Tub platform has been constructed and tiled vertically and horizontally. Tub I have sits on approx a half dozen 5″ square blocks (looks like board insulation) which are pre-secured to tub botom. My question is: what are tricks of trade for securing tub to floor as there is obviously no access. Only thing to hold tub down would be drain assembly. One friend mentioned using a type of cement and another a foam insulation product. Thanks for your ideas!!
rcj9
Replies
What kind of tub is this?
cast iron or Acrylic?
Free standing something or other?
Whirlpool?
You have the manufacture specs?
Too vague so far. The blocks sound like shipping protection to me from here.
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I think he meant that figuratively,,,,,,,, OR , he has super teloscopic type vision,,,, OR,, some sort of pre-cog brain thingy,,,,,, OR,,,, hold on,,, isn't this about a tub?
I've set tubs in a big pile of mortar, then silicone the top edge. You should fill the tub with water after you place it in the mortar, to keep it in place while the mortar sets. I think Piffin's right, the blocks are probably shipping blocks. Even if their not, I'd still take them off and float it in mortar. If you don't have access, you can't use foam.
Nay - I sayed that they SOUND like....it's my large ears
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Well I, ah, ... hmmm. Looks like I did make a mistake.
dang. Got to go think about this, as I never make mistakes.
be or am I mistaken.Could be a common mistake made by Breaktimers.
Parolee # 53804
Edited 4/17/2007 1:11 pm ET by rez
I just set a Kohler K1267 tub that has feet just like that... 5 chunks of 4x4 glued to the bottom of the OSB sheet that the tub is laid up on. I cut some squares of plywood and glued them to the bottom of the feet, so that there would be a 1/8" gap to the subfloor, no more. Then I shot BIG globs of construction adhesive on the bottom of each foot and dropped the tub in. Actually, two of us did this. We had pre-marked exactly where the tub went on the tile, at two corners. Next day it was solid as a rock. Note that the instructions for this tub say NOT to use plaster or mortar, but construction adhesive. I always shoot for a 1/16" gap between tub and tile so I can caulk all the way around under the rim.
Dave, I checked out Kohler's site 'cause I thought it funny that they said no mortar or plaster, and that's not what they say....it says either cement/mortar OR construction adhesive and no gypsum cement or drywall compound....however they do say to add a layer of plastic drop cloth over the mortar/cement bed.....interesting.....of course they may have changed the install on certain models too, but I used the model # you gave to find the install instructions for that model....
Your idea of raising the tub so the rim is not sitting on the deck is a good one, the rim is not supposed to bear any weight and shimming it slightly high is a good way to ensure there's no weight on it....
My understanding of the reason for using a mortar bed, or plasterbed for that matter, was to support the tub floor and prevent flexing in acrylic or fiberglass type tubs/showers, I would use 6-mil on the subfloor, to allow removal of the tub for service or replacement , especially jetted type tubs, ....I relied on the caulking at the rim to help keep the tub in place as well as the "irregularities" of the bottom of the tub sitting in a plaster "mold" and the shear weight of the whole thing.
Geoff