How to choose the best soaking tub
How to choose the best soaking tub

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Whether youβre shopping for a freestanding, alcove, or under-mount soaking tub, there is one essential number you must check before you buy (and no, I donβt mean the price lol )β¦ itβs the overflow height!
A lot of folks will only look at the width and length numbers when choosing a tub β 30β³ x 60β³? Does it fit? Great! But thereβs more to it than that.
Savvier folks will also look at the height of the tub, hoping to ensure there will be plenty of water to actually cover their bodies while soaking. But did they look at what the water depth will be based on the overflow height, or just at the height from the floor to the top of the tub (which really wonβt tell you much about the water depth!)?
Itβs easy to be seduced by a deep-looking tub. This lovely soaking tub to the right is a great example β itβs nearly 29β³ at its tallest point (thatβs almost as high as a table-top!) and 23β³ at its lowest point! That must mean a lot of soaking depth, right?
Well⦠no.
As you can see in the diagram to the leftβ¦ the bottom 6β³ is taken up by the base and plumbing. And there is actually only 13.75β³ of water depth to the overflow. Thatβs not a terrible amount of water, but itβs not awesome, either.
The overflow is the spot where the water escapes from your tub, helping avoid flooding your home if someone forgets to turn off the tub water. So the height of the overflow from the floor of the tub is the key dimension you want to pay attention to when choosing a new tub for your remodel. If youβre *not* remodeling, but youβre currently stuck with a shallow tub, this overflow drain cover might gain you an extra inch or two of water depth. But assuming you *are* remodeling, itβs better to just choose a tub with a deeper water depth from the get-go.
So, now you may be wanting some options for tubs.
Here are 6 tubs that have a soaking depth of at least 15β³
(some go as deep as 20β³!):
The 72β³ Kohler Underscore under-mount soaking tub gives you 20 glorious inches of water depth!
Heads up! Size matters! The 60β³ version of the same tub, while still generous, provides just under 17β³ of water depth. That is still considered a deep soaking tub, just not *as* deep as provided by the 72β³ version. Likewise, if you are installing the 3-wall alcove version, youβll get just under 16β³ of water depth.
The Toto Clayton drop-in soaking tub fits a standard 60β³ wide bathroom and offers 20.25 inches of water depth! Wow!
Signature Hardwareβs Sitka 60β³ alcove tub will give you a lovely 15.75β³ of water depth.
Jacuzzi βs Signature 60β³ Free Standing soaking tub looks beautiful and will give you nearly 17β³ of water depth β yum!
Thinking about a new tub and wondering what overflow height will work for you?
If you have a tub in your home go take a peek at the height of your current overflow. Hop in, cover yourself with as much water as your tub will allow, and then consider how another few inches might transform your bathing experience.
If you can, go visit some plumbing showrooms and sit in a few tubs (donβt worry, itβs normal, just take off your shoes before you hop in.)
Pay attention to the overflow/water height (as well as to the comfort of the slope of the back and to the safety of the step-over height). But donβt despair if youβre stuck choosing something online β at least you can check that overflow height and make sure that at the very least youβll be soaking in a blissful amount of water!
Need help thinking through details like these for *your* bathroom remodel? Thatβs what weβre here for! If you just need pro guidance for your DIY project, check out our Design Helplines to get started! Weβre here to help make creating your happy place as easy as possible. Seriously.
May your home, and your bathtub, always be happy!

HI, I'M REBECCA WEST!
Iβm an interior designer, author, podcaster, speaker, and coach to other designers. (Whew!) But Iβm not your classic interior designer because, frankly, I donβt care if you buy a new sofa. I do care if your home supports your goals and feels like βyou.β Remember, happy starts at home!
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