Exposed Shower Valve Over Tile & Durock

[Matt Harris]

I'm looking to install the exposed shower valve pictured below and have a question regarding the stability of installing it over Durock and tile. The valve weighs about 7 pounds and the only mount into the wall is via three screws behind the main valve body. I have PEX coming out at the inlet holes so there is no additional support there. The valve came supplied with three screws with plastic anchors approx. 1.5 inches long.

I don't currently have a stud where the valve behind where I want to mount this valve and the question is, do I need one? Will mounting three anchor screws through subway tile and durock be enough to support this valve?

Thanks for the advice

 

[Jadnashua]

Pex, IMHO, will not cut it! I think what is expected and needed is a drop-ear el anchored to blocking behind the wall, then you can attach the valve to that, sandwiched between the anchors in the wall and the finished side of the tile. You could easily feed those el's with the pex. The valve I have in my tub/shower is a similar design, and that's how it is anchored. Do you have the manufacturer's instructions?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Matt Harris]

Thanks Jim. I do have the manufacturer's instructions but they simply say to "secure the valve back plate to the wall in the correct position". It sounds like since I'm posing this question that I at least have some doubts and should add some blocking and drop ear elbows for the PEX. Thanks for that as I always assumed I could hook the PEX directly up to the fixture itself.

 

[Jadnashua]

If it's like the one I have (mine is a Grohe product), the bezel on the front screws down, creating a wall sandwich. It pulls on the fittings in the wall, and if they're not anchored to something solid, it would be very insecure. Whatever is used to anchor the thing to the wall needs to be solid. It sounds like there may be a plate that gets anchored there and the valve secures to it. That might allow you to just install the pex to the inlet of the valve...without seeing it, it's hard to tell for sure.