DW likes a bathtub instead of a shower. SO, how difficult/easy would it be to convert our shower to a bathtub ? Cost ?Thanks for any suggestions/ideas.

Weight would be the major issue. Your home bathtub if it is not on the ground floor requires heavy beams, closely spaced to support it. My house has 2X8(might be 2x10) beams with 12 inch spacing. RV's are not built on the ground and don't have the bracing for a tub. Water is heavy (62.4 lb/CF) and you also have the weight of the bather.And do you have room for a tub? Few RV bathrooms are that large.

Does your DW like cold baths?I’ve never come across an RV with much of a hot water heater. 6 gallons won’t go very far and the time to reheat would likely mean the previous tank full of heated water would then be cold before the next one was hot.

agesilaus wrote:Weight would be the major issue. Your home bathtub if it is not on the ground floor requires heavy beams, closely spaced to support it. My house has 2X8(might be 2x10) beams with 12 inch spacing. RV's are not built on the ground and don't have the bracing for a tub. Water is heavy (62.4 lb/CF) and you also have the weight of the bather.And do you have room for a tub? Few RV bathrooms are that large.The RV tubs look like they are drop-in's into your present shower unit, having dimensions typical of shower units. In our past 3 MH's I wanted to replace the shower floor with a tub, but never got around to doing it.Here's a link to some options: http://www.rvpartscountry.com/RvBathtubs.html I don't know how to attach a pic of an example 24 x 36 tub.I imagine one would just use the present drain hole. There would be the concern about sealing the sides so that water would not leak down the sides when using the showerhead or splashing around with your baby duck. And then there is the question how to seal the front/visible side of the tub, where it would meet the shower door.I am sure someone has solved these things.Obviously, the size will be prejudiced against overweight people, and the elderly and others with arthritis and orthopedic problems might have difficulty getting up from being scrunched into such a small area.BUT, similar to your situation, my wife also wants her tub!

We have a so called "garden tub" that's about 24"x36" in our coach. We have tried using it as a tub, but as said, the hot water capacity really limits the amount of water you can fill it with. Getting in and out of the limited space is also not that easy. It does make for a little roomier shower area though, than the common 30" units. As far as sealing goes, it's no different than many shower stalls where the wall surround extends over a lip on the tub edges. At the front, we originally had a 3-section sliding door, but have since replaced it with a retractable shower screen that's sort of like window shade mounted sideways. The screen has a lower track that prevents water spray from escaping the tub area. The screen opens up all but a couple of inches of the full tub front, making entry/exit and tub cleaning much easier.

stasha wrote:BUT, similar to your situation, my wife also wants her tub!Well you can't always have what you want. :)I strongly encourage anyone who actually embarks on this project to NOT disable the shower because.......if you are not connected to "city water", just one bath likely would use up your ENTIRE fresh water supply. I also wonder about the 12 V pump moving that much water all in one shot.

Changing shower to a bathtub | Good Sam Community

ice2fire
Explorer
Nov 30, 2017
Yes, we'd also have to get one of those in-line continuous water heaters, don't seem to be outrageously expensive. Any opinions on propane versus electricity ?

DW is very athletic, so getting in and out would be no problem. We also have a full hook up, so no problem with draining water. However, how deep are the tubs ?Covering "the essentials" as one poster neatly said, is hardly enough. I'll check on that. She only weighs about 160lbs, so not a problem. But we might need to worry about her plus water weight.

More detective work needed. I have a RV man coming around soon to do a minor job soon. I'll ask him. Thanks.
ice2fire
Explorer
Nov 30, 2017
Quick check with Camping World (not that I ever buy stuff from them - more expensive than most) is about $200 with dimensions of 24"W x 42"L X 13"H. DW only usually at home uses only about 8" deep (Just like her Mother !!), so that would be adequate.

Looks like the baths have lips around 3 sides, end, back, end. I wonder if we could cut the existing panel at one end at the appropriate height, and slip the bath under it ? What about the back ? The existing shower wall panel is only about 24", so need more panels, or one big one, and then there is the other end.

It would be adequate if we kept the existing shower head. No need for bath taps.
drsteve
Explorer
Nov 30, 2017
I've never seen an RV tub that was suitable for anything more than rinsing off a toddler, or as a place to stash dirty clothes and empty beverage cans. As others have said, there's not enough hot water to fill one up anyway. As far as on demand heaters, some people love 'em--I have one in my S&B that works great--while others are not so happy.
stasha
Explorer
Nov 30, 2017
ice2fire wrote:

More detective work needed. I have a RV man coming around soon to do a minor job soon. I'll ask him. Thanks.

Keep us posted on how this works out!
Housted
Explorer III
Nov 30, 2017
I have converted two 5ers from 24" x 40" shower to 24" x 46" tub.
I moved a wall 6" to accommodate the tub. Everyone is right about the water
heater requirement. One of the conversions has a 12 gal and the other has a 16 gal.
DW is very happy with the results.
Photo -> https://get.google.com/albumarchive/101217276011126966833/album/AF1QipPIU3XIfFV8xVdJRc_xK1P1gP9BZ0nJ3RzOhJBZ/AF1QipMB_BzfFUk8UHp0wv4pTAZFUrQuC4TVbuFrYdHu
Housted
MrWizard
Moderator
Dec 01, 2017
Our second class A RV was an 82 Pace Arrow, with 24*46 tub
I'm 5'7" DW is 5'8"
And yes the tub was big enough to bathe

I don't know about the nay sayers, but I don't use only hot water to be scalded

Yes you will use more water than the avg RV Navy shower

If the OP can fit it in, I'm sure they will be happy
CharlesinGA
Explorer
Dec 02, 2017
http://www.rvpartscountry.com/RvBathtubs.html

Charles
ice2fire
Explorer
Dec 05, 2017
Housted wrote:
I have converted two 5ers from 24" x 40" shower to 24" x 46" tub.
I moved a wall 6" to accommodate the tub. Everyone is right about the water
heater requirement. One of the conversions has a 12 gal and the other has a 16 gal.
DW is very happy with the results.
Photo -> https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPo-Z_FlJaP5-jDE75uV2S68AHzQxDo4GWzJ6Q1

Housted

404 error on launch of link. I'd really like to look at them. Can you fix it please?
ice2fire
Explorer
Dec 05, 2017
It seems there are two manufacturers making RV bathtubs: Lippert and www.icondirect.com. I really like the 42" long Icon, but they don't make a surround to fit it. Had a multiple e-mail session with them. Looks like I'll have to go with the Lippert 40", which is not so heavy (and thus probably not so good) as the Icon. Lippert have 40" surrounds. If anyone has a solution for the surround problem, I'd like to know. I maybe will strengthen the Lippert with fibreglass along the bottom.

I had a session with a fellow RV'er. He has one. He's going to help me and we'll use a professional to move the plumbing. Fortunately, the current surround sheets on the shower are not stuck to the wall, so should be easy to come off.

I told my DW. She is delighted !! I needed some inducements as she has a grand-daughter who wants her to stay home !! Got to fight fire with fire ! She's not that concerned about the hot water. She's a good "makedoer" ! Stay tuned.
ice2fire
Explorer
Dec 05, 2017
CharlesinGA wrote:
http://www.rvpartscountry.com/RvBathtubs.html

Charles

Tried 'em. No 42" surrounds.

Forum Discussion

Changing shower to a bathtub

About DIY Maintenance

Related Content

Bathtub?

Bathtubs?

Bathtub replacement.............

Outside Shower

Floor of bathtub crack