How to install a bath on bricks: step-by-step instruction on how to install

The traditional scheme of installing the bath on the legs is not always able to guarantee the stability of the structure. Screw fastening under the action of loads begins to loosen over time, thereby reducing static. And therefore, the most reliable installation of a cast-iron or steel bowl is on strong supports made by masonry.

If you decide to replace the bathing bowl, but do not know where to start and how to implement everything correctly, we will tell you how to install the bath on bricks and whether it can be done with your own hands.

Also, in the article you will find step-by-step instructions for installing supports for various types of plumbing. To facilitate the perception, the material contains thematic photos and videos.

The construction of a support under a cast-iron bathtub

Used universally in Soviet times cast iron bathtubs do not lose popularity in today's days. And the secret of popularity is easily explained by the high heat capacity of the alloy of iron with carbon.

The heavy weight of the product itself plus the weight of the person inside it, with unreliable support, can provoke plumbing distortion during operation. And this will entail a violation of the angle, the likelihood of depressurization of the nodal connections and the difficulty of the normal discharge of waste water into the sewer.

With all its advantages, cast-iron structures are very heavy; the same bathtub with dimensions of 160x80 cm with a bowl depth of 50 cm will weigh about 100-120 kg

A cast-iron bathtub mounted on bricks can be freely used to take water procedures for a person with almost any physique, without fear that the walls will bend and the cup warp.

As a supporting structure, you can build:

• two separate platforms;
• several pillars on the sides and corners of the bowl;
• solid brickwork around the perimeter of the product.

Due to the heavy construction installation of a cast iron bath on bricks performed only by two. The work is carried out in several successive stages.

A selection of photos shows the specific moments of installing a cast-iron bathtub on a brick base:

Selection of tools and materials

To erect a supporting structure under an iron bath, you should prepare:

• bricks;
• concrete grade M: 400;
• sifted river sand;
• tile glue;
• tape sealant.

Bricks can be taken white silicate, made of pressed sand, or red burnt, made of clay. The main thing is that they do not have voids inside.

In addition, pieces of 20 bricks will be required for laying along the edges of the bed - excavation.

From the tools you will need:

• Master OK;
• building level;
• a container for mixing the solution;
• grinder and screws.

To prevent chipping of the brickwork, protective rubber gaskets can be laid between the bottom of the bathtub and the upper edge of the erected supports.

It is recommended that the areas of contact between the steel bath and the brick supports be glued with Gerlen on a fabric basis. For cast iron containers, sizing is optional. In order to reduce the noise from the accumulating water, the bottom of the steel plumbing can be completely glued

Preparation of the foundation and conducting measurements

Before how to install a bath on bricks, remove the coating from the floor to the base base. If necessary, gaps in the floor are cleaned and sealed with cement mortar. If the base floor is uneven, it is better to make the screed in any inexpensive way than to adjust the position of the plumbing by attaching scraps of boards or something like that.

It is also necessary to think about how the bowl will be located in relation to plumbing equipment, water sockets, drains and household appliances. In advance, measure the distance from the rear end of the tank to the oncoming wall of the bathroom.

If there is a gap between the side of the tank and the wall, you can always lay it with brick, and fill small voids with sealant

When removing the exact dimensions should clarify:

• length and width of the product;
• the depth of the bowl (if it changes from one edge to another, then the depth should be measured on both sides);
• the distance from the proposed installation site of the supports to the ends of the plumbing.

When calculating the dimensions of the structure, it should be borne in mind that the height of the upper edge of the bathtub will reach 55 - 70 cm. The specific height is determined according to the conditions of convenient reception of hygiene procedures in the bathroom by people of any age, physique, physical limitations, if any.

To optimally calculate the distance between the support posts, you should outline the center of the bowl and deviate 25 centimeters from both sides

The height of the front scaffold will be 17 cm, and the scaffold located on the opposite edge will be a couple of centimeters higher.

If the bowl has already been designed taking into account the slope for unhindered flow, then there is no need to lay out racks of different heights.

The approximate heights of the brick posts with the bath sides at a height of 60 cm: 17 cm for the front support and 19 cm for the rear

In the artificial formation of the inclination of the bowl is not necessary, because a slight decrease in the direction of the drain laid constructively.

At the end of the measurement work, you should fix on paper what distance in centimeters will be from the overflow hole to the bottom of the bowl.

The standard distance between the brick supports for the bathtub is 50 - 60 cm. This distance allows you to arrange niches for basins and other accessories at the bottom. For wide baths, the step of the location of the supports must be reduced, and their number increased

Cement Masonry

To prepare the solution, the cement mixture is diluted with sand in a ratio of 4: 1. Water is added during kneading until a mixture of sour cream-like consistency is obtained.

Having laid the first row of bricks of one support until the mortar has acquired the necessary strength, level the masonry with a level. After that, lay out the second row with subsequent alignment according to the horizontal, then the third.

In order not to waste time and effort on leveling the mortar and adjusting the joints to the specified parameters, in masonry, instead of the traditional adhesive composition, you can use tile adhesive

At the upper level of the support, on the outer sides of the masonry, a solution is laid out to a height of half a brick. For good adhesion of the cement mortar with building bricks, it is necessary to let the constructed supports stand for at least the first two days.

