Which Ella walk-in tubs fit a 30 by 60 inch alcove?

Nearly every Ella walk-in tub fits a 30 by 60 inch alcove, because that is the standard three-wall opening Ella tubs are built around. The 60 inch models, the Ultimate, Standard60, Zen60, Transfer60 and LayDown 30x60, fill the length on their own, and every shorter model, from the 30 by 52 inch Elite, Standard, Capri and Zen to the 27.5 inch wide Petite and the 30 by 55 inch Deluxe, ships with an extension panel that closes the gap at the end wall so the finished installation looks built in. What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub? explains the three-wall layout itself, and this page sorts the models by how they fill a 30 by 60 opening, which door swing each gives you, and what changes when your opening or your bathroom door is not the standard size.

Models for a 30 by 60 Inch Opening, Side by Side

What the differences mean: a 60 inch tub gives you an unbroken deck from wall to wall but leaves no room to spare, while a 52 or 55 inch tub with its extension panel gives you a shelf for towels and soaps and, on an inward-swing model, more floor to work with as the door opens. Ella's own sizing guidance notes that in a smaller bathroom a 30 by 55 inch tub with an extension panel can be the better choice over a 30 by 60 inch tub because it allows for swing room. Every actual width in the table is 30 inches or less, but several are within a half inch of it, so measure your finished width at the back and front of the opening rather than trusting the nominal 30 in the model name.

The 60 Inch Tubs That Fill the Opening on Their Own

A 60 inch tub such as the Ultimate is actually 59.5 inches long, which is why it needs no extension panel and is the one alcove model that does not ship with one. It pairs an inward-swinging brushed stainless steel door with frosted tempered glass and a soaking base configuration, which makes it the straightforward answer if you are searching for a 60 by 30 soaking tub with an inward door. The Zen60 is the other 30 by 60 inward-swing tub, with the acrylic S-shape door it shares with the Standard, but it is built as a hydro tub only and is not offered as a soaker. The Transfer60 is the wheelchair accessible choice at 29.5 inches actual width, with the large out-swing door opening directly to the seat, and it can come with no jets. The LayDown 30x60 measures 60 inches long by 30 inches wide by 21 inches high at the rim, uses an inward-swing glass door with a single bar lock that ships in one hinge orientation, and can be ordered as soaking only with no therapy controls at all. It never ships with a factory faucet and relies on a customer-supplied wall-mounted faucet. The Standard60 is the hydro massage member of the 60 inch group. Walk-in Tub Models and Sizes: Soakers, Transfer, Two-Person, and Inswing Options compares these families by door swing and therapy.

Shorter Tubs and the Extension Panel

Every Ella tub shorter than 60 inches comes with one extension panel, left or right as specified on your order, mounted on stainless steel shelf brackets built into the frame at that end. The installation video for the Standard shows the arrangement: the 30 by 52 inch Standard comes with an end panel for the faucet side and a 7 inch extension panel on the other side, so it fits a 60 inch alcove snugly. If the fit is tight, the video recommends trimming the corner piece off the main tub apron, or sliding the tub in with its standard end piece and apron and leaving the end panel off. The extension panel video shows the panels being trimmed for an alcove that is out of square or an unusual size, placed on the right or the left of the tub, and resting on the fully adjustable stainless steel brackets that are an integrated part of the frame.

• The panel side is chosen with the door and drain side when the tub is configured, and the brackets are fitted at that end. On a Capri or Elite, brackets at both ends must be requested before the tub is built.
• The door and the drains are on opposite sides. A right-side door tub has its drains on the left, and a left-side door tub has its drains on the right, as you face the tub, so the panel side also tells your plumber where the drain lands.
• If the panel will not attach where you expected, Why Doesn't the Extension Panel Attach on the Faucet Side? walks through the order paperwork and bracket check.

When the Bathroom Door Is 28 Inches

With a 28 inch doorway on the route in, the tub's actual width becomes the limit rather than the alcove. The Flow is the model described as fitting through a 28 inch doorway, at 28 inches wide by 48 inches long by 36 1/2 inches tall, with a 20 inch seat, 38 inches of interior length and a 16 jet hydro massage system, and it ships with an extension panel for a 60 inch alcove. The Petite's 27.5 inch shell leaves very little margin in a 28 inch opening, so measure the clear opening and every corner and turn on the path, not just the bathroom door. The Transfer26 at 26 by 52 inches and the Lounger at 27 inches wide by 60 inches long also pass a narrow door, and the Lounger is already 60 inches long. The Mobile at 26 by 45 inches passes too, but no extension panel is offered for it, so it suits a 45 inch space or a corner rather than a 60 inch alcove. A 30 inch tub such as the Elite needs a passage wider than 30 inches unless the door casing comes off.

Openings That Are Not 60 Inches

• About 44 inches long. The Front Entry at 32 inches wide by 40 inches long is the model to look at. The Mobile at 45 inches is roughly an inch too long, and a tub shell cannot be shortened.
• About 48 inches long. The Flow at 28 by 48 inches fits directly, and the Mobile at 26 by 45 inches drops in with a small gap at one end for your installer to close.
• 58 by 31 inches. A 60 inch tub is not something to plan on. The Deluxe at 29.5 inches wide by 55 inches long is the model most often suggested, and its extension panel plus the reversible end panel close the remaining space.
• 65 inches long. Any model in the line fits, including the LayDown60, which is designed for both bathing and showering. For an overhead shower, Ella's shower column kit connects to the diverter on a 2 or 5 piece deck-mounted faucet and must be fitted before the tub is finally installed, so choose it with the order.

How to Measure Before You Choose

Measure the finished opening, not the old tub, because the tub you are removing may be shorter or narrower than the space it sits in. Record the length between the finished walls at the two ends, the width from the back wall to the front edge of the alcove, and the height from the floor to the bottom of any window sill, then measure the doorways and hallways on the delivery route, since a crated tub is larger than the tub itself. Compare each figure with the actual size on the spec sheet rather than the nominal name, note which side the existing drain is on, and send the measurements, the doorway widths, the toilet position and a photo or video of the space to ellasbubbles.com/support or (800) 480-6850 so the model and door swing can be confirmed before you order. How big is a standard bathtub, and how do you measure yours? covers the measuring step by step, and Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists every standard footprint Ella offers.

Related Guides

• Will it fit my alcove? Extension panels, end panels, and 60 inch spaces
• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub

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