Do you mean in a new build?

Sorry, newbie posting error - didn't realize a smiley would make the site delete everything written after it! Have replaced the missing text now. I'm updating the bathroom, and looking for a new tub to replace the existing 50 year old one.

Why are you replacing the tub? Do you actually use it as a tub? Is there another tub in the house?

It seems more likely that the acoustics in the room (ceiling height, flooring, number of towels, etc.) and the shower head itself would matter more to the dB of your shower than the tub itself. I've had very nice, very old, cast iron tubs and cheap steel tubs. I prefer the cast iron for baths (heat retention), but for showers, I prefer anything with a flat, solid floor to stand on. I have never noticed a difference in noise output that I would attribute to the tub.

From the few minutes I've spent researching, cast iron is the quietest and porcelain on steel is the noisiest. Cast iron is superior to all other materials and most expensive. There are a lot of insulated tubs now and may have just as good of sound reducing as cast iron, but I don't know for sure.

http://www.aaamasterservices.com/service/plumbing/contractor/bathtub/material.html

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/buying-the-perfect-bathtub.html

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/acrylic-vs-enameled-steel-bathtub.50745/

jslazart, the tub is being replaced because removing the sliding door track from the tub rim will likely ruin it. This door system is horrendous for trapping water and growing yuck. The tile surround failed and needs to be completely removed and replaced including backer board. No, there isn't another tub in the other bathroom, can't be added, and I don't believe a house is functional without at least 1 tub. The basic acoustic variables you mentioned were already taken into consideration, and do not account for the results observed. I appreciate you taking a shot at it, though. Total agreement about the solid flat floor requirement - the current tub has a beautiful non skid pattern on a bottom that is flat widthwise and very slight in slope to the drain. It's very well thought out, as is the norm for the house. Just a shame that the door track was attached to withstand a bomb! [grin]

cd7733, I'd actually seen that Terry love.com thread during initial research to prep for talking to local contractors. It left me with a takeaway that CI certainly still existed, but was often treated as luxury not function, and installers hate dealing with it. (Hubby is in HVAC, I'm used to listening to techs moan about moving heavy objects through awkward paths over stairs, but the jobs are normal operating procedure.) The DIY onsite foam approaches they described...the board solution definitely wouldn't work, and the spray blind and hope it works, no guarantees one just scared the heck out of me. I can't afford to throw out $5k for something that ends up not working, and I'm stuck with it. I seem to be stuck, not figuring out how to get to the next level of data. Any suggestions?

This is usually where I grab chocolate, pretend the bathroom doesn't exist, and go think about something easier like kitchen flooring. lol

I love my tub too. I had the 5 foot alcove tiled all around and put in a very deep cast iron tub with feet. It is the closest western tub I could find to a Japanese ofuro. I have a separate shower but could see using the tub as a shower with s curtain. I don’t understand what the problem is that you’re having.

I’ve also had a built/in cast iron and porcelain tub recoated. Is that an option you’ve considered?

kitasei, I'm glad you found a solution that works for you, and it does sound lovely, but it doesn't fit the constraints I'm working with. I don't want to go knocking walls down to fit a separate shower, and there are mobility issues that require thorough grab bars and a standard step over height. Really, this is a situation for a standard 60x32 alcove tub and shower combination.

The problem I'm having is that I have an item that works well, but it's 50 years old and out of production so I can't just buy another one. I know what size and form factor I need. What I don't know is whether advances in materials or engineering in the last 50 years have come up with a different solution that performs as well as what I have, when measured for performance value X. By extension, I can't figure out what specific models would perform as well as I'm used to, and whether they are available in my location and/or to the few contractors who actually service my chunk of the boonies.

As for getting the tub resurfaced, as I've written before, I expect significant damage from the track cement. Even if that could possibly be salvaged, the nearest refinishers would be at least a 6 hour round trip to this property. God knows what wrench the chromed rail around the integrated shampoo holder would throw into that, and I don't want to find out. I don't need a chrome rail in my tub for the next 40 years.

hcbm, that was so helpful, thank you! I looked up your Memoirs tub to learn more, and it's gorgeous. Looking for a slightly lower step-over height, and I see they make a Bellwether at 15" which is perfect. The manufacturer's materials logo/brag/branding seems the same for both tubs, so maybe Bellwether is built just as well and could tick all the boxes. Next step, bug Kohler to verify whether the build quality is the same, and if so, find out where I can see one in person. Thanks for restoring my sense of "you got this".

