Hello
I have an IDO Terra built-in bathtub made of sanitary acrylic with a 100 mm wide rim and approximately 10 mm thickness. The tub is built into, recessed, or resting on a form made of LECA blocks, then tiled.
Now to the issue. The mixer is an Axor Starck mixer that is to be mounted on the tub edge. For this, a 50 mm hole needs to be drilled in the rim (tub edge) and space in the LECA block frame for connection should be created.
I need advice and tips on whether
1. It is okay to drill this hole
2. What type of drill in that case
I am worried that the tub will crack and wonder about its strength and if it can be reinforced with, for example, an aluminum plate under the tub edge.
Grateful for advice, I would like to do this as it will look really nice and I have already bought the tub and mixer...
I have asked IDO and their response not surprisingly is:
To IDO
Question? Is it okay to drill holes in the Terra bathtub and mount a rim-mounted mixer in the rim? The hole drilled is 50 mm for the intended mixer.
Answer IDO
Hello!
We recommend not drilling holes in the rim.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms
To IDO
Hello
I understand if you do not recommend this generally, but is it possible to drill in sanitary acrylic without it cracking?
What are the strengths of the material (as there are holes drilled by you in the plastic for drainage and overflow)?
ANSWER IDO
Hello!
To ensure that the plastic holds up, the rim should be reinforced. None of IDO's acrylic bathtubs have reinforced rims, and therefore it is never recommended to make holes for rim mixers.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms AB
TO IDO
Hello
I understand this. Can I personally reinforce the rim in some way (I understand you do not recommend this and that of course you do not take any responsibility if it breaks)? The tub will be lowered into a LECA block chest that is sized for the tub; we have an opening for the mixer about 10 cm otherwise the tub (rim) rests on plastered/rubberized LECA around.
Can I reinforce it myself by, for example, placing an aluminum plate underneath or something similar?
Grateful for your non-binding advice.
ANSWER IDO
Hello!
IDO Bathrooms unfortunately does not have any knowledge about how to structurally reinforce rims or build in bathtubs.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms AB
I have an IDO Terra built-in bathtub made of sanitary acrylic with a 100 mm wide rim and approximately 10 mm thickness. The tub is built into, recessed, or resting on a form made of LECA blocks, then tiled.
Now to the issue. The mixer is an Axor Starck mixer that is to be mounted on the tub edge. For this, a 50 mm hole needs to be drilled in the rim (tub edge) and space in the LECA block frame for connection should be created.
I need advice and tips on whether
1. It is okay to drill this hole
2. What type of drill in that case
I am worried that the tub will crack and wonder about its strength and if it can be reinforced with, for example, an aluminum plate under the tub edge.
Grateful for advice, I would like to do this as it will look really nice and I have already bought the tub and mixer...
I have asked IDO and their response not surprisingly is:
To IDO
Question? Is it okay to drill holes in the Terra bathtub and mount a rim-mounted mixer in the rim? The hole drilled is 50 mm for the intended mixer.
Answer IDO
Hello!
We recommend not drilling holes in the rim.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms
To IDO
Hello
I understand if you do not recommend this generally, but is it possible to drill in sanitary acrylic without it cracking?
What are the strengths of the material (as there are holes drilled by you in the plastic for drainage and overflow)?
ANSWER IDO
Hello!
To ensure that the plastic holds up, the rim should be reinforced. None of IDO's acrylic bathtubs have reinforced rims, and therefore it is never recommended to make holes for rim mixers.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms AB
TO IDO
Hello
I understand this. Can I personally reinforce the rim in some way (I understand you do not recommend this and that of course you do not take any responsibility if it breaks)? The tub will be lowered into a LECA block chest that is sized for the tub; we have an opening for the mixer about 10 cm otherwise the tub (rim) rests on plastered/rubberized LECA around.
Can I reinforce it myself by, for example, placing an aluminum plate underneath or something similar?
Grateful for your non-binding advice.
ANSWER IDO
Hello!
IDO Bathrooms unfortunately does not have any knowledge about how to structurally reinforce rims or build in bathtubs.
Best regards
IDO Bathrooms AB
Can't you place the mixer outside the tub so you only need to make holes in your own construction?
Technically, I understand that they don't want to say either yes or no. It would probably be quite difficult to guarantee that there won't be any stresses in the tub, and if it cracks, it would be right at the hole, because you are indeed making a pretty significant point of failure with a hole, regardless of aluminum plates, etc. To reduce potential stresses, large parts of the tub probably need to be relieved with, for example, PU foam. If the tub rests only on the edge and bottom, stresses will likely occur, and things will probably crack if there are points of failure.
/Kent
Technically, I understand that they don't want to say either yes or no. It would probably be quite difficult to guarantee that there won't be any stresses in the tub, and if it cracks, it would be right at the hole, because you are indeed making a pretty significant point of failure with a hole, regardless of aluminum plates, etc. To reduce potential stresses, large parts of the tub probably need to be relieved with, for example, PU foam. If the tub rests only on the edge and bottom, stresses will likely occur, and things will probably crack if there are points of failure.
/Kent
Hi Crischnak:
The sanitary acrylic probably doesn't have large stresses in it, but due to the hole you want to make, the load-bearing capacity around the area you drilled will become weak.
Can't you do this instead? (This is based on the spout in your mixer being too short if it sits in the leca.)
Build up what you need in leca but leave the space you need for the mixer as a cavity near the tub, then screw a 15mm k-ply from above with a drilled 50mm hole over the cavity. (Scrape out a little in the leca so it is smooth/countersunk.)
