Plaster Ground not Flush

[scottinTV]

I have a Moentrol bathtub valve. The instructions say the plaster gound should be flush with the finished wall. What happens if it is not flush? By the time I have finished the tile, the tile will stand out almost 3/8" further than the plaster ground. I imagine the trim kit has some play to it. Am I in trouble?

By the way, when I tile around the plaster ground, just how close do I have to get? Cutting big round arcs in tile is not easy.

[jimbo]

Don't get too "cute" with fitting the tile. You need to leave room to easily access the cartridge and the balancing spool, + stops if you have them.

[patrick88]

I don't know that brand but most valves give you some play. I would give it a dry fit to see what you have. This will let you know how long the bolts can reach.

[hj]

The rule with most faucets is that the plaster ground can be beneath the surface, but not above it, because there is a degree of leeway, and almost everyone makes extension kits, but there is no way to compensate for a valve that is installed too shallow.

[jadnashua]

Those that I've used had min/max lines on the guard. As long as the finished surface was between those two lines, it would work. Some brands are particularly fussy, and you have to be exact, or it just doesn't work right. It should be covered in the installation instructions and make sure to look closely at the guard itself for any markings that may be there.