How to Build a Glassed-In Shower

Remove existing tub and tub walls until you have a clear area showing wall studs and subfloor. Set the new shower pan from a shower kit onto the floor in the old tub opening. Check for level. If necessary, use shims under the pan to achieve level. Make sure the drain opening in the pan meets up with the drain coming from the floor. Draw a line on the studs with a pencil at the top edge of the shower pan along the flange. This is the installed height of the pan. Remove the base for now and set it to the side.

Load a piping bag with mortar. Lay the mortar in a grid design using 12-by-12-inch or smaller squares the full length and width of the shower, stopping just short of where the pan apron will sit. The pan apron is the front edge of the pan.

Build the drain. Lay a bead of urethane sealant around the rim of the drain in the shower pan. Place the drain body into the opening, seating it firmly onto the urethane. From the underside, place the rubber gasket and then the fiber gasket onto the drain body. Follow this with the locking nut. Tighten the nut hand tight, taking care not to over-tighten.

Set the shower pan into place on the mortar, lining up the drain body with the drain in the floor. Rock the pan a bit to press it down into the mortar, lining up the flange with the pencil lines drawn earlier. Check for level in both directions.

Attach the pan to the studs through the flange on the shower pan, using wood screws.

Finish the drain assembly. Insert the rubber gasket into the drain opening followed by the caulking nut. Use the tightening tool to secure the nut into place. Tightening tools are often included with drain assemblies.

Measure the wall area and cut wallboard pieces to fit. Lay a bead of urethane on the top edge of the shower pan flange. Set the wallboard on the urethane. Secure the wallboard to the studs with screws or fasteners recommended by the wallboard manufacturer. Caulk all wallboard seams with silicone caulk to help waterproof the walls. Place caulk over fastener heads and use a putty knife to smooth.

Build the glass shower walls. On the center line of the curb of the shower pan, lay a 1/4-inch bead of glass block silicone. Lay a bead up the wallboard where the glass wall will meet the wall. Insert a panel anchor into the spacer on the top of the first glass block panel. Anchors are included with the kit. Set the first panel onto the curb and against the wall. Check for level and plumb, adjusting as necessary. Drive a screw through the hole in the anchor and into the wallboard.

Lay two beads of the glass silicone up the wall and on the spacer of the first panel that was just installed. Attach an anchor to the top spacer on the next panel and set the panel into place. Check for plumb and level. Screw the anchor into place.

Repeat the procedure until you reach the desired height. There is no anchor for the top panel; it relies solely on the silicone to hold it in place.

Grout the glass blocks. Apply grout with a grout float, working it into all the spaces between the blocks. Do not apply grout to the area where the glass wall meets the wall or to the joint between the shower pan and blocks. Wipe away excess grout with a dampened sponge. Keep the sponge as clean as possible, replacing the water in the bucket as often as needed. Let the grout dry. This can take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.

Finish the shower as desired. You can install tile or panels of cultured marble or acrylic sheets. Install shower fixtures after the walls have been finished.