Redo bathroom on concrete slab

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Dutch2

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I'm redoing a bathroom on a concrete slab. It used to have a 36x34 shower and a 59" garden tub with a small wall in between to hide the plumbing.

br-plumbing.png


I am planning to use a 42x36 shower pan (green) and a free standing soaker tub (yellow) with a floor mounted faucet (blue).

To fit the larger shower I am removing half of a double wall (red x) so I need to move the water lines into the wall behind it.

Currently the water lines come out of the concrete into a T. One connection goes back into the concrete to the shower, and the other goes to the tub. (capped in the picture)

Since there is no wall or tub to hide the plumbing in I am planning to open up the concrete around the water lines and add a box (orange) to hide a T to two PEX lines.

Does this sound like the right way to do this? What kind of box should I use? I've thought about building one out of treated wood but I'm worried about rot since it will be in contact with concrete.

Thanks in advance for your input.
Paul.
 

Terry

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Having a box for the water connections is a good idea. We don't have fittings below concrete, so having access will be good. Might have to move the tub for the repair, but certainly doable.
 

wwhitney

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Do you know why there's a double wall and the wall at the top of the picture has OSB sheathing? Just concerned it may be a shear wall and that removing it may therefore be unwise.

Cheers, Wayne
 

Dutch2

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Thanks Wayne, I did not know about shear walls.

I don't know why there is a double wall. I figured it was to make the old 36x34 shower pan work or possibly to give the shower door clearance from the door molding next to it.

How do I tell if it is a shear wall?

Regards,
Paul.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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Installing a floor mounted tub filler in a slab situation is going to be "interesting"... Which brand or style are you planning to use?

This video is sort of the way that I had designed for the one that we did. I used PEX tubing and proper conduit to span the distance underground since that type of supply tube is generally not legal to install between walls.

 
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wwhitney

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How do I tell if it is a shear wall?
That's a complicated question. If the house is new enough that you have the original structural drawings, then you could check them.

Otherwise you have to look at what is going on nearby and whether it would need to be a shear wall. If the other wall is immediately on the other side of the OSB, is the OSB nailed to that wall or to the shower wall? Is there any foundation hardware in the bottom plate of the shower wall? [None that I see.] Which of the two walls extends further to left in the picture? Are they interior walls or exterior walls?

Since the shower wall bottom plate is hacked up and doesn't show any hardware, the most likely possibility of concern is that the other wall plus the OSB make up a shear wall. In which case you need to be very careful at best in recessing your shower plumbing into the shear wall.

Or at worst, not allowed to recess the plumbing. But I think you'd still be able to reduce the 2x4 shower wall into a 2x thick furring to contain the water pipes, and add a small hole in the plywood for the body of the shower valve, as long as the hole avoided the studs.

However, you probably shouldn't take my word for it alone and may need to get someone knowledgeable on site to help you with this question.

Cheers, Wayne
 
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