We have a vinyl (plastic to me) shower stall. We want to remove it. Any suggestions on where to start and go about it? We know about the plumbing but WHERE do you start with the removing the stall itself. And are there any special tips? We want to remove it to put up tile walls. We are do-it-yourselfers and my husband has done a lot, but this one seems confusing. I've googled and checked everywhere but can't find any place that actually tells remove the stall itself and what to watch out for.
Mek
Well first question everyone will need to know is it a one piece shower/tub or is it a 4 piece, that meaning the tub, front wall, back wall, and side wall are seperate?! Does it have any seems and caulking in those seems?? If so, you probably have a 4 pc. tub. I would start thereI haven't taken one of these out but I did just renovate my bathroom and took out a porc. tub w/ the walls that were the fake tile. That was easy except the tub weighed about 350lbs!!! I then installed a new tub from lowes that was a 4 pc. unit. The tub was installed then the walls were snapped into the tub. If it is a one piece that will be difficult b/c you'll have to cut the tub surround off of the tub!!
I think there are also 2 pc tubs but not sure. That is the tub then the wall surround all together!! Good luck
I am also a do it yourselfer but this is just from what I learned w/ my own research and renovations.
Reciprocating saw, cut it into 3 vertical pieces to the base, then around the base, remove the middle piece, then the two ends then the bottom. You will find the bottom to be quite heavy as it will be embedded in concrete, so undo the drain and remove it vertically.
Chandler's methodology is right on - though I prefer to use a circular saw adjusted so it barely cuts through the plastic of the tub surround - Recip saws can cut deep - and the chance of hitting stray piping/electrical wiring in the wall makes me nervous.
What is going to be buried in concrete?? They are just removing the walls, not the tub! They are just going to install tile tub walls!? Am I missing something? I hope I didn't give bad advice!
OP says shower stall, not tub. The shower pan will be imbedded in thinset if properly installed. that is why I don't cut through the base. Wastes blades, and throws sparks.
This is just a shower stall - no tub. And if it's like anything else the former owner did, NOTHING is imbedded in anything. However, because of how they did things, everything seems to end up very involved.
It is a one piece shower stall - even the bottom is incorporated into the sides - no seams from what we can tell.
So, it seems that we obviously take the doors and frame off first, then take out the drain and all the plumbing from inside the stall, then proceed carefully with a saw? My husband is handy but I've gotten into the home improvement stuff too lately. He's been putting this one off - maybe now we'll start.
Thanks for all the input.
So like they said above you would have to make a nice clean cut around the bottom or where ever you want your tile to start. Be careful of electrical wires!!! That might hurt!! After you get the tile up you'll have to put some kind of molding so to speak over the seem where the tile meets the shower stall base!! You might be better off just ripping that whole thing out and just buying a shower stall base. I found this on lowes.com but if yours isn't a corner stall then this won't work.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...0-0lpage=none
Good Luck Home renovations/repairs are so much fun!! Wish I had the money and didn't have to work I would do them all the time!!
The OP won't be leaving the base, but probably replacing the entire unit with a new one. Cutting around the existing base clean enough to retile may be a PITA, but maybe an option.
Tags: remove, shower, stall, shower stall, from what, piece shower, piece that, shower stall base, stall base, stall itself, stall then
