Tips For Replacing Your Bathtub Drain

Tips For Replacing Your Bathtub Drain

Bathtub drains occasionally need to be replaced, and drains with the built in stoppers are the ones that commonly have problems. These will with time come to be harder to use and will gradually allow water to leak while the tub is supposed to be plugged, as well as hold water when they are supposed to drain. These are the reasons that you cannot properly rinse off your ankles in the shower in many cases. In time your bathtub drain stopper mechanism will need to be repaired or replaced. This is well a minor heal that most do-it-yourselfers are willing and able to tackle. You will need to have on hand some plumber's putty, channel locks (or other wrench), a Philips screwdriver, and the change part for the bathtub drain you are replacing as well as a few cleaning rags.

Start by removing the old bathtub drain plug mechanism. This has a face plate in the tub which has two screws attaching it to the tub. Once you remove the cover plate you will gain entrance to the rest of the assembly. Naturally grasp it and remove straight through the hole it was installed in.

Tub Shower

If you have any broken pieces you have a incorporate choices; if you have entrance to the other side of the wall the easiest thing to do is open the wet wall panel and make the heal in the open space but this is commonly not an option. The most likely scenario is you are going to have to fish out the parts in a very small whole of space. A piece of wire, or a wire hanger, straightened into a hook works well.

Once you have fished out all of the old pieces you merely need to clean up, and reassemble and reinstall the pieces. Often you can heal this type of draining mechanism without having to replace any of the parts by Naturally cleaning it up and putting it back together correctly.

For those drains that do need to be replaced you need make sure your new parts are the same as the old parts were. Changing to separate sized parts when you are working with plumbing is not a good idea, unless you like having your home flooded.

Test the parts, make sure all is in good working order. If the stopper fits in and plugs the pipe properly you are ready to setup the bathtub drain stopper. If not you need to get the right tool first.

Plumbers putty should be used on all of the pipes and flanges where they attach to one an additional one to make sure they seal well. The mechanism that lifts and lowers the stopper needs to be attached to the overflow plate. Before you seal the plate down make sure the stopper is working properly by testing it. If the tub is keeping water and draining the water back out at accepted times you are ready to seal the plate down.

You need to smear some plumbers putty on the plate and then put it in place and screw it down. You can then clean up any excess plumber's putty. Make sure that you haven't covered the overflow vent and you are finished. Your bathtub drain should work as good as new.

Tips For Replacing Your Bathtub Drain

Tub and Tile Reglazing advice

Tub and Tile Reglazing advice

With the current strain on the cheaper and the housing market , it is becoming more and more common to "make do with what we have" which means instead of remodeling we are restoring.

The request lies here, is it cost effective? Is it going to last? What is the maintenance involved? Why are you going to payment me 0 to re-glaze my tub when I can buy a new one for 0? These are all capability questions which deserve capability answers.

Tub Shower

Let's start with cost. First of all, the average cost of a tub setup is in any place between ,400 and ,500 and that does not factor in the tub surround. When your old tub is removed the tile at the base of the tub must be demolished. It is potential that a "good" installer can demo in such a way that you only have to fix the first row or two of tile. The reality is if it is older than 10 years finding a match for the tile will probably be impossible and will lead to a faultless re-tile. Now, you are finding at about ,000 to ,000 just to replace the tub and is this cost effective for you? Be ready from the occasion you resolve to dress up that tub to make this decision.

Now, a good re-glaze can last great than 10 years if done properly and there is a process which will ensure this. Preparation, stock and technique are the key to a long lasting finish. If this technique is not followed your re-glaze will last in any place from 1 day to 2 years. Two years may sound like a lot but when someone else company has to go in and strip the old stop off add someone else 0 to the re-glaze for a total of 0 to have it re-glazed again. This is not cost effective. If you're going to do it, do it right the first time and you will pat yourself on the back 5 years later when your tub still has a shine and is not peeling. Now let's get down to process.

The re-glazing process can be six to seven steps.

Removal of any caulking materials. Silicone is a contaminant and will cause the stop to fish eye. It is prominent to remove all traces of this by means of a silicone digester Next, the old pottery needs to be etched by means of an acid paste. This process will prepare the surface for the primer When the acid etch is faultless the surface must be wiped down with a solvent de-greaser to ensure that there are no more contaminants left behind Primer - The surface must be primed with an epoxy primer to ensure allowable cross hatching of compounds (i.e.-porcelain to primer, primer to finish, stop to clear coat) stop - The surface is then sprayed with an acrylic-urethane resin which can be tinted to any color you desire. It comes in two types, 24hr cure and 72hr cure. The 72hr cure is best if you don't mind waiting the extra time but the 24hr cure is good too. Clear coat - The surface is then sprayed with an acrylic urethane clear coat which will kick up the gloss a bit and furnish protection from common household chemicals If you are refinishing from a previous re-glaze, the stop must be stripped. If this is the case, add this step before the first.

When these steps are followed, you can be sure your re-glaze is going to last for years. A good refinisher will give you at least a 10 year warranty "in writing", now that is cost effective! You will be happy and have just saved at least 70% of the cost of replacement.

Maintenance

With the process you have just done, maintenance will be a breeze. You may also use rubber mats which many re-glazers will not recommend plainly because they know it will peel. You will be able to use soft scrub and a white 3M cleaning pad without harming the surface. You will also be able to safely dye your hair without the fear of staining your stop providing the clear coat was used. With this in mind, re-glazing is not only practical but a very cost effective explication to replacement.

Your project when faultless will look as though it was installed yesterday salvage you 00s on an install.

Tub and Tile Reglazing advice

How to Properly Regrout and Recaulk Your Shower Or Bath

How to Properly Regrout and Recaulk Your Shower Or Bath

Does your shower have dirty, moldy and dingy seeing grout and caulk? There are many ways to regrout and recaulk a shower or bath but there is easily only one way to do the job properly so your shower will stay waterproof, stainproof and look gorgeous for years to come.

