Sizes, Fit & Measuring

These guides cover measuring for your home, from doorways and alcoves to tub heights and seat sizes. Articles explain nominal versus actual sizes, how extension panels fill 60-inch alcoves, and what to check for low windows or countertops. You'll find details on fitting tubs through doorways, understanding three-piece shower dimensions, and using a printable pre-install checklist to ensure your walk-in tub or shower base fits your space and layout.

• Planning the Bathroom Layout: Toilet Clearance, Corner Placement, Which Sides Can Be Open, Where the Outlet Goes and Where a Screen MountsAny Ella walk-in tub can be placed in a corner, against one wall or in a three-wall alcove, so the layout questions that really matter are where the door swings, which sides will be visible, where the drains and service access land, and whether a wall is available for a shower screen or column. The L-shape Transfer door is designed to pass over a standard-height toilet because its cutout sits about 20 to 21 inches…
• Common Fit Questions: 58 Inch Openings, 48 Inch Tubs, 36 by 60 Requests, Tall or Broad Bathers, Seat Height, Doorways and DisassemblyMost fit questions have a short answer once you know three things: the actual exterior size of each model, which models include an extension panel, and the fact that every Ella tub ships in one piece with removable aprons and panels. Here are the ten fit questions the team hears most, answered briefly with links to the detailed guides. Where the answer depends on your own measurements, confirm them with your Ella…
• What Is an Extension Panel (Filler Kit) on a Walk-In Tub?An extension panel, also called a filler kit or filler panel, is the trimmable side panel that fills the gap between a 52 to 55 inch Ella walk-in tub and a standard 60 inch three-wall alcove. It rests on adjustable stainless steel shelf brackets that are part of the tub frame, can sit on either end of the tub, is trimmed on site, and doubles as a handy shelf. Every Ella tub shorter than 60 inches includes one…
• What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub?An alcove installation places a walk-in tub in the classic three-wall opening where a standard 60 inch bathtub used to sit. The tub is enclosed on the back and both ends, with only the front apron exposed. Every Ella tub fits an alcove, and most 52 and 55 inch models use an extension panel to fill the gap at one end so the finished installation looks built in. A three-wall alcove with a wall surround above the…
• What Is Nominal Size vs Actual Size on a Walk-In Tub?Nominal size and actual size are two ways of describing the same walk-in tub. The nominal size is the rounded figure used in the product name and brochure, such as Petite 28x52. The actual size is the measured dimension printed on the spec sheet, such as 27.5 x 52 x 35 inches for that same Petite. Both are correct for their purpose, but only the actual size should be used to plan an installation. How it works…
• Low Windows and Countertops: Checking Tub Height Before You OrderIf a window, vanity countertop or shelf sits beside the space where your walk-in tub will go, the number to check first is the overall height of the tub, from the floor to the top of the deck. Every seated Ella walk-in tub stands between 35 and 40 inches tall, and none can be made shorter, so the honest answer to "what do you have under 24 inches?" is one family: the LayDown, at 21 inches to the deck edge on the…
• Printable Pre-Install Measuring Checklist for a Walk-In TubThis is the measuring checklist to fill in before your walk-in tub is ordered: the bather, the path in, the alcove, the door side and the utilities, one line per measurement. Print it, walk the house with a tape, and bring the list to your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850. How to use this page Write every figure in inches at the tightest point, with door stops and trim in place. Two sizes matter: the…
• Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for FitElla's Bubbles walk-in tubs and shower bases come in a range of standard sizes, from compact 26x45 inch tubs to full 32x72 inch laid-down models, with custom shower base dimensions and cut-to-fit extension panels available for spaces that need a closer fit. Knowing your bathroom's exact measurements before you order helps make sure the unit you choose fits the space where your old tub or shower currently sits.…
• Will a 60 Inch Tub Fit a 60 Inch Alcove? Stud Walls, Finished Walls and Doorway ClearanceA nominal 60 inch walk-in tub measures about 59 3/4 inches long on the shell, so an alcove that is 60 inches from stud to stud is a very tight fit, and the tub will not simply drop in. Once drywall and tile go onto the end walls, the finished opening is shorter than the framing, and it is the finished opening that has to clear the tub. Measure finished wall to finished wall, then measure every doorway and turn on…
• Will a Walk-In Tub Fit Where My Old Tub or Shower Stall Is Now?In most homes, yes. Ella walk-in tubs are built for a standard three-wall alcove and can also stand free against one or two walls, so the space left by an old bathtub, a shower stall or a tub under a window is usually a good fit. The work is in the checking: measure the opening, compare it with the actual size on the spec sheet, and match the door side to your drain. Measure the opening, not the old tub Start…
• Ella Shower Dimensions: Nominal Size Versus Usable Interior FloorAn Ella shower is listed by its nominal outside footprint, for example 60 inches wide by 36 inches deep, and that nominal size is the one to use when you check whether the base will fit your alcove. The flat floor inside the shower is smaller than the nominal size. Front to back, the threshold and the slope down from the threshold to the floor take up part of the depth, and the molded soap and foot ledges on the…
• Will a Three-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorway? Piece Dimensions and Turning the Base SidewaysYes, in most homes. Ella's three-piece showers are built so that each piece can pass through a standard interior doorway, which is the main reason to choose a three-piece stall over a one-piece stall for a remodel. Each unit ships as a base and two L-shaped wall panels that meet at a seam in the center of the back wall. The base is the largest piece, and the dimension that has to clear your door is the base…
