How To Set Up A Baptism

General Notes on Fiberglass Church Baptistry Installation

(The data below does not apply to portable baptistries or some of the round models.)

Framing & Support of Baptism Puddle

• All baptistries require framing on sidewalls to prevent the walls from bowing out.
• If you lot want to utilise a baptistry as a stand up alone model, without any framing, we can take 1 fabricated with tubular steel collars for side-wall back up. Please call for details.
• You will probably want to raise the baptistry off the flooring at least 6" (and preferably more) to leave room to attach the drain and for future access if the bleed needs to be repaired or replaced.
• Place 2x4 back up framing underneath the lip, particularly if people could step on the lip when entering or exiting the baptistry.
• The baptistry should sit on a level surface without ridges or humps. If placing on a concrete slab, nearly factories reccomend setting the unit on a bed of self-leveling dry mix or sand. You tin also set the unit on treated, moisture resistant plywood. DO NOT identify the unit of measurement in/on wet or freshly poured concrete as the concrete tin compress and crevice the baptistry.

Depending on the model, the factory may recommend supporting the stairs with bracing on some models while with other models they expressly direct that the stairs not be supported.

Ever REFER to the INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS that accompnay your particular baptistry.

Variances in Measurements

• Baptistries are made by hand on a mold. When they come off the mold, in that location can be variances in the dimensions. Usually, these variances are minor but for this reason, we do non suggest churches to pre-frame for the baptistry. You can prepare the general expanse and the flooring, but information technology'southward usually best to wait and add the framing in one case the baptistry is on site.
• Most baptistries have a lip around the edge. The width of the lip can vary by model and past production run, but generally it's about one" to 3" wide and runs the perimeter of the pool. This lip is designed and so you can trim information technology on site to make the baptistry fit.
• Overall length and width measurements typically include the lip. You tin can usually trim two" to 4" off the overall dimensions by trimming the lip
• Your baptistry may have a lip that is not "square" and this is nix to exist alarmed by. Again, near units are trimmed in the field as each installation is unique.

WEIGHT

• A filled baptistry can weigh anywhere from 3000lbs to up of 12,000lbs. Depending on the number of people, you lot could besides have some other 1000lbs and so be certain you have adequate reinforcement in your flooring or if the bottom is on framework, the joists.
• For most installations, you lot should program on adequately supporting 400lbs per square foot.

Finishing Touches

• Finished walls tin can be butted upward against the lip and caulked and trimmed with modling for a finished look
• Some churches use rubber threshold or bullnose trim to finish the edges
• We HIGHLY reccommend you clean and WAX your baptistry with a good quality fiberglass wax and cleaner before your first use.

Recessed Installation

• A popular exercise we are seeing is that of the recessed baptistry vs the traditional installation behind the choir loft or back wall of the church. Given that most platforms are shorter than the baptistry, many churches elect to either excavate the flooring if they desire a flush mount, or to go out part of the baptistry exposed so information technology extends above the platform floor and is finished off with rug or other materials. Below are a couple of pictures to requite y'all an idea of what others have done.

Hither's an installation where the baptistry protrudes above the platform

Hither'southward an installation where the slab was excavated and the customer poured a physical slab. Note the reinforced cinder block walls equally well as the metal framing for sidewall support

Here'southward a Traditional Baptistry Pool Installation (note 3-4" wide lip around perimeter). You can come across the drain, overflow and heater ports in the left corner and the fill port in the eye step.

Baptistry Plumbing & Bleed Installation

Exact plumbing instructions volition vary depending on the situation, but here are some general things to remember:

1. Unless you are using a sump pump, y'all will want to plan a bleed for your baptistry. We sell drains or y'all tin buy your own at a plumbing or hardware store. The large advantage of buying a drain from u.s.a. is that our drains have trip lever overflows so you don't accidentally overflow your baptistry when filling. A baptistry is plumbed much like y'all would a bathtub. Simply where a bat tub bleed and overflow has a x" spread, our baptistry drains are designed for the taller walls of the baptistry.
2. Water level will more often than not exist almost 6" below the top of the baptistry.
3. Overflow drain should commonly exist nearly 4" below the baptistry rim. (Consult the directions for your specific unit.)
4. Many customers use PVC or similar materials to piece together their own bleed, overflow and shutoff valve. If you go this route, exist be sure that the overflow is piped back in to the drain line Afterwards the drain valve shutoff so the overflow line cannot be blocked.

Here'due south a baptistry drain with overflow. Note the concatenation to activate the bleed.

Here'due south a like unit but this one's toe activated, meaning someone has to be in the pool to open the drain. We sell both styles, simply for ease of use, the chain activated drain is plain ameliorate.

