Bath Tub Removal & Installation

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FJK

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I'm remodeling a small master bathroom & am trying to decide the best way to procede with the bath tub. I'm the original owner of a split level house built in 1979. The small master bath is located on the 2nd floor on sub-floor construction. The bath tub is a cast iron unit ~5 ft in legth. The issue is the bathroom is also 5 feet wide. I'm trying to decide if I want to tackle this tub removal myself, with the intent of installing a new cast iron tub of similar size. The walls around the tub are ceramic tile on drywall, which is also going to be removed & replaced with new. So, here are the questions. To remove the tub (after stripping the wall board), I'm thinking the only way is to first slide it away from the outside wall so a guy could get on the wall side of the tub, and then tipping the tub upright (drain side up) so that the tub could be rotated 90 degrees to carry it out of the room. Installation of a new tub would be a reverse of the proceding. Smashing the tub would not be an answer, because you face the same problem when installing the new tub. Also, I'm hoping to access the plumbng & drain from the tub side (meaning the tiled wall I just pulled down).

So, is the approach I described logical & doable, or am I dreaming. What should be done in this case? Is there a link showing with photos something similar, including backerboard installation for the new walls. Do they make shower stall conversions, same size as a 5 ft tub (I'm open to that solution). What about those tub liners. I would like to make this bathroom remodel as nice as possible without having it look like a chessey redo.

Thanks for any advice & guidance, FJK
 

Leejosepho

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The top edge of that tub is likely sitting tight to frame (studs), but you should be able to slide it sideways for as far as the entire wallboard has been stripped away. At that point, and depending upon the top-to-bottom taper at either or both ends of the tub, you may or may not be able to get it vertical, and I would guess not. But by first rolling it on its side (after pulling it away from the back wall a bit) and getting one top-edge end between two studs, you should be able to turn it lengthwise on the floor then stand it on up or whatever from there.

After all of that and some careful measurement and selection, getting a new fixture back in place should be like a cakewalk: plenty of stop-and-go, but you do eventually win!
 

The old college try

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Smash it?

I pulled a cast iron tub out of my bathroom a month ago and it was heavier than heck. Although I've never done it, I've read in several books and have been told that you can smash a cast iron tub with a sledge hammer. You just place and old wetted down blanket or wet piece of burlap over the tub to keep pieces of shrapnel from flying and then just go to town. The nice thing is that it will be easier to carry small pieces of the tub down rather than a 300 pound lunker. Apparantly this method of removal is quite common.
 

TedL

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Sterling (Kohler) offers a 60 inch shower unit, 4 lightweight pieces. I believe it's 34 inches from the back wall. I have one waiting to be installed in my master bath. Think carefully before doing this if it removes the only tub in the house.
 

crossthreaded

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I just pulled the cast unit out of my bathroom, we smashed it into 2 pieces to get it out from the wall.

there is no way 2 people could have safely carried it down my tight set of stairs.

It weighed a ton.

why do you want to go with a cast tub for the replacement?
 

FJK

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Why do I want to replace with a cast iron tub? Not sure, really.. I'm open to all suggestions. This board was eluding cast iron to be the besst choice, but I would like to hear more opinions. I checked out a cast iron unit at Home Depot today and asked myself, "How am I going to do this?"
 

Jadnashua

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Cast iron retains the heat better, doesn't flex, has a more durable finish, and is quieter. The major hassle is that it is quite heavy. If you can overcome that, it is a better choice. If you want a complicated shape, acrylic would be much less expensive.
 
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