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emily_mb

Floating in the tub

emily_mb
10 years ago

Because of a health condition, I want to be able to float my upper body in a tub. But I only have 62 inches for a tub unless I do some major remodeling. I now have a shower, so I cannot even begin to guesstimate if this is possible. I am 5'6" and in the "healthy weight" category (neither fat nor thin).

Can you float your upper body in your bathtub? How long is the floor of the tub? What is the longest floor you have seen in a 60 inch tub? For floating, do I need to think about other factors besides length and depth?

Thank you

Comments (12)

  • laughablemoments
    10 years ago

    Not sure if this would help or not, but what I've found challenging about our tub, even though it's a 60" long jet tub, is that my upper body does not get fully submerged because of the way the overflow works on the tub. I just found this "Deep Water Bath" plug that is supposed to help you fill the tub deeper. I just ordered one for my mom for Christmas, so I don't have personal experience with it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Deep Water Bath Plug on Amazon

  • deedles
    10 years ago

    My Kohler Archer bubble tub has a drain that is horizontal and up high so it fills deeper. Load your bath water up with epsom salts... maybe that will make you more buoyant?

  • lascatx
    10 years ago

    Would a Japanese style soaking tub (more vertical -- like a big bucket) be better for you than a horizontal one ?

  • emily_mb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I meant to post this in the bathroom forum, but I spent so much time in this forum when I remodeled my kitchen that I guess the mistake was inevitable!

    Thank you for your responses. A Japanese style tub, ofuro, was my first thought, but after hours of looking I realized that I cannot get it through the bathroom doorway.

    Yes, I am hoping to use Epsom salt and thanks for the tip on the overflow.

    I am considering a Victoria and Albert tub that is quite roomy for having only 60 inches in length. The walls are thin. Anyone have one of their tubs?

  • itsallaboutthefood
    10 years ago

    Have you looked at the Kohler Greek Tub...it's 48" x 32". The water depth is about 18". I don't think you could "float" in it....but you could submerge your upper body I believe.

  • pricklypearcactus
    10 years ago

    I have a 65" x 20" deep Hydrosystems tub and I am 5'6" as well. I can practically completely float in the tub as it's tough for my feet to reach the end and keep my head above water. I think if you got a deeper tub (20"+) you could float your torso.

  • nycbluedevil
    10 years ago

    I have the Kohler Greek. Since it is a regular width it will fit through the door. it is really deep. When I sit, I am covered about up to my neck.

  • emily_mb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This forum rocks! I have gotten more responses than in the bathroom forum. Thank you. I am pretty sure that I am going to go with the Victoria and Albert IOS tub. It has very thin wall that go straight down and so the bottom is 53 inches long even though the top is only 59 inches. The IOS is about 20 inches deep. This has the added advantage that I will not have to take out any walls. Now I am going to look into a circulating pump and an inline heater so that I can re-use the water like a hot tub. Any thoughts on that?

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    I'm confused - how are you supposed to float in a tub that's at least 8" shorter than your body? Cross your legs? I'm about 5'8" and can't stretch out in most 6' tubs, which are considerably shorter than 6' inside. Which makes it almost impossible to float. I suppose I could rest my feet on the wall above the tub (or drape them over the edge if it's a freestanding tub), but that doesn't really feel like floating.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    10 years ago

    "I realized that I cannot get it through the bathroom doorway."

    That tub will go through that doorway for the right price. I've cut new 14' upscale store fixture backislands in half to get them to the second floor in a 10' freight elevator. Oopsie.

  • robo (z6a)
    10 years ago

    I am 5'6" and have a 60" tub insert. If I really scrunch up my legs and slide down my body is about 51" long. My upper body still has contact with the back part of the tub because the back is long and sloping and because the interior 'floor' space of most 60" insert tubs is more along the lines of 40"- 45" which means even with knees bent my head is touching (slash sticking out) the back of the tub.

    You can see this issue in the spec sheet for this tub (which, BTW, I have seen recommended elsewhere on GW for long/deep tubs constrained to 60")

    http://image.mirabelleproducts.com/prodimages/mirabelle/specs/MIRED6030skirted_spec.pdf

    Even in my last 6' soaker tub (which I dearly miss now that I'm down to 5') I couldn't get a good 100% float on because even the larger dimension at the rim was less than 66". Also it had a very sloped back. But had I wanted to scrunch and float it could have been an option.

  • emily_mb
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes, lee676. The idea is to put my feet on the edge and slide my torso down so that it floats.

    Robotropolis, thank you for the info. I love how the people on this site are into precision. Your info tells me that there is most likely nothing else as long as the Victoria and Albert. At 53 inches length at the bottom, nothing else seems to come close. Thanks. I will stop looking.

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