Check out the Kohler Bellweather tub. Very simple in style. I replaced a 50+ year old cast iron tub with it and am a very happy bather. Seriously. It is fabulous. Trust me.

ptreckel, that's very reassuring, thanks! Do you have glass doors on yours? If so, when you enter on the drain end of the tub do you notice the fill spout or the angled wall getting in your way?

I also recently had the Bellwether tub installed in my hall/ guest bathroom and I really like it. Mine is the 30” wide model and it does not have the angled wall. It has a height of 14-1/2”. I went with the Bellwether because I wanted the low step over height since it is a tub/shower combo. My guest are usually middle age and above but I also have young grandchildren that love to take a bath at grandmas house. I did install a grab bar on the side wall and at the foot end. I opted for just a handheld shower on a slide bar/grab bar. Here’s a photo so you can see the grab bars and tub

Toto also makes a cast iron tub but it costs almost twice as much as the Kohler tub.

No, I don’t have a glass door on mine. I considered getting an Arc Glass door for mine, but in the end decided to use a shower curtain. Since I rarely shower in the tub, it is mostly used by my guests. But I am a bath person. And I swear by cast iron tubs! I also like the exterior design of my Bellweather. It is plain. Has no beveled panels, etc. And suits my vintage (1940s) bathroom perfectly. I also used Kohler’s Pinstripe fixtures in my bath (without the pinstripe detail). Not cheap, but the quality was evident. Good luck with your project!

I believe I have, in my lifetime, removed sliding glass door tracks from three cast iron tubs. I hate them. There were minimal to no marks on the cast iron tub wall from taking up the tracks. They are just silicone caulked to the tubs. I have found two to four screws hold the side tracks to the walls and a bit of caulk in those holes did the trick to plug them up. So try removing the track and see if you even need to remodel.

badgergal, thanks so much for the picture! I love the vertical grab bar at the far end, putting that on the list. The existing grab bar is an elongated "L" |_____ shape on the back wall, which is helpful, but a vertical bar on the near edge would be a fantastic addition. Is the bar your shower head slides on also rated for grabbing, or is it just decorative? Do you have enough hose to rinse grandkids sitting at the far end of the tub? I hadn't gotten that far, but like the idea of extra flexibility/function without the clunky old diverter handheld gizmo.

ptreckel the Pinstripe fixtures are perfect for a 40s bath, and look worth every penny. Love the plain tub design, it's flexible and won't seem passe in a few years. I've always wished I would learn to manage curtains, but I'm always flopping water on the floor or bumping into them. Glass doors give me the extra light to encourage waking up before coffee, and frosted glass is my saving grace. Being in the middle of nowhere, you never think to draw the curtains in the bathroom, and there will be days when the propane delivery truck pulls up right beside the window while you're covered in shampoo. [grin]

Nancy in Mich, we tried taking the rails off, thinking we could just do a quick regrout bandaid fix to buy time while we dealt with other crises. Whatever is bonding this metal to the tile and porcelain, I don't think it's silicone. It likely should have been, but I think it's had an overkill "upgrade" substituted...and of course everyone who would know the answer is dead now. We backed down when we got the "one step further, and something is going to go kaboom that we aren't prepared for" feeling. Nevertheless, I'm game to give it another shot if you can tell me what technique worked well for you.

In June we put in a 66x32" bellwether in our first floor hall bath. It was replacing another 66" bathtub--a pink one I had stupidly painted white with one of those cheap kits 10-15 years ago. Our contractor charged extra for the privilege of installing the beast. I think it weighs 380 lbs according to the spec sheet.

There was a Kohler foundry fire awhile back that caused long delays in obtaining the bellwether (or at least the size we needed). By the time we began ordering for our project I assumed the lead time would be more predictable and normal but that wasn't the case. Our large plumbing supply house said Kohler was predicting a 3-month lead time but the saleswoman said it would more likely take 6-9 months or even a year. I think it ended up taking 6 months to arrive (and it was worth the wait). [Nevermind, just checked and I think it did take closer to 3 months, not 6 months.]

Toto makes a decent looking 66x32 alcove cast iron tub but the bellwether has a plainer front and better lines. And if you're already paying almost $2k for a 66" cast iron tub (supposedly with our contractor's discount) plus extra install costs, I did not want to look at it every day with regret while I'm sitting on the hall bathroom toilet (which is basically our powder room) wishing we had waited for the bellwether rather than going with the toto. Again, worth the wait (for me at least)!

