Adding a sliding door to your bathtub is one of the easiest upgrades for a bathroom.
Sliding bathtub doors are a lower-maintenance and long-lasting alternative to shower curtains. They also keep water inside the tub area better than shower curtains --- if they're installed correctly. Luckily, they tend to be one of the easier bathroom upgrades, since shower door kits come with all the necessary parts included. All you'll need to supply are some basic household tools and a drill, if necessary. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the opening of the tub where you want to install your bathtub sliding door. This measurement should include the length the door needs to extend horizontally, as well as the height clearance you need to cover. Sliding doors do not need to extend all the way to the ceiling, but you must watch out for low-hanging ceilings so you do not purchase doors that are too tall.
2. Purchase a sliding door according to the measurements you took in Step 1, as well as your privacy preferences. Many doors are scalloped or have a smoky film for privacy.
3. Mark the center of the top tub edge where the bottom track will sit, using a drafting pencil and a yardstick. Measure the width of the bottom and side tracks. Using the center mark you made on the edge of the tub as a guide, mark exactly where the bottom and side tracks of the sliding tub door will sit.
4. Cut the bottom track to fit if necessary, using a saw or bolt cutters. Install the bottom track according to the directions of the kit you have purchased. Some recommend caulking the tracks in place, while most come with screws. If the edge of your tub enclosure is cement or brick, you may need to predrill holes for the screws.
5. Install the side tracks according to the kit directions along the lines you marked on the walls. Again, this may involve predrilling and screwing the tracks in place.
6. Set the sliding doors in place. Have an assistant hold them steady in the tracks while you install the top track.
7. Install the top track over the edge tracks and the doors you've set in place. Since most sliding doors come with rollers on the top edge that glide along the top track, set the rollers onto the track at this time. Check the movement of the doors, making sure that they slide effortlessly. Make any necessary adjustments so the doors will slide correctly.
8. Caulk along the inside and outside edges of the side and bottom tracks where they meet the tub enclosure or the walls. Scrape any excess caulk away with a trowel or plastic spoon within 5 minutes of applying the caulk to that section. Wipe any smudges from the walls or sliding doors with a damp cloth before the caulk dries. Check for gaps in the caulk as you go and fill them in to ensure a waterproof seal.
9. Allow the caulk to dry completely for at least 24 hours before you use the tub.
Tags: sliding door, bottom track, come with, side tracks, according directions, bottom side