First step is to wholly clean your tiles: Many dirty showers have soap scum accumulation which must be wholly cleaned before any regrouting course can begin. It is foremost to use a professional soap scum remover stock as well as a professional scrub pad to scrub away the dirt and soap scum from your shower walls and floor. Do not use any type of polisher scrub pad as they may scratch your tiles. It can be helpful to apply a professional steam cleaning motor in conjunction with the soap scum removers and scrub pads. A professional truckmounted steam cleaning motor is beneficial to accelerate the cleaning process but professional soap scum removers and scrub pads as well as a fair number of elbow grease can be very sufficient in removing all of the soap scum from your shower walls and floor.

Tub Shower

Second step is to remove the dirty, moldy grout and caulk: It is foremost to first remove all the old caulk from inside and nearby your shower. The best way to remove old caulk is to use a razor blade tool and scrape it all out from inside and nearby your shower. After the old caulk has been removed it is now time to remove the grout from your shower. There are many tools like a Dremel or Rotozip tool to do this but the hands down best tool is a Fein Multimaster or Supercut vibrating tool with a diamond bit. It is foremost to use the Fein tool on every grout line and clean every line with a stiff brush to make sure the new grout will have a firm base to cleave to.

Third step is to dry out your walls: In most cases some water and mold has gotten into your wall. It is therefore principal to wholly and wholly dry your shower walls before any regrouting course can take place. Do not attempt to regrout over top of a wet shower wall substrate. The water in your walls can continue to harbor dangerous mold and mildew. Also your grout will not set properly due to the moisture in your walls and will become discolored and flake away after a very short period of time. The best way to dry out your shower walls is with a professional dehumidifier for at least 3-7 days. This way you can be unavoidable your shower walls will become dry and any mold and mildew gift in your walls is killed before you begin regrouting.

Fourth step is to apply the grout to your shower: It is best to use a profession grout powder mixed with latex additive Do not use any premixed or ready to use products as these are vastly inferior and technically not cement products at all. It is best to go to a professional tile store and buy your grouting supplies from an experienced salesman. Try to stay away from the big box home revision stores as they have many inferior products and their sales habitancy commonly do not specialize in tile setting products.

Fifth step is to recaulk your shower: The caulk is the weakest link between water damaging your walls and floors so it is foremost to apply it correctly You should caulk between all tile wall planes and between and fixtures and the tiles. This will insure that water does not get between your tiles and into your walls and floor. It is best to use only 100% silicon caulks. 100% silicon caulk will last the longest and will not allow mold and mildew to grow like the cheaper water based latex or siliconized caulks.

Sixth step is sealing: It is foremost to seal your grout with a professional impregnating sealer. A high ability sealer will protect your grout from stains and also preclude mold and mildew from forming. Here again it is recommended that your buy a professional sealer from a tile store and stay away from the cheaper sealers being sold at the big box stores.

Seventh step is to wait 72 hours: Wait 72 hours for your grout and caulk to fully cure and then go and enjoy your new seeing shower. A regrouting course can be done by many homeowners with the permissible tools and some handyman skills. It can also be very favorable and save a lot of headaches to have a professional tile and grout cleaning and recovery enterprise to professionally regrout and recaulk your shower or bath.

How to Hire a professional Regrouting Contractor: Make sure that your ask many questions of your potential regrouting undertaker of a package deal and do not settle for a cheap incomplete one day regrouting and recaulking procedure. One day regrouting procedures will look sloppy and the grout and caulk will fail in a short period of time. One day regrouting procedures also fail to address any potential water damage in your walls. Also do not accept any enterprise that just skim coats new grout over the old grout. A skim coat course will not last and it will only be a short period of time before your skim coated grout starts to chip and flake away. Additionally the new grout will trap water between the two layers of grout causing your shower waterproofing theory to fail. Check with your state labor and industries as well as the best enterprise Bureau (Bbb) to make sure your potential undertaker of a package deal is fully license and insured and does not have any unresolved best enterprise Bureau Complaints that may be an indication of shoddy workmanship. For added information about how our enterprise performs its regrouting and recaulking services please visit credit Tile Care online.

How to Properly Regrout and Recaulk Your Shower Or Bath

Hassle-Free Walk-In Showers

Hassle-Free Walk-In Showers

Walk-in showers have become the greatest luxury in new homes and for existing bathroom upgrades. Manufacture experts say one of the key factors for homebuyers is the bathroom and with more emphasis being settled on bathroom Manufacture they are looking for both functionality and popular ,favorite innovations. As a result, homeowners are basking in an endless array of choices for stylizing their bathrooms with a vast range of ornamental finishes and dynamic choices in showers available.

These hot new trendy showers stray from the days of the typical bath/shower compound now giving homeowners more options in where to allocate their walk-in shower. With the emergence of shower range designs from semi-framed, framed to frameless combined with uncompromising construction, walk-in showers have become the core increasing in bathroom renovations. Today much of the Manufacture effort is being settled on creating a more open space in the bathroom. Consumers are becoming increasingly in favor of clear glass showers to serve as the focal point in their bathroom because of the clean precision line construction and as a mean of reflecting light especially for bathrooms not qualified with windows. By incorporating glass type walk-in showers other bathroom fixtures can indeed be built into the remaining bathroom décor. The well engineered showers offer a sleek ultra modern clarification considerable to unblemished the look of any bathroom Manufacture while allowing for artwork, bathroom accessories, bathroom flooring and tiles to be configured with the shower unit.

Tub Shower

Bathroom industry professionals description that statistically they have seen an increased whole of shower sales and are attributed to the high tech flexibility of showers options from galvanic showers to steam showers cabins and why citizen are spending more time and looking comfort in the shower. The desire to segregate the bath from the shower points to consumer demands for change and for greater diversity in goods range.

