Summary: Learn how to install a shower cubicle, fit a ceramic shower tray, fit a shower and fit a shower screen.
There is a wide variety of shower systems available but your choice will be largely governed by your household water system.
A tower unit combines the thermostatic mixer shower with a series of adjustable jets. The unit will also be equipped with a fixed showerhead and a hand-held spray attachment. A tower shower can be installed over a bath but it is more likely to be fitted into a shower cubicle or wet room. For a tower shower to work efficiently a ceiling height of 2200mm is required and a pump may be needed to increase the water pressure.
Let us take a look at installing a shower cubicle fitted with a manual mixer shower. When deciding on the location of your shower cubicle, you will have to consider several important factors:
Having decided on a position for your shower cubicle that allows access to the waste pipe and water supply pipes, make a plan indicating the position of the showerhead and the route of the pipe work from the shower to the supply pipes. From this you will be able to calculate the length of 15mm diameter piping needed.
Shower trays can be made from acrylic, GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic), resin or ceramic. Resin and ceramic trays are installed on a bed of mortar. Acrylic shower trays are fitted with adjustable legs and as they are higher off the floor than solid trays, it is easier to connect the waste outlet to the waste pipe, as it may not be necessary to remove a section of flooring.
Fitting a ceramic tray:
After bedding the tray in a layer of mortar, ensure it is level.
Every shower will come with its own instructions, which you should follow. But we can offer general guidance for installing showers. Every installation will vary according to the model of shower and its location but the basic plumbing method for fitting a manual mixer shower is as follows:
Once your shower is installed and all the plumbing work completed, you can tile your shower cubicle using waterproof tile adhesive and grout (see ceramic wall tiles). Remember you will need to gain access to the service valves. Additionally, the bottom row of tiles should overlap the lip of the shower tray against the wall to ensure your cubicle will be watertight.
Shower trays come in different shapes and sizes, so the number of panels making up the shower screen will depend on the type of shower tray you have bought. Shower screens are usually made of either glass or acrylic. Glass shower screens must be made of 4mm toughened safety glass and conform to BS 6206.
We are taking a look at a basic shower screen arrangement that has a square tray fitted into the corner of a bathroom/shower room, allowing for a two-piece shower screen comprising of one partition screen and a door entering into the cubicle.
These are general tips: always follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Author: C J Mills Google+
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