Old un-level house, new bathtub, level?
KevinW
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Just installing a new ledger for a new bathtub today in my 1930s house. I set it the right distance above the floor, looked at it, set the level on it, and realized that it (and the floor) are about 3/8″ out of level in 4 feet. Sloping AWAY from the drain end. The bathtub itself has about 1/2″ of slope in 4 feet towards the drain, so in theory that should leave 1/8″ of slope in the right direction but I’m not convinced. If I make the ledger and the tub level, I’ll have to shim under the front edge of the tub skirt where it meets the floor, and that’s going to look ugly.
Any suggestions?
Kevin
Replies
In almost any case I can think of you want the tub level. Surrounds, tile whats the finished walls going to be?
Sounds like the finished floor is in as well, what FF do you have?
Woods favorite carpenter
FKA- Stilletto
Surround will be tile.No finished floor yet. The floor is a dogs breakfast due to multiple previous remodels. Subfloor is diagonal boards on the joists, then under the tub area there are 3/4" t&g boards parallel to the length of the tub. In the area where the tub wasn't, there's 3/4" ply, level with the boards (though there's a 1" gap/trough between them) and on top of the ply another layer of 1/4" ply which used to have vinyl tiles on (there was a layer of particleboard on top of that, and sheet vinyl, but that and the vinyl tiles have been ripped out already).If I shim the tub level on the t&g boards, and then set 1/2" ply on top of the 3/4" ply butted up to the tub surround, that should hide most of the shimming. There's a decorative line in the tub surround about 4" off the floor that's going to be pretty obviously not parallel though.As things stand, the tub surround will fall on the edge of the 3/4" ply, right next to the gap between the ply and the boards. I'm thinking it would be more stable to shim on if I fill that gap before I start.Kevin
Edited 12/9/2007 12:02 am ET by KevinW
You still did not say what your finish floor will be. I you can't level the floor because of door/ toilet ect.,I think I would make the finish level with the tub and slowly feather it back to match the slope you have 3/8" is not that much in an old house. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
Sorry - finish floor will be sheet vinyl.The good thing is that the highest part of the shim will be at the far end of the tub, which will be mostly hidden by the vanity.Yes, 3/8 is not much, that's why I didn't notice it till now. The kitchen and attic floors slope a lot more! The only thing square, level or plumb in the house are the windows, amazingly - I found the old bathroom window in the crawlspace under the kitchen, and it fit back in its frame perfectly, just needed new glass and paint.
Shim the bottom up, sounds like you have to lay a new subfloor for sheet vinyl anyway. That subfloor will bury most of the gap. It's the lesser of two evils, unless you want to try to make the tile look right leaving the tub how it sits now.
Woods favorite carpenter
FKA- Stilletto
Thanks all for the advice - I am going to do what Matt suggests - shim the tub level, and hide most of the shim when I butt the underlayment for the vinyl up to the tub.Kevin
When shimming a tub level I like to put a shim or two in just to hold it in place. It's the 2 bags of mortar that holds the tub.
The mortar makes for a solid feeling tub, not bouncy when you are standing in it.
Woods favorite carpenter
FKA- Stilletto
I build highrise condos, & apartments 20 stories & up hundreds of tub installs on new concrete----- about 60% of those tubs have a shim under them to level them up.
As Mike says, level the floor to the tub & taper it away as needed.
Tubs are set level!