skip to main content

How did you insulate and support your drop in tub?

16 years ago

How did you insulate your acrylic tub for keeping water warm in tub? How did you support your drop in tub? Did you put something between the tub bottom and floor or does it touch the floor? When those large tubs are full of water and me, it's heavy and I want it supported very well.

Comments (4)

MongoCT
16 years ago
mollie,

If your tub didn't come with a manual, you can go on most any manufacturer's website to see how they want their tub installed.

Some want them set in a bed of mortar, some choose their tubs to be glued to the subfloor with construction adhesive.

Some people recommend foam, but foam flexes and it's something I'd never use.

I almost always set tubs in a bed of mortar. It does two things: It gives absolute support, and it allows me to level the tub if the floor is slightly out of level.

For a drop-in, you want to set the tub so the rim of the tub just touches the deck of the tub. You don't want the tub hanging by the rim, or it can lead to the tub eventually cracking, as their isn't enough reinforcment in the tub to support it by the rim.

Ususlly no additional framing is needed to support the weight of a tub.

If you wanted to elevate the tub, you could build a platform for it to sit on. Then the weight of the tub would be transferred to the fdootprint of the larger platform, reducing the "pounds per square foot" lod placed on your floor framing.

As far as insulation, you can use canned foam, commercial spray foam, or wrap it in fiberglass. Or if it's a circulating tub, you can add an aftermarket in-line water heater for about $250.

If you use canned or spray foam to insulate the tub, if it's a jetted or circulating tub, be careful where the foam goes. You don't want it to screw up your tub's plumbing.

Mongo
qdognj
16 years ago
Just installed mine today..as Mongo pointed out, it was set in a bed of mortar-like product..It is elevated, so it sits on a "deck" which is topped by CUB and then granite..I didn't insulate it any further then the walls nearby which ahve insulation..Funny, the jetted tub i removed had no additional inuslation either..
Related Discussions
How many of you actually use your whirlpool tubs?
Q
Comments (31)
i emailed the jason rep to find out what exactly the lumbar thing means for $200 more, and haven't heard back yet, but now my husband said i had to choose between white and bisque UGHH more decisions lol. i definitely think i want to stick with the jason because compared to the other tubs in the showroom it was amazingly quiet. to answer the question-i think mainly it will just be me in the tub. my husband has not taken 1 bath in the 15 years i have known him and i don't see him starting. we were supposed to do this project 2 years ago but right before starting i was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through chemo and radiation which left me with arthritis in my hips, and all over body aches, this the reason i really want to make sure i get the right tub, it is definitely for therapeutic reasons. i have a very good prognosis, and am excited we have the opportunity to work on this again, and i just want it all to end up cozy and warm and inviting, and i am struggling with the floor plan, the color of the tub and shower etc, the fixtures color, the trim color, and i don't have very long to decide!! Scary!! p.s. i really think the chromatherapy thing is neat. i know it may seem silly to some, but i think i would enjoy that. It is $200.00 more, do many of you have it and do you think it was worth it?
...See More
any tips on how to 'drop' a drop in tub in alcove?
Q
Comments (6)
thanks for the suggestions & support (keep em comin if you have any!) i will run casey's by my friend - it makes me sooo nervous to think about 2x4's or 2x6's resting on my new tile with the tub's weight on them... monica - the deck itself is so skinny that it really isn't strong enough to hold much weight. it does fine with what i've put it through so far, like pushing myself up from the floor & other stuff, and my friend said it will be fine to "sit" on the edge if need be when getting in & out of the tub (though the edge would take maybe a cheek, as bill puts it), but putting all the weight of an adult standing on it in one small space just wouldn't be wise. just wasn't built to handle that. i had an idea to do a sort of see-saw with a board (or 2 or 3) through the open part of the deck & rest the tub on it & then lower the tub down from above & by letting up on the see-saw so as to gradually let it down... but my friend shoo'd that idea off. i may bring it up again now that he's more focused on it. i'm sure glad we don't have to do mortar or anything like that!
...See More
Insulating the bathtub.... Flyleft? Others?
Q
Comments (9)
I'll usually foam tubs when I have access from below, I usually tack plastic sheeting in place against the tub and then spray foam (I have a spray rig, not talking about canned foam) against the plastic. That way the foam isn't sticking to the tub. I know people have used canned foam, but you'd need quite a few cans. You could build a "box" out of rigid foam insulation. Sort of like the "box" being a burial vault, with the tub being the casket that gets lowered in. The sides can be straight or slightly sloped to match the rough contours of the tub. Polyisocyanurate (polyiso) is about R-7 per inch, a 2" thick, 4' by 8' foil-faced sheet would run maybe $40 retail. Expanded and extruded styrofoams have lower R-values, in the 3-5 per inch range. You can add lightweight framing under the deck to hold the sheets in place, or use canned foam to "glue" the sheets together at the butt joints and reinforce with duct tape. Or you could just stuff the cavity full of fiberglass batts, leaving space for the tub, and drop the tub in place. You can gauge how much FG you can place in the hole by sloping the sides to match the rough slope of the sides of the tub. Realize that an insulated space is an insulated space. The insulation doesn't necessarily have to be in contact with the tub to insulate the tub. Obviously the closer it is to the tub the better, but sometimes jobsite limitations force you into a work-a-round. There's no one "true" way to do it. In your case you have limitations, so just have at it and have fun.
...See More
Bath tub comfort question when under-mounting
Q
Comments (8)
I love my under mount tub ...it is very comfortable. The back slopes; I never have banged my head on the ledge. I use mine daily - I prefer a bath to a shower. An under mount gives me a place to set my morning coffee without spilling it on the tub ledge and plenty of room for the morning paper or my Kindle. I am short, so I wanted one that wasn't too long - a 60" works great for me. I've never understood free standing tubs - where would you put everything? And a drop-in would have an uneven ledge and I'd spill my coffee.
...See More
Linda Ross
Original Author
16 years ago
I had no idea you could sit an acrylic tub in a bed of mortar. It is a soaker tub, no jets. I am trying to decide between the Maxx Living 36x72 or Maxx Palace (approx same size). Any suggestions? I am older and need arm rests, grab bar so looking for something like that.

