Wow, thanks bumble doodle! Tt is great to know that the tub works well as a shower. We are tall too--at least most of us (two of my teenage daughters are twins and one is 5'2" and the other is 5'10", so maybe the short one complains a bit but that's ok, since she complains about everything!) We are getting the non-jetted version. Also, I am hoping that building the deck at the front will help with the water spray. I am pushing the tub back into an alcove under the window the long way (so we get into the tub at the 32" side rather than from the 48" side) and we are trying to go without shower doors in order to make the bath feel open. With a deck, we buy a few more inches of length to help avoid water on the floor. We may not succeed and will put a panel on if we have to. Any thoughts on this?

That is not what american standard says, live_wire_oak: the universal design fits most bathtubs That drain is essentially a normal standard drain but with the overflow hole on top. It's not like the Archer drain from Kohler, for example. You do have to put up with an ugly American Standard logo on the front plate, though, which is more prominent than appears in the online photos. EDIT I would just email Am Stnd and ask them. Here is a link that might be useful: deep soak This post was edited by writersblock on Sun, Oct 6, 13 at 15:10

No problem...if that is the easiest way, then by all means do it.

As a home improvement guy (but not a pro plumber), I wouldn't encourage a water level higher than the tub's opening for the overflow since water could get past the gasket and behind the wall if there's any break in the seal. I had a job where the kitchen ceiling got damaged below because of that. As for drain types, pop-ups don't catch the hair and one has to unscrew them every so often and get the hair out. You'd be better off with one like this: http://www.faucetdepot.com/prod/41-818-91-Gerber-Tub-Waste-and-Overflow-in-Chrome-9894.asp