I have a claw-foot bath tub very similar to the one shown. Our house was built in 1850 and is gothic revival Architecture. The tub was installed well after the house was built and has been used many years. Although is is quite striking against the natural wainscoting it is very difficult to get in and out of and with 160 years old oak floor we have to be very careful of the mess it can make it the shower curtain is not just right. Not user friendly. Considering its removal... can send pictures if you like

I have a very similar bathroom - same flooring & wainscot and clawfoot. We don't use the tub due to water splashing over and behind, can't clean behind it very well, and difficulty getting in and out. Do you know of any shower systems that would look good in this style bath, removing the tub? Thanks!

Elen,
I did not like what I found commercially available as a shower system for our tub. Instead, I used a high end wide pattern faucet set that uses stainless steel flex line to connect to the water spout. I connected that instead to tube that runs up the corner of the room, covered by original corner moulding to the ceiling then drops out to the shower head. The shower is contained by a ring matching the shape of the tub and is supported to the ceiling. But with all that, hard to get in and out of and never really capable of avoiding a small amount of spray. I'm afraid they are just not really practical for daily shower, but a very infrequent soak. Your thoughts? I'm designing a shower that will take its place.

I've showered in clawfoot tubs and I find them awful - It's like being mummified alive in multiple showercurtains, and you can't easily get at your soaps, shampoos, etc.

There's a very good reason folks modernized and installed alcove tubs and stall-showers in the early 20th Century - Can't for the life of me understand why folks want to go back to Victorian times with their new bathrooms.

I agree, they are not user friendly, no matter how much effort you put into them. I have proven that. From an appearance stand point, I like seeing it there. Adds a lot of old world to it. But it is simply a trophy, not usable.

Ive got a clawfoot tub. We're doing a complete remodel and I want a shower/tub. I was thinking of putting a shower pan with drain and tiling under the tub, then having a curtain on only the outside. Has anyone done or sen anything like this???

I have seen a clawfoot on a tiled floor over rubber membrane with a center floor drain. Shower dropped down from ceiling. No shower Pan, again center floor drain. Humidity was always high, few areas under tub did not drain as well as they wanted but looked nice and worked relatively well. Owner took out the tub in less than a year due to difficty getting in and out of tub. Owner was local to me.

Thanks for the suggesting about the rubber membrane with a center drain.

There are a number of comments about the difficulty getting in and out of a clawfoot shower/tub, does this have something to do with it being a shower? Isn't it just as difficult as getting into it as a tub? I don't often seem complaints of the difficulty of getting in and out of a clawfoot tub....

The one that we have is relatively deep. You have to make sure that you attempt to step toward the middle of the tub so you don't step on the inside radius of the tub, this has a tendency to throw you off balance. Most have tendency to get into the tub from a bent over type position rather than stepping into the shower. We have lost a few shower curtains due to the unstable feeling you have trying to get out. You get accustom to it with time. I would never suggest it for an elderly person. Our is probably going to come out or be used for bathing only. Most likely come out.

This design here on HOUZZ might cure the problem, the best of both worlds : )

We remodeled our 1870 Victorian and chose this exact design, clawfoot. Same hex tile, wainscoting and oval shower ring with riser. our problem was preventing any water from escaping while showering. The curtains had to slightly overlap, we're difficult to maneuver between the paneling and tub edge, and ended up trapping moisture along the drywall, which then pretty much disintegrated. A shower ring and riser kit is a good temporary solution, but very impractical for long term use. Not to mention the claustrophobic effect. Last point, by the time you've climbed in to shower, unless you have nice high ceilings, the curtain doesn't reach very high. Too high and steam won't vent, too low and you feel exposed.

I have never understood the desire of people to go back in time to an age and system that literally spawned the concept of a shower stall. If you dislike small confined shower stalls, you're going to hate the cocooned feeling of taking a shower in a claw foot tube with a shower curtain.....not to mention the higher risk of a slip hazard.

If you just really like the claw foot tub look and enjoy a long relaxing soak (and who doesn't) I would suggest a marriage of the two functions like penelope suggest used by Jane Kim Designs. This European wet room design has been used for years overseas in one form or another and works quite well. If you don't have the room for something like this, I would suggest maybe looking at the possibility of robbing space from an adjacent area to facilitate a separate shower alcove..........

If this isn't a possibility, I would elect to go with a true shower configuration with an antique motif then. I'm willing to bet you wouldn't be happy with the claw foot tub and the shower curtain in the end.

I had a very bad slip in a Marilyn Monroe style clawfoot tub which had been converted to a shower. I used to love taking showers before this tub in our new (to us) 1925 bungalow. I don't look forward to taking showers anymore. We are looking for a solution that would include a tub and shower but we have an extremely small bathroom. To the blogger who wondered about the safety of a conventional bathtub entry over a clawfoot--as mentioned above, the shape and slope are the problem along with the five extra inches to scale. (at a minimum)

Had a similar configuration with a clawfoot tub in small (5x6) bathroom in my boys bedroom. I like the look of a clawfoot tub but understand the misery of showering in one (we had to shower in it while renovating our other bathrooms and it is like being attacked by shower curtains when using the ring and hanging the curtains in the tub).

