How to Install a New Bathtub & Shower Walls
Renovating a bathroom is a perfect way to improve your home's value quickly and easily, according to RingSurf.com. When installing your own bathtub and shower walls, usually you'll be dealing with separate panels that have to be connected to form a tight seal, according to The Home Depot. The task might take a few hours, but with just a few easy steps, you'll have a bathtub and shower that look brand new for both yourself and your future homebuyer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Shower panels
- Pencil
- Keyhole saw
- Pry bar
- Screwdriver
- Tape measure
- Hole saw
- Construction adhesive
- Caulk gun
- 100% silicone caulk
- Drill
- 3/16-inch bit
- Galvanized roofing nails
- Hammer
- Blocking
- Greenboard
- Drywall screws
- Joint compound
Instructions
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1
All old shower panels should be removed. Position your new back panel against the back wall of the shower and rest this panel on the tub or base of the shower. Make a mark on the wall indicating the height of the top of the flange on both sides of the panel. The flange is the flattened edge on the panel. Draw a horizontal line at this height across the shower wall. Then, remove the faucet handle and other existing plumbing fixtures. Position the side panels where they can interlock with the back panel. Again, draw horizontal lines on the walls along the panels' top flanges and vertically along the outside edges of the vertical flanges. Take all panels out of the way.
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2
Cut along the horizontal and vertical lines using a keyhole saw. Remove the wall covering with a pry bar and take out any noticeable screws or nails from the wall studs.
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3
Measure the location of the plumbing valves and shower arm. Transfer the measurements to the appropriate side panel and position the panel against this wall. Cut the holes for the plumbing with a hole saw.
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4
Put the back panel on the tub or base of the shower and mark the top of the panel on each stud. Take the panel out of the way, and put a bead of construction adhesive down each stud. Then, place a bead of caulk along the ledge of the tub and position the back panel along the back wall, pressing firmly against the studs. Drill 3/16-inch holes in the center of the flange at the top of the panel centered on each stud, and hammer 3/4-inch roofing nails through the holes and into the studs.
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5
Attach the side panels to the back panel and place a bead of silicone sealant when the panels interlock. Repeat Step 4 to attach the side panels to the wall studs. If no studs exist under the outside vertical flanges, install blocking and use that to nail the panels down. Connect the bottoms of the panels to the tub or shower base.
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6
Install greenboard, which is used for moisture control, over the flanges using drywall screws (they will be narrow pieces). Place your trim and any necessary silicone sealant at the connecting joints and around the edges of your work. Then, use joint compound to cover any exposed seams, screws or nails. Put the plumbing fixtures back on.
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