Then take a piece of stainless steel sheet about 3mm 20X15 cm and bend it like an L but a bit more and fasten it to the k-ply with the long part of the L towards the tub, and then moisture-proof everything and tile.
This way, water will run from the mixer onto the sheet (which you shape as you like) and then into the tub, a very neat and exclusive solution that also makes it easier to replace the mixer in the future.
I hope you understand what I mean, it's a bit difficult without pictures.
Best regards, Jawen
The sanitary acrylic probably doesn't have large stresses in it, but due to the hole you want to make, the load-bearing capacity around the area you drilled will become weak.
Can't you do this instead? (This is based on the spout in your mixer being too short if it sits in the leca.)
Build up what you need in leca but leave the space you need for the mixer as a cavity near the tub, then screw a 15mm k-ply from above with a drilled 50mm hole over the cavity. (Scrape out a little in the leca so it is smooth/countersunk.)
Then take a piece of stainless steel sheet about 3mm 20X15 cm and bend it like an L but a bit more and fasten it to the k-ply with the long part of the L towards the tub, and then moisture-proof everything and tile.
This way, water will run from the mixer onto the sheet (which you shape as you like) and then into the tub, a very neat and exclusive solution that also makes it easier to replace the mixer in the future.
I hope you understand what I mean, it's a bit difficult without pictures.
Best regards, Jawen
Hello Jawen,
thank you for your response and great suggestion, I will think about it if the karkant falls away.
I would prefer to place it in the karkant though, so here goes...
Regarding load-bearing, the tub also has support legs so it doesn't rely on the LECA frame. What I'm afraid of are cracks.
Maybe I can place a plate and mount it in the LECA frame under the tub's intended drill hole and drill through it as well, and then attach the mixer. The mixer can be found here at www.hansgrohe.se search for 10450000 in the product number.
Does this solve the load-bearing issue?
thank you for your response and great suggestion, I will think about it if the karkant falls away.
I would prefer to place it in the karkant though, so here goes...
Regarding load-bearing, the tub also has support legs so it doesn't rely on the LECA frame. What I'm afraid of are cracks.
Maybe I can place a plate and mount it in the LECA frame under the tub's intended drill hole and drill through it as well, and then attach the mixer. The mixer can be found here at www.hansgrohe.se search for 10450000 in the product number.
Does this solve the load-bearing issue?
Hello Crischnak!
Do I understand correctly that the tub rests on support legs and not on the rim? And that you want to drill into the triangular corner piece? If so, you can safely do that. There are no stresses or loads there at all. I have drilled there in our tub, which is now in its third year. It is an aluminum frame that supports everything. I'm more curious about how you will access the mixer when you need to replace it if it is built-in. How will you access it afterward?
Regards,
Kalman
Do I understand correctly that the tub rests on support legs and not on the rim? And that you want to drill into the triangular corner piece? If so, you can safely do that. There are no stresses or loads there at all. I have drilled there in our tub, which is now in its third year. It is an aluminum frame that supports everything. I'm more curious about how you will access the mixer when you need to replace it if it is built-in. How will you access it afterward?
Regards,
Kalman
Hello
Thank you, the attached drawing shows the construction. First, there is an outer frame with LECA, then an inner one. The tub is hung on the inner frame and also supported from underneath. The frame and wall are rubberized. There is an opening in the LECA frame where hot and cold pipes connect to the mixer. Drilling takes place above the opening in the tub where X is marked. The flange is 100 mm, the hole is 50 mm, i.e., 25 mm on each side of the hole.
Comments?
Thank you, the attached drawing shows the construction. First, there is an outer frame with LECA, then an inner one. The tub is hung on the inner frame and also supported from underneath. The frame and wall are rubberized. There is an opening in the LECA frame where hot and cold pipes connect to the mixer. Drilling takes place above the opening in the tub where X is marked. The flange is 100 mm, the hole is 50 mm, i.e., 25 mm on each side of the hole.
Comments?
Supported from underneath? So something below the actual bottom? Yes, then it's completely safe. Round off the leca stone it rests on towards the opening so that you don't get a point load right where the hole begins. If you're uncertain, take a stainless steel or epoxy-painted angle iron and embed it into the leca nearest to the tub's vertical surface. A strip of sleeping pad on top of that makes it rest softly and distributes any tensions. It doesn't absorb water. But as mentioned, if you support the bottom, it doesn't matter.
I assume the tile over the hatch in the front is removable so you can change the faucets if needed.
The only objection I have is that it can often collect some unpleasant things, even though it's built-in, so you need to be able to clean/rinse it anyway.
The drain then? Can you access it without moving/lifting the bathtub, as hair accumulates over time and soap/lather, etc., forms plaque that needs to be cleaned perhaps once a year or more often? Can you access that too?
In that case, build it in.
Regards,
Kalman
I assume the tile over the hatch in the front is removable so you can change the faucets if needed.
The only objection I have is that it can often collect some unpleasant things, even though it's built-in, so you need to be able to clean/rinse it anyway.
The drain then? Can you access it without moving/lifting the bathtub, as hair accumulates over time and soap/lather, etc., forms plaque that needs to be cleaned perhaps once a year or more often? Can you access that too?
In that case, build it in.
Regards,
Kalman
Thank you Skalman, yes the tub stands on adjustable legs except for the LECA frame.
So no danger then?? That feels good.
The well can be accessed via a hatch at the front, the connection to the pipes is also there.
Regards
So no danger then?? That feels good.
The well can be accessed via a hatch at the front, the connection to the pipes is also there.
Regards