add shower to corner garden tub

[Laura F]

I have a few questions on a project that sounds reasonable to me but....I am living in a mobile home until I build a house. The bathroom has a shower stall and a corner garden tub which doesn't get used often. I have some rotten wood under the shower that has to be replaced and I have to remove the shower to do it. I was thinking I could use that space for storage and add a shower to the tub. If you can do it with clawfoot tubs...of course I have walls to cover. Presently, it is sheetrocked walls. After some searching, I have found a kit that looks like it may work from **************.com:

Completed Add-A-Shower Kit (for built-in tubs)
Over rim diverter spout (1/2" ips) 50" riser and shower head Wall support and a wall surround from a mobile home supply company:

Includes 2 wall pieces and 1 corner caddy.
*Composed of ABS Plastic with calves-grain texture.
(24) Rivets are strongly recommended for wall surround installation in conjunction with liquid or spray adhesive. Corner Caddies require liquid adhesive.

The faucet is on the "deck" now, but not adjacent to the wall- so will
I have to come up with some type of support for the riser that connects to the wall. Can I do this through the surround and caulk around it?
As far as the wall surround, can I put this on sheetrock that has been primed without other backing? It also says to use rivets, I assume at the top and sides of the surround panels and not throughout, but the instructions online are unclear as to where to put them.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I can't afford to do this but once and don't want the same floor problems much less wet wall problems.
Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[Bob NH]

The problem with adhesive on drywall is that the paper surface is not well attached to core of the drywall. Also, the rivets may not go through the drywall.
The surround should be completely waterproof, and it may be possible to install it on the frame or furring strips. You should probably look at one at HD or some place before you buy it on line.

There are shower conversions that use a flexible tube from the special tub diverter spout, with the head mounted on a bracket on the wall or on the surround. That would solve the problem of the not having the tub spout just below where you may want the shower head.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

shower

If the faucet is on the deck, where is the spout? Usually it would be on the deck also so any shower addon feature would not work.

 

[Laura F]

Oh no!

The spout is in the middle, between the faucets..on the deck. It is 3 separate pieces. Someone on the forum gave me advice, get a 3 way diverter. On **************.com there is several "converto" kits that to someone who doesn't know looks perfect. Except it's not deck mount, so of course the 90 degree clawfoot adapters seem right, but I really don't have a clue. They come in a pair so I assume they are for the supply, but I thought the hot and cold have to come in the 3 way also. I couldn't find any schematics, actually I have looked at this computer so long I can hardly see.
Thanks for replying.

 

[jsampson]

I am dealing with the SAME issue!!! I, too, thought it would be a fairly simple endeavor! I keep finding this neat diverter faucets with side outlets, but they are ALL for wall mounts!!! Why didn't anyone make this for a roman tub facuet?? What the heck??? And the location of my faucet makes a really tall "clawfoot" style replacement not a good option, in that it would look AWFUL!! (Faucet is on deck, on the FRONT corner of the tub.)

I thought about a "eurpean style" exposed hand shower, but someone told me that they didn't think that would work because of the type of rough-in I have. I'm not sure... I know just enough about plumbing to be dangerous. But the way he explained it sort of made sense. He also said he had read something somewhere that you can install a diverter and a hand shower "supply elbow" under the faucet (such as where an overflow would be on a standard tub) by cutting a hole through the tub wall. This may be an option for me, in that there is virtually no access to the plumbing in my tub unless you tear out the tub itself.

My sister actually works for a faucet company (though in the credit department) and she asked around and one suggestion there was to get a pull out roman tub hand shower, and just replace the tub filler with that. I have no idea if that would actually work, but it's a thought. (Might take a LONG time to fill your tub, though... I wonder if there are any of those that work like the sink ones do?)

I am still researching, and have put in calls and emails to a few companies, etc, so if I hear of anything or find anything else out, I will certainly let you know!!! And OF COURSE if anyone else knows anything, PLEASE post and let us know!!!!!

Thanks so much!

 

[jsampson]

Ok... slight update...

from what I've HEARD (I want to of course verify this before attempting it!) the faucet connection and the hand shower connections are basically the same, and if not the pefect size, there are plenty of adapters that work to make the correct fit.

Many manufacturers sell their deck mount roman tub handshowers separately. In fact, there are many that you have to buy the handle (diverter handle, really) that goes with it separately. From what I'm told, you can actually buy one of these deck mount handshowers, replace the tub spout with it, and have a pullout showerhead that will double as a tub filler.

Does anyone know if this is correct?? From everything I've seen and heard, it seems to be!!! Let me know if there is a problem with this plan.

Also, just a side note, since the original poster was looking for a temporary fix, there are "portable handshowers", made by a company called Homz. Usually you can find them at drugstores, health supply stores, and of course online in several places. They are usually just $15-$20. I remember having one when I was a kid to wash the dog with! They are made of rubber, and fit right over the faucet. Plus they have a suction cup mount for the wall. I don't remember the water pressure being all that great, but it might work. And it's worth a try for such little money, I suppose!

Anyhow, any input on the first part of this post would be VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!!!

Thanks again!!!

 

[jsampson]

I don't mean to be a bother, but if anyone "in the know" can tell me whether or not a tub filler can be replaced with a handshower (as explained above), I would greatly appreciate it!!!

Thanks!!!!!