With the revival of bathroom remodeling, homeowners are seeking out walk-in showers as the shower change alternative not only because of their leading-edge design, but are easily fitted into the space where a bath is being replaced and offer years of maintenance free timeless elegance. Getting all of your other bathroom furnishings to match the shower unit no longer presents a challenge as the polished chrome frame will compliment the remaining bathroom suite as well as other colors in the room. Since bath and shower mixers along with other bathroom accessories are now available in a broad range of chrome designs, beautifying the bathroom to unblemished the look is a uncomplicated task.

Hassle-Free Walk-In Showers

Bathtub Faucet heal Tips and Techniques

Bathtub Faucet heal Tips and Techniques

Did you know that you can fix a leaking shower faucet and save hundreds of gallons of water a year? Most people just think of a dripping faucet as an annoyance and don't perceive how much high-priced water is being wasted one drop at a time. The good news is that practically whatever with a few basic hand tools can learn how to fix most dripping faucets.

Let's start with the basics. Faucets have one customary purpose, to allow the water in your pipes to be used in a controlled manner. This means that they have to open to allow water out of the pipes and close to keep water in the pipes. Not rocket science, right? The conclusion part is what we want to join on here.

Tub Shower

There Are Two Basic Faucet Designs

Faucets drip when they fail to thoroughly trap the water in the pipes. Most faucets use one of two basic methods to stop the water flow. Some, primarily older designs, use rubber or neoprene washers which tighten against a "seat" and block the flow of water. Drips from these faucets are addressed by replacing the washers and/or seats. We'll talk about how to do that in a minute. Most other faucet designs involve some sort of cartridge. Some people call these "washerless" faucets. Repairing newer style water faucets like these usually involves replacing the cartridge(s).

Washers And Seats

Older faucet designs often use washers to block the water and keep it in the pipes. Tightening the cope compresses the washer against a "seat" and seals the opening, thus stopping the water flow. If you need to do a bathtub faucet repair on a three cope wall faucet you probably have this type. You will also run into this style if you need to fix a leaking shower faucet hat has two handles. Many sink and lavatory faucets also use washers. One way to tell whether or not your faucets use washers is to see if the cope gets harder to turn as you turn it off. If turning it nothing else but tight stops the drip, this probably, but not always, means that you have washers. If you do have a dripping faucet that has washers, the basic repair process is very similar whether you need to know how to repair a shower faucet,repair a leaking tub faucet or fix a dripping sink faucet. There is, however, one important difference.

Bathtub Faucet Repair

The one valuable thing to remember when fixing a leaky bathtub faucet is that you will have to turn the water off to the whole house before removing any parts other than the outer trim pieces. If you're not sure which pieces are trim, just turn the water off first just in case. Once you have turned off the main water to the house you can begin taking things apart. There are lots of separate brands and designs of faucets out there and they all come apart a petite differently, so you will have to sort of feel your way through.

Removing The Trim

The first step is to remove the handles. This is usually done by removing a cap to expose the cope screw and then removing the screw. Next, remove the handle. This may require a petite finesse, as the handles sometimes get stuck in place. One trick is to place the handles of a pair of channel lock pliers behind the valve handle, one on each side, and tap evenly on the cope to nudge it loose. If this doesn't work you can buy a special tool to remove handles but these tools are sometimes hard to find and usually a petite patience is all you need to do the trick.

After he handles are off, there is usually some sort of sleeve over the stem itself. This typically has to come off too. Once again, there are many separate configurations. One favorite produce uses threaded plastic tubes to associate the trim sleeve with the valve. Other types have the sleeve threaded directly onto the valve. You will have to form this step out before you can proceed. If you can determine what brand valve you have there is a good opportunity of looking instructions on-line.

Now For The Root Of The Problem

Ok, so you have removed both the handles and any remaining trim sleeve from the valve. Now you are ready to get to the root of the problem, your valve stem. The washer is practically all the time at the other end of the valve stem from the handle. usually the stem is threaded into the valve body and you will just need to unscrew it to remove it. Here's a tip. Stick the cope back on for a second and open the valve half way. This relieves pressure on the stem and makes it easier to unscrew. Now you just need to make sure you are loosening the correct nut.

Lots of valves have a packing nut colse to the stem. It is usually a petite smaller and just in front of the actual association with the valve body. The packing nut's purpose is to squeeze some special packing material colse to the stem to prevent water from leaking colse to the stem when the valve is in use. Loosening the packing nut won't help you, you need to get your wrench on the actual association to the valve body. By the way, a deep socket is often the only tool that will work to remove the valve stem.

Removing The Valve Stem

The easiest way to make sure you have the correct nut is to see if there is a gap opportunity up in the middle of the nut and the valve body as you loosen the nut. The valve stem itself will also usually turn when you have the right one. If you have loosened the packing nut by mistake, don't worry, you will adjust it before you are terminated anyway. Go ahead and remove both stems and keep up with which one is which, it matters on many valves.

After you have the stems out you should be able to find the washer on the "inside" end. If it is nicked, torn or fragile it is likely the cause of your drip. Even if it looks brand new, go ahead and replace it. You've already come this far. You can get transfer washers at practically any hardware store. Sometimes you may want to replace the whole stem, especially if the cope end is stripped out. It's best to just take the stem with you to the store and see if you can match it up. Most Do It Yourself market have transfer stems for many favorite brands. If your valve has a center diverter valve to switch the waterfrom the tub spout to the shower head the same process applies. Many times it is easier to replace the diverter stem than to repair it. This nothing else but depends on the produce of the stem.

How Are Your Seats?

