Fill bath new before silicone --- why

[aveatry]

Yes i know that is the general wisdom but i dont see why because it is screwed to the wall with 2 brackets and it sits on legs, so by filling (or half filling ) it is not going to sag cause its on its legs and it can not expand sideways cause it already is screwed to the wall.
Even it it did expand sideways after silicone then that will only squash the silicone more.
So I dont see the benifit.
And if so then should I also not screw to the wall while empty

 

[big-all]

weight will cause some movement even when well secured
so filling it with water will place it in the "in use position "so no pulling and pushing on the silicon

 

[aveatry]

But that would be a very small movement and one that the silicone is designed to take up.- wouldnt it ?
I will most likly put some in but my main question in my head once I started to think about it is should i fill and then screw to the wall. I have done away with the brackets that came with it as they seemed not worth useing and have added a little more wood under the rim to add to the 25mm that was factory fitted now i can put on a 2mm x 60mmx80mm proper bracket.
Or is that the point of the crappy thin thing that was in the fitting kit so that it DOES bend.

I am all but ready to fit and screw up now but just dont want to muck up an otherwise good job so far

 

[Dan Robinson]

Sealing without filling the bath is a sure fire way to screw it up

 

[aveatry]

Sealing without filling the bath is a sure fire way to screw it up

I hear you and I think I will do so but what about my extra strong brackets is that the wrong thing to do and do i fix brackets to bath and to wall tight and then fill, or do i fill before i attach brackets

 

[james0james]

complete fitting the brackets,then fill and silicone,leave it to set !.

Use the best silicone thou.

 

[Dan Robinson]

A full bath with a person could way the better part of 250 kg.

It WILL shift over time ss will the floor. Personally I never use brackets. I screw a length of 2x3 to the long edge and short faces and sit it on those.

 

[aveatry]

complete fitting the brackets,then fill and silicone,leave it to set !.

Use the best silicone thou.

Yeh I do dow corning 785+ usually but I think I will be useing everbuild forever white 10 year guarantee (they think I aint going to keep the empty tubes and receipt for 10 years--- they dont know me ! )

A full bath with a person could way the better part of 250 kg.

It WILL shift over time ss will the floor. Personally I never use brackets. I screw a length of 2x3 to the long edge and short faces and sit it on those.

Ok so by the sounds of it then i am not doing the wrong thing by fitting heavy duty brackets.

I diddnt like the way the legs were on long threaded bars so i cut them down and replaced their height with wood beams which now span the floorboards where the feet are insted of each little foot on one floor board.

I an also not liking the middle little foot and bracket and am thinking of replacing with a length of timber what do you think

 

[Dan Robinson]

Stick with Dow Corning.

 

[EddieM]

The technical reason is that you will be ensuring the seal is always under compression rather than tension. Fill the nath a full as you can with cold water seal.. let it set .. then empty the bath. A body is less dense than water, so in this way the seal is always under compression. The fatter you are the better.. less density

 

[aveatry]

The technical reason is that you will be ensuring the seal is always under compression rather than tension. Fill the nath a full as you can with cold water seal.. let it set .. then empty the bath. A body is less dense than water, so in this way the seal is always under compression. The fatter you are the better.. less density

I will get my wife to sit in it then.

But surely half full would be better so that the silicone is set and filled at a point right in the middle of the min and max movement so it is never under a big pull or stretch once set

 

[aveatry]

Stick with Dow Corning.

It sticks to me well enough

 

[EddieM]

No, full as then it will always be in compression, no pull or stretch at all.

 

[aveatry]

Pictures, here is my shortend legs with added wood instesd
View media item 95818
here is the supplied bracket and mine
View media item 95815
here you can see the added block of wood to attach to
View media item 95816
bath
View media item 95817

 

[Dan Robinson]

A recipe for disaster IMHO. As is tiling to the floor