Hot answers tagged bathtub
11
Greenboard is water resistant, but should not be used in areas that are going to stay damp, such as tub surrounds.
Once water gets into it (especially if it's not sealed correctly, and there's not the requisite gap between the tub and the wallboard), it will slowly deteriorate and/or mold -- it's water resistant, not water proof.
Yes, cement board is a ...
11
If it rinsed down the drain and hasn't clogged yet then you're in fairly good shape. Clumping litter definitely can be saturated and breaks down. I'm assuming this is some sort of clay based litter (I use a pine based product myself) with fairly small granules and not a lot of stone.
Also I'm presuming that you haven't been flushing the line out with ...
11
You can buy bathtub splash guards such as the ones found here.
You should be able to find similar ones at your local hardware store. Most versions install in seconds, using easy peel and stick adhesive backings. No tools, no mess, and usually no waiting for caulks and/or glues to dry.
9
Your tub has an overflow drain. You just have to find it. Remove the two screws next to the combination drain toggle & overflow plate. Now gently pull up to reveal the overflow hole and the drain plug:
Get out your snake (you've got a snake, right?) and thread it down the newly revealed hole. Also remove the single screw holding the drain screen. ...
8
It sure looks like you did a beautiful job on your shower, be a crying shame to see all that hard work ruined with stained grout. The glazing agent in the grout needs 8 to 10 days to harden completely. I suggest that you tape up some poly to protect the new grout if you really need to use the shower before the prescribed cure time. A few days of ...
8
Will it be used as a shower as well? If so, sheetrock is the wrong material for the surround. It's going to act as a sponge if water ever finds its way to it.
What you could do is put backer board on top of the sheetrock, then coat the backer board with a waterproof membrane (I like the Redgard product for that) then tile. Be sure that the backer overlaps ...
8
I had this problem in my last house, but rather than Jaydles' fancy putty, I just grabbed a cheap tube of silicone caulk and ran a bead around the outside of the tub wall. A couple seconds to squeegee it off after the shower, and things stayed nice and dry.
If you're not great at drawing straight lines, use good-quality masking tape to get those perfect ...
7
Of course they can as long as you have proper drainage angle and double venting and traps. If this is an installation of a new fixture, you need a permit and a master plumber to sign for the permit. Get a plumber and do it right. Just asking the question tells me you don't know what to do and could get into trouble. Saving a few bucks and doing it wrong ...
7
Any Sheetrock, including green moisture resistant, is not intended for use in showers or any environment with repeated direct water contact. You can paint it , but the results will be the same, FAILURE ! Do not attempt to put tile on Drywall either. There are some new high tech backings or you can use good old fashion concrete board or hardi-backer for ...
5
I have seen this happen just once before - a caulk that never seemed to cure. It just stayed runny, even when given multiple days to do so at room temperature. My guess is the caulk was old or stored under conditions that caused it to fail to cure, or perhaps it was simply a bad batch from the manufacturer. Regardless of the reason, clean it out, and redo ...
5
Most of these systems have some type of collar/sleeve that covers the internal valve assembly. I've seen them unsrew a small amount and begin to rub into the underside of the handle making it feel tight when turning off the valve. I would try taking off the handle and see if you can screw that sleeve into the wall a couple of turns.
5
I give mixed reviews to tub refinishing. I have had many tubs and surrounds refinished as opposed to replacing the units. Even though a good refinishing job is not cheap, usually around $300-$400, it certainly is less expensive than the labor involved in removing, framing and installing a new tub and surround. I have found a good sub-contractor for these ...
5
It looks like you might be able to do this pretty easily.
To remove the stopper, simply unscrew the top of the handle of the drain stopper, then unscrew the underlying screw in the shaft to pull out the drain cover completely. Then, you'll have the cradle-thing that holds the stopper. You might be able to leave that in place (I grew up in a house that had ...
5
The most common discrepancies in price between tubs, not counting accessories like heaters and jets, are due to four factors: style, depth, build quality and brand. A garden tub will generally cost you more than a simple rectangular built in, and a clawfoot is more expensive still, followed by "custom" installations like non-overflow tubs.
In the same ...
5
I'm not familiar with the second approach but, as you say, it would address the root issue of the tray flexing when in use and should prevent the problem recurring. It also does seem to be rather radical.
The main drawback I can see is that you are causing more "damage" to the tray and therefore increasing the risk of the repair failing.
I'd ask the ...