• How Do I Measure Doorways and Hallways for a One-Piece Ella Shower?Measure the narrowest point of every opening between where the shower is delivered and the bathroom, and confirm each one offers at least 33 inches of clear opening. A one-piece Ella shower arrives as a single molded unit that cannot be broken down, so one tight doorway, hallway or stairway is enough to stop it. The full rule, and why the stall is intended mostly for new construction, is in Will a One-Piece Ella…
• How Do You Measure a Shower Base, Including a Corner Base?To measure for a shower base, record three things: the width and length of the footprint the pan will fill, where the existing drain sits measured from each wall, and whether the base goes into a three-wall alcove or a two-wall corner. Those figures tell you whether one of Ella's standard bases fits or whether a custom rectangle is needed, and What Sizes Do Ella Shower Bases and Shower Pans Come In? lists the…
• What is the standard bathtub size, and will a walk-in tub fit it?Most bathrooms were framed around a standard 60 inch bathtub, so the opening you are working with is usually 60 inches long, and the bathtub it held was about 31 1/2 inches wide. Every Ella walk-in tub fits that three-wall opening: tubs 60 inches or longer fill it on their own, and the 52 inch models close the gap at one end with an extension panel, as What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub? explains.…
• How big is a standard bathtub, and how do you measure yours?A standard bathtub alcove is commonly 60 inches long, and that length, rather than the size of the old tub itself, is the number that decides what will fit in its place. To measure yours, record the finished length between the walls, 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 compare those figures with the actual size printed…
• How do I measure the soaking depth of a bathtub?To measure the soaking depth of a walk-in bathtub, run a tape measure from the top of the seat straight up to the center of the overflow opening, because the water can never rise above the overflow. Then record the length of the seat and the interior length of the tub, since those two figures decide how you sit in that water. The definition behind the number is in What Is Soaking Depth on a Walk-In Tub? ; this…
• Can a 32 Inch Walk-In Tub Fit Through a 32 Inch Doorway?No. A walk-in tub with an actual width of 32 inches needs a passage wider than 32 inches, which is the same rule Ella applies to its 30 inch Elite: it should never be assumed to clear a 30 inch doorway. Before you give up on a model, confirm its actual width on the spec sheet, measure the finished opening of every doorway and turn on the route, and plan to remove the tub's panels and stand it on end at a tight…
• How do I measure my bathroom and myself for a walk-in tub?Choosing a walk-in tub takes two sets of measurements: three of your own body, taken while you sit in a chair, and a set of your bathroom that covers the alcove where the tub will sit and every doorway and hallway the tub must pass through on the way in. Your seated hip width, shoulder width and head-to-feet length are compared with the seat width, interior length and seat-to-overflow depth on each model's…
• Can the Ella Front Entry 32x40 fit a standard 60 inch alcove?The Ella Front Entry can be set into a 60 inch alcove, but it will not fill one the way a 52 inch Ella tub does. The Front Entry measures 32 inches wide by 40 inches long, it ships with no extension panel and has no longer version, and its outward door sits on the end of the tub rather than the side, so in a three-wall alcove the door has to face the open side of the room and your installer frames and finishes the…
• What doorway and room size does the Ella Big4One 33x66 need?The Ella Big4One measures 33 1/8 inches wide by 66 inches long, so every doorway, hallway and turn on the way to the bathroom must be wider than 33 1/8 inches once the panels are off, and the alcove must measure at least 66 inches from finished wall to finished wall. The crate is larger still, at 36 x 68 x 49 inches and 400 lbs, so plan the path up to the entry around the crate and the path inside the house around…
• How Do I Evaluate a Walk-In Tub's Footprint for a Small Bathroom?To evaluate a walk-in tub's footprint for a small bathroom, compare the tub's exterior width and length, which is the floor space it occupies, against three things: the opening where it will sit, the path it must travel to get there, and the floor the door needs in order to open. Then check the interior numbers, such as seat width, against the bather. Are Walk-In Tub Dimensions the Floor Footprint or the Inside…
• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tubWill a walk-in tub fit through your doorway? Ella walk-in tubs are delivered fully assembled as one unit, so the tub, and on delivery day the shipping crate, must travel from your entrance all the way to the bathroom. The quick answer: measure every doorway, hallway and turning angle along that route, then compare those measurements to the actual width and the shipping size of the model you want. Our narrowest…
• Will it fit my alcove? Extension panels, end panels, and 60 inch spacesYes, an Ella walk-in tub will fit your alcove. Every model is designed for the classic three-wall alcove where a standard 60 inch bathtub used to sit, and each one can also stand against one or two walls. The quick answer on alcove fit: most 52 inch and 55 inch long models include a factory extension panel that fills the gap in a standard 60 inch alcove, while the 60 inch and longer tubs fill the space on their…

These articles provide detailed dimensions for Ella walk-in tubs and showers, including exterior sizes, interior lengths, and overall heights. Find information on how deep the water really is, water capacity by model, and how many jets each tub has. Understand the difference between unoccupied and occupied water capacity, and learn about the footwell and its purpose. This section helps you visualize the physical size and features of various models.

