The step-in threshold height on an Ella walk-in tub is the low lip you cross at the door, and depending on the model and how the drain is installed it runs from about 3.5 to 7 inches, compared with the roughly 18 to 22 inch wall of a standard bathtub. Published drawing values and the figures our team gives are listed below; if the threshold is critical for the bather, ask the team for your exact model's figure in writing before ordering.

Thresholds by Model

• Monaco: 3 5/8 in (technical drawing). Mobile: about 3 3/4 in (drawing).
• Transfer32: about 4 to 4.5 in per our team. Outward tub OA3252H: about 4 3/4 in.
• Big4One: about 5 in. ShaK: about 5 in. Ultra: about 6 in. Elite: about 6.5 in (figures given by our team).
• General guidance from our team: most in-swing tubs land around 4 to 5 in and some outward-swing tubs around 6 in. The Transfer family and the Capri are among the lowest at roughly 3.5 to 4 inches.
• Legacy S-Class: 6 in standard or 3 in low-threshold versions.

Lowering the Threshold

Thresholds can be reduced to about 3 to 3.5 inches when the tub is set lower and the drain body sits below the subfloor. The leveling legs let the tub sit lower, but the drain then needs a subfloor opening, and the bottom of the apron or end panel is trimmed to clear the floor. Cutting those parts voids warranty coverage on the altered panels only, so plan it with your installer and read lowering the tub and recessed installations first. The S-Class 3 inch version was built this way and always required subfloor drain access.

This legacy S-Class video is the clearest illustration of how threshold height and drain placement are linked. The S-Class came with a 3 inch low threshold, where the frame was lowered to the floor and the drain needed subfloor access, or a 6 inch standard threshold, where the frame was raised so the drain could pass beneath the tub above the floor. The 6 inch models had jets in the floor, while the low-threshold models had their jets raised off the floor, and the video stresses that the leveling legs are crucial for door alignment. The same trade-off applies to current models. See the S-Class legacy series for that lineup.

Threshold vs Door Opening vs Seat Height

• Door openings run about 17 to 20 inches wide on U-shape doors (19 1/4 in clear on the Monaco and Mobile drawings); L-shape Transfer doors open the full side. Published widths and arcs are in door opening widths and swing arcs by model.
• Seat heights target the 17 to 19 inch range used for accessible toilets; the Ultra's 17 inch seat height is called out as ADA-compliant on its spec sheet.
• Outward doors also need floor clearance in front (about 21 in for the U-shape, 36.5 in for the L-shape), which is separate from the step-in height. See outward door swing clearance.

The Ultra video ties the numbers together for one model: a frameless brushed aluminum inward door, an ADA-height 17 inch seat, a 19 inch seat length, a 17.5 inch soaking depth, a 42 inch interior length and 24 inches of shoulder width, plus the reversible extension panel for a 60 inch alcove and magnetic access panels for service. The Ultra profile has the full spec.

Common Questions

For anything model-specific, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.