If you have someone who is very old or disabled in your household, installing an accessibility insert on the side of your bathtub is a great idea. However, before you put the insert in, you'll need to cut a hole in the bathtub that's sized appropriately. Check out these three pitfalls to avoid when you're cutting a hole in your bathtub in preparation for an insert.

Not Using Masking Tape or Duct Tape to Prevent Chipping

Don't just use a marker to figure out the lines you're going to cut through with your electric grinder. To prevent the bathtub's surface material from chipping and cracking while you're cutting, you'll need some kind of reinforcing material on both sides of the line to hold everything you don't want to cut in place.

Fortunately, masking tape is an ideal material for putting pressure on the bathtub's surface to prevent chipping. If you don't have any masking tape, duct tape will also serve much the same purpose.

Using a Grinder Blade That's Dull from Overuse

Before you start up your electric grinder, carefully inspect the blade for any chips or imperfections on its sharp edge. If you find anything, put your work on hold and go get a replacement blade from your local hardware store.

It'll be very hard to keep your grinder going on a straight line if the dull blade on it is constantly getting stuck on the bathtub's hardened interior. Since you can't easily fix your mistake once you cut too deep into your bathtub, it pays to be cautious here.

Pushing the Grinder Too Quickly from One Place to Another

Even if your grinder has a new blade attached to it, you should still go as slowly as you possibly can when you're cutting out the hole. This is to decrease the likelihood of a tremor in your hands translating into a sloppy cut on the surface of the bathtub.

Be especially careful when you need to trace a part of the line on the bathtub that's significantly curved. It pays here to repeatedly take the grinder out of and back into the line you traced to ensure that the blade is lining up perfectly.

Especially if you don't have much experience using heavy-duty DIY equipment like an electric grinder, you really can't take too many precautions. Luckily, this cutting job will go by relatively quickly, and putting caulking around the insert when you install it won't be nearly as hectic an experience.