What Is a Garden Tub? Your 2024 Guide

A garden tub is a coveted amenity in many homes and upscale apartment buildings offering luxury touches. Explore what they are and discover whether they are right for you.

2024 Guide to Garden Tubs

What Is a Garden Tub?

Garden tubs are freestanding tubs that are deep enough for you to climb in and enjoy a full-body soak. Garden tubs are also oval or rounded, and they are much deeper and larger than standard tubs.

How Big Is a Standard Garden Tub?

The average garden tub stands at 42 inches wide, 60 - 70 inches long, and 24 inches deep. While there is no standard size for a garden tub, most are generally larger than the standard tub, which usually measure 60 inches long, 32 inches wide, and 18 inches deep.

What’s the History of Garden Tubs?

Garden tubs first appeared in the 1700s among the French elite and aristocrats who had indoor plumbing. These early garden tubs were highly ornate and had decorative flourishes. The tubs got their name because they were often placed above a garden so homeowners could admire the landscape from a window while they soaked.

Sometimes garden tubs were placed outdoors directly in the garden so the elite could fully enjoy their property. Then, once bathtime was over, the water could be used to water the plants in the gardens.

How Much Does a Garden Tub Cost?

Garden tubs aren’t cheap and start at a minimum of $2,000. Depending on how big the tub is, the materials it's made from, your location, and installation costs, the price can keep climbing close to $5,000.

Installing a garden tub yourself is cheaper but is not practical, even if you have some plumbing skills. You’ll need to measure the width of your bathroom doors to make sure they can be installed or figure out a plan to widen the entryway temporarily. You’ll also need to work with an engineer or expert to determine if your floors can hold the weight of a garden tub when it’s filled with water. You may need to reinforce your flooring before taking the next steps, leading to additional costs.

What’s the Difference Between a Garden Tub and a Standard Tub?

Traditional tubs are adequate and work fine for most households, but how much smaller are they? If you’re unsure how a garden tub stacks up against a standard tub, we put some numbers together.

• Garden Tubs are larger at 42 wide and 60 - 70 inches long
• Standard Tubs are smaller at 30 inches across, 50-60 inches long

Enjoying the width and depth is a personal preference and may not matter to you if you’re not a fan of a long soak. But, on the other hand, it’s also true that some people would rather have a garden tub than a shower or anything else in their bathroom.

How Much Water Does a Garden Tub Use?

While a standard bathtub uses around 65 gallons of water, garden tubs can use as many as 85 to 100 gallons of water depending on the size of the tub. It's something to keep in mind if you're concerned about water conservation in your home.

Does a Garden Tub Have Jacuzzi Jets?

While they may be ideal environments for soaking, ,ost garden tubs don’t have jacuzzi jets. So if you're looking for therapeutic bubbles and churning water working at your sore muscles, you may need to look at a different type of tub, or ask about fitting your garden tub with spray nozzles.

Pros and Cons of Garden Tubs

Before you decide to add a garden tub to your wish list of perks and amenities, here’s what to know about the pros and cons.

Pro: Full Immersion Provides Comfort

There’s nothing like fully immersing your body into a garden tub for a hot soak. Traditional tubs usually hold enough water to climb in about waist-high or less. Garden tubs are relaxing, comforting and can help you unwind and de-stress after a long day. Add some Epsom bath salts for a therapeutic experience.

Pro: Accommodates Multiple People

Garden tubs are expansive enough to accommodate multiple people, though they are intimate enough to cozy up with your significant other. If you have kids, garden tubs can also provide convenience and entertainment for a group soak of all your little ones. However, keep in mind that garden tubs are deep, and kids require some supervision.

Pro: Are More Comfortable

Garden bathtubs are large enough to fully stretch your body and add bath pillows and other accessories to soak in comfort. Traditional tubs aren’t known for their luxuriating ability and are more functional than luxurious.

Pro: Timeless Elegance

Garden tubs are elegant additions to a bathroom and look as pretty as relaxing. Add some decor around the tub and stock up on bubble baths, candles, and salts for a luxurious experience.

Pro: Requires Less Cleaning

Garden tubs usually require less cleaning unless you’re devoted to nightly soaks. Because they’re not attached to a shower, they’re typically reserved for occasional use on special occasions or after a challenging day.

Con: More Expensive than Standard Tubs

One of the biggest downsides to garden tubs is the cost. They’re significantly more expensive than standard bathtub options and are also more costly to repair. In addition, if you ever want to replace a garden tub, the cost to remove it and reinstall it is also pricey. Beyond the cost of the garden tub itself, your water bills are also higher when fully immersing yourself for a soak regularly.

Con: Takes Up Floor Space

Although some of the benefits of garden tubs are luxuriously deep and large, they also take up a lot of floor space. So unless your bathroom is roomy and expansive, the garden tub will likely take up most of your area.

Con: Materials Can be Problematic

Depending on the type of garden tub you buy, the materials used to create it could cause issues. For example, some garden tubs are made from enameled cast iron and resin, which retains heat for a great soak. Cast iron is also highly durable but heavy, which could cause stress or damage to your bathroom floor. Acrylic garden tubs are a lighter and potentially less expensive option but may not retain as much heat as cast iron or stone alternatives.

Con: Could Require an Additional Hot Water Heater

Garden tubs require a ton of water to fill up. If your home or apartment building already uses significant amounts of hot water, you may need a second hot water heater for a garden tub.

Interested in learning more about concerns with freestanding tubs? Check out these tips from Groysman Construction Remodeling:

Is a Garden Tub Right For Me?

A garden tub adds a luxurious and elegant touch to your home or apartment. Of course, they can be expensive and take up space, but the pros may outweigh the cons for the perks of a long, full-body soak right in your bathroom.

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