How to Replace Shower Pans

The only reason anyone would ever need to replace a shower pan is if there was a leak that was detected. Unfortunately, if that becomes the case, you will also want to think about replacing the entire shower as well because you will have to completely remove the floor of the shower to get to the actual shower pan. This means potentially demolishing tile floors or pulling up plastic inserted shower floors, and they will have to be replaced once you have replaced the pan. Neither of these jobs are for the casual do-it-yourselfer, and on top of all this, once a new shower pan has been emplaced, either new tiling or a new shower floor insert must be installed. The instructions below are for the actual shower plan replacement, not the entire bathroom renovation that it will likely entail.

Things You'll Need

• Sheet of PVC shower pan material
• Mastic adhesive
• Staple gun
• Razor blade
• Straight edge
• Bucket of sand
• Screwdriver
• Tape measure

Instructions

1. Make sure the water is off in the bathroom. If you are tearing up your shower or your bathroom suite, you probably have turned the water off already. However, if not, be sure to do so now.

2. Remove the original shower pan. Some old shower pans were made of a lead lining, so you may want to wear gloves. The old shower pan needs to be pulled out and disposed of in a proper manner---probably by taking it to a landfill. Most were stapled in place, so, remove the staples from the old shower pan with your screwdriver and pull it out.

3. Replace the shower pan material with a new sheet. Lay down zig-zag beads of adhesive mastic on the floor and push your sheet of shower pan materials onto it. Don't worry about wall measurements now; just make sure that there is about 3 inches of materials overlap onto the shower sill.

4. Let the shower pan sheet dry overnight. Do not use the shower in the meantime.

5. Staple your shower pan to the wall. Measure up 3 inches with your tape measure along the sides of the shower. Then, pull your shower pan materials tight and staple it to the wall. It doesn't have to be in a perfect line, just approximately 3 inches high because it will be completely covered up with the actual shower stall itself, whether it is tile or a plastic shower insert. Use staples about every 2 to 4 inches.

6. Secure the shower sill seal with extra adhesive and staples. The front will have the shower sill. Lay a bead of mastic onto the sill, push the shower pan material onto it and then staple over the top and along the sides. The mastic adhesive and the staples will doubly secure the material to the sill, which is exactly what you want since the shower sill is the most vulnerable area for leaking.

7. Trim any excess material along the 3-inch staple line using your razor blade. Again, this doesn't have to be exact, since it will all be covered over by tile or an insert.

8. Take your bucket of sand and spread it over the top of the shower pan. This will act like a cushion for the material every time you stand on it when you are in the shower. The less pressure and more cushion you can get on the actual shower pan, the longer its life will be. This is important, because you will not ever want to do this again!

Tips & Warnings

• If you are not comfortable with all of the terminology in this article and have not done these types of repairs before, then shower pans are better left to experts. A mistake can cost thousands more than hiring a person to help you with the replacement.

• Always work in a well-ventilated area and wear safety goggles when demolishing tile.