 AM
I'm not a plumber, but it seems really unusual that the instructions would recommenend supporting the tub by the lip. Every tub I have installed required support from underneath with the tub lip having clearance between the lip and the tiled deck. Maybe it's different for a cast tub.
bmichel
04-07-08, 01:38 PM
I installed a fiberglass tub, and installed the tub prior to tiling. I got advice both ways, and saw actual installations both ways. Tiling after, which is how I did it, gives more of a fudge factor if the height isn't perfect, or the deck isn't perfectly level. I'm not an expert, but I would think that if the tub is supported by it's lip, it could crack the tile if you go on top. If you tile after install make sure you caulk, not grout the joint between the tub and tile. There will probably be some slight movement as you fill the tub and get in and out, and you will need the flex of caulk. Grout may crack. Learned that one the hard way.
One trick I used to drop the tub in was to get 2 heavy duty cargo straps, and screw them into the deck on the far side and near side, with the excess on the near side. We placed the tub on top of the straps. took out the screws on the near side and used the excess to lower it in. We did that for 2 reasons:
1. The deck was surrounded by walls on 3 sides and there was no place to stand to lower the tub in.
2. We wanted to lower the tub in, fit up the plumbing, pull it out to adjust and pour mortar bed and then lower in again.
We unscrewed the straps on the far side and pulled them through. Made life a lot easier.
One trick I used to drop the tub in was to get 2 heavy duty cargo straps, and screw them into the deck on the far side and near side, with the excess on the near side. We placed the tub on top of the straps. took out the screws on the near side and used the excess to lower it in. We did that for 2 reasons:
1. The deck was surrounded by walls on 3 sides and there was no place to stand to lower the tub in.
2. We wanted to lower the tub in, fit up the plumbing, pull it out to adjust and pour mortar bed and then lower in again.
We unscrewed the straps on the far side and pulled them through. Made life a lot easier.