• How Many Jets Does Each Ella Tub Have? Counts by Model and PackageHow many jets does an Ella walk-in tub have? The jet count depends on the therapy package you order, not the model alone. A Hydro package has hydro jets only, Air + Hydro adds air jets, and Soaking has none. Most single-seat tubs carry 14 to 18 hydro jets and 14 to 17 air jets, and the counts below come from the current spec sheets, listed as seat plus foot jets. Hydro jets (larger chrome faces) and air jets…
• Interior Length, Seat-to-Overflow and Seat-to-Footwell by Model: The Soaking Depth TableSoaking depth in a walk-in tub is not one number. It comes from three measurements working together: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the distance from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow. Ella's Bubbles publishes those measurements for every model on its comparison chart, and the tables below collect the interior dimensions and soaking depth by model so you can compare…
• What Is the Footwell on a Walk-In Tub?The footwell is the deep floor section in front of the seat of a walk-in tub where your feet rest. It holds the foot and calf jets, the lower air jets and the floor drains, and it is the only part you fill for an independent foot massage. Every Ella walk-in tub has a large footwell for easy entry and room for seated or standing showering. How it works The molded seat is about 17 inches high, and the footwell…
• What Is Soaking Depth on a Walk-In Tub?Soaking depth on a walk-in tub is how deep you sit in the water once the tub is full, sometimes called water depth when seated. It is set by three measurements working together: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the seat to the overflow. Because you bathe sitting up on a molded seat rather than lying down, the number that matters is the seat-to-overflow depth…
• What Is Occupied vs Unoccupied Water Capacity on a Walk-In Tub?Water capacity on a walk-in tub is stated as two numbers. Unoccupied capacity is how many gallons the tub holds with nobody in it. Occupied capacity, sometimes written as the occupied range, is the amount of water you actually use once a bather is seated and displacing water. Ella spec sheets print both, and the occupied figure is the one to use when sizing your water heater. How it works Your body takes up…
• How Deep Is the Water Really in a Walk-In Tub?How deep is the water really? On every Ella tub the published depth is measured to the overflow, because water rises to the overflow opening and then runs out, so the spec sheet figure is the real depth you can fill to. On the LayDown 30x60 that figure is 15 3/4 inches from the floor of the tub to the overflow, and the team has confirmed that the water does reach 15 3/4 inches. On a seated tub the number to use is…
• How Tall Is an Ella Walk-In Tub, With and Without a Shower Column?Most Ella walk-in tubs stand between about 35 and 40 inches from the floor to the top of the deck, and the exact height for your model is the actual size figure on its spec sheet. A shower column adds its own height on top of that, measured upward from the deck, so the installed height is the deck height plus the column height. Use the deck height alone for windows, vanities and countertops, and the combined…
• Ella Shower Rough Opening, Standing Area and Floor Width: What to Measure Before You FrameThe rough opening, drain location and every interior dimension of an Ella shower are on the specification drawing for that model, and the drawing is what your framer and plumber should work from. For the Liberty three-piece low-threshold shower, the interior width is 55.75 inches, the molded seat takes 18.5 inches of that, and the standing floor beside the seat is 37.25 inches wide. Because the drain position is…
• What size walk-in tub fits a six-foot-tall person?For a bather around six feet tall or taller, the Ella models built with long seats and long interiors are the Big4One and the ShaK, and the ShaK is the largest single-seat walk-in tub Ella's Bubbles makes. Height alone does not choose the tub, though: your seated hip width, shoulder width and head-to-feet length decide the fit. The full large-bather lineup is covered in Is There a Weight Limit? Bariatric and…
• Do they make a bathtub that is only 15 inches high?Ella does not offer a walk-in tub with an overall height of only 15 inches. The lowest-profile Ella tubs are the LayDown models, and the LayDown60 stands 21 inches high with a soaking depth of 15 inches, which is almost certainly the figure you have seen. Seated walk-in tubs are taller still because they are built around a chair-height seat, and the number that decides how easy a tub is to enter is the step-in…
• How Wide Is a Walk-In Tub, and Will It Fit Your Home?Verified widths on Ella spec drawings run from 26 inches on the Lounger to 36 inches on the ShaK, the largest single-seat tub, with the 52 inch models such as the Petite at 27.5 inches and the Elite at 30 inches. On a walk-in tub the width is the short side that runs from the front of the tub to the back wall, and the actual inch figure on the spec drawing, not the rounded size in the model name, is the one to…
• Are Walk-In Tub Dimensions the Floor Footprint or the Inside Bathing Space?The width by length listed for an Ella walk-in tub describes the exterior footprint the tub occupies on the floor, not the bathing space inside. The interior is described separately by seat width, seat length, the interior floor size on a LayDown, and the depth from the seat or floor to the overflow. How Deep Is the Water Really in a Walk-In Tub? explains how that depth figure is taken. Exterior size: the…
• What is the smallest walk-in tub for a petite bather?The smallest Ella walk-in tub by footprint is the Mobile at 26 inches wide by 45 inches long, the shortest of the seated tubs with a full-size seat is the Flow at 28 inches by 48 inches, and the narrowest seat in the line is the 19 inch seat shared by the Petite and the Transfer26. For a bather around five feet tall, though, the right tub is chosen from your seated hip, shoulder and head-to-feet measurements…
