Bathtub Apron and tile molding.

[Jay H]

Looking ahead to my next step in the bathroom project.. the floor. Going to buy some waterproofing underlayment soon and I bought some bullnose tile for use as molding around the floor on the walls. Does one normally put tile on the tub apron??? I don't think thinset would stick to the Vikrell (Acrylic??) tub but just wondering... My old tub didn't have an apron in front and was framed in with 2x4s with sheetrock and had tile all the way up the front.

Jay

 

[Gooserider]

Your pix from the other thread don't show enough of the front of the tub to be sure, but I would say that if the tub finish goes all the way to the floor, you probably don't want to tile it, just run the floor tile up snug against the floor / tub junction and stop there. At least that's the way that our tub was done when we had a pro come in and do our bathroom floor. (It is a small floor area bathroom, so we had the flooring place's minimum install charge of $350 - for that amount we figured it was worth the money to let them do it...

Gooserider

 

[Jay H]

i'm aware of the longer toilet flanges and also a long bolt kit but I am considering replacing the flange since it's kind of rusted out, at least the slot for the bolts are kind of shot.

Since the old tile was simply thinsetted to the hardwood floor (), I am going to remove the floor and add a layer of Ditra underlayment (that orange stuff that comes in rolls) and the new tile is certainly thicker than the old so it should cover up the tub/floor junction. Right now there is a gap between the bottom of the apron and the wood floor but I would expect the tile to cover it. So I can just caulk it with Silicone and hopefully its stiff enough. My worry though is the apron is sort of flimsy, and if one was to kick the apron accidentally, I'm afraid it might break the silicone seal. And since the apron is not removable, not sure if I could get behind it to shim it up... Might have to play that by ear.. It is possible that maybe I might be able to at least shim one side via the underside drain hole... Or since I do have access underneath, maybe through the floor..

Jay

 

[Jay H]

if your tub is finished to the floor, then you dont want to tile it. i had to tile mine because it was an older jacuzzi tub and the prev over did not spring for the side skirt. i had to wood frame the side, install durarock and then tile. real pain but looks good now.

the tub has an apron in the front that is finished in the same glossy finish as the tub itself, but what I was wondering when I do the molding around the bathroom walls/tile junction, I wasn't sure whether it was usual to also use bullnose tile along the base of the tub apron too. Sounds like it's not so that will save me some work as I expect the floor tile to be taller than the gap now below the apron and the floor..

Jay

 

[johnn]

I wouldn`t think you would want a seal at the apron area that wasn`t flexible. The deflection of the tub through use may not work well with a rigid application.
When you go to tile the area where your stool sits take the time to straight edge and level all tiles which the base sits on,,otherwise you may end up with a stool which wants to rock and strain the seal.