One more thing to check is the seats. These are the part of the valve body that the washer tightens up against to stop the water flow. If you can get your finger inside the valve, feel of the seats and see if they feel rough. If so, it would be best to replace them if you can get them out. The inside of the seats, which is where the water flows through when the valve is open, usually have whether a hex or quadrate recess. special seat wrenches are used to remove the seats. You can usually get these wrenches at the same place you get the other parts and they're not expensive. You just stick the wrench through the seat and unscrew it. The transfer seats screw back in the same way, just put a petite pipe dope on the threads before you install it.

Put It All Back Together

Once you've figured out what needs to be substituted and have done that, you just need to put all back together. If your valve has packing nuts don't put the trim back on until you have turned the water back on. Once the water is on, go ahead and stick the cope on for a second and open the valve. Make sure no water is leaking colse to the stem. If it is leaking, with the cope opened half way, snug down the packing nut until the leak stops. Easy does it. If you get it too tight the cope will be hard to turn. Now desist installing the trim pieces and you are done.

Repairing Newer Style Water Faucets

If you have a newer, "washerless" type valve the repair process is similar, but usually easier. Many of these type valves use a self contained cartridge. If the valve starts to drip, just replace the cartridge and you're done. You still need to turn the water off and remove the handles and trim. The cartridge is usually held in place by a retaining nut on the valve body or, in the case of most Moen valves, by a retaining clip. Plainly remove the cartridge and put another one in it's place. If your hot and cold are backwards when you finish, turn the water back off, pull the cartridge back out, turn it over 180 degrees and re-install it.

Delta Style Valves

One other tasteless produce that is thought about "washerless" was made preeminent by Delta and copied by several other makers. It uses petite "cup" seals that fit over springs recessed in the back of the valve body. The springs press these "seals" against the cartridge and regulate the flow through petite tapered openings in the cartridge. If you have one of these and it's dripping, changing these springs and seals will usually correct it. Here's a tip. Once you have the cartridge out of the way, insert a phillips screwdriver into the seal and pop both the seal and spring out. Stick the new ones on the end of the screwdriver to help guide them into place. This is especially helpful if you don't have long slender fingers.

Delta, and a few imitators, also have a faucet produce that uses a ball instead of a cartridge. This is not as tasteless in tub or shower valves but there are abundance of them out there. The springs and seals are the same but there are lots more o-rings an parts to deal with. The good news is that these parts are easily available. While it's a petite more involved than studying how to repair a Moen kitchen faucet, which is a piece of cake, it is still easier than working with most washer type faucets.

These Techniques Work In The Kitchen Too

Armed with the knowledge you've gained in this description you now not only know how to repair a shower faucet and to repair a leaking tub faucet, but you can apply these skills to many other faucets as well. After fixing a leaky bathtub faucet, stopping a dripping exterior hose faucet will be a breeze. The techniques that you will use to complete a "washerless" bathtub faucet repair can be used when repairing newer style water faucets of all kinds. whether you have an old dripping tub faucet or a newer kitchen faucet that just won't quite shut off you can now fix it. So put these new skills to use, roll up your sleeves and stop that drip!

Copyright 2008 Bryan Stevens

Bathtub Faucet heal Tips and Techniques

How to install the Tile Shower Drain

How to install the Tile Shower Drain

The tile shower drain is tricky and much of the tricky part is buried in the shower pan. You see the whole shower pan is designed to route all the water to the drain. All the water includes the part that leaks right through the floor. That happens because tile floors are never waterproof. Some water ends up passing right through the floor.

The drain includes holes that are on two layers. The top layer you can categorically see. The lower layer is down in the floor.

Tub Shower

Here's how it works.

Usually the drain is attached to the drain pipe so the drain base sits right on the subfloor. Then you build a very leading layer. It's a sloped mortar layer that slopes at about 1/4 inch per foot from the base of the drain up on the shower walls.

Then over that sloped layer is installed the real trick to a shower floor. A waterproof sheet membrane is set over the sloped mortar and then attached right on top of the drain base. That liner is sealed to the base so the water that makes it to the liner is routed right to the lower drain holes.

After the liner is fitted in all the corners, which is tricky, the next layer is installed.

The next layer is an additional one mortar layer that is the base for categorically laying the floor tiles.

But wait...

Wouldn't the mortar stop up the lower drain holes? How could you have drain holes that are down inside a "solid" masonry floor?

How to install the Tile Shower Drain

Small Bathroom Shower invent Options

Small Bathroom Shower invent Options

How to fit a small bathroom shower

What do you do if you want to setup a shower but you only have a very small bathroom?

Tub Shower

While I love my bathtub for the rare occasions that I get to use it for a long relaxing soak, I don't know what I would do without my shower. Showers are quick, refreshing and a lot more economical than taking baths. When I had the chance to redesign my small bathroom I jumped at the chance to improve the shower that was installed above the bathtub at the time.

The first thing to remember is that there commonly is a way to do these things and you mustn't give up before you've no ifs ands or buts notion about the problem. Don't be put off by the fact that you don't seem to have much room to play with in your bathroom design.

So what are the options?

Throw the bathtub away

Taking out the bathtub will give you more than sufficient room to fit a sizeable shower enclosure. Unfortunately you won't have a bath anymore. While this might fit in well with your current lifestyle you might want to think about what you might have need of a few years down the line and when you come to sell your property.

When you sell a asset you must have a bathroom with a bathtub even if it has a great shower instead. Citizen expect to find a bath in the bathroom and the lack of one can seriously depress the value of your property.

Put your shower in your bathtub

If you have no other selection you can setup a showerhead above your bathtub together with a shower curtain or splashguard. This should be the easiest solution, as it will take up no added floor space. Personally I'm not keen on this option.

