Okay, time for amateur hour!! My wife and I are putting an addition on our house that includes a master bathroom. The bathroom will have a kohler cast iron drop-in type bath tub. (The new tub is currently sitting in my driveway waiting for adequate peoplepower to ‘tote’ it inside and upstairs.) The tub will have a granite or marble tile surround.
What is the correct sequence for tiling the surround? The base is constructed of 2×6’s on 16″ centers on the side and 2×8’s on the ends. It is also built 2-3″ higher than the tub so I will be shimming the tub from the bottom. Should I apply 1/2″ wonderboard and then tile/stone the top, leave the side framing open and then ‘drop’ the tub in, shim it, and then grout the tile?
Or, do I drop the tub in first, shim it to leave enough space for, thinset, a 1/2″ layer of wonderboard, more thinset, then tile/stone? If I follow this method, and I shim it too high, I would need a massive bead of caulk to close the gap. On the otherhand, if I shim it too low, I won’t have room for my tile/stone top and might get stuck with the only genuine wonderboard surround in my area. (Looks great with tung oil!!)
This is a common procedure, so there is obviously a simple answer. (Isn’t there?) All responses are appreciated. (But be gentle !!)
With a unique ability for overlooking the blatantly obvious!
Replies
too heavy, slide it in, then build around it. When you estimate the thickness's of materials for the height of thedeck, add for a setting bed for the stone, and 1/8 for caulk.. It may help also to plan where the spout is going on the deck so as you can not have a stud there.
no turn left unstoned
I agree, slide the tub in first. It helps (if you haven't already framed the walls) to not nail off the sole plate right away, so that you have a little "give" when you're getting that tub in there. I have had the pleasure of hauling those cast iron tubs up and dropping them in, it hurts, and having a little wiggle room makes it a lot easier. Slide the tub in there and then make any final adjustments before nailing off the sole plate, while making sure the wall stays plumb.
Remember when you're figuring the width of the opening that the wonderboard should go over the lip of the tub, not behind. Ideally you want the tub snug against the studs so that the wonderboard stays plumb and doesn't bend out too much at the lip of the tub.
I realize that my description may not have been clear, but this tub does not have an apron front. It requires a 'deck' with an opening that the tub gets placed into. I like the idea of leaving the deck open on the front side, sliding it in, and then framing the front stub wall.
About a year ago I read in FHB someone had set a drop in tub on top of an inflated tire tube inside the drop-in opening. They then let the air out of the tube to gently set the tub down in the opening. A neat idea, but I don't think I will be trying it.
My question dealt more with the proper order of proceeding from rough framing to getting the tub in, and at what point I should be doing my tile/stone work. It is similar to a kitchen sink with a lip on it, so somehow I got it stuck in my head that I would set the tile and then drop the unit into the opening. However, it weighs about 300 pounds more than a kitchen sink, therefore I think I will place it in the rough deck opening first, and then shim it up so I have room to slide the tile/stone and wonderboard under the lip.
I was just wondering how the pros did this.
With a unique ability for overlooking the blatantly obvious!
tub first...or frame and drop.......but the standard around here is to leave room on the deck for the backerboard and tile......so by the time I get there to tile.....the tubs set...the framing is all done......all I gotta do is lay the backer and tile away. Jeff.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......