Clawfoot Tub Faucet Tips

There are three basic designs in clawfoot tub faucetry: rim mounted, tub wall mounted, and free standing. The most common design in the U.S. is tub wall faucets. Tub wall mounted faucets are installed through predrilled holes in the interior wall of the tub; typically on 3 3/8" centers but other dimensions are possible. For new tubs, many people prefer tubs with faucet holes drilled in the rim. This style is popular because the faucet does not take up space inside the tub walls. Clawfoot tubs that have been drilled with holes in the rim require rim or deck mounted faucets. Tubs that have not been drilled with faucet holes require faucets mounted on freestanding supplies or mounted to a flat wall. Many faucets designed for tub wall applications will also work with freestanding supplies or in-wall installations, although special couplers may be required. Shop 4 Classics offers faucets for all of these possibilities. The first step in selecting a faucet for your tub will be to determine which of these designs fit your application.

All of our clawfoot tub faucets are faithful reproductions of antique originals. Most of our tub wall mount faucets have 3 3/8" centers to replicate the prominent design of the originals. The British telephone series include swing arm couplers for adjustable centers. In addition to the British telephone faucets, many other faucets can be fitted with swing arm couplers to allow for variable centers. If the faucet holes drilled in the wall of your tub are not 3 3/8" from center to center, you will require a faucet with adjustable centers.

Rim mounted faucets are less standardized. Deck or rim mount faucets are available with 6", 7", 8" and even 3 3/8" centers. Some deck mount faucets can also be fitted with swing arm couplers for adjustable centers if the faucet does not match the spread of the faucet holes in the rim of your tub. In some cases, tub wall mount faucets can be converted to deck mount applications with special deck mount couplers and swivel arm couplers. With all of these options, we are sure that we have a faucet to fit your tub. Please email customerservice@shop4classics.com if you need assistance with swing arm couplers for adjustable centers.

Selecting a faucet to meet plumbing codes can be more difficult than one might guess. The problem with plumbing codes is that there is no uniform code for the United States. Each political unit is free to define their own set of standards. Some areas are more restrictive than others. The following tips will help you select a clawfoot tub faucet that meets code for your area:

• Most clawfoot tub faucets that mount on the tub wall have spouts that extend below the rim of the tub. Anti-siphon ordinances may require the spout to be above the rim to prevent bath water from being drawn back into supply lines, possibly contaminating the water supply. Gooseneck faucets are popular because the mouth of the spout extends above the rim of roll top tubs, satisfying code in most areas. Another option is the Sign of the Crab thermostatic faucet which features a built in anti-siphon.
• Many of our clawfoot tub faucets include handshowers. Anti-siphon ordinances may require a vacuum breaker on the hand shower to prevent backflow. Shop 4 Classics sells a vacuum breaker for handheld showers which can be purchased if code in your area requires it. Many of our faucets that include a handshower also include the vacuum breaker.
• Some locations may require a pressure balance system. Pressure balance valves are not an integral component of most clawfoot tub faucets. However, we offer supply lines that include a pressure balance valve that can be used with these faucets to meet pressure balance ordinances. See Claw Foot Tub Supply Line Tips for help with selecting supplies. The Sign of the Crab thermostatic faucet features a built in pressure balance system. In-wall pressure balance kits are also available.
• Anti-scald codes in some areas may require a temperature set point on the faucet. The set point controls the maximum temperature of water from the faucet. The Sign of the Crab thermostatic faucet is the only faucet/shower enclosure available that offers an anti-scald feature.
• Speak to a professional in your area for more information and help with code requirements.

The International Code Council (ICC) publishes a set of building and plumbing codes that most states in the US have adapted at least in part. For more information about the ICC, please visit www.iccsafe.org.

A diverter is a valve which directs water to a shower outlet. Faucets that have a shower diverter can be equipped with a hand held shower and/or a stationary shower riser. Hand held showers are perfect for rinsing hair and cleaning the tub. Faucets with a shower diverter have a third handle in the center of the faucet body (or in some cases a button on the spout) for opening and closing the valve. A riser cap can be used to cover the shower outlet on faucets equipped with a shower diverter but not fit with a handheld shower or riser.

In the nineteenth century, faucet handles were generally made of metal. However, by the turn of the twentieth century, porcelain handles had come into vogue. Porcelain is easy to clean--which makes it a wonderful selection for homes with children. Some faucets are designed with handles on the side (side-mount handles) while others are designed with handles on the front of the faucet (front-mount handles). Lever handles work well with either type of faucet. Crosspoint handles provide good leverage on front-mount faucets but can be difficult to grasp when they are used with side-mount faucets. Side mount faucets are not available with cross handles, but in some cases, can be special ordered in this configuration.