replacing surround w/std tub/tile maybe.

Hello, I am planning to remodel a bathroom that has a fiberglass surround. My wife would like it replaced with a standard tub/shower and tile.

As far as tub materials go could you rate Acrylic, Vikrell, Veritek or Aqua Glass Gel Coat.

Also the doorway in to the room is 29 ½†wide. I see that specs on the tubs indicate 30†wide. Are the tubs actually 30†wide or is that the rough-in dimension?

If the tubs are actually 30†wide, would I more easily get a 3 or 4 pc. surround in to the room?

Also I read the post “bathroom remodel help needed pleaseâ€, I was intimidated. Got me thinking a surround is easier.

Thanks very much, Lee.

Yes, no, maybe... not more difficult, just more time consuming and more work. As for the tub with surround, they do come in different widths. Also, the drain can be on either end.... One big consideration is whether or not you have to turn the tub around once you get it thru the door... I got caught on that one time AFTER I had cut a hole in the surround for the mixer. You can buy surrounds in 1 or 3 pieces... don't know of any in 2 piece. Generally the good ones come to match a particular tub although you can buy a nice tub and add on a generic surround. As far as materials.... I don't know what all are made of. I've used Vikrell before and Gel Coat. Let me just say this... Fiberglass boats are usually coated with Gel Coat and they take a good lickin'

Take a saw and cut up the old tub/surround enough so the size isn't a factor in getting it out of the room. You'll have to take some of the drywall off, since it is likely over the flange of the tub/surround. You'll probably also need to put in a new stud or two to be able to install the cement board on the walls and support the edges.

The new ones may be in the order of 30" wide, but aren't normally that high, so you should be able to get it through the door. Getting it turned around and in place can be a pain in a small room, but should be doable.

For help in tiling, check out www.johnbridge.com.

RandyJ & Jadnashua, thank you very much for the advice. I purchased an Americast Princeton tub. The Lowe's sale guy said it is very durable and as stong as cast iron with considerably less weight. So I’ll be moving forward with demo and installation of tub and tile soon.

One interesting thing he mentioned is that I don’t have to do a mortar base for the Americast tub, but when you use a Vikrell or acrylic tub, he just puts down sheetrock mud as a base. What do you think of that?

No longer intimidated, Lee.

The VICKRELL is best

I hate to burst your bubble here

but the Americast tub is junk.....

The guy at Lowes dont know what he is
talking about.....


The Americast can be chipped on day 1
and it will fade and get dim looking
in less than 2 years......


Whereas----the Vickrell Sterling tub will
last forever.....and will clean up almost
as good as new with little effort.....

you dont have to put concrete under
the VICKRELL unit if you dont want to,

it just makes it feel like a cast iron tub...

the only way you can damage a VICKRELL is
to intentionally VANDALIZE it...

but the AMERICAST
can be chipped by dropping one piece of tile or
a shampoo bottle into it...



so what if you have to mix up a 5 gallon
bucket of concrete ,,,


http://www.sterlingplumbing.com/difference/bathing.html

Thanks for your advice Mark. Will any one second Mark's opinion on the Americast tub, so I can feel better about lugging this thing back to the store?

Everything I have read online as far as rating the tubs and sinks say that the finish is not durable and is damaged easily.
I would do as MPMark said and return it...

I don't know anything about Americast. I've installed 6 Sterling Vikrell tubs for a property management company. I used the exact same tub in them all and they keep calling for more.... so... something is right about it... and I've never put anything under any of them...and the only one I had to crack was damaged when I got it.

Randyj & markts30 thanks for your responses, I'm gonna lug the Americast back to the store. I'm now thinking about the Lasco Montecito tub (acrylic). I have to do a little research on it first (unlike I did before I bought the Americast).

I returned the Americast tub. I am trying to decide between Sterling Vykrell and Lasco Montecito (lucite cast acrylic surface). Can someone give me some comments on the durablity factor of Vykrell versus lucite cast acrylic.

Thank you
Lee

tub

If you were my customer and asked me for a recommendation, I would have suggested the Americast tub. As far as I know, none that I have installed have ever had the problems mentioned, or if they did the customers have not called back to complain about it.