• What is the biggest walk-in bathtub size you can buy?The biggest walk-in bathtub Ella's Bubbles makes is the ShaK, at 36 inches by 72 inches with an extra-wide 28 inch seat and a 145 gallon unoccupied capacity, and Ella describes it as the largest single-seat walk-in tub in the world. The Big4One, at 33 1/8 inches by 66 inches, is the next size down for a single large bather, and the two-seat Escape and Big4Two give one bather the most room to stretch out. What…
• What is the smallest bathtub size you can buy for a bathroom?The smallest bathtub in the Ella's Bubbles line is the Mobile walk-in tub, which measures 26 inches wide by 45 inches long and still fits a full seat, a grab bar and a hydro or air and hydro therapy package. It is the model to look at when a standard 52 inch tub will not fit the room or will not pass through the doorway. The complete profile, with door, faucet and jet details, is in Ella Mobile 26x45: The…
• Is there a whirlpool walk-in tub small enough to fit a shower space?Yes. Ella's two smallest walk-in tubs both carry jetted hydro massage, and both have a footprint smaller than Ella's own 32 by 60 inch roll-in shower base: the Mobile measures 26 by 45 inches and the Flow measures 28 by 48 inches. Hydro massage is Ella's name for the jetted water massage most people mean by whirlpool, so a tub with the therapy you want can sit where a standard shower stall now stands, provided the…
• How wide are walk-in tubs, and is there a 34-inch model?Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs range from 26 inches to 38 inches wide, and the most common footprint is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long. There is no 34-inch width in Ella's published sizes: the widths offered are 26, 27, 28, 30, 32 and 38 inches, so a bathroom with about 34 inches of room is usually fitted with a 32-inch tub. Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists every standard size…
• How Tall Are Walk-In Tubs Compared to Standard Tubs?Ella's seated walk-in tubs stand roughly chest high on a seated bather: the Petite and Elite are 35 inches tall, the Ultimate is 35 3/4 inches and the Deluxe is 39 inches, while the lie-down LayDown 30x60 is only 21 inches high. The sources do not list a standard bathtub's overall height, but Ella's own LayDown video compares soaking depth directly, 15 inches in the LayDown against 11 inches in a standard tub.…
• Are there walk-in bathtubs only 28 inches wide for small bathrooms?Yes. The Ella Petite is the walk-in tub Ella's Bubbles sells as its 28-inch model, and its actual size on the current spec sheet is 27.5 inches wide by 52 inches long by 35 inches tall. The 28-inch figure is the nominal size used on the product page and brochure, so the narrow walk-in tub you have been searching for does exist, and it measures a half inch under its name. If you have been comparing it against…
• 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…
• How many gallons of water does a walk-in tub hold?An Ella walk-in tub holds between 65 and 145 gallons of water with nobody in it, depending on the model, and you use far less than that for a bath because the tub fills after you are seated and your body displaces part of the water. Most standard-size Ella models hold 65 to 107 gallons unoccupied and use 30 to 75 gallons once a bather is seated, while the largest tubs hold up to 145 gallons. How much water does a…
• What size walk-in tub fits a five foot or six foot person?For a bather around five feet tall, the Ella walk-in tubs to compare first are the ones built on the lower 35 inch platform, the Petite, Elite and Royal, along with compact models such as the Flow, while a bather around six feet or taller fits the long-seat Big4One and ShaK, or the LayDown 32x72 for a full-length recline. Height alone never picks the tub, though: your seated hip width, shoulder width and…
• What is an oversized bathtub and who actually needs one?An oversized bathtub is a tub that goes beyond the standard 60 inch bathtub footprint in length, width or soaking depth, so a tall bather can stretch out at full length and sink into deeper water. In the Ella line the clearest example is the LayDown72, a 32 inch wide by 72 inch long lay-down walk-in tub with a 15 inch soaking depth, described next to its smaller sibling in What is the Ella LayDown walk-in bathtub…
• Where Can I Find Side-by-Side Dimension Guides for Walk-In Tubs?The dimension guide for any Ella walk-in tub is the spec sheet for that model, which prints the actual size, the shipping size and the seat and step-over threshold heights on one drawing. To compare models side by side, pull the actual size line from each sheet rather than the rounded figure in the model name, because the name is only a nominal size, as What Is Nominal Size vs Actual Size on a Walk-In Tub?…
• Is there a walk-in tub and shower combo six feet long?Yes. Ella's Bubbles builds walk-in tubs that are a full 72 inches long, and any Ella walk-in tub ordered with an Ella deck-mount fast-fill faucet can be used as a tub and shower combo, with the optional shower column kit adding an overhead rain shower. The two six-foot models are the ShaK at 36 inches by 72 inches and the LayDown 32x72, and What Is the Best Walk-In Tub and Shower Combo? explains why there is no…
• What is the shortest walk-in bathtub Ella's Bubbles makes?The shortest walk-in bathtub in the Ella's Bubbles line depends on which way you measure. Front to back, the Front Entry is the shortest at 40 inches, but it is entered from the front and needs 32 inches of width. Among side-entry tubs the Mobile is the shortest at 26 inches wide by 45 inches long, which is why What is the smallest bathtub size you can buy for a bathroom? names it the smallest tub Ella makes…
• How tall are bathtubs and walk-in tubs, and why does it matter?Ella's seated compact walk-in tubs, the Petite and the Elite, stand 35 inches tall on the current spec sheets, the lay-down style LayDown 30x60 walk-in tub stands 21 inches high, and Ella's conventional step-over alcove tubs, the Solo 32x60 and Fiji 36x66, are 24 inches tall. A standard bathtub is usually described by its soaking depth of about 11 inches rather than by a published overall height. The narrowest of…
• Ella Petite vs Elite vs Flow: which compact walk-in tub fits you?The current Ella spec sheets do not print a separate interior basin width for the Elite or the Petite. They print the actual exterior size and the seat width, and the seat width is the interior figure that decides whether the tub fits you: 22 inches on the Elite and 19 inches on the Petite, the narrowest seat in the line. Both tubs sit on the lower 35 inch platform that shorter bathers often prefer, as What is…