Turn your bathroom into a wet room

This is an ambitious make that will involve turning the floor of your whole bathroom into a giant shower base and drain. It can be a very costly selection to change a accepted bathroom into wet room but it has the benefit of allowing you to put your small bathroom shower everywhere you like. Even over the toilet if you want to although I wouldn't advise it.

Install a curved quadrant shower cubicle

The selection that I like best for any bathroom is to setup a cut off shower enclosure either free standing in the room or in a corner of the bathroom. This is a great clarification if you can find the space to adapt the shower enclosure.

The qoute with this idea is seeing the space in a small bathroom to fit the shower enclosure. Enclosures come in varied sizes so you will need first of all to resolve on the smallest size that you think you can live with. Even a very small shower enclosure is good than none at all.

To make the space ready you should think the whole small bathroom design. Find a smaller toilet and washbasin and even a smaller bathtub if you have to. Use squared paper and cut out shapes to try many dissimilar ways of arranging everything.

Finally look at curved quadrant shower enclosures as a space recovery alternative to quadrate or rectangular ones. seeing one of these was the turning point in my small bathroom shower design. All things fell into place nicely after that.

Read the full record at Small Bathroom Shower

Small Bathroom Shower invent Options

Shower Curtain Cleaning Tips

Shower Curtain Cleaning Tips

Nobody wants to be taking a shower or a bath, cleaning themselves up, only to look up and see a dirty, scummy shower curtain. Unfortunately, your shower curtain is going to get dirty. Being in such damp conditions and with such soap scum build up - well, you're going to have a dirty shower curtain on your hands. Luckily, there are some things that you can do to clean up your shower curtain.

You can wash your shower curtain in your basic everyday clothes washer. Just use about 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of bleach. Then add white towels and a regular estimate of your normal laundry detergent and run the machine. Also use some liquid fabric softener. Do not run your engine on hot - plastic shower curtains could melt.

Tub Shower

When you're done washing your shower curtain, do not place it in the dryer (again, it could melt). Instead, simply hang it up in its regular place on the shower rod and let it drip dry.

No matter what your shower curtain is made out of, fabric, vinyl, or plastic, you can stick it in the washing engine with a cup of baking soda instead of bleach and vinegar. It is also a good idea to read the label on your shower curtain to check for any warnings or suggestions.

If you soak your shower curtain in salt water, it will preclude mildew (although, it could leave small crystals on your curtain if you use too much salt). Before hanging shower curtains, soak in vinegar or salt water solutions to preclude mold and mildew. To remove mold and mildew, wash in hot soapy water with a puny bit of bleach. For plastic curtains, clean with laundry pre-wash spray. Spray along the top, letting it run down to cover the curtain. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off.

Shower Curtain Cleaning Tips

Tubs and Showers

Tubs and Showers

Many builders set tubs and shower stalls early in the building process, before the quit floor is installed, but I think it's great to have the quit floor run underneath the tub than stop at the edge. This helps preclude water from penetrating straight through the inevitable seam that will open up and into the sub floor, where it can cause rot. Besides, a caulked joint here looks terrible. This will mean taking extra care of the quit floor, and will complicate hanging drywall, but it will result in a great seeing and more waterproof bathroom.

Hopefully the valve wall will have been framed to leave an empty stud bay centered over the tub drain. Blocking will finally be needed to securely attach both the shower stubout and the faucet body to the framing, and it can be either a piece of 2x cutoff or a scrap of 3/4-in. Plywood (which is less likely to split). The blocking will have to be set at the strict height for both the faucet and the shower head. A typical faucet height is 30 in., and a typical shower head height is 72 in., but these can be discrete according to personal preference.

Tub Shower

Setting the blocking at the strict depth in the wall is a itsybitsy trickier and depends on the single type of faucet, as well as the type of quit wall. Some faucets have a itsybitsy degree of adjustability (sometimes less than 1 in.), while others are more adaptable to distinct wall-surface depths. Some manufacturers offer extensions, a feature that you'll appreciate if your client changes his or her mind about a shower wall-surface material, like from a thin Corian to a thick mortar-bed-and-tile surface. Many faucets come with plastic setting gauges that indicate the strict mounting depth for the valve.

A possible question with one-piece or two-piece tub units and shower stalls is that the valves and stubouts can get in the way of sliding the unit into the framing. If the valve is on a sidewall instead of a back wall, the protruding stubouts will mean you won't be able to slide the unit into place very easily, if at all. In that case, you'll have to wait until the unit is in place to install blocking and to attach the plumbing to the blocking because you'll need to be able to pull everything back into the stud bay to slide the plastic tub or shower unit in place. If the valve wall is an outside wall (not a good idea in a cold climate), then you may have to entrance the wall from the outside of the building.

A typical tub/shower set-ups, like walk-in showers, need to be roughed-in to adapt their single water-supply and drain theory needs. For example, a tiled shower floor with a waterproofing membrane will wish a two-piece clamping drain set high adequate to adapt a sloped mud floor, the waterproofing membrane, mortar or adhesive, and tile. If there will be multiple shower heads or valves, they too will have to be roughed-in according to the needs of that single installation, and will probably wish the expertise of a plumber to ensure adequate water pressure and temperature.

Tubs and Showers

Bath or Shower?

Bath or Shower?

In these modern times that we live in we are lucky to have a option of either having a bath or a shower. If wanting to relax most population would opt to have a bath so that they can soak in a lovely hot tub of bubbles. Others would prefer the convenience of a shower and the invigorating feeling that comes with waking yourself up with one first thing in the morning.

Of policy it could be argued that there is nothing quite like a soak in a gorgeous old fashioned tub with chrome taps and feet. Filling this to the brim with water and bubbles can give you an instant feeling of floating in a pool as they are built so deep.

Tub Shower

With most population taking showers now because of their convenience and the fact that they are less time-consuming as having a soak in the tub many of us have forgotten just how relaxing having a bath can be.

