Projects of the Week #409b

Installing Bathroom Shower Doors

What You Need: Tape measure Hacksaw Miter box Drill Ceramic tile drill bit 5/19" Phillips & flat screwdriver Level Fine file Pliers Pencil Center punch Hammer Safety glasses Caulking gun Caulk Utility knife or scissors Masking tape Saw Horses You may not be totally remodeling a bathroom - you may want to just install shower doors. That's a fairly easy project - as always, follow the directions that are included with the doors you purchase. Following are the general directions for the doors we installed: Measure & cut bottom track Measure distance from wall to wall NOTE: if there's a curve at the bottom - handle it according to your manufacturer's directions Measure twice! Cut the bottom track 1 ½" less than the distance measured. Use a hacksaw blade and miter box Installing bottom track Center bottom track on flattest part of ledge - leg of track towards outside of shower Tape in place Mark front edge of track with soft pencil along tub or shower base Locating wall jamb Wall jamb must sit flat against the wall with the legs of jamb fully engaged with bottom track Place wall jamb over end of bottom track File jamb to fit curve of side wall of shower if necessary Mark hole locations for jam and drill pilots for anchors Use level to plumb the wall jamb and mark hole locations Remove wall jamb and lightly center punch hole locations (on ceramic tile use center punch to nick the surface glaze. Tap the punch lightly with hammer - don't crack the tile!) Clean the tub/shower ledge & insert plastic anchors into the 3-drilled holes. Repeat for wall jamb on opposite wall Caulking bottom track Remove bottom track Apply bead of caulk into groove on underside of track and small bead on the opposite leg Position bottom track on ledge at marks Install wall jambs Place wall jamb over bottom track & align holes in wall jamb with holes in wall Secure with # 8 -18X1 ½" pan head screws with a BUMPER inserted over the screw Repeat for other wall jamb Install screw covers over the top and bottom screws in each wall jamb Measure, cut & install top track Measure wall to wall opening at the top of installed wall jambs Cut top track 1/32" Less than distance measured. Determine which side of the top track is preferred to be toward the front of the shower File rough edges at cut end of top track and install over the wall jamb ends Install rollers & bushings to OUTSIDE PANEL NOTE: steel side of roller must be installed against the top frame flange Outside panel: place rollers on the top frame flange toward the leg side of the bottom frame Secure rollers with #8-32X3/8" hex washer head screws Lay outside door panel on a flat surface (work bench or table) Cut 2 pieces of tape 7/8" long Remove the protective paper from adhesive side of tape and attach to bushings With bushing tab toward the bottom frame groove, locate the bushings ¼" from each end of the outside panel bottom frame. Hold bushing legs together and push down until bushing tab snaps into bottom frame grove Install rollers INSIDE PANEL Inside panel: place rollers on the top frame flange toward handle side of the door panel side frame. Secure rollers with #8-32 3/8" hex washer head screws Install inside door panel From outside of shower, install inside panel first With handle side of inside panel toward inside of shower, lift the panel up inside the top track and hang the rollers on inside rail of top track Align inside panel with wall jamb on showerhead side. If adjustment is needed, remove panel Loosen roller screw(s) and move roller(s) in slot to align the panel Tighten screw(s) and hang the panel Install outside door panel From outside shower, install outside panel Lift outside panel up inside top track and hand rollers on outside rail of the top track Lower panel bottom until it is over the leg of bottom track Align outside panel with wall jamb opposite the showerhead side. If adjustment is needed, remove the panel Loosen roller screw(s) and move the roller(s) in slot to align the panel Tighten screw(s) and hang the panel Install pile seal & bushing Push bushing into one end of inside panel guide Measure length of panel guide and cut pile seal 1" less than measurement Slide pile seal into panel guide Push a bushing into end of panel guide With pliers, crimp on each end of panel guide to hold bushing in place Install inside panel guide From inside shower, engage inside panel guide into opening in bottom track Align slots in panel guide with holes in bottom frame of panel Install 2 #8-18X3/8" pan head screws through the slots and guide into holes in bottom frame of panel. Do not tighten screws now. Push the guide all the way up into the bottom track. Lower the guide slightly for clearance and tighten screws. Move panel back and forth along full width of opening to insure there is no binding If panel binds, loosen the screws & re-adjust the guide Install screw covers over panel guide screws At bottom of each panel, install screw covers, (4) over the frame screws Installing towel bar (outside panel) Determine which side of towel bar is preferred to be toward outside (room side) of shower Insert towel bar bracket into each end of towel bar Place towel bar and installed brackets toward room side of outside panel Align holes in brackets with holes in side frames Secure towel bar with 2 #8-18X3/4" pan head screws Install covers over towel bar screws Caulk Thoroughly clean and dry all dust, dirt, or grease from bottom track & shower ledge surfaces to be sealed Carefully caulk where: Wall jambs and wall meet Bottom track and wall jamb join Allow caulk to set 24 hours before using shower