What size is the Monaco walk-in tub and will it fit a 60 inch alcove?

The Ella Monaco is a 32 inch wide by 52 inch long walk-in tub, and its spec drawing shows an overall length of 51 3/4 inches, a width of 31 3/4 inches and a height of 39 1/4 inches. It fits a standard 60 inch alcove because an Ella tub shorter than 60 inches uses an extension panel to close the remaining space at one end. Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists every standard size, and this page gathers the Monaco's own figures, how the gap is filled, and how to measure your existing tub space.

The Monaco's Published Size, Inside and Out

The Monaco is one of Ella's most popular tubs with an outward-swing U-shape door. It is listed as available in a 32 by 53 inch or 32 by 52 inch size, and the size in a model's name is a rounded nominal figure. The drawing on the Monaco spec sheet gives the measured figures to plan around:

• Overall length: 51 3/4 inches.
• Width: 31 3/4 inches.
• Height: 39 1/4 inches.
• Door: swings 165 degrees outward, with a door opening width of 19 1/4 inches.
• Step-in threshold: approximately 4 inches, drawn at 3 5/8 inches.
• Leveling legs: adjustable.

Those outside figures describe the footprint the tub occupies on the floor, not the bathing space inside. For comfort, Ella's Monaco video gives the interior numbers: a 23 inch wide seat that accommodates almost any size bather, 16 inches of seat length for leg support, a generous 26 inches of shoulder width, and an interior length of 42 inches that suits an average size bather. Are Walk-In Tub Dimensions the Floor Footprint or the Inside Bathing Space? explains how the two sets of numbers work together.

The Monaco Next to Other Common Alcove Sizes

The table compares the Monaco with tubs it is often measured against, using only figures published in the current Ella sources. Where a figure is not published there, the cell says not listed.

What the differences mean for you: in length, the Monaco behaves like every other 52 inch Ella tub, so a 60 inch alcove is the opening it is designed to fill with a panel. Where the Monaco stands apart is width. At 32 inches it is wider than the 30 inch Capri and Elite, which gives you the wider interior and the 23 inch seat, and it also means your doorways and your alcove depth need to be checked against 32 inches instead of 30. The Monaco's outward door adds one more requirement that an inward-swing tub such as the Elite does not have, which is clear floor in front of the tub.

How the Gap Is Filled When the Tub Is Shorter Than the Alcove

Most bathrooms were framed around a 60 inch tub, so that is the opening you are usually filling. Tubs that are 60 inches or longer fill the space on their own. Most 52 and 55 inch models fill the remaining space with an Ella extension panel that mounts at the end of the tub frame, so the finished installation looks built in. Extension panels can be cut down to size, which is how a standard tub fits an alcove that is slightly larger than the tub without a custom unit.

The walls above the deck are then 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? covers the full picture, including two details worth planning with your installer:

• Service access. In an alcove the plumbing end of the tub is against a wall, so ask your installer to add a wall access panel behind the plumbing end. Pumps and drain connections can then be reached without disturbing tile.
• Accessories. A shower column installed on a tub with an extension panel uses the long 4 to 5 inch pipe connector to reach the wall, and the 4-fold glass screen converts to a 3-fold screen by removing one section to suit a 52 inch tub in a 60 inch alcove.

The second video on this page shows the idea on another 52 inch tub, the Ella Standard, which is a 30 by 52 tub with an end panel for the faucet side and a 7 inch extension panel on the other side for a snug fit in a 60 inch alcove. That 7 inch figure belongs to the Standard. For the Monaco, confirm the extension panel that goes with your order with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

How to Measure Your Existing Tub Space

Before choosing a size, measure the space where your old tub or shower sits, and write every figure in inches.

1. Measure the alcove width, length and height. Take the wall to wall width of the opening at the back and again at the front, since the two are not always the same.
2. Compare with the actual size, not the name. Plan around the actual inch figures on the current spec sheet. For the Monaco, that means the 51 3/4 inch length and 31 3/4 inch width on the drawing.
3. Check the floor in front of the tub. The Monaco video shows the actual external dimensions including the 21 inch clearance needed for the outswing door, which swings 165 degrees outward.
4. Measure the route in. Measure the entry door, each hallway, each corner and the bathroom door at the tightest point, with door stops and trim in place.

If you contact the team about fit, have the opening width at the back and front, the model name and the actual size from the spec sheet ready, so the extension panel and fit can be confirmed quickly.

Do Not Forget the Doorway

Width is what usually decides whether a tub reaches the bathroom. The Monaco and the Capri are the same outward-swing design in two widths, 32 inches for the Monaco and 30 inches for the Capri. One customer found the Monaco would not pass through their bathroom doorway and moved to the Capri for that reason alone, keeping the same depth and seat height. Will a Walk-In Tub Fit Through a Standard Bathroom Doorway? walks through the path measurements, and What are the standard dimensions of a walk-in tub? shows where the Monaco sits in the full size range.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Installation Tips For The Ella Standard Walk-In Tub with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Monaco vs. Capri: What Actually Differs Between Ella's Two Outward-Swing 52-Inch Tubs
• Ella Ultimate vs Ella Monaco 32x52: Key Differences
• 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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