Otherwise, under the heavy weight of the iron bowl, the newly erected racks will shift or even collapse.

Before installing the bath on the brick supports, the solution is laid out. It is laid along the sides of the bath, adjacent to the walls

It is also possible to build a solid brick stand. It is built between the four legs of the product.

The solid stand is a straight brick platform equipped with troughs in which the bottom of the bowl is conveniently placed. When laying out the “pillow”, one should also consider the bias towards the drain.

More materials and time spent on creating such a support, but the reward for this will be confidence in the stability and durability of the installed plumbing

Installation of siphon equipment

On a bath not yet installed on the supports siphon mounted with overflow. To do this, put the bowl on its side. The drain hole for the siphon is equipped with silicone gaskets and treated with hermetic means.

Since replacing a siphon in an already installed cast-iron bath is not an easy task, at the installation stage the product should be selected in high quality, giving preference only to trusted manufacturers

The bowl is set on a leveled base, guided by the level. The outer edge of the bath should be half a centimeter inner. This prevents the overflow of water over the edge on the floor of the room.

The outlet pipe of the siphon is connected to a sewer pipe.

A drain with a sewer sleeve can be connected in two ways:

• hard - involves the use of a plastic pipe equipped with knees at an angle of 45 ° and 90 °;
• flexible - by means of a plastic movable corrugation.

For a snug fit of the outlet pipe to the sewer pipe, the docking elements are covered with a sealant layer.

With any assembly method, the assembled outlet siphon opening must be higher than the location of the outlet pipe of the sewer pipe

In order to reliably seal the holes and prevent water leakage during the thickening of the thicket, the applied composition must be given sufficient time to dry and harden.

Before installing the bowl on a brick pedestal, gaskets are laid in places of contact with the supports. Putting the container on the supports, with the help of a level check the horizontalness of the sides. The sides in the longitudinal direction should be strictly horizontal.

If the tank does not have special grooves around the perimeter of the bores for water flow, then in the transverse direction, the horizon control should show some deviation. Then the bath should be installed so that the outer side is higher than the inner side adjacent to the wall of the colleague by about 0.5 cm. This deviation will reduce or completely eliminate splashing onto the floor.

Mounting the bowl to the walls of the bathroom

The edges of the bowl are placed as close to the wall as possible. To check the stability of the structure, take the edge of the bath and make several movements from side to side, as if trying to swing it.

If, due to instability, the structure has budged, you need to inspect the supports and, if necessary, put pieces of brick under the bowl, fixing the new parts with tile adhesive or cement mortar.

Bowl installation should be carried out slowly, carefully checking and coordinating each movement with your partner

If desired, the sides of the structure are fixed with a metal profile, "planting" it on the dowels and screws. But most often, masters are limited to filling the voids with tile glue or mortar.

For greater strength, tile adhesive can also be used to cover the side surfaces of the bathtub adjacent to the wall. Such an adhesive edging will provide a seal to the seams and create a solid bath-wall connection.

To make sure the installation is correct, first completely fill the bowl with water, and then open the drain. Ideally, the water should leave quickly and freely, and no leaks should form in the area of ​​the joints. If the water does not leave so quickly, there is a skew.

Plumbing Finish

Finishing plumbing depends only on the interior of the room and the preferences of the master.

As a cladding perfectly fit:

• sheets of moisture-proof drywall;
• ceramic tile or porcelain tile;
• wall panels made of plastic or PVC material;
• finished decorative screen.

The only requirement for the facing material is that it is resistant to moisture.

Tiles can be laid on the same cement mortar or on a special tile adhesive. To increase the adhesion of the finishing material to the walls, the surface should be pre-treated with diluted PVA and with the addition of sand.

When carrying out finishing work, it is important to leave a working hole to ensure free access to the siphon for routine inspection and repair

It is allowed to use the bathroom as soon as the cement-sand mortar hardens. The waiting period can last from two to five days.

Construction of steel bath racks

The weight of steel plumbing, unlike cast-iron bathtubs, is only about 50 kg. But the low weight of plumbing is a key cause and its instability. Legs often come with products.

But because install steel bowl There are two ways:

• Only on brick supports without legs and additional frames.
• Combined installationinvolving the use of both brick supports and the legs of the product.

Supporting reference points can also be built by arranging the wall.

Installation of a steel bath can be performed by a combined method: using steel legs and brick supports. It is recommended that the steel bowl be additionally fixed to the walls or the support box with self-tapping screws through the rear corner

When determining which wall or supporting posts are better, focus on the location of the plumbing equipment. If steel bath adjacent to only one wall of the room - erect a wall. If her bowl is limited by three walls of the bathroom, then brick columns are quite enough.

Preparation of necessary materials

From materials you must pre-purchase:

• bricks;
• concrete grade M: 400;
• metal profile;
• moisture repellent impregnation;
• rolled gerlen;
• tile adhesive.

Guerlain represents the plastic rolled material made of the made foam polyethylene on the basis of bituminous sealant. Material perfectly warms steel.