Mongo, you mentioned you installed one for your mother earlier, which tub did you choose? How did you set it?
ccc123
16 years ago
For insulation we sprayed Icynene around the tub at the same time we did the walls. Besides insulating, it also deadens the sound & is a good environmental product: no formaldehyde, no petroleum ingredients, & no fiberglass. (great in the attic too)

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

MATERIALS Insulation Basics: What to Know About Spray Foam

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

Learn what exactly spray foam is, the pros and cons of using it and why you shouldn’t mess around with installation

REMODELING GUIDES Cool Your House (and Costs) With the Right Insulation

By Buckminster Green LLC

Insulation offers one of the best paybacks on your investment in your house. Here are some types to discuss with your contractor

BATHROOM DESIGN Dreaming of a Spa Tub at Home? Read This Pro Advice First

By By Any Design Ltd.

Before you float away on visions of jets and bubbles and the steamiest water around, consider these very real spa tub issues

BATHROOM DESIGN Convert Your Tub Space Into a Shower — Waterproofing and Drainage

By By Any Design Ltd.

Step 4 in swapping your tub for a sleek new shower: Pick your waterproofing materials and drain, and don't forget to test

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING 12 Naturally Beautiful Hot Tubs

By Laura Gaskill

Prefer a no-plastic look for your patio or yard? Wood, stone and concrete make these hot tubs fit right in with nature

ROOM OF THE DAY Room of the Day: Ditching the Tub for a Spacious Shower

By Jeannie Matteucci

A Georgia designer transforms her master bathroom to create a more efficient and stylish space for 2

BATHTUBS Is a Sunken Tub Right for You?

By Jess McBride

One of these 14 sunken tubs might make you want to take the plunge

BATHROOM DESIGN 7 Metal Tubs That Steal the Show

By Jennifer Christgau-Aquino

Industrial-style metal tubs offer lightweight, unique alternatives to porcelain. Could a metal tub be for you?

BATHROOM DESIGN Rub-a-Dub-Dub, Add Color to Your Tub

By Jennifer Ott Design

Perk up that old claw-foot with a hit of paint that’s as bold or subtle as you please

KITCHEN DESIGN Show Us Your Fabulous DIY Kitchen

By Mary Jo Bowling

Did you do a great job when you did it yourself? We want to see and hear about it

Sponsored

EK Interior Design

5 Reviews

TIMELESS INTERIOR DESIGN FOR ENDLESS MEMORIES

More Discussions

Minimum space between backlit led mirror and wall

1

Maax shower enclosures

2

Shower pan or tile?

10

Need help collaborating on house

2

Bathroom Remodel

1