Six Tools Needed to Install a Pre-Fabricated Shower

Tape Measure

• With the assistance of a pencil or marker, tape measures allow shower installers to measure and mark the installation locations of the prefabricated shower's components, particularly the unit's height, width and depth. Standard tape measures consist of a metal or plastic casing that houses a flexible metal strip. Marks printed along the tape indicate dimensions in either metric or standard increments.

Level

• Spirit levels assist shower installers with orienting the shower's vertical level, called plumb, and the shower's horizontal level. Spirit levels consist of a long, narrow bar studded with vials. The liquid, or spirit, in the vial surrounds an air bubble. Levels contain at least one vial that is oriented perpendicularly relative to the level's length; this vial indicates plumb. Other vials are oriented parallel to the level's length; these vials indicate horizontal levelness. In addition to establishing level and plumb, the bubble's position can indicate slope, an important characteristic of shower pans or bases.

Power Drill

• Power drills not only fasten shower door hardware and prefabricated shower stalls to framing, but also help builders prepare drain openings. For example, a power drill outfitted with a hole saw attachment drills through subfloor materials to create access for pipes and flanges.

Hammer

• Prefabricated shower units occasionally use nails or plastic pegs to bind and fasten hardware components or shower stall enclosures. Although the specific type of hammer required varies according to the shower's make and model, most prefabricated shower units require a mallet or finish hammer.

Caulking Gun

• Complete with a trigger and pistol grip handle, caulking guns allow shower installers to quickly install thin lines of sealant or caulk, called beads. Caulking guns accept standard sized tubes of sealant or caulk. The tubes mount into the caulking gun's half-barrel body. A press of the gun's trigger causes a plunging attachment to press against the butt of the tube and squeeze the tube's contents from its tip. Caulk and sealant create a waterproof seal between a shower unit's prefabricated shell and adjacent surfaces, such as walls, ceilings and floors.

Screwdrivers

• Screwdrivers fasten finish hardware or screws inaccessible to power drill attachments, particularly chromed screws, shower door handles and hinge screws. A comprehensive set of screwdrivers, including both flat head and phillips drive, prepares the shower installer to handle prefabricated showers' most common fasteners.