After a few test fits, shim and plumbing install (except the last piece, the trap, which would need to be glued in once the tub was in place), it was time to prepare a bed for the tubber. The tub is acrylic and fiberglass, so it’s fairly light (but not flexible). A bed insures that the bottom of the tub feels secure & solid and not hollow underneath. Options included a bed of sand or mortar- we chose mortar:

Rob mixing. Using plastic underneath these types of tasks helps make clean-up a snap:

Putting it under the tub:

We used a 3-1-1 mix of sand, lime and Portland cement, then placed a sheet of .7 mil plastic on top (per manufacturer instructions) before setting the tub.