Moving a cast iron bath

SWMBOs grandfather used to carry them on his back, turtle fashion.

MBQ

Surely you want no damage to stairs, bath AND workforce? Or is one of those elements optional?!?

I had the opposite problem - wanted to get rid of a bath. In the end, left in place as it would have been more trouble than it was worth to try to get it down our stairs.

Matt

I think you have that the wrong way round. I want no damage to the stairs, nor do I want damage to the bath, nor do I want damage to the workforce. Your phrasing could imply that I don't want damage to all three, but to two is acceptable.

Cheers Richard

Is he available? I'm in the East Riding.

Cheers Richard

I had to get one such from out the back of the house, through a narrowish door into an equally narrow passageway and then along into the bathroom.

I dreamed up all sorts of scenarios and put several options into place, but in the end found that 4 of us managed it without any bother (and per person it was lighter than expected). Included was standing it on its end to get through the back door, walking it forward and then lowering it down in the narrow hallway.and then a carry.

OK we didn't have stairs I will admit. The winders will be the problem but at least they are at the bottom. Having just got an outsize wardrobe into a small house (one of the team classified it as a 'behemoth' - old Egyptian for a hippopotamus apparantly), by sliding it up ladders and through an upstairs window, I would suggest something similar up your stairs - ie create a flat surface on the stairs and slide it up on the top edges, everything suitably protected. Push from the bottom and ropes from the top.

There is no easy way !! Make sure the upstairs team is up before you block the stairway - they will have sleeping quarters and toilet facilities but no food if the bath remains blocking the stairs !!

Rob

Split foam pipe lagging taped over the edges (both bottom and side of them) and the feet, whether detachable or not. Corrugated cardboard boxing in the sides over this. Bubble wrap inside (taped firmly down) as cushioning when carrying. Take time and effort when wrapping it, it's easier than fixing chips afterwards.

Check the route for obstructions, removing light fittings where needed and cardboard-wrapping stair newel posts etc. In particular, protect the top of banisters where it's likely to be lifted over them and slid.

Then carry it turtle fashion, on the back of the strongest available grandfather. Assistant each end for steering.

Roll-top cast iron baths are actually quite easy to manoeuvre, as they omit the corners that are usually such a problem.

Rented serfs on minimum wage make a cost-effective wedge for shoring up a bathtub if it has to be parked anywhere overnight. They're available cheaply from your local Job Centre. Use enough and you might even get a grant!

Congratulations - with all due respect to all the helpful people who responded, you win the prize for most useful suggestions. I was envisaging a pulling-with-ropes and pushing-from below scenario of some kind, with protection applied to the stairs (or possiboly skids attached to the bath ;-) ). The issues I foresaw were over the width of the bath against the stairs, and creating a smooth surface while leaving something for the bottom crew (so to speak) to put their feet on.

In the end, brute force might have to be the prevailing factor.

A neighbour suggested punching holes in the ceiling and hoisting it up on a joist, but as my ceiling joists are 3x2, this seemed imprudent.

Cheers Richard

Lateral thinking is required here: Coffer dam round the house. Plug firmly in bath. Flood coffer dam to first floor level and float bath in through window. Drain coffer dam and remove. Simples

AWEM

And a person in it, with a paddle. What flag should be flown?

Cheers Richard

With a rope more people can be up the stairs pulling whilst as many as will fit grab hold of it.

Is there any area of open vertical space next to the stairs? A picture would be useful.

When I've moved a cast iron bath up some stairs, we slid it on the base on some scaffolding planks - the legs had been removed. It's difficult getting a grip if there are no taps - it may be helpful to rig up a arrangement with ropes.

They can be picked up and spun on the sloping end with care but you need

How about arranging a temporary wall anchor using a piece of wood and some wall fixings or are you trying to avoid damaging plaster? Then you could use ratchet straps to take the load.

Have you checked you can get it into the bathroom? If you can not the favoured method was remove the bathroom window & hoist it up the scaffolding and in the window.

I like the coffer dam method myself... you must include the supervisory rubber ducks with hard hats.

Will 'Seaman Staines' be present?

mark

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Lay the bath down on the stairs upside down. Use a length of 4" x 2" timber to lever against the bottom end of the bath and the stairs so that it moves up one step at a time. Have someone with a rope at the top to guide and hold between lifts with the lever. Protect the bath and stairs to prevent damage from the lever.

Cic.

On Jul 19, 1:55=A0pm, "george [dicegeorge]" wrote: as many as will fit =A0grab hold of it.

Cheers Richard

The stairs come down one side of a room, so they are open into that room below first floor level.

That's a good idea. It might be possible to find such a point on the landing. I'm not too bothered about the plaster as it's easily patched.

Cheers Richard

Unfortunately there is a conservatory beneath the bathroom window. And no scaffolding.

Cheers Richard

a big long fat bit of wood behind a door opening then tie a rope to that?