Bath Frame Problem

[Sonic70]

Hi,

I am fitting an ideal standard Tesi bath which has the ideal form plus coating making it stronger and warmer. The bath has a wooden batten on the inside edges which is encapsulated in fibre glass. I am trying to build a wooden frame to support this batten on the bath but the fibreglass which is encapsulating the batten is very uneven and so I can't just rest the bath on my level frame as the bath is would only be touching my frame in a couple of places. Any ideas on solutions to this? Help appreciated

Victor

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Could you 'plaster' on some more fibre glass, to provide an even surface where needed? David's Isopan type of thing, for car body repairs.

 

[Sonic70]

Possible, although I've never used that before, I just had a thought about putting a layer of silicone or no nails on top of the wood frame to take up the difference but don't really want to have the bath stuck to the frame unless I use a plastic membrane between silicone and wood. I am head scratching at the moment.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

why don’t you want the bath stuck to the frame?

 

[Sonic70]

You can guarantee if I stick it to frame next day i will need to get bath out for some reason.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

if you mean a frame going around the wall, then you really should silicone the bath to it to stop any movement and creaking.
if you mean a timber frame behind your bath panel then you’ll be able to disassemble it easily enough.
if your not confident enough in your own installation maybe you should get someone in.

 

[Sonic70]

Yes, a frame around the wall, I will silicone when I'm sure everything is correct. The fixing kit which came with the bath also came with 4 legs which are meant to support the bath edge as well, if I install them I will have to cut sections out of my frame, so would it be better to install these legs on the bath or leave them off.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

can you post a pic.
the legs normally support the outside edge.

 

[Sonic70]

Here's the pic.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Possible, although I've never used that before, I just had a thought about putting a layer of silicone or no nails on top of the wood frame to take up the difference but don't really want to have the bath stuck to the frame unless I use a plastic membrane between silicone and wood. I am head scratching at the moment.

Silicone would not help spread the point loads, it would just squish up where under load.

The fibre glass looks much smoother in your photo, than I expected from your description, so I suspect silicone might well be enough.

I don't what others might think, but I would suggest a thicker/stronger baton be used, that what you have in the photo and all round the rim of the bath. Those baths are notorious for flexing under load, so the better supported the better.

 

[Sonic70]

I had the thought to stick the 2x2 batten on the right to the bath frame with silicone or no nails before putting the bath in.

 

[Madrab]

That wooden baton would be on the side of the bath that sits against the wall to support the edge of the bath that needs to stay sealed. If you don't baton the wall and support the bath it will move over time and burst the seal. You may need to cut the baton to allow the back leg supports to be fitted

You would screw the baton to the wall level at the correct height and then use silicone along the top of that baton and then run silicone along the flat edge of the bath that will sit against the wall. Lift the bath up onto the baton and push tight to the wall, then run a finger along the gap along the edge to smooth out the silicone that's squeezed up and then top up anywhere there are gaps.

You will need a baton at the head of the bath too where it touches the wall and at the bottom of the bath if that is also against a wall. Then fill the bath full of water and leave for 24hrs. Just ensure everything is correct (waste run/water supply/etc) so the bath won't need to be removed again. In fact it's usually the last fit I do when installing a bathroom.

If it's acrylic then you will probably need supports on the front corners to minimise deflection, ideally fit a full frame on the front to support the full front edge.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I had the thought to stick the 2x2 batten on the right to the bath frame with silicone or no nails before putting the bath in.

Ah, OK - it looked like 2x1 laid flat. 2x3 would be what I would be looking at, edge on to the underside of the lip and around the entire rim of the bath.

 

[Sonic70]

Also I've got walls on three sides of the bath and the bath sits below the render which makes it a job to get in.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

imo you’ve set the steel supports to close to the ends of the bath. i’d move them in 3” towards the centre.
also that 2x2 needs to be fixed to the wall . you dont need to stick it to the bath as the rim is already timber reinforced by the look of it . the white acrylic will sit on top of it and siliconed to the wall. you’ll also need battens on the walls each end. fit the feet inside too so the weight will be distributed between the acrylic edge ,batten and feet.
you sholud also have received a centre adjustable support for the base?