Structolite mixing for bathtub mortar bed

hurtman

After reading through the forums I'm going to use structolite for a mortar bed for an acrylic Kohler 1123-RA tub. Since this is my first tub install so I plan on placing plastic between the floor and structolite and also between the structolite and tub. Also plan to glue the 4 feet to the floor and nail the tiling flange to the studs. Can someone please tell me what is a typical mixing ratio for the structolite? Is it supposed to be a peanut butter consistency when applied? Thanks in advance.

Jeff

buddy builder

i used to make mine a little weaker than peanut butter. if you do make it this stiff then you'll have to apply more pressure to seat it. i didn't look up the fixture number on what you have but most tubs and showers today comes with wood bracing embedded in the fiberglass (if it is fiberglass or acrylic) and require no extra support. if not done properly this extra mud will create a hard ledge in places where a crack can form where the mud ends. my supply house will provide clients with an instructional sheet to do this if it is needed for some reason but they advise against it, if not needed. we did this years ago when fiberglass tubs first got popular but the industry evolved away from "mudding" over the years.

hurtman

Buddy Builder, thanks for the quick reply. My old fiberglass tub did have the wooded support you mentioned but this new acrylic tub doesn't. The instructions give 2 options. One is just to glue the 4 feet down and the other is a mortar bed installation. I've attached a pdf drawing of the tub. Thanks again for the help.

Attached Files

1123-RA.pdf (30.6 KB, 8 views)