bathtub install
 

I am installing a tub for the first time. My background is electrical but I am trying to branch out and learn some new things. So far I've pretty much ----ed up everything I've tried but that's the best way to learn right? Anyway, I took the old tub and its surround out and put the new tub in (bought a steel one with a ceramic coating because it was 50 bucks less than fiberglass), hooked up the drain and had a plumber plumb in the valve, but the plumber said I had it in wrong. He said you were supposed to put the tub in against the studs and then drywall down over the lip of the tub. The way I have it in now it is butted up to the drywall, actually there is about a 1/8 inch gap all the way around between the tub and drywall. Also, I already have the surround, it is one of the cheap home depot plastic things. I'd just like to get some advice on how to install it as simply as possible. The plumber was talking about tearing the drywall out, butting it up against the existing studs on one side and furring out the wall on the other side, but I think if I fur out the wall by the tub I'd have to do it on the whole wall to get the drywall to be flush with each other. That would mean tearing out all the drywall and furring out each stud on that wall. I'm thinking there must surely be a better way than this. I'd like to keep from tearing out any drywall if possible. Anyway, if someone can give me some advice on how to do this it would definitely help me quite a bit, and also if you can give me some advice on how you would do it next time that would help too. Thanks

ps - there is a window on the wall of the long side of the tub and I'd like to get some tips about cutting the surround around it, and also I'd like some advice on whether I need to put screws throught the lip into the wall (I'm worried about putting a crack in the porcelain coating) or whether I can get away without attaching it.

If you were doing tile I would say the plumber would be right about furring the walls out. Since you are just doing a plastic surround it's not as critical to have the drywall come down over the flange since you don't need as much support. Just caulk between the surround and the tub well and you should be fine. Another trick for you... when you caulk that seam between the tub and surround fill the tub with water and let it set overnight.

Do you have a mortar "mound" to support the middle of the tub?

I'm not even sure what this is so I'm guessing no.

right now there's about 1/8-1/4 inch space between the lip and the drywalll. My plan is to put caulking in betwee the tub and the wall or fill it in with drywall mud to make up the difference. that way the surround can make a gradual bend as it goes from the top down to the edge of the tub. I'm thinking it will be less likely to pull loose this way. If it doesn't work I guess I'll tear it out and try something else.

The drywall surface I'm gluing to is old drywall, and when I pulled the old surround off it ripped the top layer off and left some kind of rough cardboard/paper looking stuff. Do you have to have a new drywall surface to glue to?