# Water trough tub



## tmillerrn (Feb 7, 2014)

Has anyone ever made a bathtub out of a water trough? My question specifically is: how did you drill and finish the drain?


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Never have, but if I were, I'd use a hole saw to cut a hole the size for either a standard bathtub drain, or a bulkhead fitting used on plastic tanks.


You can find these fittings at most farm supply stores (TSC, Fleet, etc) or a good hardware store. They are made from 1/2" right on up thru 4-6". You'd probably want an 1 1/2" or 2" version.

You cut your hole, then it goes in one side with a gasket, and nut screws on the other side. You have threads you can hook up any pipe fitted adapter too.


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## Badger (Jun 11, 2010)

Well, its not a bathtub but I made a sink out of a 4 foot by 1 foot sidewall oval stock tank. All I did was cut the hole with a hole saw and install a bathtub drain with a screen. I put it on a stand to get the right height for comfortable working. I love it, finally have a place to wash all the garden stuff, apples and the big pots and canner. The only problem is it never drains completely out because its a flat bottom, you have to towel it out to get it completely dry.


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

Sounds feasible. Just make sure you allow the drain to be at the lowest point. Some way to make the interior bottom slip resistant. Galvanized sheet metal will transfer heat really quick. Post some pictures when you get it finished.


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## tmillerrn (Feb 7, 2014)

I am trying to find a nice way to give it an incline of about an inch high to flow toward the drain. I am thinking of two pretty prices of wood to make "feet" at one end. Just so it looks nice, not just propped up on a piece of wood.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

I used a galvanized horse trough for a bath tub years ago. I set it up on a flat rock on a couple concrete blocks with one end under a small spring fed waterfall. The spring water was pretty cold thus the cement blocks to raise it up enough to build a small fire under it. It came with a drain plug on one side near the bottom that I could drain most of the water out then just tipped it over to keep it clean til next time. Ahhhh yes... The good old days!


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## Kelly Wallace (May 10, 2017)

One of my friend has tried this but was not successful until he got the help of the professionals. He has been willing to renovate her bathtub since a very long time. He tried himself to make the new tub out of the trough, but faced many problems which he wasn't able to recover. On consulting the walk in tubs phoenix professionals, he got all his problems solved very easily. The team has given their best service in renovating the bathtub as well as helped him in maintaining the tub too. I think seeking the professional help in such cases is the much better option to get the problem solved easily.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

The bottom of a galvanized trough is thin sheet metal and will "flex" and move around some when it is filled, when you step in it, etc. This will lead to leakage around the drain connection unless you figure out a way to fully support the entire bottom of the tank. One board under the back to give it a little slope towards drain is no good, need the entire bottom surface supported.


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## LincTex (Oct 11, 2010)

Only 1/4" slope is needed. 1" slope is too much.

When installing any bathtub, a big box of drywall mud is spread out underneath, but can't be much thicker than about 1/2" at any place where weight will be. It shrinks as it dries. Typically, you dump & spread the mud, set the tub, then fill it with water. It must be allowed to settle as the mud dries.


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