How To Install A Shower Unit

Download Article

Download Commodity

Many homeowners are opting for the addition of a shower stall as a functional alternative to a total bathtub. Plumbing and carpentry skills are required to successfully install a shower stall. Always follow manufacturer's instructions and seek consultation from professionals if necessary. If yous're renovating a bathroom, or planning a new improver to your abode and y'all're gear up to install a shower stall, there are a few steps you must follow.

1. 1

   Determine the platonic location. Whether you're installing a shower stall to save space in a new bath, or to replace a tub, the stall should be located in proximity to hot and cold water pipes, an information technology must be able to have access to your drainage pipes.

2. 2

   Decide on the blazon of stall. A quick search on the Internet or a walk through the plumbing aisles of a domicile comeback shop will reveal the many dissimilar kinds of shower stall on the market. A wide variety of options are available, including those with features such equally a demote for sitting within the stall, shapes ranging from rectangles to semi-circles, and sizes to fit whatsoever need. That said, there are besides a few specific varieties, and the differences between them tin impact the installation process.^[1]

   • Single-slice prefabricated showers are complete units, commonly made of fiberglass or acrylic. They tend to be more expensive than other shower stall sets, and some as well merits that they can be more difficult to install. Equally you could probably guess, the complete unit can be a bit bulky, and for that reason difficult to carry through doorways or up stairs. On the plus side, they tend to be solidly constructed and easier to clean.
   • Interlocking multi-piece units will usually come in a set of 4 to six large pieces, including the shower pan (the base expanse where you would stand up in the shower and that connects to the drain), wall coverings (for the side(s) where the unit of measurement will be mounted along the bathroom wall), side sections (that will not be placed along the bathroom wall), and a door. Quite a few of these kits are considered like shooting fish in a barrel to gather, and they generally price much less than unmarried-piece units.

   Advertisement

3. 3

   Buy materials. There is an extensive listing of materials that will have to be caused in order to complete this project. Here is a partial list.

   • Plumbing pipes and fittings. Not only do yous need to make sure that you have plenty pipe, y'all must also be certain to obtain the appropriate parts that will allow y'all to connect the new pipes to existing ones.
   • Shower unit/kit.
   • Waterproof caulk/sealant. It is probably best to obtain a silicone-based sealant or caulk, a variety known for their resistance to water.
   • Tools, such as wrenches and screwdrivers.

4. 4

   Read the instructions that come with your shower unit or kit. While some provide very little item, most volition include instructions that explain how the shower volition fit into place. Even those that don't directly explain the process you must follow will certainly suggest what prerequisites are required for installation.

   Advertizing

1. ane

   Clear and prepare the intended shower site. It may exist preferable to remove bathroom tiles or other floor coverings and install the shower directly on the base of the floor itself. You must also identify the advisable location for the bleed hole--measure the shower pan to determine the location--and cut a hole through the floor.

   • If your plumbing is coming through a wall and not, say, a basement surface area in which the pipes are exposed, you must tear out the portions of the wall. Patently, this must be 1 of your commencement steps.

2. ii

   Build a frame to support the stall (if applicative). Some shower kits volition crave that you build a structure to back up the shower pan or even brace a whole prefabricated unit. Frequently the unit will have to be screwed into identify, and then you must build the required structures that will permit you to do so.^[2]

   • For some units, at least some of the frame building volition take to exist completed afterward the shower stall has been put into place. Read the instructions advisedly.
   • Some multi-slice shower kits come with a kind of frame that volition be used to agree up the sides. Again, go through the instructions that came with your kit before y'all install in order to determine how your shower stall will fit into your bathroom.

3. three

   Install the shower pan/prefabricated unit of measurement. Slide the pan or unit in place and adhere it using screws. ^[iii]

4. 4

   Install the plumbing (if you have not already done so). For some installations, this may have been the kickoff task that was required. For others, it should be near the end. Follow these steps:

   • Turn off the master water supply.
   • Utilizing traditional plumbing methods, run hot and cold pipes to represent with the holes for faucet handles in the shower stall. Attach the correctly threaded extension piping for the shower caput, using thread seal record and a pipage wrench. Install the faucet handles and the shower head. Plow the main water supply on and check for leaks.
   • Connect the drainage lines. Secure the drain pipe with the bleed kit (that either came with the unit of measurement or was purchased separately). The drain should exist sealed with plumber's putty and tightened into identify to prevent leakage. (For more than on plumbing a bathroom, run into guides here and here.)

5. v

   Install the sides of the shower stall (if applicable). Shower kits with multiple pieces will require this step, just information technology is one that actually can be delayed until the projection is well-nigh complete. If you don't want to work on plumbing within of a tiny shower stall, chose to leave this step for the end.

   • For some kits, the side mounted to the wall will have to be screwed into place, while others only recommend that your use heavy duty caulk. Keep this in heed when purchasing your sealants, as some can also exist used as adhesives.

6. 6

   Finish the projection. Cover any exposed framing with water-resistant drywall and seal all seams that will exist exposed to water with the silicone-based caulk. Texture and paint as desired. Adhere the shower door or curtain.

   Advertisement

Add New Question

• Question

  How long does it accept to install a shower stall?

  

  Plan on at least a total mean solar day, sometimes more if yous're inexperienced.

• Question

  Does a one-piece shower stall need a shower pan?

  

  Non if it has i of its own. If information technology doesn't, so it's just a one-piece "surround" or "enclosure," and you lot will admittedly need a shower pan and the balance of the shower floor.

• Question

  What type of shower is the easiest to keep make clean?

  

  Plastic. No grout lines, no caulk, and no leaks. Just don't put anything metallic on the shelves that rusts - sometimes merely sanding can remove those marks.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Cheers for submitting a tip for review!

Things You lot'll Need

• Variable speed drill and screws
• Tape measure
• Level
• Framing lumber (if applicable)
• Thread seal record
• Pipe wrench
• Water resistant drywall
• Silicone

About This Commodity

Article Summary 10

To install a shower stall, start by clearing the area and drilling a hole in the floor for the bleed. Then, build a frame to support your shower tray according to the instructions of your shower kit. Subsequently the frame is ready, slide the tray into position and screw it in place. Adjacent, plow off the water supply before installing hot and cold h2o pipes. Once the plumbing is washed, comprehend any exposed parts of the frame with h2o-resistant drywall and seal seams or cracks with silicon-based caulk. Finally, install the sides of the stall if required. For tips on how to decide on a location for your shower and which type of stall to choose, read on!

Did this summary assistance you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read 133,637 times.

Did this article aid you?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Shower-Stall

Posted by: rogersmartur56.blogspot.com

Share this post