weight of cast iron bath

[wounded horse]

Anyone know what a std size cast iron tub weighs, give or take a few pounds. Bloody heavy I know that. Don't fancy getting it downstairs in one piece.

[Chris Bacon]

If you stand astride it, with the bath partially upside-down, resting on one lip, you can just about pick it up and move it, but it's a strain. If you want to get it downstairs in one piece, you can, with care, but you will need a helper, unless you get technical - the stairs ought to be protected by something, e.g. carpet, and take great care that it doesn't shoot away out of control (an emergency rope around a newel or something, belayed by a third man, is OK).

[PhilÃÂÂ]

Hehe, rings back memories when we had to take a Orange Cast Iron bath downstairs after we moved into a old Victorian house.

Yep, they are heavy, we thought we had it under control, but it did get away from us on the stairs. Took huge chunks and nearly went through the wall at the bottom.

It did split in two at this stage and made the final push out of the door a lot easier..

[Andy]

If you wish to get rid of it, then an easier method ( unless you're selling it on for reclamation ) is to take a club hammer or sledge hammer and whack hard with that. Wear ear defenders and goggles, and make sure the floor won't be damaged. Cast iron is brittle and will fracture after a few thwacks, then you can carry it out in lumps.

Andy.

[Rob Morley]

Once you have it upside down you can move it on rollers (a few bits of old broom handle) and it will slide easily down carpeted stairs - too easily if you're not careful :-)

[Tony Hogarty]

This is very good advice - take it from me that being at the bottom of the stairs when one of these finally stops using you as a buffer is not much fun!

[Fitz]

Two people can manage - normal people as well, they don't need to be thick necked rugby types. If you can get three and a hefty lump of rope all the better.

Please note - for normal types it is exhausting. You will not believe how much you sweat for such a seemingly small amount of work. Also plan and measure the route downstairs. Otherwise you'll get stuck half-way, not be able to go back up, both start shaking like Elvis, make a stupid comment about the fact that your helper looks like a dog trying to shit razor blades, he will have a giggling fit and drop the thing, taking huge chunks out of the plaster and nearly breaking your toes. It will then take you a further half hour to extract the now wedged bath from it's precarious resting place without causing further damage or hernias.

Well that's one possibility that I've plucked out of thin air and didn't actually happen of course, oh no sir not me...

[Peter Taylor]

You could do what I did when I needed help getting a piano downstairs - Go down the local on a Saturday dinner time, wait while the game of darts finishes, then shout out "Drinks all round guv'nor!". When the place goes deathly quiet and everyone looks round in amazement say "I bet none of you guys can lift a cast iron bath". Works a treat. :o)

[s--p--o--n--i--x]

Break it up in-situ. With a decent sized clubhammer it should break easily.

Whack it near the rim until it cracks-keep whacking and chase the crack until it breaks into bits. It's sort of like breaking a really tough bit of toffee.

Wear goggles, ear defenders, overalls and gloves-the enamel splinters go everywhere and are VERY sharp.

sponix

[Matt]

OK so they lifted your cast iron bath but how did that help get your piano downstairs?

:-)

[TheScullster]

Did this last year - you do have to hit the thing bl**dy hard!

Worth covering it in old curtains/sheets. They get ruined, but stop razor sharp enamel going everywhere.

I also put some board over the window just in case of flying cast iron fragments.

Only mistake I made was standing a bit too close when the body finally broke. The end nearest me listed over and grazed my shin - a small price to pay for ridding the house of the 1970s relic.

Phil

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Anyone know what a std size cast iron tub weighs, give or take a few pounds. | Bloody heavy I know that. Don't fancy getting it downstairs in one piece.

I, after ruining my DIY angle grinder, hired a professional Angle Grinder and cut mine in two. I was still an absolute swine, with *two* men, to get the halves down the stairs. Were I to do it again I would cut it into four.

[Rob Morley]

Easier to whack it a few times with a BIG hammer. But I think it's a shame to break these up when people can still use them.

[Chris Bacon]

This all adds up to "Why I prefer to remove CI baths in one bit".

[Set Square]

Since it usually goes with ignorance, pretty good I imagine!

[Kevin]

Did this not so long ago with the help of my Brother in law. We tied a length of rope through the tap-holes, walked it to the top of the stairs and manhandled it until it was lying upside down on the top few stairs. After that it was a doddle for me to gradually lower it with the rope while he just slowed it's progress down the stairs. Note important point, if the rope snaps, make sure you are the one at the top of the stairs.