Making a bath?

[Night Train]

Just a pondering moment.

I am refurbishing my house at the moment and have been designing a new bedroom suite on the whole top floor. It will have an ensuite a dressing room, a full 3 piece shower room and a four piece bathroom, sort of 'his and hers'.

Now, the bathroom is an awkward shape with one end of the bath being in the eves and the higher end having a shower over the bath. The bath will be across the width of the room at one end.

I can't find a bath that suits what I want.
I want it to be double ended for sharing but also at the shower end I want it not to have too much of a slope at the so that a person showering can stay at the taller end of the ceiling for headroom and I don't want the taps to be at the end as someone will hit their head on them when sharing.

So I am wondering what is involved in making a bath.

I have seen baths that are constructed from stud work and aquaboards and then tiled, ones that are solid masonry and/or rendered and tiled and ones made of wood.

Has anyone ever made a bath? Where might I start? If I made a wooden one what available timber could I reasonably afford to use?

Or do you know anywhere with a good range of baths where I might find what I want.
I don't want anything flimsy, thin and creaky, as I want it to last and not crack or leak, or cast iron as I will need to move it up three floors. I would prefer very thick resin as I have known of some that are 20-25mm thick, and double skinned if free standing.

I also want a long bath as both of us have long legs. Current bath is 1700mm long and fine for one but I have space for 1900mm.

 

[bjm]

Go to a decent supplier and ask them about Bette baths - they can be made to (almost) any size you want. Very good baths (enamelled steel) and not overly expensive either.

Brian

 

[Chippyjoe]

Axminster did a wood bath a few years ago ,as a project might be worth giving them a call.

Mark.

 

[jasonB]

Duravit do a couple of nice ones that would fit two. The Stark is available upto 2000x1000 and the Paio will take two side-by-side and has a steeper slope at the foot end where you could fit a shower.

For taps you would be better off using a mixer with diverter valve to the shower head and a wall mounted spout or a filler that is combined with the overflow/pop up waste knob.

If making your own then a tile backer board on a sturdy frame would be OK but it must be tanked to prevent leaks. If you go with solid timber then Iroko would probably be your best bet.

Oh and a resinstone bath will weigh just as much if not more than a CI bath, the big 1700x900 resin shower trays are bad enough and they are only 50mm or so high!!

Jason

 

[Night Train]

Iroko is horrible to work with but worth considering.

I will also look at some of the other bath options too, thanks.

I know resinstone is really heavy but I remember a resin bath that was more like glass fibre but nearly an inch thick. A friend had one delivered wrapped in bubble wrap and the delivery man just booted it off the back of the lorry, un wrapped it and then carried it up stairs on his own.

 

[matt]

Another vote for Bette baths. I have a stock size fitted in to almost exactly the same setup as you're describing (if I'm following correctly). Single spout and taps come straight out of the wall over the centre of the bath. The shower end is near vertical, the only bits that get in the way for bathing is the overflow and plug but it's wide enough to sit comfortably to one side, just enough to avoid both.

 

[jasonB]

The only problem with a steep end for showering is its not comfey for the second person, depends how often you plan on sharing. Also have a look at kaldewei steel baths.

Jason

 

[wizer]

the idea of sharing a bath with anyone has just put me right off my breakfast...

 

[Derek Willis.]

I once made a sunken bath, in blockwork, rendered with waterproof cement, (two coats) and tiled, it was there the last time I saw it ten years after the construction.
Derek.

 

[Night Train]

Another vote for Bette baths. I have a stock size fitted in to almost exactly the same setup as you're describing (if I'm following correctly). Single spout and taps come straight out of the wall over the centre of the bath. The shower end is near vertical, the only bits that get in the way for bathing is the overflow and plug but it's wide enough to sit comfortably to one side, just enough to avoid both.

That sounds about right. I will have a good look at Bette baths as sometimes buying one is easier adn may not cost any more then making one.

The steeper end of the bath won't be a problem as I don't mind that end. Coped for years like that with a telephone handset style mixer tap at the end of the bath as well so it would be a luxury with just the taps gone.

Sharing a bath is fun (though it does depend on who you share with). I see it as more like sharing a jacuzzi, ie shower and clean first and then sit back and relax with a couple of books or conversation and a bottle of wine.