Shower cabin assembly: photo and video instructions 

In order to save space in small bathrooms, showers are installed. They are available in different configurations, depending on which they are called a shower enclosure, a cabin or a hydrobox. However, all manufacturers sin with one thing: unusable instructions. It contains a list of parts and general instructions: put a pallet, fix the walls … and everything else in the same vein. No details. Because of what, assembling a shower enclosure turns into a do-it-yourself task. There are many different models, it is impossible to describe all of them, but we will describe and demonstrate common problems and ways to solve them. 

Types and types

First of all, shower cabins differ in shape: angular and straight. In our country, corners are more common, because they are easier to fit into small rooms.

But the corners can also be of different shapes. More common with a rounded front part – in the form of a sector of a circle, but there are also with a beveled and rectangular base.

Now actually about the configuration. On this basis, shower cabins are divided into closed and open. The open ones do not have a top panel, as well as side walls. They are closed. Open showers are most commonly referred to as “shower corners” or nooks and crannies. Its equipment can also be different – with or without a pallet.

Some closed shower cabins have many additional functions – various types of jet massage, showers – regular, tropical, etc., a built-in sauna or a steam generator for a hammam. Such multifunctional devices are correctly called “hydromassage cabins”, and simply – hydrobox.

It is clear that the more complex the “stuffing”, the more time-consuming the assembly will be. But hydromassage cabins are assembled at the very beginning in the same way as a shower enclosure with a tray. If you understand how to assemble the main one, it will be easier to install the walls and the roof. The main thing, as usual, is the foundation, and the assembly of a shower cabin of any complexity begins with the installation of a pallet and guides for the doors.

How to assemble a shower cabin – corner

Most often, it is a corner with a pallet that is bought. Without a pallet, you have to spend a long time with the floor and drain. Putting a finished trough is easier. Therefore, first of all, we will describe the installation procedure for such a shower cabin. How to make a tile shower tray read here.

We must say right away that models with a pallet require a height margin of at least 15 cm: at the bottom there is a siphon and water drainage hoses. So to install a 215 cm high cabin, the ceiling height must be at least 230 cm, and then it will be difficult to work. If your ceilings are low, you will have to put a booth without a pallet – only the walls, and make the drain in the floor.

Pallet installation

The pallet in modern shower cabins is made of plastic. It is reinforced with several layers of fiberglass, which increases its strength, but it is still impossible to stand on it without support. The kit comes with several square metal pipes that are assembled into a structure that supports the bottom.

But not everyone decides to install a shower stall on several pieces of iron. Some people prefer to make the base out of bricks or wooden beams.

Assembling a shower cabin on a metal frame

In some models, the first step is to attach a decorative protective cover to the pallet. It is simply inserted into the groove and screwed with metal plates. Next, the installation process continues. Why is this method bad? How, if necessary, to change or repair the drain? You can’t remove the casing – it is attached from the inside. The only way is to pre-make the door yourself, and then put the already modified panel in place.

The procedure for assembling the shower tray is as follows:

• The studs are screwed into the existing sockets. In some designs, there are fewer sockets than support beams. Then there are short hairpins in the kit. They are simply inserted and held on by bolts, redistributing part of the load.
• Nuts are screwed onto the installed studs, which will lock the metal support frame, preventing it from resting on the pallet.
  

• A frame is put on the studs with nuts, holes are drilled in it for this.
• More nuts are screwed onto the protruding ends of the studs, only now they are on the other side of the pipe.
  

• There are holes in the supporting structure, in which we tighten the bolts that come with the kit. In theory, they should fall into the corresponding holes on the pallet. Under these holes there is reinforcement, otherwise the screw will simply pierce the plastic.
  

• After checking how evenly the frame lies, and adjusting if necessary, we tighten all the double bolts on the studs. It will turn out to be a rather rigid fixation (everything staggered before).
• Let’s start assembling the legs.
  • Install stops. They are also put on two nuts.
    

    

  • Having corrected the shape of the front surface of the decorative casing, we fasten the stops. For this there are screws with washers. Decorative overlays are put on washers.
    

    

  • We twist the legs. It remains to align the legs. There are two ways. If the pallet is small and shallow, it is easier to turn it over, put it in place and, controlling the plane by level, set it by twisting the legs. If the pallet is massive and deep, and even has a decorative casing, it is unrealistic to get to all the legs. In this case, twist the legs by exposing them to the same height. You can check how evenly they are set using the usual building level – laying it in pairs on different legs, or using a laser plane builder (read how to use it here).
    

    

• Flip the tray. If all legs are level and the floor is level, the pallet should be level and tight.

The assembly of the shower cabin-corner is already half done. It remains to assemble the doors.

Assembling a pallet based on brick or foam blocks

Everything is incomparably simpler here, although it largely depends on the shape of the pallet. Most often, the base is made of bricks or foam blocks. It is more convenient to work with high density foam blocks. They have sufficient load-bearing capacity to support the required weight, but are easy to cut with a saw and easy to shape.

First, the whole structure is folded dry, without mortar or glue for foam blocks. Just do not forget that the solution / glue will lift the structure a little. And this is the second plus of foam blocks: for their installation, a layer of glue of a couple of millimeters is enough, and for a brick, at least 6-8 mm is required.

