In many homes, a bath is an indispensable element. For attractiveness and durability, a frame is used for the product. You can either buy it or make it yourself. Read more about the bathroom frame in the article.
Why you need it
Bathrooms are made from stone, wood, copper, silver and gold. But the most popular products are steel and cast iron, coated with enamel or acrylic. To make the interior of the room a certain style and feel comfortable in the room, you can use a frame for the bathroom. This design holds the bowl and sides. Why do you need an acrylic bath frame? If it is durable, suitable for the bathroom, then the mount will be reliable and stable.
The frame is needed when buying a product of the original form:
- Multifaceted.
- Round.
- Oval.
Unusually shaped products cannot be fixed on the walls. Requires a frame in the form of a platform. The wide sides of the product are attached to the frame, thanks to which it will be installed stably.
Pros and cons
Bathtub frames have their advantages and disadvantages. Pros include:
- Guarantee the stability of the installation of the product. A support is needed for both an acrylic bathtub and a cast-iron, aluminum one.
- You can choose any frame for an acrylic bathtub or other plumbing, since the construction is made of bricks, metal or wood, but in the latter case, treatment with protective agents is required.
- Closing the space under the bathroom, which spoils the view of the room. Outside, the structure can be finished with tiles or other materials.
A significant mass is distinguished from the shortcomings, especially if bricks are used. Then the load on the overlap increases, so before work it is necessary to check whether the additional mass can be supported. The disadvantages include the complexity of independent work. To do this, perform calculations in advance, select materials.
If wooden slats are used, check if they are properly dried. Before use, they are coated with an antiseptic to protect against decay. If metal rails are purchased, they should be protected from corrosion, for which a special composition is applied. With processing, the product will last much longer.
Design
The product consists of the following parts:
- The base of the frame is a wooden beam that follows the shape of the bathtub.
- Stands are called vertical elements. Rarely, if there is inconvenience of installation, it becomes necessary to attach braces.
- There is an upper belt that protects against the transfer of load through the racks tobase. It is also necessary for spatial rigidity.
- There is a chipboard sheet with a hole that matches the contour of the vertical surface of the bowl. The tolerance is on the big side. This item applies to rectangular bathtubs.
- All parts are attached to each other.
Materials
Reinforced bathtub frame is a reliable way to secure the product so that it does not wobble or slip during use. There are universal designs in stores, but they can not be used for all models, especially since without fitting they do not perform their functions. It is much easier to create a support on your own. The following materials are used for this:
- Wooden beam. Wood is considered an environmentally friendly, lightweight, durable material. You don't need a special tool to work with it. Assembly and installation can be easily done by yourself. This option is the most economical. The only negative is considered low resistance to moisture and fungus. To prevent the frame from rotting during operation, the timber is repeatedly treated with an antiseptic.
- Metal profile. It has low strength and bearing capacity, so it is used for the manufacture of auxiliary support products and the installation of a decorative plasterboard crane.
- Profiled pipes or metal corners. According to experienced craftsmen, this is the most reliable frame. Depending on the thickness of the pipes, it can withstand heavy loads, so they are able to support heavy bathtubs.
If selectedprofiled pipes, then welding is needed. Although an all-welded product is the most durable, it is still easier for an inexperienced craftsman to work with a beam, for which only a hammer and a saw are needed. The framework for an acrylic bathtub is created from the specified materials. The product will serve as a reliable support.
Are there any differences in the frames
Installation rules are almost the same for different baths:
- Cast iron.
- Steel.
- Acrylic.
To fix a steel or cast iron bath, you can use legs or attach to the walls using an iron angle. The most solid is considered to be a support made of bricks, which is closed with a ready-made or home-made screen.
Acrylic products need a stable support that is protected from stress and deformation. Such a bath has an elastic bottom, but it is not strong compared to other materials, so it can sag. Moreover, the sides are constantly deformed, which will lead to moisture getting into the joints between the bathroom and the walls. There will be mold and other negative consequences. Therefore, a bathroom frame is desirable in order to prolong its service life. And its need arises when the thickness of the product is not more than 0.5 mm.
Views
Shops offer frames for certain commercially available bathtubs. But not all supporting products endure the mass of the bath. Therefore, it is important to choose the right frame. Support products are:
- Team.
- Whole welded.
If there is no suitable model in the store, then the frame for acrylicbaths or other products you can create with your own hands. For this, wood, a galvanized profile or a profiled iron pipe are suitable.
Recommendations for selection
It is necessary to take into account the ratio of strength and quality of the bathroom, as well as the number of frame support points. It is believed that the thinner the bath, the better support it needs. A fully welded product indicates a lack of strength. It is desirable that there are 4 points. If the font has an unusual design, then a special platform is needed, since the standard frame will be unreliable.
Device
Frame-frames, which are included with the bathtub, are made of square section matelloprofile and have a special coating. The main details of the frame include:
- The supports that hold the bowl at the corners.
- Height-adjustable legs.
- Stiffening ribs that an acrylic bath must have.
How to
If the finished product does not fit or is unreliable, then you can make it yourself. How to make a bathroom frame At home, you can create a product from wood, moisture-resistant plywood or chipboard. The procedure is as follows:
- Create a base around the perimeter of the bath from a bar.
- Fix vertical posts to it.
- Boards or beams are laid on them - they serve as horseback.
For a rectangular bath, this is enough, if it is, for example, oval, then the frame is covered with a sheet of chipboard or plywood, inwhich then a hole of the required shape is cut.
Assembly
How to assemble a bathroom frame? Before installing a wooden product, you need to determine the height of the racks, which depends on the height of the frame. It should be small so that the bath is comfortable for the whole family. It is not difficult to determine the number of racks: they should be located in each corner and additionally fastened every half a meter at the sides.
To help you should use the building level. Installation is as follows:
- Use self-tapping screws with anti-corrosion coating to attach the wooden base to the concrete floor.
- Fix the racks to the base with metal corners or wooden blocks.
- If the rack is attached to the wall, they are also attached to it.
- The beam should be laid over the posts and fixed with screws to the walls and posts.
- Attach a sheet of 15 mm plywood or 25 mm chipboard from the top along the perimeter.
- A hole is created using a saw or an electric jigsaw using the template that is included in the kit, or a pattern.
- The frame must be closed on the sides with shields.
Installation
It is more convenient to fix the bath with the completion of surface decoration with different materials:
- Drywall.
- Plastic.
- Tile.
The choice of material depends on the material possibilities and taste preferences of the owner. A cement cushion is poured into the bottom of the frame and a bath is immediately placed on it. Installation will be more difficult if there is no cladding:
- Plywood, wood pads suitable for the thickness of the tile and adhesive layer should be placed under the sides.
- The spacers are evenly distributed around the perimeter.
- The tub should be lowered into the hole on the cement base.
After the mortar has hardened, plumbing work should be performed: connection to water supply and sewerage. This completes the installation of the frame and the bathroom.
