A question about tiling around a bath

[dsnd_medic]

I'm just about to tile around my new steel bath but I have just been told that it is better to fill the bath with water first. The reasoning behind this is because a new bath mounted on wooden batons can sink a little and if I tile first without filling the bath then an unwanted gap may appear between the edge of the bath and the bottom of the tiles.........is there any truth in this ? My floor is concrete and I have wooden batons secured to the floor so that that I can easily screw in the bath feet to them......(I hope I have put this across ok )

Thanks in advance for your advice

Andy

[Colour Republic]

You have only been told a half truth.

You do not need to fill the bath whilst tiling. You do it when siliconing between the tiles and the bath.

Basically un-filled you bath will be in its highest postion, filled with water it will be in it's mid point, filled with water and an adult in it will be at it's lowest. So the if you fill with water before you silicone and as it sets then you have done so with the bath in it's mid point giving the silicone it's greatest range of expansion/contraction.

All baths will flex and travel, however given it's a steel bath and conrete floor yours will flex less than most.

So yes what you have been told is true yet they have got mixed up between the actual fitting of tiles and finishing off with silicone.

BTW do not grout between tiles and bath but leave free so you can fill with silicone. Some people grout this gap then place silicone over the top which is incorrect

[Colour Republic]

.... if I tile first without filling the bath then an unwanted gap may appear between the edge of the bath and the bottom of the tiles....

Also you do want a gap between the bottom row of tiles and the bath. This should be around 3mm. This is so you can get a good seal with the silicone and not just silicone sitting on top which will fail