| Small-Bathroom Renovation -- Shower Installation, Part 2 |
From "Bathroom Remodeling"
episode DBR-103 |
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With the shower base and walls installed, the next phase in the bathroom renovation includes attaching the shower head, valve-handle, glass enclosure and shower door. Since the shower drain-piece was not installed properly earlier, homeowner Sarah Smith will also need to and determine how to repair that problem. The plumber did most of the rough work for the bathroom fixtures earlier. At this point, Sarah just has to follow manufacturer's directions and make sure all the shower fixtures are properly installed and tightened. Shower-Head and Control Valve Materials: Shower-head kit
Teflon tape
Wrench
Towel
Steps:
- First, screw in the curved pipe that will hold the shower head (figure A). This needs to be carefully hand tightened, with maybe a half-turn with a wrench. Avoid over-tightening.
- Next comes the decorative flange for the shower-head pipe.
- The control-valve (figure B) in this particular shower kit is designed to maintain constant water temperature even if someone flushes a toilet or opens a faucet somewhere else in the house. It also has a maximum-temperature control device (figure C) that needs to be set before the valve flange and handle are attached.
- The flange (figure D) is connected with two long screws directly to the valve.
- The handle (figure E) goes on after that and is attached with small set-screws.
- With the valve installed, the shower can be tested to make sure that the shower is getting water when the water is turned on (figure F). It's also beneficial to run the water before attaching the head to clean out any metal shavings or debris that may have collected in the pipes during construction.
- The shower-head can now be attached. First, carefully wrap the threads with teflon tape (figure G).
- Once the tape has been applied, install the shower-head and hand-tighten it ( figure H).
- It may help to give the connection one more turn with a wrench, but avoid over-tightening. To protect the chrome finish, it's a good idea to use a cloth over the point where the wrench makes contact with the hardware (figure I).
Shower Drain Before Sarah and her dad set the shower base in place, they should have connected the drain pieces. Since they didn't, they will have to determine how to solve this problem and install the drain pieces (figure J) after the fact. - Sarah's dad has to hold on to the bottom part of the drain from the crawlspace below the shower (figure K) while Sarah screws the pieces together from above.
- The pieces are secured with PVC cement. Dad applies PVC cement to both pieces, then pushes the pipe up into the drain fitting in the shower base.
- The drain-pipe itself fits inside the parts that were screwed together.
- Note: The troublesome task of working from the crawl-space could have been avoided if the manufacturer's instructions had been followed earlier.
Completing the Shower Stall
The final steps in the shower installation involve the assembly of the glass enclosure -- the front-section and door.
- Note: There are a number of different shower-kits like this on the market, and each has its unique design. The assembly steps will be different for each. Read and follow the directions that come with the model that you select (figure L).
The wall flanges were attached to the walls first (figure M), and the glass inserts were secured in position according to the steps detailed in the manufacturer's instructions.
The next phase of the bathroom renovation includes application of paint and wallpaper, installation of the large vanity and the addition of a decorative light fixture and towel racks.
RESOURCES :
The Complete Book of Kitchen and Bathroom Renovation
Time Life Books
Website: www.timelife.com
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