Upgrading an old shower is a great way to refresh your bathroom. And if you’re simply replacing like for like, and don’t have to move any plumbing round, then installing a brand new shower enclosure is actually a job you can do yourself.
We’re installing the Calais Round Shower. Although some steps may vary across different models, we’ll cover off a lot of basic steps and tips that are consistent throughout the process of installing most shower models.
Make sure you check the instructions that come with the shower you’re installing – and if you’ve got any doubts, get in touch with a licensed shower installer.
Preparation
Remove your old shower enclosure. It’s likely you’ll damage your walls when you do this. For this reason – it’s a really good idea to make sure they’re plumb and straight, and reline the walls with GIB Aqualine ready for the new shower enclosure. You may find you’ll need to install some new nogs for the GIB Aqualine to fix to, and some timber for the wall profiles to fix to. You’ll need to install the shower tray before relining.
Make sure floor is level. The shower tray needs to sit level so water can drain correctly. If your floor isn’t level, some self-levelling compound will do the job.
Handy Hint:
Take the shower lining out, open it up, and let it sit for a few hours. It may have become cramped and bent out of shape in the box.
GETTING IT DONE
Shower Tray
Peel protective film: Peel back the thin protective film that’s covering the shower tray – but only around the edges. Leave the rest on to protect the tray.
Mitre 10 Handy Hint:
Use the shower tray box to cut a piece of cardboard to sit inside the shower tray throughout your project. This’ll protect it during installation.
Position tray: Place shower tray in the corner. Make sure it lines up with your waste pipe. If it doesn’t line up, you’ll need to call a plumber.
Nogs: If you need to install some nogs above the shower tray for the GIB Aqualine to fix to, then now’s the time to measure, cut, and nail in place.
Silicone: Place silicone between the framing and the shower tray - this’ll act as a buffer between the two, and stop any squeaking.
Adhesive: Use the adhesive provided and apply it to the feet on the base of the shower tray.
Install tray: Lay the tray down in place and leave for 24 hours to allow adhesive to set.
Install GIB Aqualine
Fit the GIB Aqualine, making sure that it’s positioned 10mm off the floor, and 10mm off the shower tray. Use a 10mm packer to keep it off the floor.
Measure for shower mixer, tapware or other plumbing. Refer to the instructions of your mixer and tapware to ensure the hole you’re cutting is the correct size.
Shower lining
Dry fit: Hold the lining in place, to make sure it’s the right width, but also to make sure it fits neatly parallel on top of the shower tray. If it doesn’t, you may want to scribe a pencil line along and shave it with a block plane.
Measure for mixer and plumbing: Measure the horizontal and vertical position of your required holes. Measure hard off the shower tray, and transfer the measurements onto the back of the shower lining. Take 2mm off the horizontal measurement, to account for the thickness of the lining.
Drill holes: Set yourself up on a solid surface, make sure your drill bits are sharp, and drill slowly.
Also, scribe a pencil line around the outside of the whole shower lining – this will show us where we will eventually apply the adhesive.
Fix liner to wall: Apply silicone along the top edge of the shower tray in a continuous bead, making sure you apply a return bead when you get to the end – this will ensure maximum water tightness.
Apply adhesive 80mm inside the pencil line.
Apply the adhesive in vertical lines of silicone 80mm inside the pencil line, and then every 80mm. Vertical lines will allow any gas to escape while the adhesive is setting. Apply one horizontal bead across the bottom.
Dust the back of the lining before placing it on the wall.
Fix lining to wall. Start by placing the corner in, then fold each sides onto the wall. Use a rag to smooth out any bumps, and make sure the liner is firm against the wall. You have 20 mins before the adhesive sets, so don’t muck around.
You will notice some silicone leaking out between the shower tray and the lining – this is exactly what we want to see. Clean it off once the lining is in place.
Have the wall profiles of the shower unit ready and waiting also – we’ll be fixing these in place to help secure the lining to the wall.
Wall Profiles
First peel away some of the protective film covering the shower lining before fitting wall profiles.
Fix wall profiles in place according to your specific instructions. In our case they’re positioned 3mm in from the lip of the shower tray. Run a bead of silicone down the back of them, make sure they’re plumb, and screw in place.
Door frames
Assemble the frame as per instructions. In our case the frame needs to be assembled separate to the shower tray.
Mitre 10 Handy Hint:
Be very careful when handling the glass doors. Do not place the edges on any hard surfaces without protection, as they could shatter.
Slide the glass onto the channel, and attach with 2 screws at the back. Repeat for all 4 corners. You may need someone to give you a hand at this point, to hold up a side.
Place the door frame onto the shower tray, making sure the sides slot correctly into the wall profiles. Make sure the locking mechanism is fully open. Concentrate on one side first.
When it’s in place, make sure you close the locking mechanism to secure the frame in place. Repeat for the other side.
Now, make sure the bottom of the frame is parallel with the shower tray. To do this, release the locking mechanisms on the bottom only, and move the frame until they’re parallel, then lock back into place.
Make sure frame is plumb. Release the top locks, move the frame until it’s plumb (using a level), and lock back into place.
Attach the seals to the glass, making sure they’re the right way round, according to your instructions. You may want to lightly tap them in place with a rubber mallet.
Doors
Attach the handles.
Attach the seals to the doors, making sure they’re on the right way round.
With both doors now inside the shower, fit them to the rails. Starting at the top, drop the door onto the rails, then lock it in place with the locking mechanism. Push the bottom rollers down until they click into the track.
Install the magnetic seals where the doors meet each other, again making sure they’re the correct way round.
Check the doors are plumb, and meet each other correctly when closed – if not, use the adjustment screws until they are.
Install doorstops.
FINISHING UP
Apply silicone where the front of the door frame and the shower tray join. Come up 100mm up the wall as well.
Apply a bead of silicone along the top of the shower lining once the adhesive is set.
Mitre 10 Handy Hint:
Never apply silicone to the inside of a shower, it’s always applied to the outside.
Remove all the protective film from the lining and tray.
Install your mixer and shower head – you may want to get a plumber to do this, as instructions vary.
