How level does a steel bath need to be?

mrcheez

I'm getting work done in the bathroom which meant the bath had to be taken out and the screw-on legs removed while it was put in storage.

The bath was later reinstated and a new tile wall has been added to match the line of the bath, the thing is the bath is creaking when I stand in it and I suspect this is because it isn't level.

The orientation of the bath is: LHS attached to wall (which is newly tiled now), and FRONT for the tap is attached to the wall on the front. The end of the bath and RHS are not attached to anything.

I had a bath in it just now (rather than a shower) since the tiles are not finished and notice that the bath is slightly angled toward the LHS wallside. I can't put water on it yet to test if water pools against the wall since the wall is still being tiled, but when I used a level on it the bubble was touching the two lines.

The larger issue is when I put the level along the center of the RHS, the bubble in the level has crossed into the double lines, meaning that the front of the bath is certainly lower than the back.



Is this normal to ensure water flows back toward the drain?!? I always assumed a bathtub had to be perfectly level at the surface and the bath itself has an integrated slope.

Is there anything that can be done about the creaking? Should they install supports under the bath or something similar? Bear in mind that the tile wall is freshly done but mortar is being done tomorrow, should they fix the bath before the mortar goes in??!

K.Flyer

The bath should be perfectly level all over, front to back and side to side, no exceptions.
There should be a batton (2 x 1) securely fixed to the wall that the bath is supported by to prevent movement. When the bath is fitted a classi seal should be affixed to the edges of the bath to be tiled.

mrcheez

So they managed to get it down so that the bubble above is just left of the first black line.. i.e. not PERFECTLY level, but within the two centre lines.

I imagine this is ok?

Also the creak has now disappeared... possibly as a result.

mrcheez

Just an update on this, I used a larger spirit level that could traverse the width of the bath. The right-side of the bath is 1cm lower than the left.

Are there any long term issues that could be caused by this?

K.Flyer

mrcheez wrote: »

Just an update on this, I used a larger spirit level that could traverse the width of the bath. The right-side of the bath is 1cm lower than the left.

Are there any long term issues that could be caused by this?

Did the installer even have a spirit level. Was it fitted by the same person that made a horlix of the "rodding eye" on your external sewer pipe?
If the tiling is level and even, then the bath is going to look "off" for a start.
If you are having a shower in the bath, then water is going to pool over to the lower side and if there is any defect in the seal at that point then the water will duly escape through it.
Otherwise the water gathers and depending on the quality of the water, you could have staining over time unless you dry it up after each time it has been used.

mrcheez

K.Flyer wrote: »

If you are having a shower in the bath, then water is going to pool over to the lower side and if there is any defect in the seal at that point then the water will duly escape through it.
Otherwise the water gathers and depending on the quality of the water, you could have staining over time unless you dry it up after each time it has been used.

I've been using the shower for a few weeks now and this doesn't seem to be happening. As it's 1cm over the entire width of the bath it's only noticeable if you look for it and perhaps the gradient isn't severe enough to force water to pool along one side.

As long as it's won't cause "warping" or some sort of structural damage to the bath, or undue strain on the legs, I'll live with it.

I've tested jumping up and down in the bath (when it's dry and I'm not wearing shoes obviously!!) and it doesn't appear to be moving.

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