I have a white enamel steel tub that is 5ft long and between two walls. The tub is in excellent condition, but I would like to tile the front skirt to hide the white enamel from an outside view since I will be installing a glass shower door.

I was thinking of using construction adhesive to attach a piece of plywood to the front of the tub skirt (approximately 13" high, then use hardibacker and tile up and cap with about 4" of horizontal tile which the shower door track would mount on top of.

Can someone let me know if this would work or if there is a better way to do it?

Thank you.

HHHmmmmmmmmm........can't say that I've ever seen that, but stick around. I'm sure someone else here might have some good ideas for ya.

Hi Mira
I would have to advise against it. Is there any way you would be able to build a structure in front of the tub to support plywood and/or cement board?

Hi Mira

I've done such a thing on the apron of a cast-iron tub.I wouldn't recommend it either.Like Harry said it would be OK if you built a proper wall in front of it somehow.Kinda complicated though,some of the details.

I would consider doing this ONLY if the enamel on the tub was ground off with a grinder/wire cup brush and the cement board was attached to the tub with a uniformly applied coating of an epoxy such as Laticrete stone setting epoxy.