Although it is unknown as to when mud baths were initially used it is known that the antique Romans were a big fan of this rejuvenating method of relaxation. Young and old population would collect at the places where the mud rose plainly and share in intelligent conversation as they immersed themselves in the mud. either male or female, salutary or ill all would congregate here as even at that time it was notable as a great way not only to relax but to heal the body of pains and aches.

Whether you prefer to have a shower or a bath both are a relaxing way of cleansing yourself of the harshness of the day.

Ensuring you have chosen the right bathroom suite and faucets will also add to the feeling of relaxation. A very deep bath for example will cover you entirely and if you add bubbles to this then it will feel like you are floating away on a cloud of relaxation.

It is possible nowadays also to have a bathtub big adequate for two. Some even come custom-made so that it is possible to have a tub in the shape of a heart that is big adequate for two just to add a petite romance to bath time.

If looking to get a convention made tub ensure that your faucet matches your mood for example very standardised taps with a gorgeous subversive heart-shaped tub would more than likely look quite out of place. However, if you opted for the heart create and had elegant chrome taps fitted then this would make the accomplished consequent look very elegant and welcoming. Selecting the exquisite decor to match your bathroom is something that some population can certainly overlook especially when it comes to Selecting the taps. Most population would just bypass this and either let the retailer determine or not think about it at all and take the taps that came as standard. Only after having it fitted do they then realise that it would not look as gorgeous as some of the taps they could have chosen.

Bath or Shower?

Bathtub Reglazing Cost

Bathtub Reglazing Cost

There has been a lot of ask lately in the tub refinishing industry in respect to cost, there is a lot of competition which forces the refinishing industry to lower their costs in order to compete. You will see many advertisements stating a very low cost, sometimes as low as 0.00 and stating it will only take a integrate of hours. What is happening is they are sacrificing potential assistance with lower prices!

Let me start with this, it takes at least 1-2 hours for a potential primer to set before applying the top coat! any less than that and there is a possibility of delayed cure and possible failure of finish. potential primer is critical to the success of the quit and many companies are sacrificing the epoxy or poyurthane primer for a lower potential shellac based fast drying primer to move things along. This will unquestionably work on the longevity of the quit as these products are not designed for wet conditions. Some companies will skip this step altogether for the sake of enchanting along to other job! exact quit failure! So, there is minimum 1-2 hours for priming.

Tub Shower

Lets talk about preparation, this is probably the most time enchanting and crucial part of the reglazing process and there are a amount of things to do before any material is sprayed on.

Caulking needs to be scraped off and sanded at intersections to ensure unblemished removal. Caulking is a contaminant and will cause the quit to fail - 20 minutes to possibly 1 hour The tub needs to be cleaned with Ajax to remove soap scum - 20 minutes The tub needs to be acid etched - 30 minutes Surrounding areas need to be covered to safe from over spray - 30 minutes to possibly 1 hour The tub needs to be solvent wiped to remove oils from hands while the foregoing processes The tub needs to be dusted with a tack cloth - 5 minutes

These six processes alone characterize a possible time frame of 3 hours. What are we up to now? possibly 5 hours! Cleaning the tool in in the middle of spraying and when concluded - 30 minutes, paper pulling - 10 minutes, caulking - 10 minutes (but only after the quit has dried to the touch - 30 minutes up to 1 hour and sometimes even the next day!) What are we up to now? lets round off this example to 2 hours, that's a total of 7 hours so far.

Now, some jobs may not be as labor oppressive and this time estimation is just an example of the possibility. You can give or take an hour or so depending on the contact of the finisher but the bottom line is this, it takes more than a integrate of hours to do the deed and whatever telling you so is lying. You can rely on the good part of a day to reglaze a tub.

Lets get to cost. potential products cost money and any refinisher should get paid what he is worth (at least - an hour). A typical tub reglaze will cost almost in materials (primer, urethane, plastic, paper, tape, respirator elements and so on...) If a tub takes 7 hours @ /hour = 0, materials = 0. We are not factoring in traveling costs cause we assume the refinisher is eating that cost. We are not factoring in the possibility of stripping an existing finish! So, a typical tub reglaze should cost in the middle of 0 and 0. As the old saying goes "You get what you pay for" especially in this business!

Bathtub Reglazing Cost

Bathtub Faucet change - Helpful Tips on Replacing Bathtub Faucets You Wouldn't Want to Miss

Bathtub Faucet change - Helpful Tips on Replacing Bathtub Faucets You Wouldn't Want to Miss

If your faucet is leaking or dripping then it is time to replace it. Straightforward as it may sound there are a concentrate of factors you need to look in to while replacing it. Follow the tips given here and bathtub faucet exchange will be an easy task.

Faucets allow water in pipes to be used in controlled manner. Ordinarily the bathtubs have whether 2 valve or 3 valve faucets. They start leaking or dripping when washers become stiff and corroded. Water pressure also hastens this process. In older designs faucets there were rubber or neoprene washers. In the newer systems cartridge is used in place of washers.

Tub Shower

It is always significant to purchase a correct faucet. Faucets come in many sizes and styles. When you need to replace a faucet it is significant to take exact estimation of holes town to center. Style is optional but size is important.

Also you need to have a correct set of tools to replace a faucet. There are various types of wrenches for plumbing jobs. For quadrilateral or hex nuts open end wrenches are ideal as they have plane jaws. If your pipe is chrome coated and you do not want to mar the face then you can go for strap wrenches. If the pipe is of small diameter then you need to have vise grip wrench. Ordinarily 2 pipe wrenches are required for plumbing one to hold and other to turn.

When installing bathtub faucets look for the faucet assembly behind walls. Ordinarily builders would have provided a rear passage panel in the back of tub. Read the facility instructions while assembling the 2 valve or 3 valve faucets.

