Any bathroom installers?

[fundy]

Couple of quick questions if anyone can help please:

1) Basin taps seem to be, in the main, one tap hole mixer taps. Bath taps seem to be almost all two tap hole mixer taps. Is there a technical reason to not have a one tap hole mixer tap for the bath (a few do exist but they seem few and far between) or is it just fashion/trend?

2) How hard is it to drill a steel bath compared to an acrylic one? Is it a case of just getting the right bit?

MTIA anyone who can help

 

[Deleted member 1740]

1. Fashion and asthetics.

2. Steel baths are made with tap holes for taps of your choice or you can get steel bath with no tap holes if you're fitting inset taps (in the wall). I wouldnt fancy trying to dril tap holes out of a steel bath.

 

[fundy]

1. Fashion and asthetics.

2. Steel baths are made with tap holes for taps of your choice or you can get steel bath with no tap holes if you're fitting inset taps (in the wall). I wouldnt fancy trying to dril tap holes out of a steel bath.

Cheers mate, at least it might only be one hole to drill

 

[Deleted member 1740]

It’s got disaster written all over it ?

 

[fundy]

It’s got disaster written all over it ?

not even in the top 3 of disaster potential in this renovation lol

 

[jim8flog]

1. Probably because of water flow rates. One hole basin taps only have a 10 mm feed and baths a 22mm feed.

2.
The holes in baths are pressed (broached) out and not drilled out before the finish is applied. I reckon if you want to drill out you would need a lot of support for the steel as it would be very easy for it to bend and and crack the finish.

 

[fundy]

1) there are one hole bath taps out there with 22mm feeds so surely this isnt the issue? or does it only being one hole restrict the flow of them too much?

2) they are advertised to be drilled (and often done so in displays in showrooms etc) in a lot of cases so cant be that bad surely?

 

[Old Colner]

Are the ones to advertised to be drilled actually steel?
If they are give it a try on YouTube.
I have drilled an acrylic bath for twin fed mixer taps, no problem, used a 16mm holesaw, for some reason the taps were 15mm feed.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

1. Probably because of water flow rates. One hole basin taps only have a 10 mm feed and baths a 22mm feed.

2.
The holes in baths are pressed (broached) out and not drilled out before the finish is applied. I reckon if you want to drill out you would need a lot of support for the steel as it would be very easy for it to bend and and crack the finish.

That is actually incorrect.

Industry standard based on gravity systems is 15mm supply to basins and 22mm supply to baths.

These days baths often get supplied by 15mm as most have mains pressure system.

The basin tap threads are usually 1/2",
bath Tap threads are 3/4".

 

[Deleted member 1740]

1) there are one hole bath taps out there with 22mm feeds so surely this isnt the issue? or does it only being one hole restrict the flow of them too much?

2) they are advertised to be drilled (and often done so in displays in showrooms etc) in a lot of cases so cant be that bad surely?

1) The flow will be fine on a new installation.

2) i've never seen or heard of steel baths that lhave to have the tap holes drilled out. Acryllic, yes.

 

[jim8flog]

That is actually incorrect.

Industry standard based on gravity systems is 15mm supply to basins and 22mm supply to baths.

These days baths often get supplied by 15mm as most have mains pressure system.

The basin tap threads are usually 1/2",
bath Tap threads are 3/4".

I was actually referring to the last pipe feed that goes in to the taps as supplied with the single hole taps I have got (and used in the past) it is actually lees than 8mm not 10mm

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I was actually referring to the last pipe feed that goes in to the taps as supplied with the single hole taps I have got (and used in the past) it is actually lees than 8mm not 10mm

View attachment 42123

Whats that saying about assume???

 

[Fade and Die]

If you manage to drill a steel Bath (and I don’t think you can without ruining the enamel) won’t the hole rust pretty quickly?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I was actually referring to the last pipe feed that goes in to the taps as supplied with the single hole taps I have got (and used in the past) it is actually lees than 8mm not 10mm

View attachment 42123

Isn't the measurement quoted the outside diameter of the pipework, and not the threaded section your ruler is refering to?

 

[jim8flog]

Isn't the measurement quoted the outside diameter of the pipework, and not the threaded section your ruler is refering to?

We are talking about the water flow rate the diameter of the pipe inside the connector will be less the the outside diameter of the threaded section , the threaded section is 8mm.
Water is supplied at the same pressure to a house not a variable flow rate so if the pipe diameter is reduced the flow rate is decreased according to my understanding.

 

[fundy]

If you manage to drill a steel Bath (and I don’t think you can without ruining the enamel) won’t the hole rust pretty quickly?

not according to several retailers round here, have sent a question to the manufacturer to find out what is and isnt possible conclusively

 

[clubchamp98]

That’s a pretty big hole to drill in steel with a hand drill.
One that is a wrist breaker.
Take care.

 

[fundy]

For anyone who cares, the manufacturer will happily drill the hole in the steel before enamelling, if you send a verified drawing of where you want it. Bath then is non-returnable as customised which seems fair. For £77 it seems a decent enough solution apart from the leadtimes then become unworkable One distributor will also happily drill a hole but that is post enamelling and sounds far more of a compromise.

Looks like im building a false wall to hide pipes and wall mount the valve

 

[Fade and Die]

For anyone who cares, the manufacturer will happily drill the hole in the steel before enamelling, if you send a verified drawing of where you want it. Bath then is non-returnable as customised which seems fair. For £77 it seems a decent enough solution apart from the leadtimes then become unworkable One distributor will also happily drill a hole but that is post enamelling and sounds far more of a compromise.

Looks like im building a false wall to hide pipes and wall mount the valve

No need to build a false wall, pipes can be sunk into the wall.

That’s how we did it….

 

[Deleted member 1740]

For anyone who cares, the manufacturer will happily drill the hole in the steel before enamelling, if you send a verified drawing of where you want it. Bath then is non-returnable as customised which seems fair. For £77 it seems a decent enough solution apart from the leadtimes then become unworkable One distributor will also happily drill a hole but that is post enamelling and sounds far more of a compromise.

Looks like im building a false wall to hide pipes and wall mount the valve

Sod that just channel the pipework out using a Hammer and chisel or a angle grinder.