1. Drains volition be cutout on-site during installation, they exercise not come pre-drilled. Refer to your specific model'southward instructions, merely as a general rule, the drain should be located in 1 of the corners of the baptistry, not the middle. Provide at least ane/32" of slope towards the drain.
2. Look on the lesser of your unit for specific, non-reinforced bleed locations. (Should look like indented circles)
3. Some models have a reinforced core that will compress if the drain is non located in these not-reinforced sections. Placing the drain in the incorrect section can cause it to leak and may likewise void the warranty.Always refer to the instructions included with your unit before installing the drain. If you lot don't have the instructions, please call usa and we will be happy to fax or email them to yous.

Pictures below show models with round recesses for possible drain locations. If your unit comes with recesses, be sure to locate the drain in 1 of these holes, otherwise you adventure leaking and voiding of warranty.
You may order most of our baptistries with a drain recess only delight contact the states prior to ordering to discuss placement and potential cost. All FSI model baptistries may have a bleed recess added for $100. This does inlcude a drain, merely a recessed location for a drain to allow water to drain completely out of the unit.

Brand SURE you install an overflow drain on your baptistry.

How to Fill up Your Baptistry

• Baptistries can be filled by a variety of methods including make full ports, deck mount faucets, wall mount faucets, etc. Fully automatic systems will have a special sylenoid activated valve that utilizes a wall port. Make sure to locate wall ports low enough so they don't cause water to splash out of the unit when filling.

Deck mount faucet.       Wall mount fill port          Wall mountain fill port with cutoff (to pvc)

Baptistry Heater Installation (Wall Mounted Apportionment Heaters)

1. Connect the heater to the pump equally shown except for the one.v" union fittings
2. Ideally, locate the inlet hole (2-1/viii" bore) about iv-i/2" above the bottom of the pool.
3. Smoothe the hole and install the chrome faced inlet flush port by loosening at slip articulation nut.
4. Apply articulate RTV sealant under the chrome port flange. Remove any exterior insulation so port rubber-gasket fits affluent against outside of baptistry wall.
5. Mensurate middle of bottom hole to center of height hole and drill top hole (refer to unit instructions for verbal distance)
6. Echo 3 & iv for superlative flange
7. Assemble the complete heating system onto the installed ports
8. Place blocking or support under the heater or pump. If you leave the baptistery heater suspended straight on the wall, it can pull away from the wall causing leakagefrom the wall fittings
9. (Cold water intake is at the bottom, hot water outlet is at the pinnacle.)

• NOTE You can install the heater sideways, or parallel to the floor, but heating efficiency is greatly reduced. For best operation, install unit vertically.
• Depending on the model, the heater will require either a 240v or 120v GFCI protected circuit. The pump runs on 110v which can be branched off of the 240v

Here's an case of a baptistry layout showing the possible locations of the various ports, drain and overflow. You can locate these openings according to your own requirements.

Baptistry Window Installation

The plexiglass window (if ordered) will be shipped loose, wrapped in cardboard and laying on the skid underneath the baptistry. Yous volition need to install information technology according to the enclosed instructions. For FSI series baptistries, the mill reccommendsMasterSeal NP1  - High operation polyurethane sealant. Be sure to let

Materials Needed:
1 – Tube sealant (factory provided)
1 – Knife or scissors and a nail (to open sealant tube)
i – Caulking Gun
1 – Clean material rags or paper towels
1 – Acetone (hint: inexpensive fingernail polish remover is acetone)
ane – Pressure Blocks (between wall of baptistery & window)
2—Minor clamps with pads

1. Set up Surfaces
A. Advisedly remove protective paper from window.
B. Using acetone and a rag, clean the channel where the window volition seat.
C. Using acetone and a rag, make clean the edge of the window.
D. The window and the seating area should at present be free of dirt and wax.

two. Apply Sealant
A. Cut ane" off the tip of the sealant tube. Utilise a nail to puncture the seal.
B. Apply a bead 1/ii" to 3/4" broad along the surface of the baptistry where the
window will seat as shown in Figure A.

3. Install the Window
A. Firmly press the window into place equally shown in Figure A.
B. View the sealant through the window. Information technology should spread evenly over the entire
contact surface. There should be few or no air bubbles.
C. Employ business firm pressure all forth the contact surface area, working out any air
bubbles.
D. Employ a clean rag to wipe abroad any backlog.
E. Maintain a constant pressure on the window for a minimum of 12 hours using
pressure blocks equally shown in Effigy B.

4. Finish Out
A. Subsequently 12 hours, remove the force per unit area blocks from the window.
B. Run a small bead or sealant on the inside and outside of the window.
C. Smooth out the bead for a clean, uniform appearance.
D. Allow sealant to dry out for 24 hours earlier filling.

NOTE: The information on this website is for general data and is not guaranteed to be correct for every situation. Always refer to the installation instructions that come with your particular baptistry model. We are not responsible for errors resulting from relying on this information.

Source: https://www.churchproducts.com/church-baptistry-installation.html

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