Dream Concrete Bathtubs Made to Order

One of the big drawbacks of a factory-manufactured bathtub is that it’s only available in standard one-size-fits-all dimensions. Not so with tubs made of concrete. On two recent projects, Chris Frazer and Daryn Barnes of DC Custom Concrete were asked by the client to build a soaking tub sized to accommodate the owner. “Both tubs were designed specifically for the homeowner’s design style and actual size. They needed to fit both aesthetically and functionally,” says Frazer.

Both bathrooms were remodels, complete with a custom concrete sink to match. But that’s where the similarities end. As the photos show, the shapes and colors of the concrete soaking tubs are completely different. “The shapes of the tubs were created by the clients. They each had a specific idea of what they wanted. We helped tweak the designs to make the tubs completely functional, and both clients were extremely happy with the results,” says Frazer.

Most of the concrete pieces for both bathrooms were fabricated in DC’s shop and then transported to each client’s home, except for the rectangular tub, which was cast right in the bathroom and rolled into place to avoid having to lug it up a flight of stairs. However, the biggest challenge was the white soaking tub. “Creating the mold for this shape was difficult and all done by hand. And then relocating the actual casting into the client’s home was very difficult and took a mechanical lift to do so,” says Frazier, noting that both tubs weighed over 1,000 pounds.

The white tub required two molds - an inside mold and outside shell - both of which were cut from large foam blocks and shaped, sanded, and coated prior to casting. The rectangular tub mold was made from Melamine particle board, with some minor curvatures on the inside molded with plaster.

DC custom colored the tubs and sinks for one bathroom using their own integral pigment, called "Khaki," a specific ratio of yellow pigments which was added to a gray-cement-based concrete mix. For the white tub and sinks, DC used a white-cement-based mix with no pigments. For both projects, a combination of penetrating and topical sealers was applied to make the tubs and sinks completely waterproof.

ContractorChris Frazer and Daryn Barnes
DC Custom Concrete, San Diego
858-272-2494
www.dccustomconcrete.com

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