Tub Installed

I could not procrastinate installing the tub any longer, so Meredith's Dad helped me install it last night. I had planned to take photos of the process, but sometimes getting the job done is just more important. The instructions provided by Rona and the tub manufacturer were basically useless, so this was the process we followed:

• Framed walls on all three sides for a very tight fit (only 1/8" or so of extra space).
• Inserted tub to make sure it fit the space, then removed it.
• Installed 1x3 pieces of strapping horizontally to support underneath the edge of the tub where it touches each wall.
• Inserted tub to make sure it hung at the right height when supported by the 1x3 (in our case we tried to have the tub level with the apron 1/4" off the ground), then removed it.
• Mixed three bags of mortar and spread a large bed of mortar underneath the tub at the approximate height so that the tub would rest on it.
• Inserted the tub to see if it was the right height.
• Removed the tub, removed or adjusted some of the mortar, and then reinserted the tub until the tub was at the right height (did this 3-4 times).
• Once the tub was at the right height (i.e. most of weight on the mortar, but edges supported by 1x3), stepped in the tub to push it down onto the mortar.

Time for framing and then more plumbing. Yippee!