• Do walk-in tubs come in different sizes to fit my bathroom?Yes. Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs come in a range of standard sizes, from compact 26x45 inch tubs to full 32x72 inch laid-down models, and the most common footprint is 30 inches wide by 52 inches long, a size that fits many standard tub alcoves. Ella builds around a set of standard footprints rather than custom shells, so the fit to your exact room comes from choosing the closest standard size and closing any gap…
• What Is the Smallest Shower Pan Size You Can Buy?The smallest shower pan Ella's Bubbles makes is a custom acrylic base measuring 30 by 30 inches, and that minimum applies to both three-wall alcove bases and corner bases. The smallest pan in the standard lineup is 30 by 60 inches, so any square or short footprint is a custom request instead of a stock size. The complete range is laid out in What sizes do shower pans come in, from smallest to largest? , and this…
• How wide are walk-in tubs, and do bathtubs come 34 inches wide?In Ella's published figures, walk-in tub widths run from 27.5 inches on the Petite, through 30 inches on the Elite and the LayDown 30x60, to 32 inches on the LayDown72 and the two-seat tubs. None of those published widths is 34 inches, because the printed sizes step from 32 inches straight to the 36 inch Fiji, which is a step-over alcove tub and not a walk-in. The narrow end of the range, and why a tub named 28…
• Does Ella Have a Walk-In Tub That Fits a 48 Inch Space?Yes. Ella's standard sizes include a compact 26x45 inch walk-in tub, and it is the one standard footprint in the line that is shorter than a 48 inch opening. Every other standard size is 52 inches or longer, so those tubs will not slide into a 48 inch space unless the opening is reframed. The complete list of sizes is in Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit , and this page looks at what…
• Walk-in tub dimensions by model: exterior sizes, seat widths, and door typesWalk-in tub dimensions by model matter because every Ella walk-in tub is built on one of a few door platforms, and each model has its own exact exterior size and seat width. The quick answer: our tubs range from the compact Mobile at 26" wide by 45" long, up to the bariatric ShaK at 36" wide by 72" long, with seat widths from 19" to 29". The tables below give the exact factory dimensions for every family so you…
• How many gallons does each Ella walk-in tub hold? Water capacity guideHow many gallons does a walk-in tub hold? Water capacity depends on the model and on you: the bather displaces water, so every Ella tub has two numbers, an unoccupied capacity and a typical occupied range. The quick answer: most standard-size Ella walk-in tubs hold 65 to 107 gallons unoccupied, and you will typically use 30 to 75 gallons per bath once you are seated. Our largest tubs, the ShaK, Escape, and…

These guides cover door and seat fit for Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs and showers. Articles here explain how far an open door sticks out, door opening widths, and swing arcs for various door families like Transfer, Monaco, and LayDown. Learn about choosing inward or outward swing doors, left-hand or right-hand configurations, and how door side impacts drain and faucet placement. Details on seat width, seat height, and soaking depth are provided, along with considerations for bather weight limits and ensuring the door clears a toilet.

• Is There a Weight Limit? Bariatric and Large-Bather Walk-In Tub OptionsIs there a weight limit on a walk-in tub? One of the questions we hear most often, and the answer is reassuring: Ella's Bubbles does not have a set weight limit for its walk-in bathtubs. The primary factor is simply whether the bather can comfortably fit inside the tub. Every Ella shell is reinforced with a rustproof stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs for structural integrity and durability, and…
• Left-Hand or Right-Hand? Choosing Door, Drain, and Faucet SideChoosing a left-hand or right-hand walk-in tub comes down to one question: which end of the tub should hold the door and seat, and which end should hold the drains and faucet? Every Ella walk-in tub except the Front Entry is built in left-hand and right-hand versions, even though product photos show one side. The side is named as you face the tub, ready to enter: the door and seat are on one side, and the drains…
• Inward or Outward Swing Door: Which Should I Choose Before Ordering?Choosing between an inward swing door and an outward swing door is mostly about your bathroom and how you enter, because both seal watertight. Ella builds three door styles. Inward-swing doors (brushed stainless with frosted glass on the Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe, Ultimate, Companion and Escape; aluminum on the Ultra; acrylic S-shape on the Standard, Zen and Flow) save floor space and are held shut by water…
• How Wide Is the Door Opening? Published Door Widths, Swing Arcs and Clearance by Door FamilyThe clear door opening on an Ella walk-in tub depends on the door family, not the tub size. The outward-swing U-shape drawings for the Monaco and Mobile print a 19 1/4 inch opening with a 165 degree swing, the LayDown glass door prints a 19 5/8 inch opening on a 115 degree arc, the L-shape Transfer door opens 172 degrees, the HomeCare door is 27 inches wide and swings a full 180 degrees, and the HoistAssist…
• What Are Seat Width and Seat Height on a Walk-In Tub?Seat width and seat height on a walk-in tub describe the molded seat you bathe on: how wide it is across the hips, and how high its surface sits above the tub floor. Ella seats range from 19 to 29 inches wide, and the seat height is roughly 17 inches on most models. The seat has to be wider than your seated hip measurement to be comfortable, which is why measuring yourself seated is the first step in choosing a…
• What Is Door Side (Left-Hand vs Right-Hand) on a Walk-In Tub?Door side, also called left-hand or right-hand configuration, is the side of the walk-in tub that holds the door and seat as you face the tub, ready to step in. Every current Ella walk-in tub except the Front Entry comes in a left-hand (LH) and a right-hand (RH) version, marked with an L or an R at the end of the SKU. The drains are always at the opposite end from the door and seat, so the practical way to choose…