Hmmmm... the only way I know of to check out some upscale tubs after a few years of service is to check out some old upscale hotels or motels...or maybe hospitals and see what they've got and what condition their tubs are in.

Questions…
I intend to buy the Lasco 6030AIS 30†deep tub. I downloaded the specs on it and it has an overall depth of 31 ¼â€, a net depth of 30â€, and a rough center of 14â€. I tore out my old Sterling fiberglass surround and it measured about 28 ½†deep and 14†from the wall to the center of the drain. I thought that I needed a 15†drain center for a 30†tub? Will I gave to move the drain center for the Lasco tub I want?

In addition the back wall of this 3 wall alcove is the wall of the house (oxboard), there is no 2 x 4 frame. Can I attach a vapor barrier to the oxboard, harbibacker to the vapor barrier and tile on top?

yes, if you want to tile, you can.

lkrides said:

... back wall of this 3 wall alcove is the wall of the house (oxboard), there is no 2 x 4 frame. Can I attach a vapor barrier to the oxboard, harbibacker to the vapor barrier and tile on top?

Click to expand...

is this a tub only or a tub-shower?

david

If you're not able to make the 15" center work then you can shim out the wall 1".... then you've got a 14" center for the drain.

I want to install the Lasco Montecito (lucite cast acrylic surface). 6030AIS 30†deep tub only and do ceramic tile. But when I demo'd the old Sterling surround the measurement from the rear wall (This is the exterior wall of the house, there are no studs) to the drain center is 14". So can I tile on that oxboard wall to hopefully avoid moving the drain if I need a 15" center? Or should I start looking for a 29" tub?

Yes. Of course. Now it's time for you to define this better. You're confusing me, lkrides. First things first.

lkrides said:

....(This is the exterior wall of the house, there are no studs) to the drain center is 14". So can I tile on that oxboard wall ...

Click to expand...

A.) What is your exterior wall really made of? Good to know. Just in case. Simple background knowledge. While you are at it, cover this: "no studs". Can an exterior wall have no studs in it, or did you mean...? A web search on "oxboard wall" only tells me about oxboard on floors. Fill me in please.

--> You can save space by using your exterior wall as a tile base. You apply a membrane on your exterior wall and you tile on top of it.

The optimal strategy here is to buy a membrane that eliminates the need to buy a CBU like Hardibacker. (you mentioned hardibacker on top of a vapor barrier). A tile-ready waterproofing membrane saves steps and time, saves money, saves mess and dust too. The important thing, is that it saves space. It doesn't thicken your wall. The membrane is waterproof, and you apply thinset (tile cement, not mastic) directly onto it. There are three different membrane options, if you choose to go this route of putting a membrane on your exterior wall. One of these options adds structural strength, the other two are not structural.

Is water going to hit the walls every day? Is it a tub-only or a tub-shower?

Executive Summary: Knowing more about this exterior wall is a good first step. This wall was built to suit the local climate, so it would be good to mention where you are geographically or in terms of climate.

david

Thank you geniescience, sorry to confuse..the exterior wall is Oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing. There are no studs at least on the 60" rear wall They could have been removed to accomodate the existing Sterling surround. Water will be hitting the wall every day, it is a tub shower. We are located in Maryland. I am very interested in the membrame that adds strength and saves space. Is it available in the local Lowes or HD?

Lee

climate

where are you ? geographically. more or less.

you might consider looking long and hard at that OSB and figuring out a way to confirm what you said, about there being no studs. Is nothing holding it up, except on two sides separated by a distance of some 30 inches? What is behind the OSB?

david

On the way home I was thinking, (head smoking), that maybe there are studs behind the OSB and then the exterior wall. Got home, got out the studfinder, No studs where found, then I notice in the corner a stub that this OSB board is nearly parallel to and I figure it out. The OSB board that I can see on the rear wall is apparently attached to another exterior board. I can see nails that were nailed from the outside. They probably did not install the studs on the rear wall to save space (it is a small bathroom). I wish I could find the plans for this house (built in 85).

We are located in Maryland.