How to Replace a Bathub With a Frameless Shower Kit

Removal of Old Bathtub

• Getting rid of an old bathtub requires a little bit of force. Shut off the main water supply to your house before taking out the old bathtub. You need to remove the spout, handles and drain assembly from the tub before beginning. To loosen the tub from the wall, remove the caulking from around the tub with a screwdriver. Cut the wall covering away from the wall at least 6 inches above the tub on all sides to prevent breaking up the entire wall when shifting the tub. You will need to remove this wall covering anyway before installing the shower. Pull out the old tub with the help of several friends, or break it into pieces with a sledgehammer or power saw and discard the pieces.

Plumbing

• Installing a frameless shower is easier to do if the old bathtub you are replacing is an alcove shower tub. Remove the wall in front of the plumbing to expose it and replumb, if necessary. These have the plumbing for the shower already installed. You just need to block off the portion of the diverter that feeds the tub spout. The diverter may also need to be raised so the water control valves attached to it are at the standard shower height of 48 inches from the drain. If you did not have a combination shower/tub before, you will need to add a pipe from the diverter to the outlet for the shower head about 72 inches from the drain.

Installing Shower Pan

• Bathtubs have a 1-inch wide drain, but a shower needs a wider opening. Before installing the shower pan, you will need to replace the old drain with a 1-1/2-inch or 2-inch wide drain for the shower. The shower pan is a wide base surrounding the drain that acts as the shower floor. You will need to set it over a layer of wet plaster to adhere it to a plywood subfloor. Once the plaster for the shower pan dries, you can finish the walls around the shower with water-resistant greenboard and tile before installing the glass walls and door from the frameless shower kit.

Frameless Shower Kit

• Traditional showers have a heavy trim surrounding the door and any freestanding walls. In a frameless shower, this trim is replaced by heavy hinges to support the door. This shower option is best if you have a decorative tiled shower because the door does not have a frame to obstruct the complete view of the shower. A kit to assemble a frameless shower will have all of the parts needed for the walls and door of the shower, but you will need to have the plumbing finished before installing it. Look for a kit to fit the area taken by your bathtub. With alcove tubs, the standard size is 60 inches long. If you choose a smaller frameless shower, consider putting a removable, waterproof shelf in the leftover space in the alcove. Avoid installing permanent wooden shelving because frameless showers are prone to leaking.