• Will the Walk-In Tub Door Clear the Toilet?Whether the door will clear the toilet depends on your door family and on how tall and how close the toilet is. Inward-swing doors on the stainless steel, Ultra, Standard, Zen, Zen60, Flow and LayDown tubs open into the tub, so a toilet is never in their way. The outward U-shape door on the Capri, Monaco, Front Entry, Mobile, Lounger, ShaK and Big4One swings 165 degrees into the room, and the L-shape Transfer door…
• How Far Does the Open Door Stick Out in Front of the Tub?How far the door sticks out depends on which door family your tub has. The wide outward-swing door on the Transfer family projects about 36 inches in front of the tub when opened to 90 degrees. The U-shape outward-swing door on the Monaco projects about 19 to 20 inches at the same angle. Inward-swing doors need no floor space in front of the tub at all. Those are the planning numbers to measure against a toilet…
• How High and How Big Is the Built-In Seat on an Ella Shower?The molded seat built into an Ella shower base is part of the acrylic shell, and its size depends on which base you choose. On the published drawings, seat heights are 20 inches or 22 inches above the shower floor, with widths from 25 1/2 inches to 31 inches and depths from 13 3/4 inches to 17 1/2 inches. The exact figures for your model are printed on the Specification drawing for that shower, so check the…
• Should My Walk-In Tub Door Be on the Left or Right Side?Match the door side to your house drain, because the door and the drains sit on opposite sides of an Ella walk-in tub. A right-side door puts the drains on the left, and a left-side door puts the drains on the right, with sides taken as you face the tub. Choosing between an inward and an outward swing is a separate decision, explained in Inward or Outward Swing Door: Which Should I Choose Before Ordering? . The…
• Can a 32 Inch Walk-In Tub Fit Through a 32 Inch Doorway?Not reliably, no. The doorway has to be wider than the tub's actual width, so a tub that measures a full 32 inches across needs an opening that clears more than 32 inches, measured at the tightest point with the door stops and trim in place. Before you rule a model in or out, check the actual size printed on its spec sheet rather than the rounded name, as explained in What Is Nominal Size vs Actual Size on a…
• Will a Walk-In Tub Fit Through a Standard Bathroom Doorway?Most Ella walk-in tubs pass through a bathroom doorway when the clear opening is wider than the tub's actual width on its spec sheet, because the crate can be opened outside and the tub carried in by its frame. The only way to be sure is to measure the front door, every hallway, every interior doorway and each corner the tub must turn, then compare those figures with the model you are considering. Will a 60 Inch…
• How much bathroom space and plumbing does the Ella Monaco need?The Ella Monaco fits a 52 inch alcove, needs every doorway on the delivery path to be wider than its 32 inch exterior, needs about 21 inches of clear floor in front of the tub for its outward-swinging door, and needs the house drain on the side opposite the door. Those four checks come from the Monaco technical drawing and the family fit rules, and the walk-in tub dimensions by model table lists the Monaco at 32…
• Which walk-in tub door type works best in a narrow bathroom?In a narrow bathroom the door type that usually works best is the inward-swing stainless steel door, because it opens into the tub rather than into the room; the Petite at an actual 27.5 inches wide and the Elite at 30 inches both use it. An outward-swing U-shape door gives the smallest tub of all, the 26 inch wide Mobile, but an outward door needs clear floor in front of it, about 21 inches on the Capri tour…
• How Much Floor Clearance Does the Transfer L-Shape Door Need to Swing Open?The L-shape door on the Transfer family (Transfer26, Transfer30, Transfer32, Transfer60 and TransferXXL) swings outward through a 172 degree arc, and there are two clearance figures to plan with: the Transfer26 and Transfer32 drawings print a 20 inch door swing clearance callout, and the working figure the support team quotes is about 36.5 inches of clear floor beside the tub. Lay out the larger figure, then…
• What are the door widths and step-in heights for each Ella door style?Ella's published door opening widths and step-in heights are set by the model rather than by the door style alone: the outward-swing Capri steps in at 3.5 inches through a 17.25 inch door opening, the inward stainless steel Elite steps in at 6 inches through a 16.25 inch opening, and the other models' thresholds run from about 3 5/8 inches on the Monaco to about 6.5 inches. The full threshold list lives in…
• How Much Floor Space Does the Tub4Two Outward Door Need?The Tub4Two and Big4Two carry Ella's U-shape outward-swing door, which opens away from the tub through a 165 degree arc and needs about 21 inches of clear floor in front of the door side. Nothing can sit inside that arc, and the door must never be opened until the tub has completely drained. What Is a U-Shape Outward-Swing Door on a Walk-In Tub? describes the door itself; this page is about fitting the two-seat…
• Seat sizes and soaking depth: how to measure yourself for a comfortable fitThe most important fit numbers in a walk-in tub are the seat width and the soaking depth, and both start with measuring you, not the bathroom. The quick answer: Ella seat widths run from 19" (Petite, Transfer26) to 29" (TransferXXL), and the tub seat must be wider than your hip measurement. Soaking depth is determined by the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the seat…

These guides address accessibility features and safety considerations for Ella walk-in tubs. Learn about ADA seat height and grab bar placement, and whether Ella tubs are ADA compliant. Articles cover step-in threshold heights, slip resistance of the tub floor and seat, and wheelchair clearances and turning space. This section helps ensure the chosen tub meets accessibility needs and provides a safe bathing experience.

