how do you install a shower encloser?
Answers:
This is a pretty big project for most homes. If you can find one to fit I recommend putting in a new shower pan. These come ready made of heavy guage Vikrell(tm) or other plastics. It will have to fit your existing drain, or you will have to move the existing drain. If in a frame floor this is relatively easy, if in a concrete slab very difficult to impossible. You may also find you have to change the location of the faucet, so that wall will have to be opened from either the back or front. You can find pre-built shower pans in catalogs at your plumbing supply or a large store like Lowe's or Home Depot. While you are there, ask to see the shower enclosures. These will come prebuilt to your measurements made of glass and aluminum frames. Color and patterns are all optional. You can finish the inside of the enclosure with ceramic tile, or if you can find one that fits, you can get fiberglass/plastic prebuilt enclosures. I recommend the ceramic tile, but that is my preference.
If you do not want to go this route you can build your own shower pan. This involves building up a waterproof layer under the shower floor. A guy I know in Houston has an excellent website that explains this better than I can: http://www.johnbridge.com/shower_pan_replacement.htm
After your shower pan is in place you can tile the entire enclosure. I recommend putting Duroc (R) and/or Hardiboard (R) as a tile base for all of the walls. I sometimes use both. This creates a wall that will expand evenly and not crack the tile, as well as making the whole thing rot-proof.
You can get help on John Bridge's website. He has a forum for Do It Yourselfers where you can ask questions. http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
I also added a link to Sterling brand shower receptors. Installation instructions and specs are listed there.
Other answers:
When I see a perfectly adequate answer destined to go unrewarded because it's the only answer, I assume the asker has "abandoned" the question. This is unfair to the answerer, so I post this "answer" to release it for voting. I would hope others do the same.
When I see a perfectly adequate answer destined to go unrewarded because it's the only answer, I assume the asker has "abandoned" the question. This is unfair to the answerer, so I post this "answer" to release it for voting. I would hope others do the same.