If you are planning to renovate your bathroom and completely do it yourself then you will need to consider all of the materials that you will need to use before planning anything.

Most people actually do it the other way around and plan before they consider all options but exercising common sense should always come before the excitement and anticipation of having a new bathroom. Considerations that may seem mundane, like tile shims for bathtub installation, are of the utmost importance so do not neglect them.

What Are Tile Shims

Tile shims are actually thin pieces of material that are used to plug gaps when you are undertaking DIY tasks. They are usually in the form of wedges or have tapered edges so as to fit in where needed to support the fixtures and fittings of your home. In fact, tile shims have four main functions – to support, to fill the gaps, to level a surface or to relieve pressure and thus the risk of wear and tear.

Tile shims are actually especially useful in the bathroom if you are renovating or installing a new shower, bathtub or sink. It is important that fixtures and fittings fit in their given place perfectly but that is not always possible considering that people over or under estimate measurements and then find out that they were wrong to do so too late.

However, that is not always the explanation for their use. Instead shims are often used to keep bathtubs in place and watertight. As such they are essential and can be bought at any good DIY store.

Using Tile Shims For Bathtub Installation

The following is a quick guide as to how you should use tile shims for installing a bathtub properly:

1. Construct a frame for the bathtub by nailing four planks of wood together before laying a ¾ inch rim of plywood around the top of the frame. That should also be secured in place but with screws instead of nails.

2. If there are any gaps in the frame or plywood, use shims to level it out.

3. Use the existing hole in the sub floor for drainage and mark the area to lay the frame. Make sure the plunge pool is at an appropriate depth and that the existing drainage system in the floor is still in full working order.

4. Set the tub in the frame and check it with a spirit level to make sure that it is completely level in place. If it is not then use shims to level it off again.

5. Finally attach the frame to the wall and floor. You can use angle screws for this purpose. When this is attached, you should use glue to set the tub in position. Make sure that the glue has fully set before testing the drainage for leaks. If it is fine and no leaks are apparent, you can begin to se the tub the next day.

As you can see, tile shims are extremely important. Without them, you may have no way to level off your bathtub. In fact, the whole construction and installation may fail without tile shims to ensure a level tub. They can also be used for other purposes within the bathroom, but tub installation is the most common use.