How do I fill the gap when my walk-in tub is smaller than the space?

A gap along the length of the opening is closed with the extension panel that ships with most Ella tubs shorter than 60 inches, a part made to match the tub so a 52 or 55 inch model fills a standard 60 inch alcove and looks built in, as laid out in Extension panels and filler kits: fitting your walk-in tub into a 60 inch alcove. A gap from front to back, where the tub is narrower than the old tub pocket, has no factory part and is framed and finished by your licensed installer, and any short end that stands open to the room is covered by the reversible end panel that comes with every tub, with a second end panel available when both ends are exposed. This page sorts out which gap you have and which part, or which piece of carpentry, closes it.

Gap Along the Length: The Extension Panel

Walk-in tub extension panels, also called filler kits, let a 52 to 55 inch Ella tub fill a three-wall 60 inch alcove with a clean, finished look. The panel can be placed on the left or right side of the tub, rests on adjustable stainless steel shelf brackets that are part of the tub frame, and can be trimmed for an alcove that is out of square or an unusual size. It also doubles as a shelf for towels, shampoo and soap, which is why many owners end up preferring it to a plain filled wall. Tubs 60 inches and longer do not need one. The panel sizes that are published by model are:

• Standard, Elite, Petite, Royal and Ultra: a 7 inch panel. The Ultra also includes its reversible end panel.
• Flow: a 12 1/2 inch panel for 60 inch alcoves.
• Deluxe: a 4 inch panel.
• Capri, Transfer26, Transfer30 and Transfer32: an 8 inch panel.
• TransferXXL: a 5 inch panel.
• Monaco and Lounger: available.
• Standard60, Zen60, Ultimate and Transfer60: not needed, because they are already 60 inch tubs.
• Front Entry, Mobile, Big4One and ShaK, and the two-seat Tub4Two, Companion, Escape and Big4Two: no extension panel, because they fill their space on their own.

If your tub is one of the models with no panel and the opening is still longer than the tub, your installer frames and finishes the remaining length as part of the bathroom work, the same way a contractor boxes in the end of any alcove. Where a panel is included and you do not need it, you can opt out of receiving it to reduce plastic waste. For the Petite, plan with the actual width of 27.5 inches from the current spec sheet; the 27 inch figure in the older extension-kit table of the stainless-family manual is a misprint.

Gap Front to Back: When the Tub Is Narrower Than the Space

The extension panel works only along the length of the opening. It does not make a tub wider, so if your old tub pocket is deeper from the back wall to the front edge than the new tub, nothing in the crate fills that space. Measure the width from the finished back wall to the front edge of the opening separately from the length, compare it with the width on the spec sheet for your model, and raise any front to back difference with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before you order. The usual answer is for the installer to fur out or frame the back wall so the tub rim meets a finished surface, or to build a short knee wall behind the tub, which also gives the plumbing, wiring and a wall-mounted grab bar somewhere to live. The tub does not depend on that wall for support, because it stands on its own stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs.

Exposed Short Ends: The End Panel and the Toe Kick

Every Ella tub comes with a finished front apron and one reversible end panel, so whichever short end is exposed can be covered. The end panel hides the shell edge, the plumbing and the frame, and because it is reversible the same part works on the left or the right end. It attaches with two white screws, often taped to the back of the panel or tucked in the parts box inside the tub, and it adds no length to the tub, which is why it is so often confused with the extension panel. What Is an End Panel on a Walk-In Tub? explains the part itself.

When both ends are open, as when the tub sits against a single back wall or in the middle of a large bathroom, you add a second end panel. End panels are cut for a specific model and door side, so a request needs your model, serial number and door side, and the panel can be added to the original order or bought later through where you purchased the tub. The Front Entry includes two side end panels because its door is at the end of the tub, and wider models such as the ShaK include one end panel for the 36 inch side with an additional panel available for the other end. How Do I Install a Second End Panel on a Freestanding Ella Tub? walks through the install, which happens after the tub has been moved into place, leveled and water tested. The panels sit on adjustable stainless brackets and are held by screws at the bottom that come with white caps for a smooth white finish. Between the front apron and the floor, a 2 inch toe kick panel covers the gap; it usually ships installed and is trimmed along its bottom edge if the tub was set lower than standard height.

The Long Back Side: The One Side with No Factory Cover

No Ella model has a factory panel for the long back side opposite the door. That side sits against an existing wall or against a short knee wall your contractor frames, and that is the one rule that limits how freestanding the tub can look. With the back on a wall or knee wall, the tub can sit in a three-wall alcove, in a corner with the included end panel on the open end, against a single back wall with a second end panel so both ends are finished, or in the middle of a room with a framed knee wall behind it. Can the Tub Be Freestanding? Exposed Ends, Second End Panels, and Knee Walls shows each of those layouts, and Can My Walk-In Tub Sit Freestanding With the Sides Exposed? gives the side-by-side check to run on your sketch.

Finish the knee wall and any tiled side with a tile flange and 100 percent silicone at every joint, the same way an alcove is finished. Keep the front apron and the end panels clear of tile, framing and insulation, because the pumps, heater, control boxes and plumbing are all serviced through those removable panels, and no insulation goes around the equipment. Level the tub with every leg bearing before the knee wall or finish work is closed up, and complete the water test with the panels open.

Before You Order: A Quick Checklist

1. Sketch the room and mark every side of the tub that will be exposed: left end, right end, front and back.
2. Measure the length of the opening and compare it with the tub length. The difference is what the extension panel, or your installer's framing on the models without one, has to fill.
3. Measure the width from the back wall to the front edge and compare it with the spec sheet width. Raise any difference with the team before ordering, since no panel fills it.
4. Count exposed short ends. One is covered by the included end panel; two needs a second end panel ordered with your model, serial number and door side.
5. Plan a wall or knee wall for the back side, and make sure the front apron stays reachable.
6. Remove every removable panel, including the apron, end panel and extension panel, before the tub is moved into the house, and lift the tub only by its frame.

For confirmation on your layout, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model, serial number, door side and a sketch or photo showing which sides will be open, and the team will confirm what is included and what to add.

Related Guides

• The Extension Panel: What Ships With Your Tub, Where It Installs, and When to Set It Aside
• End Panels, Extension Panels, and Aprons: Getting the Right Replacement Panel
• Can an Ella End Panel or Extension Panel Be Trimmed to Fit?

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