Fiberglass Shower & Tub Installation
When you wish to setup a bathtub with overhead shower fixtures by yourself, there are several preparatory steps that are involved. It would help to have experience with some basic plumbing work as well as be able to tidy up or install tiles to cover up the connections of plumbing systems you create in the walls of the bathroom.
Before you get started, here is a list of items you would require:
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Fiberglass Bathtub
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Shower head
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Copper pipe, new in case there are no plumbing fixtures from before
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Mixing valve
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Air chambers
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Drywall materials
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Tools like nails, studs, hammer, screwdriver, tape
The above list is a basic list that will help you remember the essential items you require. There might be additional requirements such as a sealant or any other material as per the kind of preparatory or final work you plan to do around the installations you work upon. You would be looking at tying with the existing drainage systems, supply and waste vent systems. You would also need to assemble the shower and bathtub in their proper places.
Bathroom Plumbing
When you are using existing water and drainage systems, there are pipes that would be supplying hot and cold water. There would also be a copper pipe that leads to the shower head. You would want to add a shower mixing valve here as well along with air chambers.
Fiberglass Tub Assembly
The tub needs to be placed where you need it to be and flange that is fitted with wall studs. Usually a fiberglass tub would have to be on supports. The enclosure that you have for the tub needs to have the tub anchored with nails and screws as necessary. Some shower stalls and tubs need support frames. The framing support and tub weight when filled with water need to be checked as per existing building codes, especially when you live in an apartment.
Tub Plumbing – Pipe and Drain Connections
The drain connections for the tub need to be done by connecting the overflow component to the tub drain which should be above the trap. The trap needs to have a compression fitting. For the shower head pipe, you need a winged fitting which should attach to a framing support. The pipe that you run up to the shower head should be soldered with brass fitting ideally. The hot and cold water lines should connect to respective ports of the mixing valve. That is the entry point of the water in the tub system.
Once the basic installation is done, you can restore the bathroom wall by using a drywall that is water resistant. The joints can be sealed and you can use silicone caulk around the tub and wall to prevent any water seepage.
The above points are basic elements covered for Fiberglass tub and shower installation. However, if you do not have basic plumbing skills it would prove a difficult project to execute. It is best to leave it to the plumbing experts. You can easily call in a reliable plumbing service to get the installation done in an expert manner.