Because our boys are very young I wanted to keep a tub in their bath but understand that as they grow they will likely take showers almost exclusively. With that in mind we had our contractor build a shower stall with a center drain in the area where the tub would sit. We placed a wall mount faucet with a telephone shower handle in the stall and then simply placed the tub in the stall - we can remove the tub in the future when the boys grow, (remember, claw foot tubs are really just pieces of furniture). When and if we remove the tub the wall faucet will remain - the raised spout will be good in the future for filling buckets, washing off dirty boy items, pets, etc.

We have a standard spring loaded shower curtain rod with a curtain that sits OUTSIDE the tub but inside the shower curb (in the future, should we remove the tub, we can add a section of frameless glass in place of a curtain) In the event anyone wants to shower, they simply attach the telephone faucet to the holder mounted on the wall above the faucet and draw the curtain and let the water fly where it may, in or out of the tub since it's all in the confines of a shower stall anyway - no curtain blowing in to annoy AND (bonus alert) we had cubbies built into the back wall of the shower stall to hold soap, shampoo, etc. so no issues with places to put shower items.We modified the standard tub drain to pour out right over the center drain so that works great (you really don't want to have to try to scrub under the claw foot if you don't have too).

I will admit that I only devised the setup because, again, I have two young boys that take baths now, and will for at least 5 more years and I really wanted the beauty of a claw foot. Full time, they do stink to get in and out off and I would never encourage my older parents to attempt to shower in it (the sides are high compared to any new standard tub and claw foot tubs are bowl like and slippery without the proper foot placement even for my surefooted self :-).

Anyway, I recall not being able find any examples of this solution on line when we did it. I have to say it looks and works beautifully. One important note, we opted for a raised curb, but we could have gone curbless which I think would make the most sense for anyone who planned to shower in it / have water running all over the shower stall more often as cleaning underneath can be a pain for those who don't feel particularly agile (assuming your curb is close to the feet of the tub like mine (due to our small bathroom footprint). If you do this, make sure you use a really really good waterproofing system under your tile (spend the extra bucks to go beyond just cement board - that should help keep things really dry and help avoid mildew in those hard to reach places (cause again, scrubbing under the tub is a pain and pulling out a 300lb beast to spring clean will get old !!!)

Sorry I don't have pics right now but I will try to post some soon as I think visually sharing on this is my duty after my futile search years ago.

If you're looking for a clawfoot tub shower conversion kit we've got many styles available here: http://faucetlist.com/Chrome-Clawfoot-Tub-Faucet-Shower-Kit-with-Enclosure-Curtain-Rod-12T1CTS.html - Here's another link to take a look at if you want to learn more about how to set up a Clawfoot Tub with Shower: http://faucetlist.com/blog/Clawfoot-Tub-Faucet-Buying-Guide-Part-2-Add-a-Shower.html

We have spoken with many customers and found the majority to be very happy with showering in a clawfoot tub. If you have a large enough shower curtain ring it will likely be no different then any shower/tub combination where you stand in the tub. The benefit is when you do want to take a bath, you will get the full experience of a deap clawfoot soaking tub rather than the normal shallow bathtubs found in most homes.

Thanks. Do you think the curved, clear shower surround in the picture above is a custom piece? Thanks.

I did not like showering in a clawfoot tub with a plastic liner. It felt too claustrophobic for my daily showers. Maybe ok for a guest shower but not everyday use. We replace with a regular alcove tub/shower.

I like my clawfoot tub shower but I don't like how narrow they make the shower rings. If the rings were wider, I'd be fine. Getting in or out isn't a problem because I have a wall at the foot of the tub. I simply put my hand on wall and step in. There's no need to lean over.

Hello, We have lived in our house (which was built in 1900) for 32 years and were partly attracted by the claw foot tub. We added a shower conversion kit, my kids grew up with this they are now 32 and 27 I never heard major complaints and my son is 6'3". I can appreciate that showers have come a long way and if I were starting from scratch now I would probably do a different set up. My husband and I are 64 and 63, we are pretty fit and have no problem getting in and out. There are many short comings of old historic homes but they are made up for by their character. This said older homes are not for everyone so if you want ultimate modern convenience best not to buy a historic home. One thing I did find was to use a fabric shower curtain rather than plastic, they make them that are 'waterproof' (as in contains water in the tub) and closing the gap is easier.

I am about to start a bathroom renovation and have an existing clawfoot tub with glass enclosed shower that I am trying to find more information on. Im guessing its a Porcher but cannot confirm. I am also looking to sell the tub but have no idea what its worth. I've attached pictures. If anyone can give me any information it would be greatly appreciated.

I would love to see a picture of what Nehihihi mentioned. Thinking of doing exactly that for my kids' bathroom

Jacky Any one want to sell the tub and shower rod ,as I am looking for one .

Spark2m, I adore your set. I am definitely interested in purchasing it if you are still wanting to sell it.

Hi Valarie, the set is still for sale. If you are interested, you can email me directly at spark2m@yahoo.com. Thanks for your interest.

Hi, Spark2m I sent you an email this morning. Thanks for getting back to me.

