How to Install a Soap Dish in the Bathtub
Install a soap dish in your bathroom above your tub to create a convenient and accessible place for your soap. In order to install the soap dish you will need to remove a tile from the wall above the tub. Take your time and remove the tile carefully so that you don’t damage the tiles surrounding it. Also, positioning the soap dish in the correct position on the wall so that the dish won’t be filled with water when the shower is running is important. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Grout saw
- Nail set
- Hammer
- Drill
- 1/4-inch masonry bit
- Cold chisel
- Tile adhesive
- Putty knife
- Soap dish
- Level
- Masking tape
- Tile grout
- Grout float
- Sponge
- Bucket of water
Instructions
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1
Select a wall tile to remove in the location that you would like to mount the soap dish on the wall above the bathtub. The ideal location is four to five tiles below the height of the shower head and two to three tiles horizontally to either side of it.
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2
Remove the grout from around the selected tile using a grout saw. Be careful not to damage the surrounding tiles when you are removing the grout.
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3
Tap a nail set with a hammer every inch from corner to corner diagonally to form a dotted-line “X” across the tile. The nail set should create a dimple in the surface of the tile. This will allow you to start a drill bit easier when you drill holes in the tile.
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4
Drill a hole through the tile at each dimple mark that you made in Step 3 using a drill equipped with a 1/4-inch masonry bit.
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5
Chisel out the tile chip by chip using the drilled holes as a starting point with a cold chisel. Strike the top end of the cold chisel with a hammer to remove all of the tile and adhesive from the wall surface.
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6
Spread an even layer, approximately 1/8-inch thick, of adhesive onto the wall where you removed the tile using a putty knife. Spread an approximately 1/8-inch thick layer of adhesive onto the back of the soap dish in the same manner. Press the soap dish into place.
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7
Place a level across the soap dish and adjust it for level. Tape across the soap dish diagonally to secure the dish to the wall as it dries. Allow the adhesive to dry at least 24 hours and remove the tape.
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8
Apply grout to the grout lines surrounding the soap dish using a grout float. Allow the grout to dry approximately 15 minutes and wash the soap dish and surrounding tiles off with a sponge that you dampened in a bucket of water. Rinse the sponge and repeat the process until the sponge wrings out clean. Allow the grout to dry 24 hours before using the bathtub or shower.
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Tips & Warnings
Select a soap dish that matches, complements or accents your existing bathroom tile work.
Wear eye protection when installing a soap dish to help prevent possible injury.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
