Which Ella walk-in tub size fits my space, seat and height needs?

Ella walk-in tubs run from the 26 by 45 inch Mobile and the 32 by 40 inch Front Entry up to the 36 by 72 inch ShaK, with two-seat tubs reaching 36 by 80 inches, and seat widths run from 19 to 29 inches. The right model is the one whose exterior footprint fits your opening and your route in, whose seat is wider than your hips, and whose height suits your window and your bather. What are the standard dimensions of a walk-in tub? lists the verified width, length and height for each model, and this page turns those figures into a chooser: which model to look at for a given length, seat width, height and therapy preference, plus the floor load and stock questions that follow once you have a model in mind.

Models Side by Side, from the Smallest Footprint Up

What the differences mean: length decides whether the tub drops into your opening, width decides whether it passes your doorways, seat width decides whether the bather sits comfortably, and height decides what happens under a window sill. The table also shows why the model name is only a starting point. The Petite is marketed as 28 inches but measures 27.5, and two tubs with the same 32 by 52 footprint, the Transfer32 and the Monaco, serve different bathers because of their door and seat.

Start with the Exterior Footprint, Not the Name

The width by length on an Ella listing or spec sheet is the outside of the acrylic shell, the footprint the tub occupies on the floor, and it is the number to check against your alcove and against every doorway and hallway on the way in. The inside is described separately by seat width, seat length and the depth from the seat to the overflow. Model names are rounded figures, so a tub sold as 28 inches can measure 27.5 inches and a tub described as 5 feet can measure 59.5 inches long. Where a metric figure printed beside an inch figure disagrees with it, the inch figure is the correct one. Ella's measuring video shows where to find the exact dimensions: open the download tab for the tub on the website and read the spec drawing. Are Walk-In Tub Dimensions the Floor Footprint or the Inside Bathing Space? explains which published figure is which.

Match the Seat to the Bather

Ella's tub selection video asks you to start with your own measurements before you look at any footprint. Take specific hip measurements, because the tub seat must be wider than your hip size, then check that the tub's shoulder width suits you. To judge length, sit in a chair facing a wall and measure from your head to your feet in a relaxed position, then compare that with the interior length on the spec sheet.

• Seat widths across the line run from 19 to 29 inches. The narrowest seats are 19 inches on the Petite and Transfer26, the Big4One and Transfer32 have 24 inch seats, the ShaK seat is 28 inches and the TransferXXL is widest at 29 inches.
• Seat height is about 17 inches on most models, and a seat pillow riser adds a few inches on the models it fits.
• Soaking depth is set by three factors: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow. The Transfer video gives the Transfer32 as 44 inches of interior length, a 15 1/2 inch seat length and a 14 1/2 inch soaking depth, and the Transfer30 as a 30 by 52 tub with a 22 inch seat and the same 44 inches of interior length.
• On seated tubs the seat-to-overflow depth runs roughly 15 to 18 inches across the mid-size models, and because it is measured to the overflow it is the depth you can really fill to.

Tub Height and the Space Above the Rim

Height is the figure people forget until a window sill gets in the way. Most Ella models stand about 40 inches, the stainless steel door 52 inch tubs, the Elite, Petite and Royal, are 35 inches, the Standard family is about 37.5 to 38 inches, the Deluxe, ShaK and Big4One are about 39 to 39.5 inches, and the LayDown tubs are 21 inches at the rim. A published 30 inch width is the tub shell itself and does not count an exterior door handle, which can be removed or repositioned at installation. Measure from the floor to the bottom of any window sill in your alcove and compare it with the model's height before you settle on a tub.

Lengths and Widths Across the Line, Including Two-Seat and Lay-Down Tubs

The most common walk-in tub footprint is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long, and Ella also offers 32x52, 38x52, 30x60, 30x55, 28x52, 27x60 and 26x45 inch sizes. The Monaco comes in 32 by 53 or 32 by 52 inches, a transfer-style tub comes in 60 by 30 inches, and the HomeCare transfer bathtub with a fast fill water tank is 32 by 60 inches. Lay-down tubs are built 30 inches wide by 60 inches long and 32 inches wide by 72 inches long. On the two-seat side, the Tub4Two and the Companion are 32 by 60 inches, the Escape is 36 by 72 inches and the Big4Two is 36 by 80 inches. There is no 34 inch wide tub in a 60 inch length; Ella's 60 inch walk-in tub is 30 by 60, with an inward-swing or outward-swing door, and it can have hydro massage jets, an inline heater and a pull-out handheld shower. If you want a 60 inch tub with no jets, the Lounger, the LayDown60, the Transfer60 and the HomeCare can each be ordered as soaking tubs, while the Standard60, the Zen60 and the Ultimate come as massage tubs only. A tub shorter than 60 inches includes an extension panel that closes the gap at the wall, so a 52 inch tub still fits a standard 60 inch alcove. How Do I Evaluate a Walk-In Tub's Footprint for a Small Bathroom? walks the compact models through a tight room, and Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists every standard footprint with the measuring steps.

Floor Load and Framing

Ella's owner's manuals require a level subfloor that meets local construction code and supports the total weight of the tub, the bather and the water together. Most standard size Ella tubs weigh 200 to 240 pounds empty and hold 65 to 107 gallons unoccupied, and water weighs about 8.34 pounds per gallon, so add the unoccupied gallons at that weight and the bather's weight to the empty tub weight to see the load your floor carries. That load reaches the floor through the leveling legs, at least six on every tub and up to eight on many models, and every leg must touch the floor with equal weight or the shell can warp and the door can go out of alignment. For framing, work from the actual inch figures on the current spec drawing, which also lists the door swing and the technical requirements for your plumber and electrician, and remember that the door and the drains sit on opposite sides. Have your licensed contractor evaluate the joists before installation day, and ask the team for the drawing of the model you are considering so the front of seat and footprint measurements are in hand.

Related Guides

• How do I measure my bathroom and myself for a walk-in tub?
• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub
• Interior Length, Seat-to-Overflow and Seat-to-Footwell by Model: The Soaking Depth Table

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