I put in a vintage claw-foot tub in a recent retro-remodel of my bathroom, and while I don't like showering in it as much as a nice tiled-in shower, I did find ways to make it more pleasant.

Here are some tips from my experience:

1. Three curtains work well. I use a narrow curtain that I cut to about 3 feet wide, and with an upside down U shape cut out for the area around plumbing attached to the tub. I also use two conventional shower curtains on the the right and left sides of the tub. Open hook type curtain rings allow me to overlap the curtains when closing them. This makes the curtains easy to use completely eliminates stray water leaks when showering.

2. Use one or two clear curtains. This goes a long way towards eliminating the claustrophobic feeling shower curtains can create. There are some curtains that only have the see through part on top so you can maintain privacy.

3. Don't settle for curtains that billow in when showering. I found some fabrics will not allow water spray out, but the wetness keeps them stuck to the tub sides and off your legs. Some heavier plastic curtains also seem to stay put. I have never had a problem just letting cotton or polyester fabric dry hanging on the shower rod, but I do live in a low humidity area. Cotton does fine if you occasionally wash it with your laundry. Separate shower liners just get in the way and are not necessary.

4. Use one or more soap and shampoo trays attached onto the shower pipe to eliminate the need to reach out of the shower. This is not really an optional accessory if you are showering often. I keep a tray with more shampoos and sponges just outside of the shower.

5. Hold on to a sturdy towel rack installed near the shower, or just bend over and hold on to the edge of the tub when stepping out of the shower. Stepping out doesn't feel precarious or require much flexibility if you hold on to something sturdy.

6. Remember to enjoy bathing! A clawfoot tub is at best a compromised showering device, but it works superbly for baths. Sitting peacefully in a deep quiet hot bath with the curtains pulled fully away is a very nice way to relax after a long day.

The problem is a cultural difference.. Most people in Europe DO NOT STAND in any tub while showering- unless you need a quick rinse- inconvenient for scrubbing and dangerous- you may slip in the shower stall or a /tub.

One SITS in a tub - you do not have to fill it with water for showering- just turn on water to the flexible shower head You can let the shower head lay next to you or on you while you can comfortably and safely scrub your feet, wash your hair, trim nails, etc.
Some use a hook for the shower head which is very low on the wall above the tub within an easy reach from a seated position in a tub or use the lowest position on a sliding bar- then it is like in US, but water is not splashing everywhere from the height of 6 feet or more, but just above you seated in the tub The tub catches nearly everything without a shower curtain!
However, though flexible hoses appeared in US in the last 20 years, I have rarely seen a proper flexible hose attachment here, even by designers- the beginning of the flexible hose is very often placed to high- very odd looking and defeats the functionality.
.

While on cultural differences: in some EU countries boys are trained NOT to pee standing- the inevitable splashes not hygienic, mush easier to keep the toilet clean, no arguments about the seat cover- more pleasant for a household. For the sake of an argument- it does not turn men into p*****s

Not to endorse the manufacturer, but this is how the hook may look like above the tub
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MVG46F6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A36OVJR9KBH1LW

Finally a picture to share. See my extended post above for more detail but notice the shower curb and center drain at the base of the tub. That is so the tub can be showered in with a curtain hanging on the outside OR the tub can be completely removed in the future leaving a huge shower stall. Note that the tub is only sitting inside the stall ( the faucet / hand shower are wall mounted and there is only a center floor drain. The tub overflow is not hooked up to any piping and the tub drain is routed to hang over the center floor drain using the original tub overflow / drain piping which has been turned in the opposite direction (thanks to our genius contractor for coming up with that trick).

I love the look of my clubfoot tub. I use 3 shower liners around the tub when I shower. The problem is the water still gets behind the open gaps at the back of the tub and now we have mold growing in the back and underneath. Where we can reach to clean. We would have to disconnect the plumbing , need a plumber for that. And move the heavy cast iron tub. Is there any way to seal the gaps, so that water can't spill down the sides and back? We are thinking of tiles? Any suggestions?

Love my tub!

I despise shower curtains. They're gross and there is no way to make a clawfoot tub work for you and still be able to clean around it properly with the USA models. I did find 1 brand in the UK called Burlington that sells a clawfoot called the Hampton. Unfortunately it doesn't come in a case iron version but acrylic will do. It must be a discontinued tub because it is not located on Burlington's website but there are a ton of UK dealers that ship worldwide. I am eagerly waiting for mine to arrive and praying that there is no damage during the shipping process. The tub and shower wall alone were only $817. You have options for shipping pricing depending on the dealer and shipper.

Hipsters would kill to have access to buy this tub shower combo in the USA. Bummer no one else makes this or has copied it yet.

If you go with a Clawfoot tub, may we suggest looking into Clingless Curtain Keeper! The solution to clawfoot tub shower curtain problems! It solves the shower liner from coming inward toward you, give you move room to shower and more. You can see them here on Houzz, just click our logo. They are available to purchase here on Houzz at a special pricing for Houzz members! A retail set comes with 3 units, if you have curtains on both sides, we recommend 2 sets.

Contact us with any question.

Thanks,

Team Clingless