Cutting 25cm x 2cm section from steel bath

[Possom]

Consider a standard 1700mm long by 700mm wide steel bath. If installed the bathroom door will just slightly hit it and so the door will not be able to go back to the wall when opened.

All the bath would need is, from the corner, a nip out of the length of 25cm and going into the bath a distance of just 2cm.

Has anyone had to do this, was just wondering if you had any comments.

Thanks.

 

[Newboy]

No chance - the enamel will shatter and the bath will rust.

Choose a narrower bath.

 

[williamglossop]

Could you recess the back corner into the wall slightly?

 

[Possom]

No chance - the enamel will shatter and the bath will rust.

Yes, the enamel would shatter. I've seen re-enameling products for baths, so perhaps this could be applied after it was cut?

Could you recess the back corner into the wall slightly?

It would mean the full length of the bath would have to be recessed into the brick wall by 2cm. I don't know how feasible that is.

 

[kazuya]

you'll probably get the 2cm by just channeling the plaster, ive done this a few times before, usually because of the length though.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What's the wall made from? Is it a new bath?

 

[williamglossop]

What about a narrower door and trim the frame out to fit?

Could you reverse the door so it opened out?

 

[Possom]

What's the wall made from? Is it a new bath?

Cavity brick wall with internal plaster finish (currently no wall tiles).

The bath would be steel. I haven't purchased one yet, so potentially could be new or 2nd hand.

What about a narrower door and trim the frame out to fit?

Could you reverse the door so it opened out?

The door couldn't open out due to the very small landing it opens onto at the top of very steep stairs. I suppose it's possible the door could be trimmed and the frame narrowed to suit.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

FFS just buy a bath that fits then.

 

[Possom]

FFS just buy a bath that fits then.

A standard bath is 700mm wide. So if it's possible to purchase a standard width and then either trim a 25cm x 2cm section from the rim or cut a 1700mm x 2cm deep track in the wall, then this would permit the use of a standard width bath.

I think that would be better than installing a narrow 600mm width bath.

 

[Possom]

I wonder if cutting 25cm along the length of the steel bath rim (2cm deep) would significantly weaken the bath structure?

 

[bernardgreen]

What about a sliding door ? Or a bi fold door.

As has already been said cutting an enamelled bath will almost certainly end up with the enamel cracking where you do not want it to be cracked.

 

[Possom]

What about a sliding door ? Or a bi fold door.

As has already been said cutting an enamelled bath will almost certainly end up with the enamel cracking where you do not want it to be cracked.

I'd hoped to retain the door as it's a period door which matches the other doors in the house.

I had planned on putting on masking tape where I'd be cutting to prevent the enamel from breaking. Then using a bath re-nameling product to re-enamel anywhere where it had chipped.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You can get a set of sliding tracks for your existing door (Henderson used to be the place to go)- if you have the cash you can get a kit allowing the door to disappear when it is open (into a stud wall).
If you are handy with a circular saw you could convert your existing door into a bifold.
I think you will struggle to get a good result from chopping a lump out of the bath- matching the enamel will be difficult never mind preserving the strength of the thing.

 

[mointainwalker]

I wonder if cutting 25cm along the length of the steel bath rim (2cm deep) would significantly weaken the bath structure?

Well stop wondering, of course it won't.

[/QUOTE]


I had planned on putting on masking tape where I'd be cutting to prevent the enamel from breaking. Then using a bath re-nameling product to re-enamel anywhere where it had chipped.[/QUOTE]

Your masking-tape will not prevent the enamel from chipping and I have major doubts about a cold- repair product that is supposed to match hot-enamelling. How have you imagined cutting out this section ? I see an angle-grinder as the only reasonable possibility and that will then leave you with the problem of removing the burrs to create a safe exposed edge. Visually it's going to be an awful bodge and you'll regret it every time you see it.

If you really want to do this, then cut the 20 mm strip off the whole length of the wall side of the bath and most of the chipped enamel can then be covered with tiles or channel the wall as you previously mentioned. It will look unbalanced in either case because of the differing widths of the surround, but uness you want to install a bi-fold door as suggested by bernard, then those would appear to be the only "reasonable "choices.