Molded fiberglass showers are not the easiest place to install a grab bar, they have space between the shower itself and the wall frame. screws through the drywall to anchor them. Check the fit of the panels along all edges. This project is a bit complex for a beginner. Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with first-hand knowledge in solving home plumbing problems. But the finish is prone to scratching, cracking, and staining. Use a drill and hole saws to cut holes for the faucet valves and shower head on the front surround panel. If you have a fiberglass tub surround, remove that first. We divided them into three material categories and price ranges. We recommend our users to update the browser. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. These glue-up surrounds are the easiest to use for bathrooms with windows, or where the bathtub or shower enclosures are oddly sized. On most kits, the corner panels overlap the flat wall panels. It is an excellent choice when the walls need a makeover but the shower base or bathtub is in otherwise good condition. The first two categories are the most popular. Remove the wood blocks and set the surround down onto the tub. Tub and Shower Surrounds. Place the right wall over the fixtures and seal with silicone where the pieces meet and around the fixtures. And while it has been kickin’ it in the loo for many decades – it definitely has NOT won any design awards in that time. He then fills the backer board seams with thinset mortar and embeds fiberglass-mesh joint tape in the mortar. It's not uncommon for a tub or shower base to be out of level, so if necessary, you may need to trim the bottom of the panels and make adjustments to fit. Fiberglass and acrylic tub and shower enclosures come with a flanged edge that attaches directly to the wall studs, and the proper way to hide this flange is to install drywall over it. Wrap a rag around the jaws if you’re planning to save or reuse the spout. Install shower rod and curtain (or the shower door). Using a utility knife and plastic putty knife, cut caulk seals around the tub or shower base and scrape away the old caulk. Home House & Components Fixtures Bathtubs, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine, Typical four piece tub/shower kit including tub, two end panels and back wall panel, An acrylic tub and shower surround may not have the sex appeal of an enameled cast iron tub and an elegant ceramic tile surround, but it’s a lot easier to keep clean and looking spotless. Caulk the tile/tub joint the day after you grout. Photo 1: Remove the faucet, tub spout and shower head Pry the plastic cover off the faucet and remove the screws that hold the handle and trim plate. Use a brass screw for the toggle bolt rather than steel to avoid rust. Steel tubs are tougher; you may have to remove drywall and slide them out, although you can often tip them up and out too. Cut a piece of felt paper long enough to turn all corners and cover the surface in a … The 3-piece tub and shower surround is incredibly easy to install and the article below will show you how. Shower Walls & Tub-Shower Surrounds | Bath Depot The store will … The manufacturers allow a little play here, but not much. Find the shutoffs for the tub—usually behind an access panel in an adjacent room—and turn off the water. Then, starting at the outer corner of the end walls, tile toward the back wall and down to the floor. Carefully position the back panel and press it against the wall so the entire … Now’s the time to plan this joint, while you can still remove the tub. Test fit all panels one last time to make sure they fit perfectly into the alcove. If you use a drywall or keyhole saw, cut carefully and keep the cut shallow. By Merle Henkenius. If you are lucky, the panels of the surround kit will fit the existing space perfectly, since they are typically sized to fit stock bathtub and shower bases. It’s the perfect item for a weekend bathroom upgrade. Well, […] Allow about 3/4 in. Test-fit again to make sure all panels fit. Here are details on replacing the shutoff valves. Chisel off protruding studs and trim the drywall as necessary to get a good fit. Fill in above the surround carefully for a smooth transition to the wall board. In this instance, a bead of silicone is usually applied over the back edges of the corner panels before they are pressed into place. Pull off the drywall with a hammer and pry bar, working from the edges. Those are the basic steps of an acrylic bathtub installation, but you’ll still need to build the tub surround in such a way to ensure water is diverted away from the walls and into the tub. larger than the “rough-in” dimensions of the new tub surround (Photo 2). Install the back wall panel first (some kits have one back panel, others have two). You can make a transition from galvanized water supply pipe to copper or plastic (CPVC). Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for caulking. In our project we had to round off the edges of the aluminum molding so they would fit perfectly into the radius of our fiberglass shower. Reset the back panel and measure to the centers of the valve and the tub spout. Acrylic replacement tubs are light enough for one person to lift in and out, even in tight spaces. The gap created between shower and frame makes it not safe for attaching grab bars directly to the fiberglass, the material is thin and un-supportive of the weight displacement from when a person pulls on the bar in the event of a fall. The nailing flanges on plastic tubs are not meant to bear weight, so the tub legs must have solid, level bearing on the floor. These corner panels typically overlap the edges of the flat panels. 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