5
The second contractor is correct in that the root cause needs to be addressed. The root cause is either that the tub was never supported in the first place, or that the supports were made of wood and rotted out due to moisture under the tub.
In addition to what Chris said, price a new fiberglass tub versus the repair. Removing the old tub might prove to be ...
5
Cast iron tubs are very heavy and expensive. Rust is not a problem with cast iron tubs as long as the enamel top layer is intact (if you get a chip in it, you can get enamel repair kits). My wife did not like the old cast iron tub in our bathroom because it was cold when standing in it during a shower and made bath water get cold fast. Evidently she was ...
5
Fiberglass
Pros:
Cheap
Light
Easy to install
Many shapes and colors
Cons:
Least durable
Easily scratched
Prone to fading.
Acrylic
Pros:
Cheap
High gloss finish that lasts
Good insulator, keeps water warm
Easy to clean
Durable
Scratches can be repaired
Many shapes and colors
Cons:
Susceptible to scrathes
Porcelain on Steel
Pros:
...
5
The cover for the bath plug includes the overflow drain. The bottom has an opening that is your overflow drain. If you remove the cover of the over flow to snake it, exercise care not to drop any parts down either drain. And be gentle with the snake so that you don't damage the drain plug assembly.
If you use the plungers, remember that you're trying to ...
4
Use cement board for the tub area, especially if tiling.
for the rest of the bathroom you can use a mold resistant drywall like these.
U.S. Gypsum (Sheetrock® Brand
Humitek®)
National Gypsum (Gold Bond Brand XP)
Temple-Inland (Silent-Guard™ TS)
Georgia Pacific (DensArmor® Plus
U.S. Gypsum (FiberRoc® AquaTough™)
After a quick Google search it sounds like ...
4
Most bathtubs that aren't cast iron or steel are acrylic plastic.
If the crack is right through the tub and water is leaking though, you should replace the tub. If it's an emergency and you need a short-term repair, I'd use a two-part epoxy. Choose a thin epoxy (2:1 ratio) from the selection at the home center and use a putty knife to try to force it into ...
4
Best thing you can do is ask for references. Call some people who had their tub refinished several years ago and see how it's holding up.
I've had this done a few times and it's a bit of a black art. They have to be really meticulous with their prep work or the new finish won't last.
Also, you need to be careful what you clean it with after they refinish ...
4
Admittedly, I haven't done it before but I came across instructions awhile ago (courtesy of eHow and Google). Maybe they'll be helpful.
http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-fix-a-broken-tub-trip-lever
http://www.ehow.com/how_3391064_replace-triplever-bathtub-drain.html
-M
4
Were the previous owners kind enough to leave the instruction manual for the tub? If not, you may be able to look up the model online, and get a copy.
The last jetted tub I had experience with, had removable jets, which could be placed in the dishwasher (as per the instruction manual). In order to clean out the tubing, we would fill the tub, and add 1-1.5 ...
4
Given that it's an apartment the plumbing would most likely have to be done by a licensed plumber, check with the landlord/building manager and local government.
In some places the work can be done by anybody, but must be inspected at different stages by a licensed professional and/or the local government.
4
Honestly, It can be a giant pain in the butt.
You start with covering it with a thick blanket or two and smashing it with a sledgehammer to bust it up into pieces (yeah, that's really how it's done). The blanket is to prevent getting yourself cut up by flying pieces of cast iron and porcelain. You might also have to bust out the tile/brickwork as well, ...
4
Yes, they will both be using the same drain pipe at somepoint inside or outside of your house.
But the the pipes must join well below the level of both items or the pipe must be large enough for the combined flow, otherwise when you put water down one of them, it will flow out of the other!
4
Depending on where the crack/hole is, I would wonder about the support underneath the acrylic of the tub. Was the crack/hole caused by some part of the tub that was not supported getting flexed too much under regular use? If so, then I might doubt the repair kit myself. However, if the crack/hole was just due to some sharp object hitting the tub, then I ...
4
I agree with B Mitch that a photo would be really useful.
There's often a set screw in an inconspicuous spot on the faucet handle (I'm guessing what I call a handle you call a cover?). Double check for that - it could be covered by grime, but should otherwise look like a small allen wrench head. Use a mirror to make sure you're getting a good look at the ...
4
Go to your local hardware store and purchase a strap wrench:
The rubber strap wraps around and grips the cover. Then you rotate the wrench anticlockwise to unscrew the cover off the tap. The strap prevents scratching of the chrome which would normally occur trying to unscrew the tap with the jaws of a regular wrench.
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