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INSTALLATION
TECHNIQUES:
Before you buy a shower door kit or the components, measure the
area that you will enclose. Most bathtubs are a standard 5 f. long,
but measure the distance regardless, just to be sure. For a shower
enclosure, measure the distance from one finished wall to the other
finished wall along the top of the curb-the low vertical piece that
helps form the shower pan on the floor of the shower. Also measure
the height you want the enclosure to be. Start at the floor and
go up the walls. Most heights are standard, and the hardware is
designed to ft the standards, but check again just to make sure.
Take the measurements to the store with you to make sure that you
buy the correct sizes.
- Remove
the shower curtain and shower rod from the bathtub area. Then,
with detergent in water and a soft cloth, scrub the enclosure
clean and rinse and dry the area.
With a tape measure, roughly lay out the dimensions for the vertical
frame. Mark these dimensions on the wall surface where the frames
will be attached. Most manufacturers of tub/shower enclosures
are liberal With the length of the bottom and top door track or
rails. With the tape measure, fund the distance between the end
walls of the enclosure. Then transfer this measurement to the
horizontal sections of track.
The track is cut about 1/4-inch shorter than the overall length
of the track between the walls. The shorter measurement is to
allow for the joint between the tracks and the vertical upright
pieces that you will fasten to the wall. Double-check this measurement,
using the vertical pieces as a guideline. Then mark and cut the
tracks to length using a hacksaw. Lay the tracks on a piece of
scrap wood for cutting. This way, the hacksaw blade will go straight
through the metal causing it to burr. If the cut is rough, however,
smooth the rough edges with a metal file or medium grit sandpaper.
Remember that a hacksaw cuts on the forward stroke; the blade
should be installed in the frame so the teeth of the blade point
forward.
- Set
the bottom track first. The drain holes in the track should face
into the tub/shower enclosure. Lay a thick bead of tub/shower
caulking compound on the center line of the rim of the bathtub
or the curb of the shower stall. Press the bottom track firmly
into the compound. The compound forms a seal between the tub or
curb and the track. Use plenty of compound; you want the seal
to be watertight. If the compound oozes out from under the track,
remove the excess with the blade of a putty knife.
Before the compound sets, put a level on the track. The track
should be level across the tub/curb. If the track is not level,
you can lift the track and add more compound at the low spots
to level it.
- Set
the vertical pieces against the marks you made on the end walls.
Then, with a level, plumb (vertically level) the uprights and
mark the wall accordingly as a guideline. Also, with the pencil,
mark the spots where the fasteners will be installed through the
pre-drilled holes in the upright pieces. If the vertical pieces
will go against ceramic tile, you will need a felt pen or China
marker pencil to mark the tiles.
- If
the wall is ceramic tile, you will have to drill holes through
the tiles to install the fiber plugs or shields that accept the
screws that hold the uprights in position. This is a tricky job;
easy does it.
Select a masonry drill bit to ft the diameter of the shield and
lock it in the chuck of an electric drill. Carefully and slowly
start the drill through the tile at the hole marks.
If the drill you are using has a variable speed feature, start
the drill very slowly until the masonry bit breaks through the
glaze on the tile. Then speed up the drill slightly until the
bit goes through the tile and into the wall covering. If the masonry
bit slips and slides on the tile surface, you may have to nick
the tile slightly with the point of a nail or a nail punch so
the masonry bit can get a "bite." But take it easy; ceramic tile
cracks easily under hard hammer blows.
Once the holes (there are usually three to an upright) are through
the wall covering, insert the screw shields into the holes. Just
tap them flush.
- Spread
a bead of tub/shower compound on the guidelines on the wall and
position and push the vertical pieces into the compound. Then
check the uprights for plumb, remove them and add more compound
to shim them into the plumb position. Make sure that the bottoms
of the uprights ft onto the horizontal track on the tub rim or
shower curb. Then fasten the uprights to the wall with the fasteners
provided in the kit or with stainless steel screws. Check for
plumb once again. If the uprights are not plumb, back out the
screws, shim with compound, and reset the screws. The framework
must be square and true or the shower doors will not open/close
properly.
As an alternate way to fasten on the uprights you can use either
Molly or toggle bolts. These fasteners, once through the uprights
and into the wall, spread out in back of the wall covering material
and hold the uprights tight against the front of the wall. You
also can use them instead of screws and fiber plugs or shields.
To install Molly fasteners, locate and drill the holes. Then insert
the fasteners into the hole and turn the screws in the fasteners
to activate the holding "prongs" in back of the wall. It will
take at least 10-15 full turns to set the 4 fasteners properly.
Remove the screws from t he fastener and thread them through the
holes in the uprights. Then drive the screws back into t he fasteners
and snug the screws up tight.
If you use toggle bolts, drill the holes for the uprights in walls.
Then slip the bolts of the toggles through the upright holes and
thread t he bolts onto the toggles. Now push the toggles through
the holes. The toggles are spring-loaded and will compress as
they go through the holes. Then the springs will "spread" them
behind the wall covering . Tighten the screws.
- Measure
and mark the top rail so it fits tightly between the vertical
uprights. Then cut the rail to fit and fasten it in place.
- Hang
the doors on the top track. When you position the rollers on the
top rail, be sure to install the smooth side of the glass or plastic
doors so it faces the inside of the bathtub or shower enclosure.
Cleaning is easier with the smooth side facing in. Test the doors
to make sure they work easily without binding and that they fit
into the metal framework. If they don't, remove the doors and
readjust the frame, using tub/shower compound as a "shim" material.
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