This is a tub we use for occasional showering so I don't know how it is for bathing. And I've always grown up with cast-iron. Even one of my apartment dorms had a cast-iron tub. I had an acrylic tub in an apartment once that was part of an acrylic shower surround and for me it did not feel as nice or clean up as easily as cast iron. But the apartment complex probably didn't get a really nice acrylic tub/shower either.

Back to the bellwether though. Here it is. FWIW, we have an extra long (84" tall) shower curtain on a chrome curved shower rod by Kartners (I would have preferred a rod with less utilitarian rod ends or whatever they are called but apparently options are greatly limited for a curved rod for a 66" tub):

adawn5, thanks for the pics and the heads up on possible delay! Looking closely at Lowes' Canadian site as a rough guide, the lead time is actually missing. I wouldn't have thought to look for it, or had a clue there was anything weird had you not tipped me off. Will definitely be having conversations with Kohler and the local suppliers about lag for a 60" model.

I think you made the right choice waiting - just looked at what Toto has to offer, and it's nowhere near as attractive. Your design is beautiful, and nobody will notice your rod ends - they'll be looking at whatever spot of color is on the counter or the art on the wall.

As for painting the pink tub, much respect. Last year we had to fix and sell a house as part of another estate. The tub was pink, the surround (which circled the entire room, of course) was a medley of tile styles and conflicting textures in colours ranging from almond to chestnut to burnt caramel. The ceramic soap, towel, and toilet roll holders were some ungodly brownish mauve hybrid that looked like rotting raw beef. [grin] After I read up on how hard properly executing those kits could be, and how poor my chances of success were, I wussed out and called a pro. Paying him $1,500cad to turn that whole mess white was an absolute bargain for the effort he put in.

justashackinthebush, I think I used a flat scraper to get under the line of adhesive. I might have tried alcohol as a solvent. One other thing you might try is ice in bag on the adhesive to stiffen it and make it less pliable. Get under an edge while it is cold and see if you can pry it up. easier.

We took out the sliding glass door tracks on our hall bath and replaced them with a shower curtain. We have been super happy with that decision. I've had a number of showers with sliding doors and the tracks always eventually get grungy and awful. There are holes where the water is supposed to drain out but it never does well enough. Also, when our grand babies used the tub, the track was annoying to lean over and being able to only access half the tub at a time was also an issue.

Our tracks came off easily without any sign of damage to the tub rail but it sounds like yours might be tougher.

Some things that make the shower curtain work well:

• A curved shower rod that bends away from the tub to provide more elbow room.
• Finding the right whimsical shower curtain design - I don't know if they ship to Canada, but DenyDesigns has designs from a wide variety of artists and this one hit the spot for us: https://www.denydesigns.com/products/valentina-ramos-aaron-shower-curtain
• A good shower curtain liner - we got a polyester fabric one - it doesn't feel plasticy and it is stiff enough to stay in the tub well without magnets or weights (though those can be helpful for some)

justahackinthebush, the handheld shower slide bar I used is not an ADA slide bar but the tiler used blocking and special secure mount brackets for the slide bar. He said there is no way it will ever come loose. The two grab bars in my picture are ADA bars.

The shower hose is a 60" metal hose. My two little girls are usually in the tub together and it easily reaches the one in the back. I love having the handheld for rinsing out the tub too.

When I told the sales consultant at the plumbing supply store that I didn't want a fixed shower head, just a handheld on a slide bar, she commended my choice. She agreed with me that a tub/shower combo doesn't really need 2 shower heads.

The photo makes it look like my fixtures are different colors but the are actually all brushed nickel. As you can see I also have a double curved shower curtain rod. It is mounted in the tile (not a tension rod like most that are available at the big box stores). It is sturdy enough to hang towels and/or laundry on it when needed. The curved rod definitely gives a little more elbow room for showering.

Here's a before picture of my tub/shower

Is the Bellweather fill up deep enough for an adult to bathe in? I can't tell if the water depth will cover an adult. Thanks!

Not sure how to answer your question since the size of the individual will determine the water level (Archimedes Principle!) once you are in the tub. But, I have the Bellweather. I just measured the distance between the drain assembly and the bottom of the overflow cap (which covers the overflow hole). It is 9”. That might be one issue to consider as you look at tubs. I hope this help!

Does that 9” cover you? I do t have a tub or I’d try it myself!

Well, I fill the tub to around 7” and then get in! I am small, but my body mass brings the water up to the bottom of the overflow. The only tub I have ever truly been able to submerge in was a claw foot cast iron tub in a home that was built in the 1880s. I ADORED THAT TUB! So....nothing has ever equaled that for a bath experience!

thank you!