Bathtub Drain

[Mike Goetzke]

I knew if I waited long enough it would be popular again! Ha - we bought our house almost 45 years ago (it was 2-years old) and it had a blue toilet, sink, and tub. The bath needs a total remodel now. Over the past few years I've been trying to figure out how to remove the cast iron tub and replace it with an off-white one. New tub drain plumbing would mean opening up a finished wall in another room. The tub is in great shape so sad to break it up to get it out, but, now we find out the blue is getting popular again! There is a matching sink but the blue toilet had issues and we replaced it with an off-white one a few years ago.

Couple questions:
1) Will it look odd the have blue tub/sink and white toilet?
2) With the remodel if we keep the blue tub I at least want to change the drain out to match new plumbing fixtures. Is the drain a standard thread size?

Thanks

 

[bobtskutter]

I can't comment about the threads on the bath tub drain, since I'm in the UK

Blue tub, blue sink & white toilet.  Doesn't sound too bad to me.  What colour tiles are you thinking of?  The choice of blinds / towels etc could help things blend together.  Is there a toilet cistern in white? (the tank that holds the water).

Bob

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Is the drain a standard thread size?

If you lived in a proper metric country like the UK, Mike - it would be 40mm for bathtubs, showers, kitchen sinks and washing machines, or 32mm for handbasins. Feeds would be 15mm copper or PET for cold, 22mm copper or PET for hot. I haven't the faintest clue about the US - but 40mm is close to an inch and a half, 32mm is close to an inch and a quarter. I'm sure one of your countrymen will be along any minute .....

[big grin] [big grin] [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I remodeled my daughter's entire bathroom, before the kitchen job, a few years ago. It was for this exact reason. Tub, toilet, and wall-hanging sink, all matching blue. She hated it, so I started the work before she even moved into it. She lived out the last few months of an apartment lease, while it was happening. It turned into quite the project, since it was a tiny room, with the tub trapped in the far end, plaster walls, right down over the rim. I gutted it to the studs and still had to breal up the tub, to get it out. That's a serious chunk of cast iron.
It's all white now, with a more furniture style vanity and Corian surround on the tub.
The kid is a bit of a white freak, the kitchen is all white too. It does at least have black pulls, she originally wanted touch-latches, but thought better of it with white painted doors.

 

[Holzhacker]

I have rehabbed more bathrooms than I care to remember. Over the years clients have wanted to save money by keeping certain items such as the tub. I always tell them its a horrible idea.
Maybe that tub or weird pedestal sink you really like doesn't look too bad right now, it looks fine. Once you surround it will all new shiny stuff it will look like some POS you picked out of the alley.
So many clients, 'we wish we had listened to you'.
Now if a client wants to save something, I don't even bother bidding.
On the flip side you can get the tub reglazed. If you do that make sure the guy does legit acid cleaning otherwise the new glazing will peel all too soon.
Unless it is some weird tub, drain size will be standard for any new drain shoe.

 

[waho6o9]

"On the flip side you can get the tub reglazed"

This ^

We had that done and it was an excellent choice. Make sure the company has great reviews and get several bids. 

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I have rehabbed more bathrooms than I care to remember. Over the years clients have wanted to save money by keeping certain items such as the tub. I always tell them its a horrible idea.
Maybe that tub or weird pedestal sink you really like doesn't look too bad right now, it looks fine. Once you surround it will all new shiny stuff it will look like some POS you picked out of the alley.
So many clients, 'we wish we had listened to you'.
Now if a client wants to save something, I don't even bother bidding.
On the flip side you can get the tub reglazed. If you do that make sure the guy does legit acid cleaning otherwise the new glazing will peel all too soon.
Unless it is some weird tub, drain size will be standard for any new drain shoe.

Hey - I'm in the Chicago area. I have read terrible results with reglazing. I looked at American Standard tubs and they seem to be steel sheet now. I'll hate taking a sledge to that cast iron tub but probably the only way to get it out.

 

[squall_line]

Most cast iron tubs were likely placed while the walls were still studs and the floor was still unfinished.  I can't imagine trying to maneuver a full size cast iron tub cleanly or easily out of a finished home.  Breaking/cutting it is likely the only way, unfortunately.

When our tub insert was found leaking, I pulled it out and found the original cast iron tub under it.  It was destroyed by all of the mastic that was put in place to "hold" the tub insert, but had it been color-matched to the tile in the room, I probably would have had it reglazed.

I'm a bit of a Mid-century freak, though.

 

[cpw]

Hey - I'm in the Chicago area. I have read terrible results with reglazing. I looked at American Standard tubs and they seem to be steel sheet now. I'll hate taking a sledge to that cast iron tub but probably the only way to get it out.

If you get an acrylic tub; as long as you put a mortar bed underneath it should feel plenty solid.  The sides would feel hollow compared to your cast iron, but the bottom where you are standing will feel (literally) as solid as a rock and that is what matters.

 

[Holzhacker]

If you want a nice tub, I'm a huge fan of the American standard Americast. Feels like a cast tub but doesn't have the weight.
As far as getting an old cast tub out, its a tough job yes. But are you a boy or a Man?
Go over to remodelers supply on Pulaski. Really nice stuff and you might find just what you need in the close out section.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

If you want a nice tub, I'm a huge fan of the American standard Americast. Feels like a cast tub but doesn't have the weight.
As far as getting an old cast tub out, its a tough job yes. But are you a boy or a Man?
Go over to remodelers supply on Pulaski. Really nice stuff and you might find just what you need in the close out section.

Thanks - I'm in Orland Park. Any supply house you recommend that is closer to me?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I have worked with more of those Americast tubs than I could ever imagine. They are essentially a regular stamped steel tub, with a hard plastic coating on the underside. This makes them "feel/sound" more like a cast iron tub. They are pretty common, and it does seem to work as intended. (if you drop something, it doesn't sound like a tin can)
The one caution is to pay particular attention to the front apron. The casting process uses heat, and it can warp the front edge. This is very noticeable when tiling later.