Baths come in all shapes and sizes but for the purpose of this project we are going to look at replacing a traditional style bath that is positioned against a bathroom wall and has a panel fitted to the side.

 


Removing the old bath


1. Turn off the water supply to the bath and turn on both taps to drain the pipes.

 

2. Disconnect the pipes feeding the taps from the supply pipes. If these are flexible connectors then all you need to do is unscrew the compression joints, but if rigid copper pipes they will need cutting with a hacksaw.

 

3. Unscrew the trap from the waste pipe.

 

4.  If the bath is fitted against a wall, slide a craft knife around the edge of the bath to break the waterproof silicone sealant. It may also be necessary to remove the lower row of tiles.

 

5.  If the feet of the bath are screwed to the floor unscrew them.

 

6. Lift out the bath but be careful as this type of bath is awkward to manoeuvre in confined spaces and can be heavy depending on the material it is made from.


Installing the new bath


1.  Working in a room where you have adequate space turn the bath upside down with a dustsheet underneath it to prevent the rim being marked or scratched.

 

2.  Attach the feet to the frame on the underside of the bath.

 

3.  Turn the bath the correct way up and carefully manoeuvre it into position in the bathroom.

 

4. Working underneath the bath, fit the plughole in place and hold it firmly while connecting it to the bottom of the waste pipe unit.

 

5. With the overflow faceplate on the inside of the bath feed the overflow pipe into the overflow hole and screw it to the faceplate.

 

6. The other end of the overflow pipe should then be fitted to the overflow inlet on the waste assembly unit.

 

7.  Place the gasket over the holes at the head of the bath that accommodate the taps.

 

8. Push the tails of the taps through the holes ensuring the tap unit sits neatly on the gasket. The retaining nuts supplied with the tap can then be tightened.

 

9.  Check the bath is in the correct position and place a spirit level on the rim to check that it is perfectly horizontal. You can adjust the feet to raise or lower the height of the bath. If the floor is uneven or the bath is heavy, place blocks of wood under the feet and fix these to the floor.

 

10. Once you are satisfied that the bath is level and in the correct position, drill pilot holes and screw the feet to the floor.

 

11. The bath will come with support brackets that need to be fitted to the timber frame under the rim and the wall. Drill pilot holes, insert plugs if needed and screw the brackets into position.

 

12.  With the bath now firmly secured in position, reconnect the tap tails to the supply pipes using flexible connectors and compression joints.

 

13.  Screw the trap onto the waste assembly unit and reconnect it to the waste outlet.

 

14.  It is now a good idea to reconnect the water supply and check for leaks.