What are the standard dimensions of a walk-in tub?

Ella walk-in tubs are published with three outside dimensions, width, length and height, and the most common footprint is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long, a size that fits many standard tub alcoves. Across the line the verified widths run from 26 inches on the Lounger to 36 inches on the ShaK, lengths from the compact 26 by 45 inch tub up to 72 inch models, and heights from 21 inches on the reclining LayDown to 40 inches on the Lounger. Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists every standard size Ella offers, and this page pulls the verified model figures into one table and explains what each number means for your bathroom.

The Standard Sizes Ella Offers

Ella builds around a set of standard footprints rather than custom shells. The 30 by 52 inch size is the most common, and Ella also offers walk-in tubs in 32x52, 38x52, 30x60, 30x55, 28x52, 27x60 and 26x45 inch sizes, so there is usually a close match for an existing opening. The Monaco is available in a 32 by 53 inch or 32 by 52 inch size, a transfer-style tub is available in a 60 by 30 inch size, and the larger laid-down soaking tubs are commonly sized at 32 by 72 inches.

The size in a model's name is a rounded nominal figure. A tub sold as 28 inches can measure 27.5 inches on the drawing, and a tub described as a 5 foot tub can measure 59.5 inches long. Those half-inch differences are normal rounding in the product name, not an error in the drawing, and the actual inch figure on the current specification drawing is always the one to measure against. When a metric figure printed beside an inch figure disagrees with it, the inch figure is the correct one.

Verified Dimensions by Model

The figures below are the ones that appear on current Ella spec drawings and in the model guides. Where a figure has not been published in those sources the cell says not listed, and the spec sheet for that model is the place to confirm it.

Read across the table and a pattern shows up. Width is where the models differ most for fit, because it is the figure your installer compares with every doorway and hallway on the path into the bathroom, and it runs from 26 inches to 36 inches. Length matters less than you might expect, because a 52 inch tub and a 60 inch tub can both sit in the same 60 inch alcove: Ella tubs shorter than 60 inches include an extension panel that closes the gap at the wall. Height separates the seated tubs, at 35 to 40 inches, from the LayDown at 21 inches, and height is the figure to compare with a window sill, a vanity top or a fixture beside the tub.

Which Figure Is the Width, the Length and the Height

On a walk-in tub the width is the short side that runs from the front of the tub to the back wall, the length is the long side that runs along the wall, and the height runs from the floor to the top of the rim. The larger of the first two figures is almost always the length, because a walk-in tub sits lengthwise in the alcove the way a conventional bathtub does. A listing of 52 by 32 by 42 describes a tub 52 inches long along the wall, 32 inches from front to back and 42 inches tall. The order of the figures varies between listings, so read the labels rather than assuming. Height matters more on a walk-in tub than on a standard bath because the walls are tall enough for seated bathing. Walk-In Tub Dimensions Explained shows where to find the specification drawing for your model.

Footprint Versus Bathing Space

The width by length on a listing describes the exterior footprint the tub occupies on the floor, the outside of the acrylic shell, not the space inside. The interior is described separately by the seat width, the seat length, and the depth from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow. On seated tubs the seat-to-overflow figure runs roughly 15 to 18 inches across the mid-size models, and because it is measured to the overflow it is the real depth you can fill to, not the height of the rim. The seat on several models is 18 inches wide, the Monaco's seat is 23 inches and the ShaK's is 28 inches. The LayDown 30x60 shows both sets of figures side by side: its exterior is 30 inches wide by 60 inches long and 21 inches tall, its flat interior floor is 46 by 20 inches, the soaking space widens to about 53 by 25 1/2 inches above the floor, and the water reaches 15 3/4 inches from the floor to the overflow. Are Walk-In Tub Dimensions the Floor Footprint or the Inside Bathing Space? goes deeper on the interior figures.

Checking a Standard Size Against Your Bathroom

Three checks decide whether a standard size fits. First, measure the width, length and height of your existing tub or shower alcove. Second, measure every doorway and hallway the tub must pass through, and compare the actual exterior width from the spec drawing with your narrowest opening. The video on this page shows where to find those dimensions: open the download tab for the tub you are interested in on the Ella website. The video quotes an older width for the Elite; the current spec sheet lists the Elite at 30 inches, while the Petite figure of 27 1/2 inches in the video matches the current sheet. The ShaK arrives in a large crate, and the team asks for a doorway of at least 36 inches. How Wide Is a Walk-In Tub, and Will It Fit Your Home? works through the doorway question model by model.

Third, decide what the interior needs to do for the bather, because two tubs with a similar footprint can feel very different. The Monaco and the Ultimate are the clearest example. The Monaco is 32 by 52 inches with a 23 inch seat and a threshold of approximately 4 inches, while the Ultimate is the longer tub with a step-in of about 6 to 6.5 inches. If length is tight or a low step matters most, the Monaco is the natural pick, and if the alcove has room for the longer model, the Ultimate is. Ella Ultimate vs Ella Monaco 32x52: Key Differences compares them in full. Because tub and door configurations vary by model, confirm the exact size and layout with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before finalizing your order.

Watch: How to Choose Your Walk-In Tub | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Videos

Common Questions