Tiling in front of tub

This picture is not our bathroom, but shows the type of layout we are looking to have in our small bathroom (5 X 8 1/2)

All is gutted (luckily we have another bathroom upstairs so we can take our time with this)

We want to install a tub like the one in the picture above. This is NOT our actual room, but one that has the same layout as ours, except that our room has a window in the middle of the wall.

The tub will be 5 foot long and the width either 30 or 32 inches. Not sure of the depth yet.

I would like to tile (actully my husband will do most of the tiling - I'll supervise) the front of our tub so it looks a bit like the one in the picture.

I think the tub is a drop in tub? Is this correct? I just know that I don't want any sides on it when it comes from the manufacturer. If I am wrong what type of tub is it called when it doesn't have any sides?

Our cast iron tub sat directly on the subfloor, but should we (we being my husband again) build a frame for it? Any suggestions on the type of tub - acrylic, Fiberglass, porcelin on steel?

What kind of framing will he need to build to tile on? Is there a link anywhere that can show us this?

Any special precautions we'll need to know about as we tile this very wet area. There will be a shower curtain, but we all know how that goes especially with 3 children in the house as well.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks and have a nice day.

Pam

Pam the tub pictured is a "drop-in".

You can build a frame to suit your opening (as pictured above) and it will have to fit the tub somewhat snugly under the tub flange. This style tub will come with a template showing the tolerances required.

In my opinion the acrylics are the more desirable because they are light weight and have many design options.

When placing the tub in the hole it should be placed into a fresh pile of cement so as to stiffen the tub bottom when the cement cures. You'll need all your ducks in a row with the plumbing before you set the tub.

The framework should be built of 2X4's with a 3/4" exterior-grade plywood surface cutout to accept the tub. Then cement board on top of that. You will have to [do your math] so as to know how tall to build the framework and still allow for the plywood and the cement board cover on the plywood, the tile, and the cement pile below the tub. The face of the tub (apron) can be covered with only 1/2" cement board but backing it up with 3/4" plywood would be better.

Once everything is in place it should all be caulked with a good tub and tile caulk (NOT SILICONE) and then waterproofed with a liquid waterproofing. The same liquid waterproofing you will use to waterproof your window. We'll get to that later.

Now do you see why I said to stay with only one thread at a time because the window element is already lost and out of place.

http://www.floorstransformed.com/ceramic-t/-/um/2009/window-in-shower-28773.html

[Edited by Bud Cline Tile on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 2:48 pm CST]

Bud -
Thanks for your input. The reason I went with 2 topics is because I thought one would deal with the window and one with the tub. I guess I'll learn.

As I mentioned, we are taking our time to do this, so we are moving slowly.

I am going to try and get a picture of the floor where we are going to put the tub. When I do I will paste it here.

The tub we took out sat right on the subfloor (with some small wood slivers for leveling in the corner.

Are you now suggesting that on top of the subfloor we put plywood and cement board like we will on the rest of the bathroom floor?

Bud, by the way. I notice you sure make a lot of posts here. I hope the site pays you! If not I hope you got rich from your tiling past and now can sit back and laugh. hmm. I mean encourage us beginners!

Thanks again

Bud, by the way. I notice you sure make a lot of posts here. I hope the site pays you!

First things first!
Us regulars don't really get paid for any of this activity on this forum. I can tell you however that the owner of the place is somewhat generous and he sometimes offers up some spiffs. Even if he didn't, I would still be here. I'm addicted to tile and it keeps me out of the bars.

The reason I went with 2 topics is because I thought one would deal with the window and one with the tub. I guess I'll learn.

Not a big deal but things get really confusing sometimes when respondents are following one thread and not another.

The tub we took out sat right on the subfloor (with some small wood slivers for leveling in the corner. Are you now suggesting that on top of the subfloor we put plywood and cement board like we will on the rest of the bathroom floor?

NO, not at all. You would use the existing subfloor, as is. Build your frame, top it with plywood and cement board. Mix a bag or two of cement mix or sand mix and spread a pile of the mix inside the center of the tub cavity. (It doesn't have to be purdy, just shovel it in there!) Then immediately plunge the tub into the frsh cement mix. (There's more to it than that but right now we'll go with this much info.)

Once you have the tub in position you will set it (the flange) on top of about six wooden spacers space around the tub. The thickness of these spacers will simulate the tile and thinset thickness and will temporarily support the tub until the cement dries hard. Only the front spacers will have to be removed later. The manner in which the plumbing egress goes together must be considered way ahead of this action.