How do you fill the alcove gap when installing the 45 inch Ella Mobile?

Ella does not offer an extension panel for the Mobile, so when a 45 inch Mobile is set into a wider three-wall alcove, the remaining space is framed and finished by your installer rather than closed with a factory filler panel. The Mobile is designed for a 45 inch space or a corner, where its reversible end panel finishes the exposed end and there is no gap to fill. Extension panels and filler kits: fitting your walk-in tub into a 60 inch alcove lists every model that ships with a panel and the few, including the Mobile, that do not.

Why There Is No Extension Panel for the Mobile

An extension panel, also called a filler kit, is the trimmable side panel that fills the gap between a 52 to 55 inch Ella tub and a standard 60 inch three-wall alcove. It rests on adjustable stainless steel shelf brackets that are part of the tub frame, is cut on site to suit an out-of-square wall, and doubles as a shelf for towels and soaps. Panel widths follow the tub length, from the 7 inch panel on the Standard and Elite down to the 4 inch panel on the Deluxe. The video on this page shows how those bracket-mounted panels work on the tubs that include one, which is exactly the system the Mobile does without.

The Mobile sits outside that system. Its overall length is 45 inches and its width 26 inches, and it is grouped with the Front Entry, Big4One and Shak as a model with no extension panel. Panels are cut for a specific tub, and no Mobile panel exists to order later through where you purchased the tub. What Is an Extension Panel (Filler Kit) on a Walk-In Tub? explains the kit in more detail if you are weighing the Mobile against a model that includes one.

What the Installer Does Instead

For models with no extension panel, the installer frames and finishes any remaining space in the alcove. The sequence follows the same order as any Ella alcove installation. The tub is set and leveled first on its adjustable leveling legs, planned around the actual size of 45 inches long by 26 inches wide by 39 1/4 inches high rather than the model name. Only then is the open space beside it framed and finished to match the room, and the walls above the deck are finished with tile or a surround over an aftermarket tile flange so water runs back into the tub. What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub? describes that three-wall layout and the finishing steps.

Two details matter more on a framed-in gap than on a factory panel. First, ask your installer to add a wall access panel behind the plumbing end so the pump and drain connections can be reached without disturbing tile, and never let the space around the tub be packed with insulation. Second, the Mobile's outward door swings open 165 degrees, so the front of the tub must be left clear; the framed section belongs beside the tub, never in front of it. Ella ships parts under the warranty and provides technical support, while the framing, plumbing and electrical work is done by your local licensed contractor.

When the Open Side Is an End, Not a Wall

If the Mobile is going into a corner or against a single wall rather than a three-wall alcove, there is no gap at all, and this is the layout the tub was designed for. Every Ella walk-in tub includes one reversible end panel that can be placed on either side of the tub, and it closes the exposed end. If you need both ends finished, a second end panel can be purchased through where you purchased the tub. The distinction matters when you talk to the team: a gap at a freestanding end calls for the end panel, while a gap at a wall on a model without an extension panel calls for site-built framing. Why Doesn't the Extension Panel Attach on the Faucet Side? walks through the end panel and the extension panel and when each is the right piece.

Measure Before Anyone Frames

Get the opening measured before the tub arrives, so the installer knows what the framed section must cover. Measure the alcove wall to wall at the back and at the front, since alcoves are rarely square, and allow for the thickness of tile and drywall on the finished walls. Compare that with the Mobile's actual 45 inch length, and note which end of the tub faces the gap and which side the door is on. Measure the doorway width along the route as well, since the tub has to travel through it. The general method for measuring an alcove is in Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit.

If you want the team to confirm the plan, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your model, serial number, door side, a photo of each end of the frame and a sketch of the alcove with measurements in inches. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 will confirm what was built and what can be added.

If You Would Rather Have a Factory-Finished Fit

If the alcove is a standard 60 inch opening and the doorway can pass a larger tub, choosing a model that includes an extension panel avoids a site-built filler altogether and gives the built-in look most people want. The Standard, Zen and Flow include a panel for 60 inch alcoves, the Flow being the compact choice among them. The Elite, Petite and Royal use a 7 inch panel, the Deluxe a 4 inch panel, the Capri and the Transfer26, Transfer30 and Transfer32 an 8 inch panel, and the TransferXXL a 5 inch panel, while a panel is available for the Monaco and Lounger. When planning around the Petite, use its actual width of 27.5 inches from the current spec sheet. Tubs built at 60 inches, such as the Ultimate, Standard60, Zen60 and Transfer60, need no panel at all. The choice comes down to the same two measurements: the opening you must fill and the doorway the tub must pass. The Mobile is the answer when the doorway or the space, not the alcove, is what limits you.

Watch: Ellas Bubbles: Extension Panels or "Filler Kits" For Alcove Installation with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Will it fit my alcove? Extension panels, end panels, and 60 inch spaces
• The Extension Panel: What Ships With Your Tub, Where It Installs, and When to Set It Aside
• Installing the U-Shape Outward-Swing Family, Part 2: Drains, Faucet, Electrical, Grab Bar, the Capri and Monaco Extension Kit, Door Check and Walls

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