All About Free Standing Tubs

One of the big bathroom design trends is using a free standing tub. Installing a freestanding tub can be quite a project -- larger than expected, in many cases -- but it is almost always worth it.   Free standing tubs are deeper than an average tub, can be placed in different locations in a bathroom, and can give a bathroom an antique or modern feel.

One of the first things to think about before installing a free standing tub is where you are going to put it. You'll usually need a large bathroom.  Because these tubs can be installed almost anywhere, most people don't place them against a wall.  But installing a tub in this manner means that it will take up more floor space in the bathroom.

Free standing tubs come in many designs, sizes, and materials, depending on your taste and budget.The price may give you sticker shock, as most are in the $3,000--$7,000 range.Of course, you will not have to spend money on material and labor to build a deck around a free standing tub, which can save you a few hundred dollars.   A couple of things to think about when considering cost is the material (cast iron or fiberglass), brand, and design of the tub and faucet. You'll also want to factor in the cost of demolition, a plumber and a carpenter (if the ceiling below the bathroom will need to be removed to access the pipes), and new flooring.

Plumbing is a big factor in changing to a free standing tub.  The plumbing for these tubs is visible, unlike that of other tubs.  You will need to choose your finish---brushed nickel, chrome, and polished nickel are popular choices.  There are also several faucet styles, including gooseneck, rim, and hand-held. The faucets come in many designs as well. Again, it depends mostly on your personal taste and budget.  Unfortunately,

this beautiful plumbing does not magically appear next to your tub. The drain and water pipes must be run beneath the floor and up through the floor, so you'll have to consider how accessible and easy it is to reroute the plumbing. You should consider how easy or difficult this will be while deciding on where to put your tub. There may be a lot of cutting and drilling through beams in order to relocate the plumbing. Also, assembling free standing pipes, faucets, and drains can be a tedious process. There are also plumbing codes to consider, such as a faucet spout being located one or two inches above the tub rim.

The average cost in 2014 for a bathroom remodel in the Southeastern United States was over $15,000.  As you prepare your budget be sure to factor in that using a free standing tub will add a few thousand dollars to the cost.  Please come in and discuss your dream bathroom project with an Enhance Floors & More Design Consultant.  We're here to help!

Win A Free Floor

How do you make a great product even better?   You make it easier to clean, easier to maintain and easier to enjoy.   On December 5, Mohawk took the wraps off SmartStrand Forever Clean.  Forever Clean is billed as the "toughest, easiest to clean carpet on the planet."  The new fiber innovation features new Nanoloc spill protection technology, which gives SmartStrand Forever Clean carpets the highest level of beauty, comfort, and performance available.

What is SmartStrand carpet?  A fiber from DuPont and Mohawk that was launched in 2005.  SmartStrand is made of Triexta, which was the first newly classified fiber by the FCC in over 50 years.  Two years later, SmartStrand became the carpet industry's first bio-based product.  Most recently, SmartStrand Silk, unveiled in 2012, set the standard in premium soft carpet.  More than 7 million homes have been installed with SmartStrand in the past decade. 

To prove how easy the carpet is to clean, Mohawk is partnering with the Tough Mudder challenge, a competition which includes as many as 12 miles of obstacles over a muddy, rugged terrain at different locales held nationally throughout the year.  Mohawk and SmartStrand Forever Clean was at the recent World's Toughest Mudder challenge, held in Las Vegas last month.  This particular challenge culminates the yearlong Tough Mudder series with a 100 mile course completed over two days.  Featured on the Las Vegas course were two pieces of SmartStrand Forever Clean-one where the participants camped for the night and the other at the end of Mud Mile, the muddiest portion of the challenge-proving the product's durability and resistance to dirt and wear.  The 12 x 20 piece on the Mud Mile was brought to Mohawks Solutions Convention with a steam cleaned X celebrating SmartStrand's tenth anniversary and serving as proof that Forever Clean is, in fact, the toughest, easiest to clean carpet on the planet.  These pictures were made by Elisabeth Stubbs at the Convention and show the exceptional cleanability of SmartStrand Forever Clean carpet.   

To continue the message, Mohawk will participate in additional Tough Mudder events throughout 2015.  Will Dean, CEO of Tough Mudder, stated that "despite our best efforts to destroy this material and get it covered in mud in a way that would make my mother's hair turn grey, we're able to clean it."

Enhance Floors & More has installed thousands and thousands of square feet of SmartStrand carpet over the past 10 years.  You may even have SmartStrand in your home; the styles are always among our very best sellers.  And now the best has gotten even better!

New Year, New Look, New Showroom

We will be closed Thursday, January 1, for New Year's Day.  And then our huge Grand Opening Celebration begins on Friday, January 2.  

You can win a free floor and other exciting prizes just by coming in and registering. There will be food and drink and informative seminars, including wine and cheese and lunch and learn events.  (Don't worry if you are out of town for the holidays, the fun and festivities last the entire month of January.)  Please check our website or Facebook page for our schedule of events.  You may be one of our lucky winners!