Shower and Bathtub Plumbing
Restoring and converting antique tubs with proper fittings.
About this serviceCentral Texas
Plumbers in Gause, Texas
An old cast-iron claw-foot tub found in a farmhouse around Gause is worth keeping in most cases, and restoring one properly means dealing honestly with its weight, its original fittings, and whether a shower conversion is realistic without ruining what makes it special.
Scheduled and emergency service · Gause · Milam County
- 24/7 dispatch, holidays included
- Same-day and emergency response
The weight is the first real question, not the last
A cast-iron claw-foot tub is dramatically heavier than anything sold new today, and that weight has real structural implications, especially filled with water and a person.
Check the floor structure before assuming it can support the tub filled and occupied. A farmhouse floor built decades ago for a different fixture, or for no tub at all, needs a real structural assessment, not an assumption based on the tub having sat there for years.
If the tub is being moved or reinstalled, confirm the new location's floor is adequate too. The load has to transfer to real framing, not just a floor surface that looks solid.
Get this checked before finishing any surrounding renovation work. Discovering a bracing problem after new flooring and walls are in place is a far more expensive fix than catching it early.
Fittings, and whether a shower conversion makes sense
Once the structural question is settled, the plumbing details are what actually make an old tub feel restored rather than just old.
Original fittings are often obsolete, but period-correct reproductions are widely available. Matching the tub's original rough-in dimensions to a reproduction faucet takes some care, since old tubs were not built to a single universal standard.
Converting a claw-foot tub to include a shower is possible, using a ring-mounted curtain and a deck-mounted or wall-mounted shower riser. This preserves the tub's character while adding real function, and it is a popular compromise for exactly that reason.
The drain and overflow may need updating to meet current standards even if everything else is original. This is usually a straightforward part of the job and worth doing regardless of how the rest of the restoration goes.
None of this should discourage keeping an old tub rather than replacing it. Most farmhouse cast-iron tubs are worth the extra care, and the structural question is usually the only genuinely hard part.
How we work
We can assess the floor structure, source or match fittings, and set up a shower conversion if you want one, all while keeping the tub itself as original as you'd like.
We cover Gause, Cameron and the rest of Milam County, and old farmhouse fixtures like this are ones we enjoy working with.
FAQ
Claw-foot tub restoration questions from Gause
Check before assuming it can. A cast-iron tub is dramatically heavier than modern fixtures, and the floor structure needs a real assessment, especially filled and occupied, rather than relying on the fact it's been sitting there for years.
Often the exact originals are obsolete, but period-correct reproductions are widely available. Matching them to your tub's specific rough-in dimensions takes some care, since old tubs weren't built to one universal standard.
Yes, a common approach uses a ring-mounted curtain with a deck or wall-mounted shower riser. It preserves the tub's original look while adding real shower function.
Often yes, to meet current standards, even when the rest of the tub stays original. It's typically a straightforward part of the restoration regardless of what else you're doing.
Before finishing any surrounding work. Discovering a bracing problem after new flooring and walls are already in is a far more expensive fix than catching it early in the project.
For most farmhouse-era cast-iron tubs, yes. They're genuinely well-built fixtures, and restoration with modern fittings and drain hardware usually costs less than an equivalent-quality new alternative.
Nearby
Communities we also cover close to Gause
Services
What we get called out for in Gause
Pier and Beam Plumbing Repair
Floor structure assessed for a heavy cast-iron fixture.
About this serviceFaucet and Fixture Installation
Period-correct reproduction fittings matched to old rough-ins.
About this serviceMain Water Line Repair
Supply lines updated for a restored antique fixture.
About this serviceLeak Detection
Checking drain and overflow updates for a proper seal.
About this serviceEmergency Plumbing
Antique fixture emergencies, Milam County, any hour.
About this serviceTalk to someone now
Restoring an old claw-foot tub?
We assess the floor, match the fittings, and set up a shower conversion if you want one.
Ask about a claw-foot tub restoration