Installation Guide For Freestanding & Clawfoot Bathtub Installation Guide

Every Gramans bathtub ships with a printed installation guide in the crate. The same guides are below, so you can send them to your plumber before the tub arrives — or download a replacement if the original went out with the packaging.

Read the guide that matches your tub. Modern freestanding tubs and clawfoot tubs install differently, and the two guides are not interchangeable.

Download your installation guide

Modern Freestanding Bathtubs

Covers the Laren, Naarden, Hilversum, and Bloemendaal. Floor-mounted drain connection, concealed rough-in, white drain and overflow hardware.

Clawfoot & Slipper Bathtubs

Covers the Valkenburg. Foot assembly, leveling on finished floors, exposed supply lines and chrome drain hardware.

Which guide do I need?

Your tub	Guide
Laren	Modern Freestanding
Naarden	Modern Freestanding
Hilversum	Modern Freestanding
Bloemendaal	Modern Freestanding
Valkenburg	Clawfoot & Slipper

Not sure which tub you have? Your model name is on the order confirmation and on the crate label. If you still can't tell, email us at team@gramansbathware.com with your order number and we'll point you to the right file.

Before installation day

Work through this list before your plumber arrives. Most installation delays come from something on it.

Inspect the tub at delivery. Damage must be noted on the delivery receipt before the driver leaves, and reported to us within 48 hours. Uncrate and inspect the tub the day it arrives, even if installation is weeks away. See our Shipping & Freight page for the full inspection process.

Confirm the tub fits the room — and the route to it. Measure doorways, hallway turns, and stairwells, not just the bathroom. A tub that fits the space but not the corridor is the most common installation-day problem.

Confirm the drain location. Your existing drain rough-in has to line up with the tub's drain position, or the floor needs to be opened to move it. This can be one of the biggest cost variables in a freestanding tub installation, and it's worth confirming before the tub ships.

Confirm the floor can carry the load. A filled freestanding tub with a bather in it weighs several times what the empty tub weighs. Older homes, second-floor bathrooms, and joists spanning long distances should be assessed by a professional.

Arrange for two people. Both tub types need at least two adults to lift and position. An empty acrylic tub is light enough to seem manageable and awkward enough to damage on a doorframe. Lift from the body of the tub — never by the rim, the drain, or a single foot. Ask your plumber whether they're bringing a second person or expecting you to provide one.

Choose and order your filler. Freestanding tubs need either a floor-mounted filler or a wall-mounted filler, depending on the tub and the room. Fillers are not included. Confirm your choice before the walls or floor are closed up — the rough-in differs for each.

Have the finished floor in place. Both tub types are set on a finished floor. Installing before tile or flooring goes down creates leveling and sealing problems later.

The first 24 hours

Modern freestanding tubs are sealed to the floor with silicone once the leak test passes. That sealant needs at least 24 hours to cure before the tub is filled or used — longer if the sealant manufacturer specifies it. Your plumber should repeat the leak test after it has cured.

Clawfoot tubs stand on their feet and aren't sealed to the floor, so there's no cure time. They're ready once the leak test passes.

Plan around this. A freestanding tub installed on Friday afternoon is not a tub you can use Friday night.

Professional installation and your warranty

Gramans tubs are designed to be installed by a licensed plumber working to local plumbing code.

Your 5-year warranty covers manufacturing defects in the tub and its hardware. It does not cover damage caused by improper installation, and it does not cover damage to your home resulting from an installation that wasn't done to code. Water damage from a connection that was never correctly made is not a defect in the tub.

This isn't unusual — it's how every bathtub warranty in the category works. But it's worth stating plainly, because a DIY installation that saves a few hundred dollars can cost you the warranty on a tub that costs considerably more.

Read the full terms on our Warranty page.

What your plumber will want to know

Send this section along with the PDF.

	Modern Freestanding	Clawfoot & Slipper
Drain & overflow finish	White	Chrome drain (no overflow)
Drain & overflow	Included	The clawfoot tubs do not have overflow
Supply lines	Concealed or floor-mounted filler	Typically exposed
Tub filler	Not included	Not included
Feet / base	Integrated base with hidden adjustable feet	Four ball-and-claw feet assembled on site, plus hidden adjustable feet for leveling
Leveling	Adjustable — see guide	Adjustable — see guide
Material	Acrylic with reinforced backing	Acrylic with reinforced backing
Floor sealant	100% neutral-cure sanitary silicone, acrylic-compatible	Not sealed to floor

What your plumber brings

The tub ships with its drain hardware. Everything below is the installer's responsibility and is not included:

4 ft. level, tape measure, adjustable wrench, screwdriver set
Caulking gun and 100% neutral-cure sanitary silicone compatible with acrylic (freestanding only)
Code-approved waste connector, P-trap, and fittings
Soft moving blanket, clean lint-free cloths, low-tack tape, protective cardboard or foam

You order the tub filler and its rough-in valve separately.

Exact rough-in dimensions, drain position, and interior dimensions for your specific model are on the product page and in the PDF.

Common questions

Can I install this myself? We don't recommend it. Beyond the warranty issue above, freestanding tubs are heavy, awkward to position, and unforgiving about leveling. A tub set even slightly out of level won't drain fully.

How long does installation take? A straightforward installation where the drain already lines up is usually a few hours. If the drain has to be relocated, it becomes a larger job involving opening the floor.

Do I need to buy anything besides the tub? Yes — the tub filler and its rough-in valve. Drain hardware is included, and our modern freestanding models also include overflow hardware.

Can the tub sit against a wall? Freestanding tubs are finished on all sides and designed to stand away from walls. Some models can be positioned near a wall, but clearance is needed for cleaning and for the drain connection. Check your model's guide.

I lost the printed guide. Download it above. If your model isn't listed, email us.

The acrylic got scratched. Can I sand it out?
Email us first at team@gramansbathware.com with a photo. Acrylic can often be restored, but sanding or polishing with the wrong compound turns a small mark into a permanent one. We'll tell you what's safe for the finish. For everyday cleaning, see Care & Cleaning.