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How Do I Raise a Shower Stall?

Lynn Rademacher

Shower stalls may need to be elevated to create an appropriate angle between floor and drain, or because the homeowner prefers having a step in the shower stall. Regardless of the reason for raising the floor, homeowners should be aware that raising the floor of a shower stall floor usually requires that a new shower stall be installed on the new floor. Fiberglass shower stalls come in two main pieces -- the floor and the shower walls. You can remove a fiberglass shower stall and then install a replacement.

Raising a shower stall floor can improve the drainage of the shower.
  1. Remove the shower stall. Use a putty knife to peel away any silicone that is sealing the edges of the shower stall. Slip a crowbar under the edge of the shower and pry the walls of the shower stall away from the walls. Removing the stall is likely to warp the walls of the stall, which will have to be replaced.

  2. Remove the drain cover from the shower floor with a screwdriver. Remove the bottom of the shower stall to expose the subfloor underneath the shower stall with the crowbar. Fiberglass shower stalls are glued to the subfloor similar to the stall walls. Slip the crowbar under the edge of the shower stall floor and break the glue away from the subfloor.

  3. Cut the 2-inch-by-4-inch pretreated lumber into four pieces the length of the shower opening. Position the boards evenly across the subfloor where the new shower floor will be installed. Place the boards so that they are positioned on the 2-inch edges.

  4. Secure the board in place with a drill and wood screws. Insert the screws at a diagonal through the side of the boards and into the subfloor.

  5. Cut a piece of 1/2-inch pretreated plywood to the size of the shower stall floor. Cut a hole in the plywood with circular saw bit and drill where the drain is located. Place the plywood over the 2-by-4 lumber at the bottom of the shower stall and secure in place with wood screws.

  6. Use PVC glue to attach a drain extension to the existing drain pipe. Make sure that the extension fits inside of the current drain so that water won't leak onto the subfloor.

  7. Install the fiberglass shower stall floor over the raised shower stall platform. Since installation instructions can vary between manufacturers it is important to refer to the directions provided by the manufacturer on how to install the fiberglass floor and stall.