Pick the Right Bathtub Every Time

Why You Need This Checklist

What if the tub you just bought — the one sitting in your garage right now — is going to crack the moment you tighten the drain? That is a question most homeowners never think to ask, and it is exactly the kind of costly mistake the Bathroom Remodeling Teacher learned the hard way so you do not have to.

Here is the uncomfortable truth: two acrylic tubs can look almost identical side by side, same glossy finish, same depth, same price range, and one of them will hold up for decades while the other flexes, cracks, and leaves you tearing out your freshly tiled bathroom just four years later. That is not a hypothetical. That is exactly what happened on a real project documented in this video, where a Delta tub with a flimsy 3/16-inch skirt and a poorly engineered two-piece drain assembly cracked under normal installation stress. The repair costs, the tile demo, the lost weekends — none of that was on the original budget.

Now picture this instead: you walk into your bathroom supplier, you pick up a tub, you flip it over, and you know exactly what to look for. You check the flange thickness — is it a solid quarter inch or better? You look for continuous fiberglass reinforcement, plywood ledgers on the base, integrated support brackets, and a one-piece drain assembly that will not flex when you tighten it down. You set it in mortar with confidence, tile around it knowing it is not going anywhere, and hand the homeowner a bathroom that holds up for the long haul. That is what good tub selection feels like.

The Bathroom Remodeling Teacher has been through the bad installations so you do not have to repeat them. This checklist distills the hands-on comparison between a low-quality Delta acrylic tub and a premium Jacuzzi soaker tub into a clear, step-by-step evaluation you can use in the store, in the warehouse, or on the job site. Every quality indicator covered in the video is captured here — flange thickness, drain assembly design, base reinforcement, slip resistance surface, bracket support, mortar bed compatibility, and more.

This PDF checklist gives you a proven framework to evaluate any acrylic tub before you commit to buying it. Take it shopping, share it with a client, or use it to double-check a tub that is already on order. Stop guessing and start choosing with confidence.

What's Inside — Preview

Every checklist item comes with actionable notes to guide you — things like "Don't forget to do this before you start," "Avoid this common mistake," or "Set a reminder for 30 days out." Nothing vague, just clear next steps.

DECIDE Decide on acrylic as your tub material before shopping

RESEARCH Choose a tub that is at least 19 inches deep for a true soaker experience

MEASURE Confirm the tub is a standard size that fits your bathroom — 32x60 inches for a 5x8 bathroom

CHECK Inspect the skirt plate and side walls for rigidity — reject any tub that flexes easily by hand

CHECK Measure or visually assess the drain flange thickness — look for at least 1/4 inch, ideally 3/8 inch

+ 11 more action items inside...

Pick the Right Bathtub Every Time

Why You Need This Checklist

What's Inside — Preview

Get the Full Checklist