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Support Center / Walk-In Tub Models / Using Your Own Faucet: No-Faucet Orders, Pre-Drilled Decks, Wall-Mount Options, and Which Tubs Require a Customer-Supplied Faucet

Using Your Own Faucet: No-Faucet Orders, Pre-Drilled Decks, Wall-Mount Options, and Which Tubs Require a Customer-Supplied Faucet

Updated September 2026

Yes, you can pair an Ella walk-in tub with your own faucet, and on one model you have to. Every seated Ella tub is normally ordered with its fast-fill faucet set and pull-out hand shower already included. The LayDown60 is the exception: it has no faucet option at all and always needs a customer-supplied faucet, usually wall-mounted. The LayDown72 lets you choose No Faucet, 2-piece or 5-piece at order time. On the other seated models a no-faucet order is possible on some tubs, but the deck still arrives drilled for the Ella set, so you need to plan a matching deck-mount faucet or cover plates. This article walks through each case so you and your installer can plan the plumbing before the tub ships.

What Is Included by Default

All of our seated walk-in tubs come with a faucet set, and the team confirms this to customers regularly: the Elite, for example, ships with the 5-piece fast-fill set, and the only tub that does not come with a faucet is the LayDown60. The 2-piece and 5-piece sets both include the extendable multi-function hand shower, two 3/4 inch braided supply lines and the diverter, which is why they are worth keeping unless you have a specific reason not to. The differences between the two sets are in Ella Fast-Fill Faucets: 2-Piece vs 5-Piece.

One shipping detail that causes confusion: the faucet is assembled on the deck but is not hooked up to the supply lines when the tub leaves the factory, so the tub can ship fully drained. Your installer connects the supply lines on site.

This short walkthrough shows the three factory choices side by side, the 2-piece high-flow faucet, the thermostatic control valve (TCV) faucet and the 5-piece high-flow faucet, and makes the point that matters for this article: when your order is placed, your tub is pulled with your name on it and drilled for whatever faucet you selected. The deck is drilled to order, which is exactly why a no-faucet order needs a plan for the holes.

The LayDown Tubs: Two Different Answers

  • LayDown60 (30x60): never sold with a factory faucet. The deck does not have the space for a deck-mounted set, so a pre-existing or new wall-mounted faucet is required. The usual pairing is the Ella waterfall wall-mount faucet with slider bar and hand shower, and the installation overview is in The Waterfall Wall-Mount Faucet.
  • LayDown72 (32x72): faucet-ready. At order time you choose No Faucet, 2-Piece Faucet or 5-Piece Faucet. No-faucet units carry an NF suffix in the model number (for example LA3272NF-L or LA3272NF-R), and the faucet-ready deck lets you pair the tub with your own fixtures. The hand-mixer option on the 32x72 is the only LayDown configuration that needs the barrel extension hose kit.

The full size and feature comparison is in The LayDown Walk-In Tubs: 30x60 vs 32x72.

Ordering a Seated Tub Without the Ella Faucet

Several seated models can be ordered without the faucet set; the Ultimate and the ShaK are two the team has confirmed. Before you do, understand what arrives:

  1. The deck is still pre-drilled for the Ella faucet layout. Standard production decks are drilled, and the team has told customers there is no way to order a standard unit without the holes.
  2. No caps or cover plates are supplied. If you leave the deck fixtures off, you or your installer need cover plates or a deck-mount set that matches the hole pattern.
  3. A no-hole deck is a special order with a long lead, arranged only through the team, so ask early if you truly want a clean deck. Special-order rules are in What Can and Cannot Be Customized on an Ella Tub.
  4. Talk to the team before anyone drills the deck. If your fixture needs a different pattern, ask about factory drilling before the tub ships. The published warranty does not cover damage caused by alteration or modification of the tub, so on-site drilling is your installer's responsibility.

For planning a replacement deck-mount set, the 5-piece holes are typically drilled about 4 inches on center, and the faucet supply connections are 3/4 inch. The 2-piece faucet specification lists a 2 1/2 inch diameter hole for the faucet, a 1/3 inch hole for the mounting rods and a 7/8 inch diagonal hole for the hand shower. If your fixture needs a specific hole diameter, ask for the drilling detail for your model before ordering.