• Step-In Threshold Heights by Model and How Low It Can GoThe 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…
• How Far Does the Backrest Recline? Published Backrest Angles and What Owners Say About Seating Comfort by ModelElla walk-in tubs are seated soaking tubs, so every backrest is closer to upright than a recliner, with a gentle lean built into the shell. The spec drawings print a backrest angle for four models: the Ultra at 88 degrees, the Flow at 96 degrees, and the Monaco and Mobile at 101 degrees. In that scale 90 degrees is straight up, so a bigger number means more lean. Most other spec sheets do not print an angle, and…
• What Is the Step-In Threshold on a Walk-In Tub?The step-in threshold on a walk-in tub is the low lip you cross at the door, sometimes called the step-over height or step-in height. On Ella tubs it runs roughly 3.5 to 7 inches depending on the model and how the drain is set up, compared with the 18 to 22 inch wall you would swing a leg over on a standard bathtub. That low threshold, paired with a door you walk through, is what makes a walk-in tub…
• ADA Seat Height and Grab Bar Placement Compared With Ella Walk-In Tub DimensionsThe 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design put the top of a bathtub seat at 17 to 19 inches above the finish floor and horizontal grab bars at 33 to 36 inches above the finish floor. Ella walk-in tubs line up well with those figures: the Ultra brochure and product video put its seat at 17 inches, the HomeCare 32x60 drawing carries a 17 inch callout on its front view, and most Ella models ship with a deck-mount…
• Wheelchair Clearances, Turning Space and Ella Door Swing EnvelopesThe two ADA clearances people ask about when planning a walk-in tub for a wheelchair user are a clear floor space of 30 by 48 inches and a turning space 60 inches in diameter, both from the 2010 ADA Standards. In a private home those figures are a planning reference rather than a requirement, but they are a good one, because an Ella outward-swing door needs its own clear floor space too: the U-shape door swings…
• Slip Resistance of the Walk-In Tub Floor and Seat: What Is Published and What Is NotEvery Ella walk-in tub brochure lists a textured floor, and the HoistAssist spec sheet lists a non-skid floor. That is the published fact about slip resistance on an Ella tub floor, and it is the only one: no Ella document prints a coefficient of friction, a slip rating or a test result for the shell surface, so you will not find one quoted here or anywhere else on this site. This page explains what the texture is…
• What is the lowest height bathtub for easy entry?The lowest height Ella bathtub overall is the LayDown60, which stands 21 inches high, but the figure that decides how easy a tub is to enter is the step-in threshold, not the outside height. On Ella walk-in tubs that threshold runs roughly 3.5 to 7 inches, the lowest published figure belongs to the Monaco at 3 5/8 inches, and most models can be set lower still at installation, as Which Ella Walk-In Tubs Offer the…
• Can a Walk-In Tub Be Part of an Aging-in-Place Shower Remodel?Yes. A walk-in tub can take the place of the shower in an aging-in-place remodel and still give the bather a standing rinse, because every Ella tub with the 5-piece fast-fill faucet includes a pull-out hand shower, and a slide bar, a rain shower column or a wall-mounted rain system can be added for showering on your feet. What the tub adds over a shower is seated bathing behind a sealed low-threshold door with a…
• Are Ella walk-in tubs ADA compliant? Accessibility and wheelchair answersAre Ella walk-in tubs ADA compliant? There is no official ADA certification for walk-in tubs, or for any product: the U.S. Access Board, which writes the ADA standards, does not evaluate or certify products. ADA standards apply to buildings such as public accommodations and government facilities, not to typical private homes, and Ella tubs are designed for residential bathrooms with many ADA-compatible elements…

These guides cover important considerations for fitting an Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub into your space. Articles explain how much a walk-in tub weighs, detailing net, shipping, and filled weights for various models. Understand the function and placement of an end panel, also known as a side or finishing panel, for corner or exposed-end installations. Learn to identify a left drain walk-in tub, which also determines the door and seat orientation. Additionally, discover how fast a walk-in tub drains with Ella's Dual Drain Technology.

• How Fast Does a Walk-In Tub Drain? Dual Drain Technology ExplainedHow fast does a walk-in tub drain? With Ella's gravity-driven Dual Drain Technology, an average-size Ella walk-in tub drains in approximately 80 seconds under ideal house-drain conditions, and our field tests have recorded complete drainage in as little as 52 seconds. That matters because you sit in the tub while the water goes down before the door can open. Actual drain time in your home depends on the tub's…
• What Is an End Panel on a Walk-In Tub?An end panel, sometimes called a side panel or finishing panel, is the reversible panel that covers the exposed short end of an Ella walk-in tub, hiding the shell edge, plumbing and frame in a corner or exposed-end installation. One reversible end panel ships with every Ella tub and can go on either end, and a second end panel is available when both ends of the tub will be open to the room. How it works Picture…
• Which Side Is a Left Drain Walk-In Tub?Which side is a left drain? Stand facing the tub as if you were about to step in: a left drain walk-in tub has its drains, faucet and water supply at the end on your left, and because Ella builds the door and seat at the opposite end from the drains, a left drain tub is the same thing as a right-hand door tub. If you get confused, remember one rule: the door and the drains are always on opposite sides. A…
• Walk-In Tub Dimensions Explained: Which Figure Is the Width, the Length and the Height, and Where to Find the Spec DrawingEvery Ella walk-in tub is published with three outside dimensions, and the current specification drawing for your model is the authority on all of them. 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. Listings usually give the figures as width, length and height, but the…
• How Do I Choose the Right Walk-In Tub for My Bathroom?Choosing the right walk-in tub comes down to four checks: who will be bathing and how they get in, whether the tub fits your alcove and the path into the bathroom, which side your house drain is on, and which therapy features you want. Ella walk-in tubs come in sizes from 26 by 45 inches up to 32 by 72 inches, with the 30 by 52 inch footprint being the most common, and Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to…
