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+--- Thread: Taking out a bathtub (/showthread.php?tid=3269)
Taking out a bathtub - Fishboy - 10-28-2007
I want to remodel a bathroom and have the skills to do everything but replacing the bathtub. The tub is vintage late 1950's standard coated metal. I've read books and web sites on replacing tubs and can appreciate that you can remove the sheet rock, unfasten it from the wall studs, and lift it out or cut through a wall to shove it to another (larger) room. That's the basic technique I've seen so far, but I'd like to do all the work myself if it's possible. A guy at work told me I can alternatively use a sledgehammer to bust the tub into two pieces. He said these tubs are cast and will shatter under a large hammer, but I'd appreciate some advice from anyone who has more experience with these things. Can I knock this thing into a couple pieces to get it out?
Mahalo nui loa,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour
Edited by - fishboy on 10/28/2007 10:38:06
RE: Taking out a bathtub - Hotzcatz - 10-28-2007
If it is enameled steel, then the tub won't break by hitting it. It will dent and ruin the enamel, but that's about it.
If it is cast iron, then it would break but why do that? Loads of people want the old cast iron tubs either to fix up and reuse as a bath tub or as a fish pond for their back yard or for stock tanks. If it is an old cast iron tub and you need new feet for it, there is a place in Tacoma Washington which will cast new feet out of bronze at a real reasonable price. If the enamel is still good on the inside, then putting new feet on it will make it valuable again.
Take the tub out as one piece and put it in the back yard as a planter or fish pond? There is also supposed to be a renovator's supply place over in Kona which will recycle such things so they might even offer money for it. They are supposed to be near the Suzuki dealership, but I haven't been there yet.
RE: Taking out a bathtub - hooligal - 10-28-2007
Fishboy, I'd love to take it off your hands if you get it out in one piece!
ErinRE: Taking out a bathtub - Menehune - 10-28-2007
Aloha!
I found two opposing recommendations on the same site - "Love Plumbing & Remodeling"??
"Cast iron tubs weigh about 300 pounds. They are hard to install when new and almost impossible to remove and useless to anyone but a metal salvage outfit.
1. remove the waste & overflow drain fittings. the top part is held on with screws, the bottom drain fitting, threads into a receiving female thread. Tools are sold for removing the lower drain fitting, ( a tub tool)
2. lay a plastic sheet over the tub, and put on eye protection. (the plastic sheet helps to keep the glass from flying up and cutting skin). use a sledge hammer to break the tub up, starting at the mid point, breaking the tub at least into quarters.
3. carry out in pieces.
Always install a new waste & overflow drain. If you use a tub drain with slip joint nuts, keep with the brass body ones. The lift linkage on the ABS drains don't last very long. Some local plumbing inspectors require tub drains with no slip joint fittings, (ABS glued fittings) I prefer the brass bodied ones such as the Price Pfister 19-010."
Then a post to his own site when someone asked the same question you have asked about using a sledge hammer:
"Keith: Taking a sledge hammer to a cast iron tub can get you some results that only a doctor or village priest can help you with. When a piece of that old tub flys off, it can be traveling in excess of 700 MPH. A one ounce piece of this cast iron schrapnell will have a kinetic energy sufficient to imbed it'self in your brain or other important body addresses.
In short smashing a cast iron tub with a sledge hammer in a small room is the height of dumb.
By removing sufficient tile, it is possible to remove an old tub and live to tell about it.Bud...Suncoast Plumbing Inc."
Since it is a remodel, you will be doing something to the walls and floors - so being careful to these areas is not a big consideration. Lifting is not an option - unless your "Arnold the Govenator". Even going thru a wall you would have to lift it to get it out of the house, etc. I would use a large masonary bit - equal in diameter to a good metal cutting sawzall blade - drill thru porcelian, you might be able to use the same drill bit to get thru the tub but doubt it. Then use a metal drill bit (same diameter) to get thru the tub. Cut with sawzall and remove.
Joey "O"
Edited by - menehune on 10/28/2007 13:36:27
RE: Taking out a bathtub - Carey - 10-28-2007
Beachboy, I took out both of our chipped & rust spotted enameled steel (not cast iron) tubs when we bought the place 2 years ago....If you have a steel enameled tub:
First remove toilet for manuevering room (if you need it).
Pop tiles (or other material) around tub & cut out sheet rock all around ~ 2-4 in. band- to expose hanging tabs (competly rusted - would have had to unfasten tub if they weren't)
Undo waste drain & drain pop up
Pry & rock tub up (this dings it up a bit at the bottom, if you are not careful & have a tub you are going to re-use)
(warning: at this point our simple bathroom remodel turned into a house remodel, as every living creature, esp. RATS, had made nests around & under the tub....over 2 garbage cans worth of yuck & skeletons per tub, packed fully....then into the walls, rats nests were thoughout the house, in the walls - We had checked the attic area before buying, it was dusty, but clean as a whistle! the house had been tented, so they were all dead, but I knew they were there!)
Manuever the tub out, tilting & such as needed. (helps to have 2 people for this, but I was alone for one)
Good luck & pray you find no other roomies or visitors!
Edited by - carey on 10/28/2007 13:37:51
RE: Taking out a bathtub - Fishboy - 10-28-2007
Thanks, everyone, for your informative and thoughtful responses. What I have is an enameled steel tub, not a clawfoot. There just isn't much room to maneuver this thing, so I kinda figured I'd have to bring in a crew to take it out in one piece. It's kind of a shame that we have to replace it, but we had it resurfaced about two years ago and there a few places where sharp things have dinged the new surface. I'm intending to replace it with a drop-in so I can tile around the tub and down the front. Should look cool when I'm done.
Thanks again,
Mahalo nui loa,
Brian and Mary
Lynnwood, WA\Discovery Harbour
RE: Taking out a bathtub - Hotzcatz - 10-29-2007
Post a picture of it, maybe you can get some free help in exchange for giving them the tub? We like old tubs, they make great raised planters or fishponds. We have a six foot cast iron tub with new feet we are installing in our bath house. The existing huge acrylic tub in there now will be relocated to the back yard as a soaking tub. Maybe some sort of solar heater so it can be a hot tub, dunno yet about that part. There is also an enamel steel tub we may make into a water fountain/fish pond once we get a back patio/lanai to put it on. Get creative! When you have a "free" tub, then it isn't expensive to do stuff with it.