TL;DR: A back to wall bath has the curved, open look of a freestanding bath on the sides you can see, with one flat side that sits tight against the wall, so it saves space and gives you somewhere to mount taps.
- Our three back to wall baths cost from £1,765 to £2,179 including VAT.
- Sizes are 1500 x 750mm (Juliet) and 1700 x 800mm (Gracie and Sofie).
- Juliet and Gracie take deck-mounted taps on the back ledge; Sofie takes corner-mounted taps. All three work with wall-mounted taps.
- The Sofie also comes as a left- or right-hand corner bath, for a back and side to wall fit.
- You can shower over one, but for a daily shower a shower bath is more practical.
A back to wall bath is a bath with the shape of a freestanding bath on the sides you can see and one flat side that sits tight against the wall. You get the freestanding look without the gap behind the bath, and the flat back gives you a place for taps.
Below we cover how they compare with freestanding and standard baths, the sizes we sell, taps, showers and small rooms. Prices are ours at the time of writing and include VAT.
What is a back to wall bath?
Back to wall baths are also called wall facing baths or back to wall freestanding baths. The front and ends are finished like a freestanding bath, with no bath panel, while the back is straight so it can sit against the wall and be sealed. There is no awkward strip behind the bath to clean, and you don't need to pull the bath out into the room.
All three in our back to wall baths collection are from the Tilelyte Bath Collection. They are made from 5mm sanitary-grade acrylic in gloss white with no join line, and have a built-in waste and overflow. They can also be hand-painted to order, so contact us for colours and prices.
Back to wall baths UK: our sizes and prices
| Bath | Shape | Size (L x W x H) | Taps | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juliet | Straight lines, softly curved corners | 1500 x 750 x 580mm | Deck-mounted or wall-mounted | £1,765 |
| Gracie | D-shaped, curved front | 1700 x 800 x 580mm | Deck-mounted or wall-mounted | £1,785 |
| Sofie | Fluted front, back to wall or corner | 1700 x 800 x 580mm | Corner-mounted or wall-mounted | £2,029 |
Each price is with the standard white waste and overflow. Chrome or black adds £100 and brushed brass adds £150, so the waste can match your taps.
Back to wall vs freestanding vs standard baths
A back to wall bath sits between the other two main types. Here is how they compare.
| Back to wall | Freestanding | Standard straight bath | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Freestanding from the front | Shaped on every side | Boxed in with a bath panel |
| Floor space | Against one wall, no gap behind | Needs space all round to clean | Fits into an alcove |
| Taps | On the back ledge or the wall | Floor-standing or wall-mounted, unless the bath has tap holes | Deck-mounted or wall-mounted |
| Shower over | Possible, with a curtain | Possible, with a curtain | Easiest, with a glass bath screen |
| Example | Juliet 1500mm, £1,765 | Hettie 1500mm, £1,765 | Carron Arc single ended, from £471 |
If you love the look of a freestanding bath but the room is tight, or the plumbing is all on one wall, a back to wall bath is usually the better fit. If you want the most bath for your money and a daily shower, a standard straight bath is hard to beat.
Modern, curved or square back to wall bath?
For a squarer, modern look, the Juliet has crisp straight lines with softly rounded corners. For a back to wall curved bath, the Gracie has a D-shaped front. The Sofie's fluted front suits Art Deco and period rooms as well as modern ones. All three have a slim, flat-edged lip rather than a rolled rim.
Back to wall bath with tap holes or wall-mounted taps?
The flat back is one of the main reasons to choose this style. The Juliet and Gracie have a back ledge for deck-mounted taps, so a bath filler or bath shower mixer can sit on the bath itself with the pipework hidden behind. The Sofie is designed for corner-mounted taps. All three also work with wall-mounted taps, which keeps the rim clear.
Choose your taps before the bath goes in, because the tap position has to line up with the pipes in the wall. Browse our bath taps and bath shower mixers, or read our guide to bathroom tap finishes.
Back to wall bath shower options
You can shower over a back to wall bath, and it is easier than over a fully freestanding bath because one side is already against a tiled or panelled wall. The usual options are:
- A bath shower mixer with a handset on the back ledge, for rinsing hair and quick showers.
- A wall-mounted shower valve with a riser rail or fixed head on the wall behind the bath, plus a ceiling-fixed curtain rail around the open sides.
- A fixed glass screen, which can work where the bath sits in a recess with a wall at the shower end. Because these baths have curved sides, we check this on site before recommending it.
If you will shower every day, a purpose-made shower bath is more practical. The Carron Quantum Square shower bath comes in 1500, 1600 and 1700mm lengths from £732, with a wider showering end and an optional screen. For more on this, read our guide to a roll top bath with shower.
Small back to wall bath options
The Juliet is our smallest back to wall bath at 1500 x 750mm, a common size in UK bathrooms. Because the back sits against the wall, it needs less floor space than a freestanding bath of the same size, which needs a gap all round for cleaning.
When you measure, allow for the bath plus room beside it to step in and dry off, check the door swing and the radiator, and note where the waste and supply pipes run. For very small rooms, see our guide to small freestanding baths.
Back to wall corner bath and back and side to wall baths
If your bath will sit in a corner, the Sofie comes as a left-hand or right-hand corner version. It sits against the back wall and one side wall, with fluting on the two open sides, and costs the same as the back to wall version, from £2,029. This is what most people mean by a back and side to wall bath or a corner freestanding bath.
For a panelled corner bath that fills the corner, see our corner baths, including the 1200 x 1200mm Carron Oriole from £1,180.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a back to wall roll top bath?
Our back to wall baths have a slim, flat-edged lip rather than a rolled top. If you want a true roll top, choose one of our roll top baths and place it near the wall, leaving enough of a gap to clean behind it.
Can you get a back to wall bath with tap holes?
The Juliet and Gracie have a back ledge designed for deck-mounted taps, and the Sofie takes corner-mounted taps. You can also use wall-mounted taps with any of them.
Is a wall facing bath the same as a back to wall bath?
Yes. Both names describe a freestanding-style bath with one flat side against the wall.
What size is a small back to wall bath?
Our smallest is the Juliet at 1500 x 750 x 580mm, from £1,765. The Gracie and Sofie are both 1700 x 800 x 580mm.
Plan your back to wall bath with us
Every project starts with a free one-to-one consultation, followed by a clear, itemised quote covering the bath, taps, plumbing and fitting. Come and talk it through at our showroom at 32 Manor Park Rd, Birmingham B36 0DJ (Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm), call 0121 794 2553 or book your free consultation online.