Built-in bathtubs in the interior are certainly a beautiful sight. However, such pleasure is not available to everyone. A bathtub in the floor can only be installed in a private house, and certainly not an option for city apartments. The fact is that a round or oval built-in bathtub implies significant changes in the floor ceilings, permission for which cannot be obtained. Of course, there is no need to despair. If you want to add luxury to your interior design, then, if there is space, a bathtub built into the podium will do. There are a lot of finishing options. The podium can be stylized as wood or stone, as in these photos.
The first stage of construction is the choice of building material
Making a podium for the bathroom is not that difficult. The main thing is to decide on the size, design and purchase the necessary building materials with a small reserve, since during the work many elements will have to be cut off in order to give the final structure the desired shape. You can make such a design from:
- Brick is the most expensive and reliable material. You can use it to make a structure of any complexity and size, but you also need to take into account its weight, since this material is quite heavy and such a structure may not be safe in apartment buildings.
- Foam blocks are a porous building material made from a mixture of cement, water with sand and a foaming agent. This building material is much cheaper than brick and lighter in weight. It is very popular among builders due to its ease of use (it can be easily cut to the desired size - an ordinary hacksaw is enough), it is strong and durable.
The advantage of built-in baths
Bath built into the podium
Built-in hot tubs have an undeniable advantage from an aesthetic point of view. In addition to finishing the podium, you can install lighting at your discretion. In addition, a bathtub in a niche, like any other, can be supplemented with a hydromassage function. If there is free space, there may be different installation options. In small rooms, a bathtub built under the countertop will look good.
If you are the happy owner of your own home and think that bathtubs built into the floor are for you, then pay attention to the following nuances.
Important! If such changes were not provided for during construction, you risk damaging both the structure of the house and the foundation. Be sure to check the strength of the floors. If you significantly change the foundation of the house, the load-bearing capacity may be weakened. Shifting soil can also be a serious threat. You are very lucky if a strip foundation was used in the construction of your home.
What options does the market offer?
Oval bathtub is the most common option on the market
So, the decision has been made. All you have to do is choose which built-in bathroom is right for you. There are many options. They mainly differ in shape and materials.
Bathtub with hole for mixer tap. Solutions overview and recommendations
- One of the most popular is the oval-shaped built-in bathtub. Most often, they have quite impressive dimensions and are designed for bathing two people at the same time.
- The round built-in bathtub is also in special demand and is now at the peak of popularity. Due to their original shape, such models can be used creatively in design. Round bathtubs built into the podium can be decorated with unique lighting.
- However, these options are only suitable for spacious rooms. In other cases, a built-in corner bathtub is better suited. There is not much variety in the materials.
Of course, mortise bathtubs, like regular ones, are made of cast iron, steel and acrylic. However, acrylic bathtubs are mostly used and come in many configurations.
Let's move on to installation
A strong frame is required to install the product.
Installing a built-in bathtub is a very complex process. Frankly speaking, it will not be possible to do without specialists. First the preparatory stage. Such structures are most often installed in basements or on the ground floor. Before making a built-in bath on other floors, you will have to order a complex reinforced concrete structure. In addition, it is necessary to take care of a suitable sewage system with a mini-pumping station. A water filtration system won’t hurt if you have, for example, a three-hundred-liter built-in oval bathtub.
If everything you need is ready, it’s time to decide how to hide the bathtub. You can embed the bathtub into a wall, floor or podium. In any case, the first step will be to work on the bathtub pit. It is important that it clearly follows the contours of the future structure, especially if you have a bathroom built into the podium. The pit must be covered with sides, and it is better if the bath is supported by them. The ideal option, to avoid leaks, would be a bathtub built into the tiles.
Types of bathtubs with legs. Style solutions and sizes
It is better to calculate the depth of the pit so that the bath rises above the floor only a few millimeters. Maximum of 50. Do not forget to provide hidden access to the structure, since all communication pipes will be laid there.
Option with frame covered with ceramic tiles
Only after all this work is completed does the assembly of the bathtub itself begin. To begin, install the drain siphon and attach the support to the bottom of the bathtub. It is better to carry out these actions according to the instructions. At this stage, a mixer can be installed into the side of the bath. Then, you can insert the bath itself into the pit. If it has legs, now it is better to install them in the most vertical position. In the pit we connect the bath to the sewer and water supply.
