Which Ella walk-in tub fits an alcove shorter than 60 inches?

For an alcove that measures less than 60 inches between the finished walls, the Ella models to look at are the ones whose actual length is shorter than the opening: the 55 inch Deluxe for an opening in the high fifties, and the 52 inch Elite, Petite, Royal, Monaco and Transfer30 for anything from 52 inches up. Every Ella tub shorter than 60 inches ships with an extension panel that mounts at the end of the frame and closes the leftover space, so the installation still looks built in. What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub? explains the three-wall opening itself, and this page sorts the models for openings between 52 and 60 inches, works through a 52 by 30 inch space with a heated seat and a left-hand inward door, and explains what happens when the alcove is wider than 60 inches instead.

The Models That Fit Under 60 Inches

Model names are rounded nominal sizes, so the table uses the actual exterior sizes from the current spec sheets. Width comes first, then length, because length decides whether the tub drops into the opening and width decides whether it passes the doorway and fits the depth of the alcove. The door clearance figures come from Ella's door video, which shows the three door styles: outward swing U-shape doors need 21 inches of clearance in front, the L-shape outward door needs 36.5 inches, and the inward swing stainless steel and acrylic doors open toward the seat and claim no floor in front of the tub.

What the differences mean: for an opening of 58 inches, the Deluxe is the model the team most often suggests, because it uses almost all of the length and its 29.5 inch width sits comfortably inside a 31 inch depth. The models and sizes overview makes the same point, calling a 30 by 55 inch tub with an extension panel a good option for smaller bathrooms where swing room matters, and Walk-in Tub Models and Sizes: Soakers, Transfer, Two-Person, and Inswing Options places it among the other families. The 52 inch models leave more open length for the extension panel, which helps when you want room at the faucet end or when the route in is narrow, since the Petite at 27.5 inches is the narrowest of them. The Ultimate is the one that will not go in: its actual length is 59.5 inches, so it fills a 60 inch alcove and has no extension panel. For openings of 55 inches and shorter, including the Mobile and the Front Entry, see Which walk-in tubs or tub shower combos fit a space 55 inches or shorter?.

How the Extension Panel Closes the Gap

Tubs that are 60 inches or longer fill a standard alcove on their own. Shorter tubs ship with an extension panel that mounts at the end of the tub frame, along with a reversible end panel, and the panel supplied is sized for a standard 60 inch alcove, so any opening shorter than that is well within what it covers. 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. A few accessory details change when the panel is in use. 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, which is how it fits a 52 inch tub in a 60 inch alcove. Mention the alcove and the panel when you ask about either accessory. The Front Entry and the Mobile have no extension panel, so with those two models the installer frames and finishes the remaining space instead.

A 52 by 30 Inch Space with a Heated Seat and a Left-Hand Inward Door

The first model to look at for a 52 by 30 inch opening is the Elite, which measures 30 by 52 inches with a brushed stainless steel door that opens inward toward the seat and is held shut by the water once the tub fills. The stainless door family comes with both a deck-mounted grab bar and a wall-mounted safety grab bar, and the heated seat and backrest is available as an option. Door side is chosen at order time, so a left-hand door is a normal order rather than a special one. The door hand also fixes which end the drains fall on, so tell the team which end your existing drain is on when you call. If you would rather have the acrylic S-shape inward door, the Standard at 30 by 52 inches is the 52 inch choice in that family, and Which Ella walk-in tub is easiest to step into for a small bathroom? compares the door styles and heights for a cramped room. One caution on a 52 inch shell in a 52 inch opening: measure at the finished wall surface and at the tightest point, because tile and backer board take up space that a stud-to-stud figure does not show. On timing, Ella tubs are assembled, jetted and tested to order, so delivery depends on the model, the options and current stock. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 confirms the timing for your specific order.

Clearance Units in a 52 Inch Length

Among the 52 inch models that are not wheelchair transfer tubs, the stainless inward door group is the Elite, the Royal and the Petite, the outward U-shape group is the Capri at 30 by 52 and the Monaco at 32 by 52, and the acrylic S-shape door group is the Standard and the Zen at 30 by 52. Which of them is sitting in the warehouse as a clearance or open-box unit changes constantly, because every clearance tub is one specific unit identified by its own serial number, built with one door side and one therapy package. Call (800) 480-6850 with the serial number from the listing and the team can confirm the unit is still available and tell you its model, door side and package before you measure for it.

When the Alcove Is Wider Than 60 Inches

The extension panel included with tubs shorter than 60 inches is sized for a standard 60 inch alcove. If your gap is wider than the panel supplied, your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can arrange a panel for it; have your model, serial number and the measured gap ready. Full-length models such as the Zen60 and Standard60 do not offer an extension panel, so for those tubs the installer frames in the extra space for a clean, finished look. Whatever the opening, measure it the same way: the length between the finished walls at both ends, the width from the back wall to the front edge of the alcove, the height from the floor to the bottom of any window sill, and the doorways and turns on the route in, since the tub arrives in one piece. How big is a standard bathtub, and how do you measure yours? walks through each measurement. Send the figures, the position of the toilet and a photo or video of the space through ellasbubbles.com/support and the team will confirm the model and the door swing before you order.

Watch: Walk-in Tubs With Stylish, High Quality Doors for Easy Access | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

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• Will it fit my alcove? Extension panels, end panels, and 60 inch spaces
• What If My Alcove Is Wider Than 60 Inches for an Ella Tub?

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