How to Replace a Bathtub With a Tile Shower

Take Out the Tub

• 1

  Remove the Faucet. Shut off the water to the tub first. Take out the screws in the center of the faucet handles and remove the handles. Take off the escutcheon, the decorative covering for the faucet and you'll reveal the stems.

• 2

  Take out the stems. Remove the stems if you don't have much space behind the tub. Loosen the bonnet nut and unscrew the stems.

• 3

  Check behind the tub for the faucet junctions. Loosen the unions with a pipe wrench on both the hot and cold side. Pull the faucet away from the tub. Turn faucet nozzle to remove.

• 4

  Take out the drain. If you have a pop up in the center, you either pull it straight out or twist it out. For the trip lever type, take off the plate and pull straight out. Insert the pliers handles into the cross bars of the drain and twist to remove.

• 5

  Take out the tub. Discard a big cast iron tub, if you don't want to save it, by breaking it apart. It's easier to carry out.

• 6

  Remove any tile on the floor where you'll build the shower pan. Purchase a drain for a shower pan and install new plumbing for the shower. Put the shower faucet onto the hot and cold pipes. Run a pipe for the showerhead.

• 7

  Build the wooden framework for the shower. Keep the drain in the center of the shower. Build the rough area for the exterior.

Build the Shower

• 8

  Spread 15 lb roofing paper or 4 ml polyethylene over the area for the shower sub floor. At the end of each sheet, make sure that it overlaps at least an inch. Put galvanized mesh lathe on top of that layer and nail it every 6 inches with 1 1/4-inch roofing nails.

• 9

  Measure the distance to the wall from the center of the drain. Use the scale of 1/4 inch for every foot, and make a mark on the wall to that height. If your drain is 3 feet from the shower wall, then the mark is 3/4 inches up the wall. Mark the wooden frame using a straight edge and level.

• 10

  Mix a batch of concrete. Use a ratio of 3 1/2 parts sand to 1 part of Portland cement. Put in a 2-inch wide area of cement to the height you marked on the wall of the framework. Next, put a thin layer around the drain. Fill in the middle.

• 11

  Allow the mortar to cure overnight. Nail backerboard to the shower walls making certain you have cutouts for the plumbing. Put backerboard on all sides of the threshold. Apply a coat of thinset mortar to the floor of the shower pan. Put the specially cut piece of fabric liner on top. Smooth it in place and allow it to dry.

• 12

  Put cardboard on top so you don't damage the liner while you work on sealing the walls and threshold. Use strips of the fabric liner to seal the edges between the pan and wall. Fold a piece in half and put thinset 6 inches up the wall and on the floor of the shower. Smooth the fabric onto the wall and onto the floor

• 13

  Make sure that there's fabric on every seam and over the threshold. Let it dry overnight then test it to see if it's waterproof by plugging the drain, putting an inch of water in it and checking for leaks the next day.

• 14

  Put a layer of thinset on the shower floor and lay the tiles. Allow this to dry, cover with cardboard and put tile on the walls. When it's dry grout the walls and clean away any excess grout. Seal the tile with grout sealer. Install the shower fixtures. Use silicon caulk to seal the edges.