Steel bath and other questions...

[marky9074]

Got a new steel bath, levelled it up and all is well, but just a little motion as the walls do not run true (and the legs are not rigid and allow a bit of flex).

I see that this has no brackets underneath like the last (plastic) one I took out. Now, ideally I don't want to start drilling holes in my nice new steel bath, so what should I do to secure?

Someone suggested that I gripfill around the complete edges of the bath?

Also, I have an ideal standard toilet pan. After rejecting it twice due to cracks and marks, the one I am left with rocks front and back. It's not the floor, it's the actual pan. Now, I've padded this out and it doesn't rock any more, but there's a slight bit of movement <1mm where it compresses on the padding when there's weight on.

Is this the norm to find pans that have imperfect bases? And would you pad it out like I have done? Frankly it seems the standard is less than ideal...

 

[marky9074]

Oh, and I forgot to say that is there anywhere that you can get rubber/plastic spacers that go between the cistern and the wall. I noted that the cistern I took out had these, and I think it would be a good idea to use these, than having the cistern hard pulled against the wall (considering the fact I have a little movement in the pan)

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Bahco]

Is there anywhere that you can get rubber/plastic spacers that go between the cistern and the wall?

Use tap washers.

 

[kirkgas]

to secure the steel bath, use 2"x 2" timber, cut one end at 45 degrees to make a point fit the pointed end under the back lip of the bath and nail the other end to the floor this will stop the bath moving forward on the cradle then run silicone round the bath edge to seal to the wall, as the bath is metal you do get a lot of expansion and contraction when it heats up/cools down so if you can secure it with the timber it is worth the hassle

 

[Steve__M]

A tip from a plumber, but rubbish bathroom fitter that a friend of mine used to work with, was to use lots of Dow Corning 785 as a sealant. He'd fit baths which were wobbly due to his incompetence, but liberal amounts of 785 would then secure them sufficiently.

I've used it myself on a bath where there was a big gap (up to 1cm) between the wall and the bath, and it's held well for 4 years now.

 

[ChrisR]

Try this with a long screw. Plywood is good

I agree, the qualilty of fittings we have to use is awful. If you moan at Ideal Standard they will sort you out but it takes ages.

Last bog I put in was a Villeroy and Boch, about £650. Terrible thing, didn't even flush properly. I used an angle grider to get the bottom flat, at the owner's risk. It's still there!

 

[marky9074]

Excellent replies guys, thanks for the help. I forgot to say that I bought one of those trims for the edge from tops tiles....but frankly it will look crap (I have about 10mm gap at the worst point due to the walls..)

The tiler just said to me to plug up the gap and then just go over the top with silicon, and it will looks a lot better....does that sound ok? Maybe use the DC as suggested above.

I have seen the batten idea before, and I always laughed as how can you secure it? I guess only at the two ends, as these are the only accessible points?

 

[marky9074]

Another quick question. I have just checked my pre-installed cistern valve and it is leaking from the centre (I guess it was done up finger tight). Can anyone point me in the direction of the correct tool, as my stilsons are not big enough to get in there...

Cheers

 

[kirkgas]

don't know if you have fitted bath yet, re the 10mm gap, why not cut the plaster away and sink the bath into the wall to make up the gap, its a bit of hassle but when done is a much better finish as the bath is sealed into the wall and the tile will be on top of the bath then seal with silicone.