Dale want’s to know how to demo his fiberglass shower surround and install new a new tiled shower instead. Today’s show explains how to do that and gives you some great tips on how to get started with the tiling process.
Most shower or bathtub fiberglass surrounds are attached to studs with roofing nails. You’ll have to remove some drywall or plaster to reveal these nails, remove them and then pull the surround from the wall.
It’s a good idea to shut the water off to the shower or tub before demoing. Do this at the water main in your home.
If your plastic tub or shower surround is a one piece you can use a reciprocating saw to cut it into 1/3s. I recommend starting in a corner because most likely pipes or wires are not there. It’s a good idea to know where electrical wires are located and pipes so that you don’t cut through them.
You an use a SharkBite push on fitting to cap any copper or plastic pipes if you have to cut them to remove the old shower valve. They can be pushed onto the pipes. No soldering is required. Pretty sweet.
Cement board is the cheapest surround option. Attach it to the studs using alkali resistant screws. Waterproof the cement board with RedGard or Hydro Ban or Schluter Kerdi. RedGard and Hydro Ban are very DIY friendly and can be applied using a roller or paint brush. Once the waterproofing is dry you can apply tiles to the cement board. I like large format tiles (12 x 24 inches or bigger) because less grout is involved. These are some great tips for getting started with a shower or bathtub remodel.
Today’s Quick Tip is about placing electrical boxes in bathrooms and kitchens. My buddy Bill, who’s a licensed electrician, explained that it’s a good idea to leave extra wire leading to electrical boxes. This way, if the box needs to be adjusted up, because of tall cabinets, you don’t need to tear out the drywall to reset the electrical wiring.
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Calling me at 800-965-0023
Visiting http://www.homerepairtutor.com/podcast/ and use the SpeakPipe recorder
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This is a passion project meant to help people with their bathroom problems, hope you like it
