Tiled access doors

[colleen ann]

We are just about to install a Toto airtub. Can anyone give some advice on access panels? We are tiling the outside and are not sure how to put in a access door without ruining the look.

[jadnashua]

www.schluter.com makes a magnetic bracket that you attach to hold a tiled section in place. Once you are happy with things, you could use some grout colored caulk to seal it in place, then if service was needed, you could cut the caulk and pop it out, or leave out the caulk (but the gaps may not look good).

What I did on mine is to make the entire skirt removable - I used some trim on the ends, screwed to the wall to hold it in place.

[dz63]

Here's how to create an access hatch.

1) Cut a hole in the plywood skirt (make sure your framing and tiles are strategically located = takes some planning)
2) Install some backer boards.
3) Thinset the tiles to the plywood that you just cut out. For best results, use unmodified thinset with a liquid latex additive. Do not apply thinset where the tiles will overlap.
4) Grout the tiles on the plywood hatch.
5) Wedge the plywood hatch into place with some thin wood shims. No magnets needed.
6) Secure the hatch in place by caulking around the perimeter of the hatch with a colour matched caulking.

If done right, you cannot tell there is a access hatch. If you eve need access, simply cut the caulking with a knife and remove the hatch. See the attached before and after photos for an example.