The Basic Steps of Cast Iron Bathtub Installation

Cast iron bathtubs are incredibly popular because they do not involve complicated installation techniques (these tubs usually sit up on a pedestal or rest on feet and are rarely built into the surrounding bathroom).    Here are the basic steps involved in replacing your bathtub and installing a cast iron tub in its place.1.  Turn off all of the water to your home.  Don't limit yourself to the bathroom—you do not want the water to build up and leak out of other faucets.  Turning off all of the water to your house helps prevent any accidents from happening.  Once the water is off, let the water that might be sitting within the pipes of your homes drain completely before you start to remove your current bathtub. 2.  Remove the current bathtub.  If your current tub is also a cast iron bathtub than this bathtub replacement project will be a lot easier than it will be if you are replacing an acrylic tub with a bathtub.  If your current bathtub is an acrylic tub you might have to do some structural remodeling of your bathroom before you can begin on the cast iron bathtub installation portion of your project.  Make sure you have someone helping you who knows about bathroom remodeling and renovation!3.  Once the old bathtub has been removed and the bathroom has been prepared for the cast iron tub you can bring in the cast iron tub for your cast iron bathtub installation.  You will need to have people help you carry the tub into the bathroom because cast iron bathtubs are heavy! Do not ever attempt to move a cast iron tub by yourself—they can weigh hundreds of pounds!4.  Get the tub close to where it will permanently sit and attach the tub drain.  Once the drain has been installed, push the cast iron tub to the location where it will permanently sit.  Make sure that your floor and sub floor are secure enough to handle the weight of the tub (both empty and when it is filled with water and people).  If the floor looks weak, add some extra support before installing the tub completely.5.  When you are sure that the floor is sturdy enough to support the weight of your cast iron bathtub installation project, push the tub into the place where it will sit permanently and install all of the plumbing features like the faucets, handles and shower installation.From here it is simply a matter of decorating your bathtub to fit in with the rest of your bathroom!  Because of cast iron tubs are rarely built into the structure of your bathroom, cast iron bathtub installation and bathtub replacement projects are rarely complicated endeavors.  Make sure you have someone to help you maneuver the tub (or three or four someones) and you should get everything swapped out with no problems at all!