Replacing an old shower enclosure?

[tlapinski]

Finally getting around to doing some home improvement work. Item number one is to remove and replace the old stand up shower enclosure in the bathroom. Anyone have any experience or tips on this? Looks pretty simple for even a novice like myself. Searched around the net for some tips, but didn't find too much that was very helpful. The guys at Home Depot and Lowes made it sound REALLY easy.

[MAC]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

Finally getting around to doing some home improvement work. Item number one is to remove and replace the old stand up shower enclosure in the bathroom. Anyone have any experience or tips on this? Looks pretty simple for even a novice like myself. Searched around the net for some tips, but didn't find too much that was very helpful. The guys at Home Depot and Lowes made it sound REALLY easy.

It's not very difficult. Just double or triple check your measurements before you cut the hole for the mixing valve. When the old one is out would be a good time to consider replacing the valve if it is an old one. (20 years or so) The newer ones have an anti scald adjustment which is mandatory nowadays. Buy the best enclosure you can afford. Don't skimp as it will come back to bite you later on. Don't ask me how I know.

[nightfighter]

And don't buy the valve at HD or Kowes, get at plumbing supply house. Why? Because you want to get a valve with shutoff screws built in, which you don't get with the Home Cheapo models. Don't skimp on pan especially, as that is what needs the most cleaning attention...

[tlapinski]

Thanks Mac. Currently the back wall of the shower is tile. I hate this stuff and will be putting an a fiber glass backwall. I was originally thinking I could glue the fiberglass to this, but then I was told I had to remove the tile. After doing some more research online, I have seen mention that the fiberglass can go over the tile. Any thoughts?

[tlapinski]

Here is the set up I was lookign at putting in. http://www.asbcorp.com/product.cfm?prodid=555

[nightfighter]

I would rather see you gut it to the studs. Then put up cement board. If there is mold or other problems hidden, now is the time to get it.

[MAC]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I would rather see you gut it to the studs. Then put up cement board. If there is mold or other problems hidden, now is the time to get it.

exactly. not worth burying a potential problem. A little more work now can save a bunch of headaches in the future.

[Raven]

sometimes a good way to find out where to drill
...the hole for the mixing valve...
is the transfer method.... if ya can do it....
(dry run)....
you can dry fit the shower stall and slide it over and against
the plumbing nipple that has a little tooth paste (or drywall mud)
on it
...until it leaves
a witness mark (glob) or transfers some toothpaste (or mud)
onto the backside of the
shower stall wall... thats where you'd drill your pilot hole.

and it gives you a way to double check your measurements.

[Tagger]

second the don't buy a valve at Home Depot .. Plastic diverter in my simmons became melty deformed from heat sweating in valve .. I was told a plumbers supply Simmons valve the diverter is brass , . This weeped a trickle inside the wall after every shower ,, attracted ants.. afraid to look in there .. replaced diverter (less than a buck) works great now ..

[vanstaal]

if your are any kind of handy it's not hard to do the best advice is DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME !!no shi* IT WILL COME BACK TO BITE YOU MEASURE TWICE AND THEN CHECK AGAIN.looking forward to the finish pic good luck.......

[chris L]

toby
check out sterling or swanstone tub/shower surrounds . also ONLY buy faucets at plumbing supply like was said . Buy your tub bigger than 30 " you wont be sorry . Im in the process of finishing 2 bathrooms at my house now . Tile only the floor . the acrylic surrounds are much easier to clean . I tore mine right down to the studs and rebuilt it bigger by removing 1.5 closets . I even insulated every wall to minimize sound . Also put in a fan lite and gfi plugs . get the best vanity you can afford and blowes and homedirtpile are not the places to buy them either . The off the shelf stuff is garbage and the special order stuff only has better face frame and drawers with partical board carcass .

deep pockets help too !

[tlapinski]

The removal of the old tile on the walls is a killer! The old enclosure came down easily, but the tiles really are sticky. Decided to remove some of the grout before the tiles which has helped. I'll put up some pictures of the progress later.

[nightfighter]

Bigger persuader, that's all..... sawzall down between studs, pry off bigger pieces as whole sheet, tiles and greenboard together. Or sledgehammer... no need to be shy, it' demo.

[NIB]

U don't wanna start swingin a big hammer unless u want to do repairs on the adjoining walls.
To take the tile off cut the joints out in the corners.With a sawzall if u have one.
Pop a few holes in tru the tile to act like handles An u should be able to rock the whole wall off in big sections.Take note of where the seams are in the product behind the tile as it will let go there.If u can come in from the sides thats a good place to start.Use a pry bar but try to keep the sheet intact.Should only take a few hrs..Insulating for noise is a nice treat but don't over do it u want some air in there.
Also unless u cut a hole in the side of ur house u probably wont be able to get a one pc,unit in the bathroom.U would be surprised how many people get these things home before they realize this..

[baldwin]

Make sure ya make it big enough to fit at least a 9' rod in with ya.

[tlapinski]

Made some very good progress today. Started off trying to go easy on the dry wall. It didn't take long to realize that was a waste of time. Things really started to take off when I grabbed the mallet and pry bar and just kind of took out my frustration on the wall. Here is a string of pictures so far.

This is the before set of the shower and basin.

[tlapinski]

One wall down.

[tlapinski]

Both walls done. It's funny, I realized just how out of shape I am by doing this project. My whole upper body is jelly right now.

[spence]

Excellent. When you're finished you can come and do mine

-spence

[nightfighter]

Welcome to our world..... New tools are a nice benny! Whatcha get?

Make sure the studs are plumb and on plane.(use a straight edge across the studs, make sure they all touch, if not fir them out) It will make the rest of the job easier. Don't have to be fancy with the cement board... A quick coat of JC above unit line to ceiling before you install helps blending into adjoining walls and ceiling.

[NIB]

Jeez it's a neo angle.NIB makes short work of that in No time.
Theres a trick to keepin the drywall neat.Take a SR knife an carefully slice the paper of the sheetrock along the outside edge of the tiles.Then U pop of the ouside row af trim tiles an cut the drywall along the tile line with a pigsticker.Thats one of them knife shaped drywall saws.U have to use a hand saw so's not to cut thru any pipes.It keeps it neat.Now u have a dry wall headache to repair.
Can u get underneath to remove the base.If u just undo the top nut on the trap it should come right up.Same thing as with the walls cut the caulk along the base with a knife first..After u take the nails off the lip if there are any.Be shure to change the trap while ur doing this..
Leave it on while ur doing this so no street back gasses(rotten eggs) or other water comes thru it..
When u set the new base.Get some structolight or plaster or a few bags of cement to set the base in it makes it nice an solid.Many of the fibergalss models have a good amount of bounce in em..

[Slipknot]

My advice to you is DON'T wear your Korkers in the shower, and don't use your fishing rod to help hold you from slipping, put in a grab bar for that
looks like you got some advice here, you're well on your way

good luck, have fun

[nightfighter]

oh yeah, staple up a vapor barrier before you put on cement board