The Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow share one platform inside Ella's lineup, and it installs a little differently from every other Ella walk-in tub. There is one 2 inch gravity drain instead of a dual drain, the front legs are screwed down to the subfloor, the push controls run on small air lines that must be tightened before the walls close, and the extension kit uses its own bracket set with a side panel that is trimmed 3/8 inch for a flush fit. This article collects those platform-specific steps in one place for you and your installer.

What Makes This Family Different

All five models use the inward-swing acrylic S-shape door on a stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs. The Standard and Zen are the 30 by 52 class tubs, the Standard60 and Zen60 are the 30 by 60 class tubs, and the Flow is the compact 28 by 48 tub. All five are hydro-massage tubs with push controls and an intensity dial, and the in-line water heater runs automatically with the hydro pump. The Standard, Standard60, Zen and Zen60 require one dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt GFCI-protected line. The Flow is specified at 15 amps, and it is the only Ella tub listed at 15 amps, so make sure your electrician works from the Flow spec sheet. Model comparisons live in the Standard and Standard60 profile, the Zen and Zen60 profile and the Flow profile.

One Drain, Multiple Ports, One Cap

This is the single-drain family. Each tub comes with one 2 inch gravity drain, one overflow, a chain-operated removable drain plug and an emergency pull-up chain inside the tub. Under the tub, the drain feeds an Ella 2 inch T-type floor drain body with multiple ports, so your installer can connect the house drain from either direction. The included end cap closes whichever port is not used, and both ports may be connected if that suits the plumbing. The spec sheet describes the drain body as a four-port T-type fitting; that wording refers to the fitting under the tub, not to multiple drains. The tub itself has one drain and one opener.

• Verify the house drain flows freely before connecting anything. A slow house drain stays slow no matter how the tub is plumbed.
• Prefer a Y fitting over a T fitting where two outlets join. Fewer turns means less resistance and faster draining.
• The drain must open completely to empty the tub and close completely so the bath does not lose water.
• PVC connections to the house drain are not included, and reducers can adapt smaller drain pipes.

Legs: Every One Touching, Front Legs Screwed Down

The manuals for this family are explicit. All leveling legs must touch the floor with equal weight, all legs must be tightened firmly, and there must be no gap between the floor and any leveling leg. Then the front legs are screwed into the subfloor to assure stability. An unlevel tub warps the frame, misaligns the door, leaks, and voids the warranty. The tub is leveled at the factory, but the installer re-verifies on your floor and adjusts the legs until the door closes smoothly into a watertight seal. The full method is in the leveling guide.

The Push-Control Air Pipe: Tighten It Before the Walls Close

The push controls on this platform are not electrical switches at the deck. Each one connects to an air hose that passes through the acrylic shell and is held by a back nut. The manual warns in capital letters to make sure the air pipe connection to the push controls is properly tightened and that the push controls are functioning before finalizing installation. If a push button does nothing right after install, a loose air pipe connection behind the button is the first thing to check, and it is far easier to reach while the apron is still off.

The Economy Extension Kit and the 3/8 Inch Side-Panel Cut

Tubs shorter than 60 inches include an extension panel so they fill a standard 60 inch alcove. On this platform the reversible extension kit is different from the kits used on other Ella families. It contains two L-shaped stainless steel brackets, one L-shaped plastic bracket, two pressure metal clips and four 13 mm nuts, plus the mounting screws, washers and bolts. The Standard and Zen include the extension panel, and the Flow includes its kit for 60 inch alcoves. The Standard60 and Zen60 are already 60 inches long and need no extension kit at all.

1. Install the three extension support brackets from the kit.
2. Clamp the extension panel to the tub shell, lining up the top and the front facade.
3. Pre-drill mounting holes 3/8 inch wider than the screws so the panel can be adjusted at the end.
4. Mount the extension with the seven screws, washers and bolts.
5. Apply silicone or white caulk as needed.

The side panel then has to be cut 3/8 inch so it sits flush against the wall and attaches correctly. Identify the overlap, tape the panel, mark a line 3/8 inch from top to bottom, clamp a metal straight edge, and cut with a saw blade. On the Standard and Zen the side panel attaches with magnets: the magnets sit on the frame against the tabs inside the panel. The Flow manual describes the same cut with a hook-and-loop attachment pressed onto the frame and the inside of the panel. Kit contents for every other family are compared in extension panels and filler kits by model.

Video: Fitting the Standard into a 60 Inch Alcove

This short walkthrough shows the Standard set into a 60 inch alcove with the end panel on the faucet side and the 7 inch extension panel on the other side. If the tub is tight in the alcove with the extension panel fitted, the video recommends trimming the corner piece off the main tub apron for a cleaner, tighter fit, or simply sliding the tub in with the standard end piece and apron and leaving the end panel off. It also points out the single plug shared by the hydro pump and in-line heater, which must always go to a dedicated GFCI outlet on a GFCI breaker, and the frame access points for door adjustment on site.

Common Questions

If your installer has a question we have not covered here, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support/new or call (800) 480-6850 and we will walk through it together.