First of all - thanks in advance for any input provided. We moved into our home last September and have never completed the master bath. Everything is plumbed. I've attached a couple of photos of what we have planned, but I have a couple of questions (that will probably turn into hundreds!!).

1)The tub is functional, the guy that does the trim work wants to detach the drain, etc. and build a support for the tub to rest on. Can we just "back into" the height that would allow us to tile "up to" the bottom edges of the tub?

2)The half wall that will be between the tub and the shower will not line up on a stud on the main wall. Since this wall will be completely tiled (shower side & tub side), do you guys think I can make this wall strong enough to support an accidental bump by someone while showering??

Here are the photos..

Could you explain what you mean by "back into" the height on question #1. Typically a skirt is built around the tub, or in your case on the front. Just make sure you can make some type of pump access for your tub on the front, since the end of the tub will be covered up by the shower wall. What do you plan to anchor the half wall to? Pretty much any size wall needs to have a "wall end" as part of the framing in the intersecting wall. Otherwise your half wall will kind of "flap in the breeze". I don't think it would be very stable, which is the last thing you want when you have tile on it.

We want to tile on top of the skirt, so I wondered instead of pulling the tub and building the skirt and tiling (then dropping the tub back in) if we could just leave the tub connected and build up to the edge of the tub. This concerns me because we would have to allow for height of backerboard, mortar, tile so that it will be "snug" under the edge of the tub...

As far as the half wall... I considered tearing out the sheetrock on the shower side and stubbing in a stud between the existing ones. We would like to keep it open between the tub/shower. Are you saying that we should possibly take the wall to the ceiling for stability?

No, he's saying that you need to install a stud in the back wall to support the "half wall". I agree with Kman ... that would be a very insecure wall otherwise (and I don't mean emotionally)


The tub should be detached so that you can build a support around the tub. It takes very little time and all your work would be much easier with the tub out of there until all the rough stuff is done. It's also usually a requirement by the tub manufacturers.

Here's a thought. I noticed you have drywall all around your tub. If you were going to tile to the top of your half wall, you could take out the drywall behind the tub to the same height as the half wall, put in some braces between the studs to support your half wall, then put in 1/2" tile backer board in place of the drywall behind the tub. It should really have backer board up there anyway. I noticed that it looks like you have a window above the tub. Are you're tiling up to the window? If you are, CBU would be your best option.

I think your only other option is to tear out the drywall between the studs to the height of your half wall so you can put the braces in. This would be easiest while your tub is out, of course. I would probably put in at least two, one at the middle and one at the top. Screw it into the bottom plate as well as the two braces. You'd have some drywall repair to finish it off.

Just out of curiosity, what area of Arkansas are you in?

Thanks for all the input! We built in the country outside of Cabot.

BTW - What is CBU?

Cement board. Hardibacker, Durock, Wonderboard, etc.