Here are some normal steps to replace a faulty faucet.

o First of all turn the water provide off. You can turn off the main provide for the entire house.
o Next remove the faucet handle. Tap or pull gently. Overtime the cope may have got welded to stem. So do not force it. If it does not come out gently then use extra cope puller.
o Next remove the trim and the stem assembly. The stem assembly is used for controlling the amount and climatic characteristic of water dispensed to the tub. Use a bath socket wrench to remove this assembly.
o Now check the washer. If it is brittle or torn then this is the cause for the drip. Take both the washer and the stem for replacement.
o Check the seats. If they are rough then they too need to be replaced. Use a seat wrench to remove it.
o When replacing you just need to assemble it all back. Grease the stem threads, washer and nut threads. Then slide them all back and tighten the nuts.
o If it is a cartridge style faucet then remove the cope and trim. Then replace the cartridge.

So with a little bit of know-how you can fix it yourself for -.

Bathtub Faucet change - Helpful Tips on Replacing Bathtub Faucets You Wouldn't Want to Miss

comprise a Clawfoot Tub Shower in Your Home

comprise a Clawfoot Tub Shower in Your Home

One of the more fascinating things that you can setup in the bathroom is a clawfoot tub shower. Although most of us tend to spend a lot of time soaking in the tub, and this in fact is enjoyable, having a clawfoot tub shower enclosure available to us can in fact give us options that may not have been available before. Here are the some of the things to keep in mind whenever installing one of these units, as well as how to care for them, should the clawfoot tub happen to get a small bit of age to it. This will help you to keep your clawfoot tub shower as nice as possible.

One of the first things that you're going to need to settle whenever installing a clawfoot tub shower and is either you're going to go with an old unit or if you're going to purchase one that is brand-new. There are plenty of places where you're going to be able to find an old claw foot bathtub, and this is an selection that many population tend to enjoy. After all, it will not only be a place for you to soak and enjoy the bath, it will also be a nice conversation piece in the home.

Tub Shower

Installing one of these items can be a small bit difficult, especially if you are going to go with the cast-iron units. Cast iron tends to be rather heavy, and you want to make sure that the floor is going to be able to take the further weight of one of these tubs, along with all the water that could be included in it. Once it is in place, you can purchase a kit and setup the clawfoot tub shower enclosure, all at one time.

There are three basic types of showers which can be added to a claw foot bathtub, freestanding, tub wall and deck. All of these are going to have their own good points and bad points, and you're sure to have something which is going to be a popular of yours. Make sure that you also think the fact that you're going to need to enclose the tub in some way or someone else in order to keep the water from getting out on the floor of the bathroom. This is not only a matter of holding the room clean, it's a security precaution as stepping out of the tub and slipping is a cause of many serious accidents within the household.

If you contain a clawfoot tub shower in your household, you are giving the chance to either soak in the tub and relax luxuriously, or to plainly shower off whenever you need to get cleaned up quickly. A clawfoot tub shower enclosure, whenever it is built properly, is going to furnish you with the security primary to keep the water in place when the shower is operational, along with adding nicely to the decor of the bathroom. You will still have the claw foot tub, which will be the centerpiece of the bathroom but it would just be a lot more favorable to use.

comprise a Clawfoot Tub Shower in Your Home

Sit Down Shower Unit or a Bathtub: Which Should You Buy?

Sit Down Shower Unit or a Bathtub: Which Should You Buy?

One of the most difficult things to determine on when it comes to the type of shower fixture that you should add in your bathroom is selecting e whether to have sit down shower units or a bathtub. There are so many things to consider in order for you to make an informed decision. The best thing to do here is to get the basic information on both the tub and the shower stall, and determine for yourself which one you'd rather have in your home.

Let's start with the sit down type shower units. Shower stalls, particularly the sit down type, are great if you want to have a shower in your bathroom without having the rest of the room drenched with water when you use it. And if there are physically challenged habitancy living with you, sit down showers can be great additions in your home. Shower stall can be fitted with hand railings for easy and convenient access, holding the needs of disabled and elderly family members in mind. A shower chair can also be installed for added convenience and relax when using the shower.

Tub Shower

Bathtubs can also be a good choice, especially to those who like soaking after a tiring day from work. If you enjoy long and relaxing baths, a amount of soaking tub varieties is available in the store today. Tubs can come in myriads of styles and sizes to suit everyone's discerning taste. There are even tubs that you can choose to have if you or one of your family members has special bathing needs. There are tubs with doors and seats that can help the handicap or elderly to take long and relaxing baths with ease and comfort.

But if you cannot determine on having whether a tub or a shower stall, or you just can't live without both bathroom fixtures, then you can opt for a shower and bathtub combo unit. As the name suggests, this unit combines a shower and tub in one big unit. This way, you can have enjoy a quick shower when you're in a hurry, and a relaxing bath when you want to pamper yourself after a long and tough day. The downside, though, is you'd need a big space to adapt a shower tall and a tub. That said, this would be an impractical choice for those with very small bathrooms. So, if you are one of those habitancy that need to work with small bath spaces, then you precisely have to determine whether you will go for a sit down shower stall or a small soaking tub.

Sit Down Shower Unit or a Bathtub: Which Should You Buy?

Bathroom Remodeling-Tub and Shower Choices

Bathroom Remodeling-Tub and Shower Choices

Remodeling a bathroom can be a major task, especially when you don't have a clear plan. Before you can make a plan for your bathroom remodel, you must know what your options are and what you want. When it comes to tubs and showers, there are many choices that reach beyond the original stand-alone walk in shower or the approved step in tub. Some newer and more luxurious items in today's world of tubs and showers include steam showers, clawfoot bathtubs, and walkin tubs.

