Cast Iron Bathtub Move and Install

[johnmocha]

Does anyone know of a good article/video or book that details (i.e. shows the actual move and placement) of a cast iron tub?  I've found good info on the removal but next to nothing on the install.  My impression is that I will need at least two helpers if not three.  That said, I'm not sure of where they will fit in the bathroom! It seems as though the best way to move the tub is into the house upright on the skid it came on (its a new Kohler Memoirs tub  for installation in an alcove).  Any thoughts on the best way to move it from the vertical to the horizontal position and getting it in place?  Many thanks!
John

 

[tjbnwi]

It is very heavy, most likely 300 pounds plus. Hope you don't have stairs to deal with.

Use flat dollies with covered pads. Place tub apron down on dollies, roll into place, align, flip off dollies. Easier said than done, you will need at least 2 more guys to help. Good luck.

Tom

 

[Petemoss]

My dad was an old school master plumber. I can always remember him saying that they would take about three guys and flip cast iron tubs upside down on top of their head and shoulders and walk it into place. He always said life would be a lot easier if he had one eyeball that was on a stem so he could stick it up through the drain hole to see where he was going.

I know that didn't help you at all, but after reading your question it brought back a lot of memories of the old man. Thanks.

 

[Brice Burrell]

It depends on the size and weight whether you'll two or three more guys.  If it's a run of the mill 30"x60" you're looking at 300-350 lbs as Tom said.  If you aren't going up and/or down steps all you'll need is a flat dolly or two, again as Tom said.  With steps the job becomes much harder.  You'll want a heavy duty/appliance type dolly with strap and belted stair climbers. 

Make a plan before you start.  Get everything out of the way, remove doors and any other obstacles.  Be careful, it is really easy to get hurt moving heavy things.  If you or the guys you can recruit don't have experience moving heavy stuff it might be better hiring people that do.  There is a member here that had his finger severed while moving something heavy, so be careful!     

 

[tbellemare]

I remodeled our guest bathroom (5' x 9') a few years ago by myself. It had a cast iron tub at one end with a toilet next to it and a vanity next to that, both along the 9' wall. I broke the cast iron tub in half with a sledge and removed it. I replaced it with a Kohler, whirlpool tub. Though it wasn't as heavy, it was heavy, I think around 200#.

Because of the vanity, etc., I had to bring the new tub into place on end and pivot it down to horizontal. I had the walls down to the studs for the tub surround but didn't want to disturb the opposite (bedroom) sides. So, I made a couple of spreaders out of some scrap wood that would hook on the ends of the tub and fit between and around the studs. I also rigged a pulley system near the ceiling above each end with the tag ends tied to cleats farther into the room to I could get to them.

By lifting one and lowering the other, I was able to wiggle the new tub into place without disturbing the opposite (bedroom) walls. I did, however, have 2x6 studs in the plumbing wall so I had some extra room to work with as the tub's skirt angled by. I set it up to take advantage of that fact so I'm not sure if it would have cleared if the wall had 2x4's.

Tom

 

[ccmviking]

I usually do them by myself but one helper is ok.  Most bathroom with a Memoirs tub is going to be pretty small so more than one other person would just get in the way.  You're not having to really lift the tub so it doesn't matter much if it's 250 or 350.  I stand it on end (bare, no wood packaging) onto my dolly which has felt on it.  I cart it in to where it's going on the dolly which in most cases requires re-moving the toilet.  I generally have one or two 2x4's or other lumber on the ground just to protect the finish from chipping as pretty much all of mine are on a concrete foundation.  Just shimmy one end near where it goes and start laying it over.  They are such a tight fit and hard to get laid into place as it is.  I make sure I have a clear cavity between the 2x4's so the skirt has room to pivot in place.

 

[rdesigns]

I've installed hundreds of cast iron tubs, and I advise leaving it in the crate until you get into the bathroom.

The way we always did it was to have the tub vertical, and then tip it, apron side forward, onto the back (actuallly, more onto his hips at his beltline) of one guy with the weight still on one corner at the bottom end. He reaches back with boths hands to grasp the crate at a comfortable level to steady it. The helper grabs the crate at the other bottom corner that is raised when tub is tipped. When both guys are ready, they lift slightly and walk forward.

You can easily pass thru doorways with this method, and you can even climb stairs, but you may have to "let the tub rest" after each few steps up.

Once you're in the bathroom, remove the crate while keeping the tub vertical. Then, lower it to the horizontal and slide it forward into its place.

 

[johnmocha]

Many thanks for all the help!  I'm planning to do this about the end of the month so I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks,
John

 

[jacko9]

I remodeled my second bathroom several years back and installed a cast iron tub 33x60x14" and it took two helpers to bring it down the hall vertically.  I installed the tub with the door and door frame off, toilet and vanity removed.  The hard part of the project was installing slab marble around the tub,  tub to ceiling (a part of the job I hired out to professional stone guys).

Jack