Fitting
A Shower Stall / Shower Cubicle
by
Simon Phillips for
www.showers-bathrooms.com
If
space allows, a separate
shower stall can be a convenient addition to
your bathroom, offering you the choice of a quick shower or a long
soak in the bath. Installing
a shower stall does require a certain level of skill, but if you're
confident in your DIY abilities, it should be relatively
straightforward.
You'll
need to attach your shower enclosure to a tray, which is essential for
containing the water before it drains away.
Before you begin, you'll need to ensure a drainage outlet is in
place to remove the water, and that the water supply pipes are
positioned correctly (it might be advisable to hire a professional to
do the plumbing bit).
Here
are some guidelines to help you install your new shower stall
correctly and with minimal upheaval.
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In
the majority of cases, shower stalls are made up of a square shower
tray and two screen walls, and are fitted into the corner of a
bathroom.
The basic
techniques are the same regardless of the shape of the enclosure.
A common problem when installing a shower stall is not having
enough space for the drainage pipe to run under the shower.
A handy tip to get round this is to install the tray slightly
higher than floor level to accommodate the drainage requirements.
This is why some showers have a slight step up to them.
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Step
One - Install the shower tray
To do this you'll need the following tools:
tape measure, pencil, jigsaw, cordless drill/driver, bucket,
pointing or gauging trowel, spirit level.
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Place
your tray where it's going to be installed and draw a pencil line
onto the hardboard floor to mark the position.
Decide where the drainage pipes will be installed and cut
out a small section of hardboard to make space for them.
Remember to check there's adequate room on the outside edge
of the tray to have an access hatch to the pipes.
Underneath the edges of the hole you've made, nail pieces
of batten and then cut out a piece of hardboard to fit the hole
and place it on top of the batten.
-
Attach
the waste outlet to the shower tray.
It's important here to double check there are washers or
gaskets fitted on each side of the waste opening to make sure
there's a watertight seal surrounding it.
-
Using
4 parts building sand to 1 part cement, in your bucket mix up some
mortar to a firm consistency.
Spread the mortar in sections on the floor where the tray
is going to be fitted.
-
Move
the tray into position, letting it bed down into the mortar.
Use a spirit level to check that it's level from all
angles. You might
have to remove the tray and adjust the mortar beneath before you
get it perfectly flat.
-
The
final step is to connect up the trap to the waste outlet and join
it to the waste outlet pipe.
Shower traps are fairly shallow, as a deep trap makes it
harder to get enough space or height for a good run on the outlet
pipe.
Step
Two – Fit the shower enclosure. |
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To do this you'll need the following tools:
tape measure, pencil, cordless drill/driver, spirit level,
screwdriver.
Here
we use the example of a cubicle with a hinged door, as this is the
most common type of shower door.
However, there are several other types of doors available.
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The
shower stall kit should come with specially designed channels that
hold the sections of the enclosure to the wall.
You will need to place them in a perfectly vertical
position on the corner edges of the tray before fixing them to the
wall. They will come
with the relevant fittings included.
-
Decide
where you want the door to be and then take the side of the
cubicle that's to be fixed in place and slot it into the relevant
wall channel. Then
place the opening section into the other wall channel and hold
each piece in place so they join at the corner.
If you've got someone else on hand to help with this, it
makes it a bit easier.
-
The
next step is to fix the sections in position.
Use your drill to make pilot holes through the wall
channels and into the frame, using self-tapping screws to keep
them in place. Make
sure you use drill bits to make your pilot holes smaller than the
screws.
-
Attach
the door handle using your screwdriver.
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The
final and very important stage is to carefully fill in all the
gaps around the internal edges and between all the joints with a
silicone sealant, to ensure your shower stall is completely
watertight and there's no chance of leaks.
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