Tub 2 shower and more is a total bathroom remodel. We had a bathroom that was in dire need of some TLC. We then decided that a shower would better suit us.
The Original
The original bathroom was dark wood naughty pine paneling, an old bath tub that was beyond saving, A tub surround that did not reach the ceiling and was topped by a collage of mismatched material and an old broken pressed board vanity. What to do? Get a vision and go for it!
As you can see above, the flooring was a sheet of vinyl. Below, you can see the old cabinet hanging on the wall, the roughness of the drywall and above the tub enclosure, the mismatched solution to bring the tub surround to the ceiling. Not pretty!
The Gut Job During The Tub 2 Shower Transformation
Everything had to go! All of the fixtures were removed, The tub had to be cut in half using a Sawzall (reciprocating saw) using the proper blades. In this case, the blades needed to be rated for metal/steel. Taking the tub out in one piece would have been very difficult because of the limited space to work and maneuver with.
As you can see above, the flooring had to be stripped down to bare wood. Also above, the tub walls were taken down to the studs exposing the plumbing. After the tub removal, we had access to the plumbing for the drain for the new shower, also accessible from the basement ceiling which made things a lot easier. You can actually see into the basement in the above photo. Unfortunately, not all homes have the luxury of a basement.
The plumbing for the new shower needed some adjusting. A new water control valve kit was installed and moved up higher to shower versus tub height. The pipe going up to the shower head was also raised to accommodate taller people. The original was almost at forehead level.
Building The New Shower
When the plumbing was all done for the tub 2 shower transformation, the shower pan was installed and the drain pipe was hooked up. We decided that a premade shower pan was the best option. They are available in various sizes that fit the space perfectly. When we Created A Bathroom From Scratch, we made the shower base ourselves because of the custom size.
Then the walls in the shower were covered in cement board. On the back wall of the shower, we installed a two shelf Niche for soaps and shampoo products. A nice feature to have! Then came time to tile.
And More
When all the tiling was done, we opted to install a frameless sliding glass shower door with a rubbed bronze hardware. A very modern look. A new toilet and sink were also installed. But, before that, new flooring was put down. A waterproof LVP tile with a wood grain look. Very appealing!
Among other improvements, wainscoting was done on the lower portion of the walls. The upper walls were painted in a bold blue color while the dark naughty pine was painted a very light cream color. Behind the sink, we did a tiled feature wall from floor to ceiling. It ads a focal point while protecting the wall from water. On top of that, we installed an oval, frameless, pivoting mirror topped with a new light feature. To the right over the toilet where the unattractive cabinet had once hung, we installed three floating shelves for decor
To the right of the new shower is a closet that was just an open space originally. We put a bifold door on it to conceal the contents and built some shelves inside for some organization. It is a very useful space.
Tub 2 Shower and More Complete
What a transformation! It’s like a totally different bathroom and we couldn’t be happier. Everything in this project was DIY. Some plumbing knowledge is necessary. And if you don’t know something, there is always You Tube to fall back on. We have learned a lot using that as one of our resources.
We hope that we sparked your imagination regarding the possibilities for your own bathroom. And make sure to see how we created a bathroom from scratch here:
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