How to Take Out a Bathtub and Make a Shower

Replace an old bathtub with a modern shower stall.

Older bathrooms typically had a standard tub occupying most of the room with a toilet in the corner and a sink somewhere in between. The tub was usually too shallow to use for real bathing except for small children. If you remove the old tub, you free up space in the bathroom to install a large shower stall. The new shower will brighten up the bathroom, making it more modern and functional.

Things You'll Need

• Plumber’s wrench
• Utility knife
• Scraper
• Vacuum
• Plywood
• Wood screws
• Drill
• Construction adhesive
• Plumber’s putty
• Copper pipe
• Solder
• Propane torch
• Metal pipe braces
• Shower stall kit
• Shower faucet and drain assembly
• Silicone caulk

Instructions

1. Turn off the water to the bathtub at the shutoff valve located behind the tub, usually in an access panel. Unscrew all the plumbing from the existing bathtub, including the faucets, the drain and the overflow pipe. Use a plumber’s wrench to unscrew the pipes.

2. Cut around the edges of the tub to loosen the caulking using a utility knife or a scraper.

3. Lift the bathtub out of its position and carry it outside for disposal.

4. Clean up the area left open after removing the tub. Vacuum out any debris and dust.

5. Cover any open floor area under the tub area with plywood, securing it to the floor joists with wood screws. Install plywood if necessary to provide a solid surface for the base of the shower.

6. Set the shower pan in place and mark the position of the floor drain. Drill out a hole according to the specifications from your shower pan if there is no hole in place. Secure the shower pan to the floor with construction adhesive.

7. Connect the shower's drain to the existing drain pipe by sliding a section of PVC pipe into the floor drain so it sits just above the shower floor. Cement it in place with PVC cement by wiping the inside and the exterior sections where the pipes overlap with the cement. Connect them immediately and hold for a few seconds as the cement hardens. Place the drain assembly from the shower into the drain pipe extension and cement it in place. Seal off the joint between the drain lip and the shower floor with plumber's putty. Hire a plumber to do this if you're not familiar with working with your plumbing.

8. Raise the water supply pipes to the faucet level of your shower stall. Cut off the pipes where they turn to go to the tub and use a copper pipe connector to connect sections of new copper pipe up to the shower mixer valve. Solder the new piping into place by melting the solder with a propane torch. Secure the pipes to the wall framework with metal braces screwed into the wood. Run the shower water pipe with a threaded end from the valve up to the position of the shower head, again connecting it with solder.

9. Attach the shower panels after positioning them in place on the shower base. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your shower model installation. Usually there is a flange around the edge of the panels for nailing it to the wall. Drill pilot holes through the flange to keep from cracking the panel while nailing.

10. Connect the faucets to the valve stems according to the manufacturer's directions. Screw the shower head to the water supply pipe threads, using teflon tape on the threads.

11. Seal off all the joints in the shower wall with silicone caulk. Cover the exposed pipe holes with the decorative plates included with your hardware.

12. Install the shower door assembly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Caulk around the opening with silicone caulk to waterproof the area.

13. Finish off the walls around the shower to match the rest of the bathroom's walls. Caulk along the edge of the shower walls where they meet the bathroom walls with silicone caulk.

14. Turn the water back on to the shower.

References

• Realtor.com: Install a Corner Shower Stall