• Can a walk-in tub fit in a small bathroom, and which models work?Yes, a walk-in tub can fit in a small bathroom, and Ella's Bubbles builds two models with tight rooms in mind. The Ella Mobile 26x45: The Smallest Walk-In Tub is 45 inches long and 26 inches wide, the model to look at when a 52 inch tub will not fit the room or pass the doorway. The Petite 28x52 is the narrowest stainless-door tub at an actual 27.5 inches wide, and it still finishes a standard 60 inch alcove…
• Are walk-in tubs a good option for mobile homes?Yes, a walk-in tub can be a good option for a mobile home when you choose a compact model and confirm the floor and the entry route before you order. Ella's team recommends two models for single-wide mobile homes, the Mobile 26x45 and the Front Entry 32x40, because both fit a short space and pass the narrow doorways common in manufactured housing. The full specification of the smaller of the two is in Ella Mobile…
• Can I Order a Left-Side Door With Right-Side Plumbing?Yes. A left-side entry door with the plumbing on the right is the standard left-hand configuration of an Ella walk-in tub, because the door and the drains always sit on opposite sides. Every current Ella model except the Front Entry is built in a left-hand and a right-hand version, so you order the left-hand tub and the drains and faucet deck land on the right end. Should My Walk-In Tub Door Be on the Left or…
• Will a Crated Walk-In Tub Fit Up Stairs, Through Doorways or in an Elevator?A crated Ella walk-in tub fits wherever its shipping size clears, and where the crate will not clear, the tub is uncrated outside and carried in by its frame, so the tub's actual width becomes the figure that decides the tightest doorway, stair turn or elevator door. Ella tubs ship fully assembled and cannot be disassembled to fit, so the only reliable answer comes from walking the route with a tape measure and…
• Ella Front Entry vs Mobile: which compact tub fits a tiny bathroom?Choose the Ella Mobile when the tight dimension is the width of the room or the doorway, and choose the Ella Front Entry when the tight dimension is the length of the space and you can walk up to the tub from its end. The Mobile is the smallest tub Ella makes at 26 inches wide by 45 inches long, while the Front Entry is the shortest at 40 inches long but needs 32 inches of width. Both are described in full in…
• Ella Mobile 26x45 vs Flow 28x48: which fits through a narrow doorway?The Ella Mobile passes the narrower doorway. Its 26 inch shell is the narrowest in the Ella line, and for a 25 inch opening the team names the Mobile as the only option, with the door frame removed so the shell can clear the jamb. The Ella Flow is built to pass a 28 inch doorway, because its shell measures 27 3/4 inches wide, and it is the tub to choose when the doorway allows it and you want a longer tub with an…
• What Size Walk-In Tub Is Best for a Five Foot Person?For a bather around five feet tall, the Ella walk-in tubs to compare first are the models built on the lower 35 inch platform, the Petite, Elite and Royal, along with compact models such as the Flow, which has the shortest seat length listed. Height alone never picks the tub, because your seated hip width, shoulder width and head-to-feet length decide the fit. What size walk-in tub fits a five foot or six foot…
• How much does a walk-in tub weigh? Net, shipping, and filled weight guideHow much does a walk-in tub weigh? Ella walk-in tubs weigh between 160 and 328 pounds empty, depending on the model, and between 220 and 531 pounds as shipped in the crate. The quick answer for planning: most standard-size models weigh 200 to 240 pounds net, which two people can move safely once the access panels are removed, and your bathroom floor must support the tub plus the water plus the bather. Net and…

• ▶1:52How To Choose The Right Walk-In Tub For YouChoosing the right walk-in tub requires specific body measurements to ensure a comfortable fit. The video demonstrates how to measure hip width, shoulder width, and body length while…4 chapters · used in 10 guides
• ▶1:03How to Choose Your Walk-In TubCustomers learn how to choose a walk-in tub by measuring their home's doorways and hallways. These measurements ensure the tub will fit and help with an easier installation…3 chapters · used in 20 guides
• ▶0:41How to Measure the Soaking Depth of Your Walk-In Tub | Ella’s BubblesThe overall soaking depth of an Ella's Bubbles walk-in tub is determined by three factors: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the…used in 8 guides
• ▶1:42Why Choose an Outward Door Swing Walk-In TubElla's Bubbles outward-swing walk-in tubs offer U-shaped and L-shaped door styles for easy entry and exit, especially for wheelchair users. These doors feature secure multi-latch…4 chapters · used in 4 guides
• ▶2:44Walk-In Tub with Stainless Steel Inward Swing Door for Easy Entry & Exit | Ella’s BubblesElla's Bubbles inward swing walk-in tubs feature a custom-crafted brushed stainless steel door with a frosted tempered glass panel. These tubs offer safety features, dual drain…6 chapters · used in 4 guides
• ▶1:30Walk-in Tubs With Stylish, High Quality Doors for Easy AccessElla's Bubbles walk-in tubs feature three distinct door styles for various needs. Customers can choose from an inward swing brushed stainless steel door, an outward swing U-shaped…3 chapters · used in 5 guides
• ▶0:35Ella's Big4One Walk-In Tub: William's Customer TestimonialWilliam, a 6'7" former professional football player, shares his experience with the Ella's Bubbles Big4One Walk-In Tub. He describes how the extra-long and wider design…used in 8 guides
• ▶1:55The ShaK: Largest & Most Luxurious Walk-In Tub: Customer TestimonialTall and large bathers demonstrate how easily they fit into the spacious Ella's Bubbles ShaK walk-in tub. The video highlights the ShaK as the largest single-seat walk-in tub and…3 chapters · used in 4 guides
• ▶0:42How to Measure the Soaking Depth in Your Walk-In-TubDetermining the soaking depth in Ella walk-in tubs involves measuring from the top of the seat to the overflow vents, the length of the seat, and the interior length of the tub. These…used in 7 guides
• ▶1:53Fastest Dual Drain Technology for Walk-In Tubs | Ella’s BubblesElla's Bubbles walk-in tubs feature exclusive dual drain technology with oversized two-inch drains for efficient water removal. The video explains how these dual drains connect to a…4 chapters · used in 17 guides
• ▶1:12Ellas Bubbles: Extension Panels or "Filler Kits" For Alcove InstallationElla's Bubbles walk-in tubs use extension panels, also called filler kits, to create a custom fit in alcove installations. These panels can be trimmed for odd-sized or out-of-square…3 chapters · used in 16 guides
• ▶1:13Wheelchair Accessible Walk-In Tub Door Options for Elderly & Disabled | Ella’s BubblesElla's Bubbles offers three distinct walk-in tub door styles, including wheelchair-accessible options. These doors are designed for safety, durability, and convenience for elderly and…3 chapters · used in 8 guides