FREESTANDING - Classic
Legged / Pedestal Tubs
Ball & Claw Foot, Pedestal, Leg Tubs

Older generations can remember when the only type of bathtub found in most American homes was the roll-top cast-iron claw foot tub. These types are still available new, but they now come in a wide variety of styles and materials.

The basic design is familiar, with a sloped back and a straight front, but the feet may be ball and claw, pedestal or legged. Materials range from cast iron, to porcelain on steel, to acrylic. Sizes range from 4' to 6' lengths.

These tubs are freestanding and have exposed pipes that are easy to service, but are harder to clean around unless they're in the middle of the room. Unlike built-in tubs, these tubs require no special carpentry work.

The exterior of the tub is available in white or in colors.

Claw Foot Tubs
There are two basic styles of the claw foot tub, European and American.

The European styled bathtub is designed with no faucet drilling so there is a deeper water level. Faucets can be floor or wall mounted. There is however, a hole for the overflow and drain.

 
Most cast iron claw foot tubs can be purchased with cast brass feet which provide a striking contrast against the background of the tub surface.

The American style claw foot tub has holes drilled for faucets, overflow and drain, generally at the straight end of the tub. The faucets on most of the antique roll top claw foot bathtubs in the US have holes that are on 3-3/8 centers.

A tub with no faucet holes requires either sturdy free standing supplies or a wall mounted faucet. A deck mount faucet uses straight supply lines out of the floor. You may also bring the supply lines out of the wall.

The British Telephone Faucet continues to be popular on both European and American styled tubs.

Some of the more elegant styles are the fairy-tale like slipper tubs and the dual-end tubs.

It is possible to have an integrated shower with a claw foot tub. Specially designed faucets are sold to permit this as in the Chicago Faucet model shown at the left.

Refinished antique claw foot tubs are available today, from antique dealers and specialty stores. 

Pedestal Bath

A Pedestal tub is oval in shape, and has no feet at all. Instead, it rests on an oval base. The base can be constructed of wood, finished to match the exterior surface of the tub, painted, or decorated to suit the owner .

Like the european styled claw foot bathtub, the pedestal tub is designed with no faucet drilling which provides a deeper water level. Faucets can be floor or wall mounted.

Even though the pedestal tub is designed for soaking, a hand-held shower is a welcome addition for rinsing.

Manufacturers offer a limited number of options with pedestal tubs.

Kohler's Vintage Suite, shown at the right and below, has an optional wood towel rail that can be installed on one or both ends of the tub. This feature eliminates the problem of where to put the towels for these freestanding tubs.

 


At the left, the pedestal base of the Vintage Bath by Kohler, is hand painted to match their English Trellis line.

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