After this stage, the floor is covered, or work on the decoration of the podium is completed, if it is included in your project.
The final stage - cladding and installation
The final stages of construction are the tiling and installation of the bathroom. The market for facing tiles is so large that it will not be difficult for you to choose something that will suit your aesthetic and material preferences. If your podium will have steps, then special tiles with rounded edges are now even sold for this purpose. Most importantly, do not forget to tell the seller that you need material with an anti-slip coating. When laying tiles, use special “crosses” so that all seams are even, and after the mortar has dried, treat them with a fugue so that the surface becomes moisture-proof. Next, the bathroom is installed. The seams around the perimeter are also treated with waterproof material.
Tile with rounded edge
In an era of technological progress, market competition, stress, and household chores, the bathroom has become an excellent refuge for city dwellers. It is in the bathroom that people can be alone for a while, relax, meditate, and enjoy the pleasant aromas of their favorite shower gels and soap bubbles. Therefore, it is so important to make this place beautiful and comfortable. And the bathroom podium will easily help you solve these problems.
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Installation of a bathtub in the floor
- First you need to build a pit - an artificial depression in the foundation of the house. It should match the shape of the future bathroom, but be a little larger in size so that all systems can be freely installed. And the depth of the pit is usually 60-80 cm.
- After this, it is necessary to concrete the walls and floor of the recess.
Attention! Be sure to make a layer of waterproofing at least 11 cm thick.
- Next, you can bring water and drain pipes to the location of the future hatch.
- After this, we install the siphon and attach it to the bottom of the bathtub, and also cut the mixer into the sides of the bathtub.
- We insert the bathtub into the finished recess and connect it to the water supply and sewer pipes using corrugated metal hoses.
It is important to correctly connect communications when installing a bathtub in the floor
- After installation, it is necessary to conduct a test filling with water to ensure that there are no leaks and that all connections are tight.
- Tile the space around the perimeter of the bath with ceramic tiles. It is also necessary to make an overflow tray around the sides to protect against water leakage and flow back into the sewer.
The built-in bathtub is the center of the entire room. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention not only to the size and shape, but also to the finish, as well as your own safety. The bathtub body can be finished with waterproof wood, and the steps with anti-slip materials. There are many options to make your bathroom beautiful and multifunctional, the main thing is to use your imagination and listen to the advice of professionals.
Raising an acrylic bathtub using bricks or lightweight concrete blocks
In private homes, it is possible to construct a podium not only from wooden parts, but also from brick, which is bound with cement mortar. Such a pedestal is very easy to decorate using tiled or mosaic tiles. It is done quite simply. The outline of the future podium is drawn on the floor and bricks or foam blocks are laid on it. Then the entire internal area is filled with the same material. The entire structure is poured with concrete and leveled. After the screed has completely dried, you can cover the podium with tiles. It makes sense to create such a structure during a comprehensive bathroom renovation or during the initial construction.
Beautiful multi-stage podium for a bathtub
Types of built-in bathtubs according to configuration and material of manufacture
These products are by no means very diverse - their entire range can be counted on one’s fingers. Such baths may vary in size and shape. If in the first case there are practically no restrictions, then in the second there are only three options: rectangular, corner built-in bathtub and round. Round built-in bathtubs are the most popular - they give the interior an elegant style and make the process of taking water procedures as comfortable as possible.
Among other things, built-in bathtubs can be made of various materials. Like other similar products, there are cast iron built-in bathtubs, steel and acrylic. The most common are acrylic built-in bathtubs - this material allows you to make a bathtub of any configuration.
Oval built-in bathtub photo
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any plumbing, built-in construction has its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros.
- A bathtub located in the floor creates an unforgettable effect and adds a special sophistication to the room for hygiene procedures.
- When leaving the font, you will absolutely not need to step over the high sides that are present in standard products. This is especially true for people with disabilities.
- Those who wish can install additional elements for a comfortable bath: handrails, a headrest, you can even place a TV or radio at the feet. Options for installing hydromassage structures or other devices, interesting lighting, and in some cases even simulating sea waves are possible.
