If you're going to have a shower in the tub, then you need to apply a tile flange to the three sides of the tub. If you didn't already purchase the tub, then I recommend finding one with an "integrated" tile flange. Other options are factory applied or applied on site. The last two aren't as good in my opinion since they're not integrated into the design of the tub, but merely an afterthought which are glued on. If you already have the tub, then you'll need to get the Kohler Tile In Bead (I beliee thats what they call it). It's applied to the 3 sides of the tub with double sided tape I believe. Tiles/grout do not provide waterproofing for a shower. Use Kerdi, it's great stuff. The Kerdi will go on the walls and be adhered to the tiling flange on the tub creating a waterproof system. Dan

I've searched all over and can not find the episode on TV that showed how it was done..I'll try to explain if this is what you mean..... 2 or 3 people lower the tub into the surround onto 2x4's that were placed underneath... Now there is 2-3 inches from tub rim and the surround.. Lift and put more 2x4's between rim and surround... Slide out the bottom 2x4's... Now you can slide out the top 2x4's one at a time .... I guess this all depends on weather you have panel big enough to give you access......

Sorry, I guess I should clarify. (This is why I linked the product page, because I knew I would not be able to explain this properly.) The oval tub has a "preexisting" sort-of-deck with a flange on three sides, otherwise I would not be so daft as to try to put a shower over it. I like my kitchen ceiling where it is! Here, this is what it looks like: However, and this is what I was asking about with the deck question, from the instructions it appears that there must be some kind of deck on the fourth side which does not have a tile flange if one does not use the optional (icky) apron, but it does not say how wide this deck must be. We both would rather not have to clamber over a wide margin to get into the tub - DH has to use this for showering every day. I'm mostly a lay-backer, not a sit-upper - my shoulders and upper back get very very painful so I have to get them into the scalding water. Unfortunately there isn't enough room for the 5'5" tub that would let me keep both shoulders and knees underwater and actually cover up most of the protruding bits on the front, leaving pretty much just my head and hands (to hold my book, of course) out of the water. ;-) The room is only 60" wide - it was carved out of a bedroom - and even if we had budget to redo all the plumbing there isn't room to turn the tub round sideways. I dislike the look of "stuff" cluttering up tub corners so I'm considering a down-low niche for my shampoo/soap/etc. and a high-up one for DH's shower things, and there will pretty much never be any kind of decorative bits on the corners because they'd just get soaked with the shower spray anyway. Well, okay, maybe a rubber ducky. (But no flamingos!) :-) Those four were pretty much the only tubs I've found that fit the parameters of size/depth, cost (crucial!), and appearance. I'm a short-but-wide person and DH is medium-height(5'9")-and-wide and we both manage OK in a standard 60x32 oblong tub - 34" or 36" would be a nicer but pretty much all I could find in this price point were funky molded-up things that looked like they belonged on the space station. Yuck-O. The deepest of the four tubs is actually the oblong Bancroft at 15" water depth but I'm not thrilled with how it looks, the other three are 14" water depth. The oval looks like it would have less shoulder room but that's not the case? The one oval tub I've seen available for sitting in was just about big enough for a kindergartener to do laps in, so it's pretty useless for comparison!

Thank you all for the great responses! It's true, frou-frou has been around a long time in some magazines (I miss the old Victorian magazine) but lately it seems to be showing up more in "regular" magazines. I think Bellaflora is right, when it's time to hide out, it's much nicer to do it under the "biggest fluffiest ruffliest quilt" you can find...great description :) I do not have little ones, unless you count my kitties, but I think wine is an acceptable alternative to tea, especially in a crystal wine glass (LOL) Poshspace- Great time to remodel your bathroom, lots of wonderful ideas out there. The magazine is the current issue of BHG's Beautiful Baths. I'm not really a huge pink fan (more of a lavender fan with a little pink) but it's so nice to see cheerful, fun colors again! Cooperbailey- Fairies are fun and I love the idea of putting some fairy things in the garden. The nieces love it and with all their Tinkerbell stuff, they can dress up and play in the garden. We had a small garden this year, but plan a bigger one for next year. Oakleyok- I'm with you there. I wasn't really girlie when I was young either, so maybe we're making up for lost time :)