Showers

Showers in North America are a basic need and then some. On average North Americans will shower 2.2 times per day. Compared to Europeans this is tremendous. Spending about 10 minutes in the shower each time means that we each use about 38,000 gallons of water per year. Costing a family of four about $240 to $300 per year plus heating costs. This could be cut in half by installing a good low flow showerhead.

Shower Stalls

Showers come in different sizes and shapes. A full size standup shower will usually be square or rectangular. These can range in size from a 30 inch by 30 inch to a 60 inch by 36 inch and just about everything in between. A one piece shower stall must be installed during new construction. The size of the stall is to large to install after new construction. Even if you are doing a basement renovation you will not get most shower stalls into the basement except during new construction where you can remove a stud or two to get the shower stall up or down stairs.

Shower Pan

A shower pan in the base of a shower. These get installed during the rough in plumbing stage. As a plumber I think this is a much nicer unit. All of the higher end homes that I work in will use a shower pan and then tile the shower walls. This will give a very nice finish to any bathroom.

Showers with tiled bases

A third and very common look is a shower that uses tile for the base as well as for the walls. You will need to install the p-trap and have a sirlo fitting for the tile setter to install the sirlo matt to. This mat needs to go in place or your shower will leak. With this style of shower a curb will be built around the shower, and give the shower floor a slope to drain the water. Then the tiles will be installed and the glass doors after that. Depending on the size and how many walls you use you may want the glass installed first then the tiles. Check with your tile setter and the glass company before installation.

Shower Installation

Installation of either the shower pan or the shower stall will require setting the p-trap, assembling the drain on the shower, then setting the shower over the p-trap. Check the level of the shower before installing. If you use a glued drain assembly you will need to install the glue the fittings then set the shower over the top of the pipe to get a good fitting. If you use a compression fitting you can place the shower, then install the compression rubber. If this is during new construction and is not in the basement you can do this from below making the whole installation much easier. Once the shower stall or shower pan is in place drill holes in the outside edge of the lip around the shower. Then install screws to hold the shower in place. These will be covered by either drywall or tile later.

Thanks for reading my article on showers