Due to the presence of a sticky layer on one side, Gerlen brand thermal insulation is conveniently applied to untreated vertical surfaces and used to insulate joints

Since a significant drawback of steel bathtubs is their noise during the filling process, in order to reduce noise, the masters recommend foaming the outside of the cups with foam. For foam bathing, an average of 1.5-2 cylinders of 65 liters is consumed.

Support legs for increasing height

Often there is a desire to raise the bowl above the standard distance from its top to the leveled floor. This happens during repairs, if the part of the floor that is free from plumbing is already equipped with a warm floor water system. It is necessary if the builders made a mistake with the location of the drain or the owners want to slightly correct the small height of the tank.

When planning to use the installation scheme on the raising columns, the first thing to do is screw the legs to the bottom of the bowl. To do this, the legs are inserted into a specially drilled hole and fixed using connecting elements.

Having determined the place where the bath will be located, they begin to measure the plumbing. To do this, measure the height of the space between the bottom of the bowl and the floor, as well as the width between the legs. Based on measurements, places for brick support stands are planned.

The racks are made so that the distance from the top edge of the bathtub to the floor is the required number of cm - read more in this stuff. Most often, enough additional supports in one or two bricks.

To ensure free outflow of waste water into the sewer, the bowl is placed at a slight slope towards the drain hole

The distance between the erected brick racks is determined by the same size between the screwed legs. But for steel plumbing, which is lightweight with flexibility, it is recommended to supplement the low columns with the above-described full-fledged brick supports in the middle of the tank.

The shape of the supports is made in accordance with the size of the bottom of the bowl.

After all, the configuration of the baths on sale can be very diverse:

• oval and beveled;
• triangular under the angular model;
• rectangular with slightly rounded corners.

The brickwork of the supports is carried out according to the same technology as when erecting racks for cast-iron plumbing.

If the shape of the bottom of the bowl allows you to make racks, the upper edge of which does not have a semicircular, but a flat surface, you can use moisture-resistant plywood to create an even plane of the base.

For this, a cement “cushion” is formed on top of the racks, the upper layer of which is laid out with pre-cut sheets of moisture-proof plywood.

The bath bowl is installed on top of the constructed structure, as soon as the cement mortar of the supports acquires the necessary strength.

Foaming Steel Bowl

It is most convenient to blow the bath foam, turning it upside down. Before carrying out work, wipe the surface with a damp cloth or sponge. Foam is distributed around the perimeter of the bowl, gradually covering areas of 0.5 square meters.

Using a special gun when applying foam, you can reduce the consumption of material up to one and a half times. With its help, it is convenient to adjust the amount of incoming foam and the degree of its expansion.

The space around technological holes 1.5-2 centimeters wide is left untreated so that a siphon can be freely connected in the future

It will not be difficult to cut off the excess foam when it hardens with a construction knife.When processing the bottom of the bath, the installation site on the brick racks should be left unfoamed. This is due to the fact that over time, the foam can sag, and the bathroom will become less stable.

Close up of spatial gaps

Having established a bathtub on supports and having connected a siphon and discharge / overflow to it, proceed to the processing of spatial gaps.

To close the formed cracks and improve the adhesion of the sides of the bathtub with a cement mortar, the bricks are glued with rolled gerlen. The fabric layer, which is part of gerlen, acts as a kind of compensator between the body of the bath and the cement mortar.

Such a separator is necessary in order to change the geometric parameters depending on temperature changes

To eliminate air zones between surfaces and better adhesion of materials, tile adhesive is applied to the layer in one layer. Small gaps are most easily repaired with liquid cement, diluted with tile glue.

To increase the adhesion between the bottom of the bathtub and the dried brickwork, the foam is blown out. The joints between the edges of the bathroom, the decorative screen and the wall are sealed with transparent sealant. After solidification, it will be almost invisible.

Features of installing an acrylic bath

Process mounting acrylic bathtubs is similar. Lightweight structures do not require a complex support structure. The traditional version of the supporting frame for an acrylic bath is a flat pillow located under the bottom and columnar supports installed along the edges of the sides.

Unstable acrylic bathtubs mounted on a solid pedestal built of brick and a standard frame

To create a frame support in accordance with the dimensions of the bath outline the layout of the masonry. In this case, it is important to provide a centimeter gap between the sides of the bowl and the support. In places adjacent to the wall, it is convenient to use installation hooks.

After the solution has solidified, the bath is placed inside the erected frame. The gaps between the erected frame and the outer walls of the bowl are filled with foam. You may also be interested in reading how to do it. sliding bath screen.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Tips for building supports and installing a bath:

Video review option to install a bath on bricks:

How to foam the bath before installation can be found in the following video:

In the device of brick racks and the frame there is nothing complicated. Therefore, when installing the bath on bricks, you can use any of the methods described. The main thing is to strengthen the weaknesses of the bath, while creating a strong and durable support structure.

If you still have questions about installing a bathtub on bricks or you know another reliable and durable method of installation, please share your knowledge with our readers. Leave comments and ask questions in the block below.