Wall-Mounted Faucets on Any Model

A wall-mounted faucet is allowed on any Ella tub. A small spout is fine as long as it meets the flow you want, and the Ella waterfall wall-mount set with slider bar and hand shower is the pairing we know best. Keep three things in mind:

  • A non-Ella faucet is covered by its own manufacturer's warranty, not by the Ella walk-in bath warranty. See Warranty Exceptions: The TCV One-Year Warranty, Non-Ella Faucets.
  • The pull-out hand shower and the shower column kit both depend on the Ella deck faucet. The shower column is designed for tubs with the Ella 2-piece or 5-piece deck-mount faucet and uses that faucet's hand shower and hose, so a customer faucet changes those accessory options. If you go wall-mounted, choose a wall set that brings its own hand shower, such as the Ella waterfall faucet with slider bar.
  • On a seated tub with a pre-drilled deck, you still need to cover the deck holes when the faucet moves to the wall.

Common Questions

Can I use my own faucet instead of the Ella set?
Yes. A wall-mounted faucet is allowed on any Ella model, and several seated tubs, the Ultimate and the ShaK among them, can be ordered without the Ella faucet set. The deck still arrives drilled for the Ella layout with no caps supplied, so plan on cover plates or a deck-mount fixture that matches the hole pattern. Keep in mind that a non-Ella faucet is covered by its own manufacturer's warranty rather than the Ella walk-in bath warranty.
Can I order the tub without a faucet?
On the LayDown72 it is a standard order-time choice between No Faucet, 2-Piece Faucet and 5-Piece Faucet, and no-faucet units carry an NF suffix in the model number. On seated models such as the Ultimate and the ShaK the team can arrange a no-faucet order, though the deck still arrives pre-drilled for the Ella layout. Confirm the option for your specific model with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the order is placed.
Are the deck holes pre-drilled if I skip the faucet?
Yes. Standard production decks are drilled for the Ella faucet layout whether or not the faucet set is ordered, and the team has told customers there is no way to order a standard unit without the holes. No caps or cover plates are supplied, so you or your installer will need cover plates or a deck-mount set that matches the hole pattern. A deck with no holes is a special order arranged only through the team.
Which faucet do I use on the LayDown60?
A wall-mounted faucet, either pre-existing or new. The LayDown60 is never sold with a factory faucet because its deck does not have the space for a deck-mounted set. The usual pairing is the Ella waterfall wall-mount faucet with slider bar and hand shower, and its installation overview is in the waterfall wall-mount faucet article.
Can I get a tub with no holes in the deck?
Only as a special order arranged through the team, and it carries a long lead compared with a standard unit. Standard production decks are always drilled, so if a clean deck is essential to your design, raise it with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 early, before the order is placed. The special-order rules are in the customization options and limits article.
Can I install a wall-mounted faucet with a walk-in tub?
Yes, a wall-mounted faucet is allowed on every Ella model, and a small spout is fine as long as it meets the flow you want. Remember that a non-Ella faucet carries its own manufacturer's warranty, and that the pull-out hand shower and the shower column kit both depend on the Ella deck faucet, so choose a wall set that brings its own hand shower, such as the Ella waterfall faucet with slider bar. On a seated tub with a pre-drilled deck you will still need to cover the deck holes.
Does the tub ship with the faucet already connected?
No. The faucet is assembled on the deck at the factory, but it is not hooked up to the supply lines, so the tub can ship fully drained. Your installer makes the hot and cold supply connections on site, using the two braided supply lines included with the Ella set.
What are the faucet hole spacing and supply sizes?
The 5-piece holes are typically drilled about 4 inches on center, and the faucet supply connections are 3/4 inch, with two 5 foot braided 3/4 inch supply lines included in the Ella set. The 2-piece faucet specification lists a 2 1/2 inch diameter hole for the faucet, a 1/3 inch hole for the mounting rods and a 7/8 inch diagonal hole for the hand shower. If your fixture needs a specific hole diameter, ask for the drilling detail for your model before ordering.

Not sure which configuration to order? Send your model, your faucet plan and a photo of the deck to ellasbubbles.com/support/new and we will confirm the right choice before the tub is built.

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