A steam shower allows you to bring the luxury of a spa into your own home. A steam shower is a self-enclosed shower unit that uses a steam generator to produce water mist that is turned into steam. Electronic climatic characteristic control is a coarse highlight in today's steam showers, as well as a host of other luxury features including jets, foot massager, ceiling rain features, Mp3 output, radio, and telephone. Many are even voice activated. Surprisingly, all of this can be installed in your bathroom in the same amount of space as a accepted shower.

Tub Shower

Although claw foot tubs have been around for many years, new features make them a great selection for a remodeled bathroom. Claw foot tubs available today are made of acrylic material instead of cast iron, which makes the tub lighter and more affordable. A claw foot tub is the perfect selection for giving your bathroom a new look with some old world style as well. There are any designs to choose from as well as separate styles of fixtures, making it inherent for you to personalize your bath area.

A walkin tub is a great selection if stepping into a original bathtub raises concerns about safety. Walkin tubs have a water tight door on them that opens, allowing for easy entry into the tub.

Replacing a bathtub or shower is a big part of a bathroom remodeling project. So remember to reconsider all options and manufacture a clear plan before starting the project.

Bathroom Remodeling-Tub and Shower Choices

Bathroom Shower Tub

Bathroom Shower Tub

It's as a matter of fact not required to be stated here that those days are gone when bathrooms were given least importance even when they are the most used ones. Nowadays they are given equal importance in terms of every aspect specially when coming to their maintenance and decoration. Every now and then human being goes bored with the things that they see most frequently so they decide to get that new.

Same is the case with bathroom as they are the frequently seen ones in your house its natural to go bored with the theme and the accessories of the bathroom. When you think of renovating your bathroom the first thing that comes to one mind is the bathroom shower tub. It occupies most of the place in your bathroom and as a matter of fact is the most costly part of your bathroom. There are many sources like magazine; net browsing, newspapers and all that give you pretty practical tips for remodeling your bathroom shower tub.

Tub Shower

If you have a strong desire to get the shower tub totally substituted with a new one then keep in mind certain aspects that you will be bound to face. Firstly their will be damage to the surrounding walls and next comes the lip of the tub onto which your walls will be placed which will damage the tiles also. So you will not only need to bother about the tub but also will be bound to bear the costly expenses of getting your total bathroom renovated. So think before you leap as it demands both your time and money.

The best inherent tip will be to remodel your shower tub with fiber glass insert which will cost you half of what it will cost for new tub in both the terms. If you are one among those who just for the sake of getting the newer look wishes to renovate, then getting your bathroom shower tub remodeled with new fixtures and shower heads will be the best tip for you.

If you want the simplest renewal with least expenses then getting new shower curtain or liner with a new curtain rod will work for you. This will be the best tip to get your bathroom a dramatic remodeling in the cheapest inherent manner. Concentrating on changing the uncut theme will work the best when you match the new look of your all new remodeled shower tub with it.

Oops! We forgot the most important tip that makes a lot of inequity and can interfere with the all new charm of your remodeled shower tub i.e. The seal between the top of the tub and the wall. Note that a cracked seal can make a load of ugly inequity in the bathroom and replacing one will make the best difference. Just ensure that the bathroom floor tiles match your requirements and so do the accessories!

Bathroom Shower Tub

Small Bathroom construct With A Small Bathtub

Small Bathroom construct With A Small Bathtub

What to do if a accepted bathtub won't fit into your small bathroom

If you are remodeling a very small bathroom that isn't big sufficient to fit a full sized bath or if you want to add a shower cubicle to your already cramped bathroom then there are a few options that you might want to consider.

Tub Shower

Shower above the bathtub

If you have room for a full sized bathtub then the selection that many people take is to put a shower over the bathtub. While this is an easy selection I don't personally like it very much because it's difficult to make it look good and it all the time feels like a compromise that I didn't want to make.

Showers are for washing efficiently but bathtubs are for soaking and relaxing

After my small bathroom remodel I now have a shower cubicle as well as a bathtub, which I think is the ideal situation. Now that I have both I've been surprised to find that I use the shower far more often than I use the bathtub. Why is this? Well it's because a shower is far more productive than bathing. I can shower in 5 minutes but when I take a bath I like to make it last for an hour or more. So for me the shower is for washing and the bathtub is for relaxing.

Trade the distance of your bathtub for depth

Your bathtub is for soaking and relaxing in and for that you need to be immersed in water and you need to be comfortable. It's no good installing a short, shallow bathtub just to make it fit into your slight bathroom because it won't be any good for soaking in and it won't be comfortable either.

A great idea is to trade distance of your tub for depth. This straightforward concept makes it inherent to fit a bathtub that requires a modest floor area but still allows you to immerse yourself in water and relax.

Soaking bathtubs

The Japanese have a long tradition of using bathtubs for soaking and relaxation. They also often have to manage in very small accommodations so you can get a lot of ideas from seeing at the way they live. The most enthralling soaking tub that I've come across was nothing more than a wooden barrel with a stool fixed to the bottom. Yes it was crude but it worked. It fitted into a tiny slight bathroom, it immersed you in water and it was very relaxing.

Walk in bathtubs

A sophisticated version of the wooden barrel bathtub is the modern walk-in bathtub. The principles are the same but they have built in seats and a door to allow easy access. A walk-in bathtub takes up much less space than a accepted bathtub but still allows you to take a very relaxing bath.

The walk-in bathtub door can be a two edged sword however. It allows easy access on the one hand, which is great if you have difficulty stepping up into the bath. The qoute is that the door has a inherent to leak at some point and need maintenance. Also you can't use the door unless the bathtub is empty of water, which means that you have to be inside when filling and emptying with water.

Short and deep bathtubs for very small bathrooms

So if you are remodeling a small bathroom remember that you can select a shorter bathtub but make sure that it's deep sufficient to give you a long relaxing soak.

Small Bathroom construct With A Small Bathtub