- Experts recommend, if financially possible, to equip the structure with chromotherapy, which will allow non-contact treatment with light thanks to electromagnetic radiation of different powers. Such procedures are recommended for psychological and cosmetic diseases, as well as for diseases of internal organs.
Minuses:
- no matter how you dream, such a device is practically not installed in an apartment;
- Servicing, that is, washing such a bathtub, is quite difficult: you have to kneel down;
- Such mini-pools are almost never equipped with a shower; if necessary, you need to purchase an additional shower stall;
- you will have to worry about installing and modifying the sewer flush;
- It is difficult to install a built-in bathtub yourself - here you need the help of a specialist;
- The water consumption in such a design is about 300 liters, and you will have to pay for it, and in general, such a unit is quite wasteful in financial terms.
How to build a monolithic podium
To construct a monolithic podium, it is necessary to lay the formwork along the outer perimeter of the structure without adjoining the walls. As a rule, masonry is made of brick. If expanded clay concrete is used as a filler, the formwork can be made from metal profiles or boards.
Before pouring concrete into the interior of the podium, you should install a bathtub, completely install communications, and install a drain.
Immediately after the concrete solution is poured, a masonry mesh is laid on top of it and slightly recessed for greater strength. When the structure is ready, finishing work is carried out.
The process of constructing a podium for a bathtub made of plywood and blocks
In order to build a frame podium you will need the following:
- Saw or jigsaw.
- Hand screwdriver or drill.
- Hammer.
- Plywood and bars.
- Self-tapping screws, corners and other fasteners.
- Building level.
- Polyethylene film.
Work on the construction of the podium will be carried out as follows. If your pedestal is adjacent to the wall and will not be in the middle of the bathroom, you need to use a building level and a regular pencil to mark the top edge for the future pedestal. The main floor under the bathroom is carefully waterproofed with polyethylene or a more suitable insulating material for these purposes. You can additionally use a cork backing.
Then you need to lay plywood on the floor in the place where you want to build the podium, and nail it to the floor with nails or dowels. After this, you need to assemble a strong frame from timber that matches the size and configuration of the future pedestal. The parts are fastened with screws and corners for greater rigidity. For a bathtub equipped with legs, special metal supports are made that increase the area of influence on the podium. The frame is covered with plywood and decorated with any material suitable for the overall style of the bathroom.
Podium made of bars and plywood for a bath
Requirements for installing a podium
The convenience and comfort that installation of a shower cabin provides is an indisputable fact. But at the implementation stage of this project, certain difficulties may arise. The fact is that the tee on the sewer pipe is most often installed quite high (9-15 cm from the floor level), and to ensure high-quality drainage it is necessary to maintain an inclination angle of the horizontal section of at least 3°.
One solution to this problem is to build a podium.
When calculating the design of the podium, one should assume that the distance from its surface to the drain pipe should be 5-6 cm.
Pallet structure: siphon, screed, outlet, waterproofing.
This is necessary to avoid creating a siphon effect, which will lead to constant stagnation of water in the pan and rapid clogging of the drain.
It is also necessary to provide a minimum distance to the ceiling. Installation of the structure should assume a distance from the ceiling of 20 cm. The distance from the walls should correspond to the structural features of the shower stall specified in the assembly instructions. Taking these indicators into account, the shape and design of the podium is calculated.
Due to the fact that the load on the podium will be quite serious (the weight of the shower cabin is about 100 kg, the weight of a person and water in the tray), the structure must be strong and stable. It is recommended to lay out the surface of the podium with tiles.
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Installing a podium with your own hands can be done by using:
- wooden blocks and plastic;
- concrete mortar;
- brickwork.
To create a podium, we will need the following materials and tools:
- brick;
- fittings;
- boards for formwork;
- metal profiles;
- beam;
- tes;
- building level;
- roulette;
- sand;
- cement;
- crushed stone;
- silicone sealant;
- marker;
- tile.
Freestanding bathtub on a podium
Additional framing is not required for this bathtub, because its outer walls are initially well finished. You can install it, if desired, in a corner, next to or close to a wall, in the center of the room. All communications are hidden under the podium. If the room is decorated in an antique style, then a bathtub on a pedestal will perfectly match the overall interior.
