Cracked osb board under bathtub

[Adam78]

i have a bath tub which sits on a 18mm osb board supported by those metal screw jacks on 4 corners and one in the middle. However the board has cracked in the middle - the crack is running across the entire width of the bath side-to-side, so the failure is like a hinge in the middle.

The crack means the board is no longer distributing your weight evenly to the bath legs and all the load in the middle is now being carried by the acrylic tub, which makes it flex.

How can i reinforce this without having to take out the entire bath tub which will be an enormous job.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Is that definitely OSB and not inferior chipboard? Looking at that ragged edge, I'd guess it was chipboard, a onetime favourite of some bath manufacturers.

 

[Adam78]

Is that definitely OSB and not inferior chipboard? Looking at that ragged edge, I'd guess it was chipboard, a onetime favourite of some bath manufacturers.

It's an old bathtub so most probably chipboard as you've suggested.

 

[Scally-Ho]

It's an old bathtub so most probably chipboard as you've suggested.

If it is chipboard, then IMO the only sure way of making that bath semi ridged again is to replace the old fatigued chipboard with a decent length of WPB ply or as a last resort, OSB. With all the faff and swearing involved in removing that bath, you'll probably be far better off buying a new and better bath as a direct replacement.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is the bath on the wall side equally supported by two weedy looking straps or is anything else supporting the bath on the wall side? Where I'm getting at is if you slide the crappy chipboard out will the back of the bath still be supported on the wall? If it's not or you can't be sure you'll have to temporarily support the edge of the bath by the wall, then slide out the chipboard and replace it, then remove the temporary supports. Use the equivalent thickness of plywood for the replacement.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Might a piece of wide timber, placed under where the crack is, then that supported against the floor, with more timber, not work?

 

[Adam78]

Is the bath on the wall side equally supported by two weedy looking straps or is anything else supporting the bath on the wall side? Where I'm getting at is if you slide the crappy chipboard out will the back of the bath still be supported on the wall? If it's not or you can't be sure you'll have to temporarily support the edge of the bath by the wall, then slide out the chipboard and replace it, then remove the temporary supports. Use the equivalent thickness of plywood for the replacement.

sliding the entire chipboard out will be too difficult as it is screwed into by the metal support frame/jacks front and back, plus it has a cutout hole for the drain so i'd have to undo all of that. It be easier to just remove that centre screw jack and slide another piece of 18 mm ply under the the crack and jack that up with some support props or screw jacks?

 

[Adam78]

Might a piece of wide timber, placed under where the crack is, then that supported against the floor, with more timber, not work?

I was thinking the same. Remove the centre jack and slip some 18mm ply under the crack and support that with some props.

 

[Adam78]

Where can i get some heavy duty adjustable bath legs from?

There's these but how would I screw them into the ply, I would have expected some kind of metal plate. https://www.bathroomspareparts.co.u...ment-m10-bath-foot-pack-eeev01267-64627-p.asp

Or would some normal plastic furniture legs suffice?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

How about a couple of these, bit overkill probably, a couple of bits of wood wedged in would probably do, maybe use a bit of plywood over the floor as a spreader. https://www.envirobuild.com/products/flat-steel-pedestal-90-150mm?variant=41728733610095

 

[Scally-Ho]

@freddiemercurystwin Not overkill if they do their job and make the bath usable again

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

There's these but how would I screw them into the ply, I would have expected some kind of metal plate. https://www.bathroomspareparts.co.u...ment-m10-bath-foot-pack-eeev01267-64627-p.asp

Fix your adjustable legs, firmly to the ply, before sliding it into place, then slide it in and adjust the legs once in place.

 

[Koolpc]

Do the bath a favour. Put it out of its misery.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Do the bath a favour. Put it out of its misery.

It's not that simple though is it, new bath will inevitably require a new screen, waste taps etc etc. May as well wait until the whole bathroom gets redone before changing the bath.

 

[Koolpc]

It's not that simple though is it, new bath will inevitably require a new screen, waste taps etc etc. May as well wait until the whole bathroom gets redone before changing the bath.

I was joking....

I agree with you freddy