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Note: The
following article is design to explain the key features of clawfoot
tubs and to help buyers make an educated decision about which features
and accessories they need.
Clawfoot
tubs are more popular than ever with many different styles and retailers
to choose from. Ten's of thousands are purchased new every year and
many thousands more are refinished.
Identifying
your needs
When shopping
for a clawfoot tub, start by identifying your needs. Will this tub
be you primary bath or will it be in a guest room? Do you need a simple
tub faucet or one with a shower? Do you have any building constraints
on the size of the room? Knowing the answers to these questions will
help you get started selecting the tub that's right for your home.
Check out the features and accessories below.
Sample Clawfoot Tub Layout
 Selecting a Tub
Start by measuring the amount of room in your bath. Most jobs are limited by
the length of the room the tub is going to be in. For easiest installation,
purchase a tub that is several inches shorter than the length of your
finished walls. This allows the plumber (or you) to assemble the drain
and water supplies while the tub is in place. Also check the door openings
to make sure the tub can moved into the bath. Check this against the
tub width and tub height in the specifications. When picking a tub
find one that will work with the type of tub faucet you want. Some
tubs can be drilled to accept deck mounted faucets. This creates a
larger bathing area in the tub. Others prefer the standard faucets
that are mounted on the inside wall of the tub. Most antique tubs have
faucets mounted on the wall of the tub.
Tub Drain
Clawfoot Tubs require a decorative drain. The drain is typically highly polished
chrome or brass. It can be purchased with over finishes such as nickel.
Most drains are made of solid brass. Brass drains have a long life,
do not easily corrode and will not rust. New tubs typically require
a drain that has a long overflow tube due to the increased water capacity
of these tubs. Older tubs had lower overflow holes and do not require
the extra length. To be safe purchase the extended overflow which will
fit 99% of all tubs new or old out there. The drain is cut to size
at installation time anyway.
Water Supplies
There is a greater choice when it comes to water supplies. Most installations
use valves that are decorative and functional in conjunction with the
water supplies. Similar to tub drains water supplies are typically
made of solid brass. They are then given a finish at the factory of
chrome, nickel or polished brass. They can be purchased with or without
valves. Buying the models with valves is recommended since they are
not easily added after installation. The valves allow you to turn the
water off to work on the faucet or in the case of an emergency leak.
Valves used are typically compression type going into the supply lines
and threaded type going into the pipe rising through the floor. Most
typical installation have brass pipe nipples coming through the floor.
This allows for a clean installation that is durable and easy to assemble.
There are other variations of water supplies including deck mount supplies
(allow the tub faucet to be mounted on the deck of the tub) or slipper
tub feeds which allow the faucet to be mounted outside the tub.
Tub Faucet
Choosing a tub faucet is easy. First, determine if you are going to mount your
faucet inside your tub (on the tub wall) or on the deck of the tub.
If you have two small holes on the wall of the tub above the drain,
you will need a wall mounted faucet. Measure the distance of the holes
starting at the center of one hole and ending at the center of the
other. Most tubs will measure 3 3/8" on centers. You now need
to decide if you want a tub filler, tub filler with hand shower or
tub filler with standup shower. |