It is possible to try on beforehand how the shower tray will become, on glue or mortar: suddenly they didn’t put enough somewhere. For this, the solution is laid out, more or less leveled with a trowel, covered with a film, and a pallet is already placed on the film. After removing it, you will absolutely see if there is enough glue everywhere.

Putting, if necessary, a solution, put the pallet in place. Aligning it is a matter of technology: we take the building level, and focusing on its testimony, we tap in different places. Note! It is possible to install the shower tray on the film without removing it from the solution. In this embodiment, dismantling without destruction is possible.

When folding a brick base, do not forget that you need a place to install a drain, pipes from it. It is also necessary to provide for the possibility of replacing the siphon. To do this, make a window on one side that provides access to the necessary parts. It can then be closed with a decorative door or lid.

Before the final installation of the pallet, a drain is connected. For those who have ever installed a sink or bathtub, this is not a problem. More on this in the next video. One point: when installing the siphon, do not forget to coat the drain hole with sealant. There, of course, there is an elastic band, but with a sealant it will be more reliable.

How to make a shower tray from tiles can be read here and a shower cabin for it.

Tray sealing

After the pallet is put in place, the joint must be sealed. Usually a transparent sealant is used. Just note that acrylic sealants turn yellow over time (after a couple of months), so it’s better to look for silicone.

Well fill all the cracks and gaps, you can twice. In order not to work by eye, you can attach a pallet, draw a line with a marker, then move it aside and apply one or two continuous strips of sealant a couple of millimeters below the mark. Move the pallet into place, press well. Fill in the voids above.

There is a second way. It’s more aesthetic. Close the joint with a sanitary corner. He himself has a sealing gum, but you can also coat it with sealant. With this corner, you can close a small gap that is formed if the angle in the bathroom is not exactly 90 °.

The organization of ventilation in the bathroom is described here. 

Installation of guides for doors

Further, the assembly of the shower cabin continues with the installation of guides for the doors. Even if the cabin is without side panels, you first need to assemble the guide frame for the doors, install it on the pallet, and then mark the installation locations for the fasteners. To assemble the frame is to fasten together the side racks and two rounded rails. To give rigidity to the structure, fixed glass sidewalls can be installed.

Why can’t the door racks be fixed directly to the wall? Because the walls in the bathroom are rarely perfectly even. By attaching the racks in this way, you will get skewed doors that will close / open poorly. To understand the whole difference, you can mark it strictly vertically, as it should be by setting the side guides vertically. Then assemble the supporting frame, put it in place and look at the existing deviations. In 99% they are available, and significant.

When assembling the frame of the shower cabin, there can be no discrepancies. There are two arcs, there are two racks. Align the grooves and holes, tighten with screws. Then install the glass sides. They are fixed with brackets-stoppers. After that, do not forget to install the casters for the shower cabin. They can have a different design, but, most often, to install them, you need to remove the side stoppers from the guides, drive two rollers into the profile on both sides, and put the stoppers in place.

In some models, you have to not only install the rollers, but also hang the glass, otherwise you won’t be able to transfer it. But then it is better to work together. One is difficult.

Having placed the assembled frame on the pallet and checking whether it has become correct, mark the place where the fasteners are installed with a marker. After removing the cab, drill holes, install dowels.

Lubricate the junction of the frame to the walls with sealant. You need to apply the strip generously – it is better to wipe off the excess later. Then put the guides in place and screw on the bolts. The remaining gaps are refilled with sealant. The installation of the shower enclosure is almost complete: it remains to hang the doors and install the seals.

If the doors have not been installed, they are hung. Start at the top. In most models, there are holes in the door leaf: top and bottom. These are the places where the rollers are attached. Some showers have two holes, some have four. Their number depends on the design of the rollers.

They take a screw, put a plastic gasket on it (from the kit). After inserting the screw into the hole, put on the second gasket. Further: there is a thread inside the roller, you need to get into it with a screw, then supporting the roller from the outside with your fingers, wrap the screw inside. Such an acrobatic element is repeated with all rollers. Only until all the screws are installed, they do not need to be tightened. Only bait so that the door holds and does not fall.

After the doors are hung, tighten all fasteners. The last moment remained: the installation of seals on the door. They simply snap into place (press with your finger) on the side edges of the two mating door halves. In the same way they are attached on the other side – to the racks near the walls.

For details on hanging shower doors in one of the models, see the video.

You can read about installing and connecting the boiler here. 

Features of the installation of a shower cabin-hydrobox

In closed showers and hydroboxes, after installing the pallet, it is necessary to assemble a panel covering the wall. It has mounting holes in which all the “gadgets” are pre-installed – nozzles, holders, soap dishes, seats, speakers, lamps, etc. the shape and size of the bottom is different for everyone, so it’s hard to make a mistake. It is advisable to lubricate all the “landing holes” with sealant: there will be less dripping later.

Particular attention should be paid to the installation of injectors. In addition to installing the sprayers themselves, they must be connected to each other with hose segments. It is put on the nozzle nozzles, tightened with clamps. All this is assembled according to the scheme available in the instructions. Pay special attention to ensure that the nozzle tips are intact and the clamps are well tightened. It will not be superfluous to coat each seat with sealant here (both under the nozzle and under the hoses).

The wall with connected accessories is placed in a special groove. The junction is also pre-lubricated with sealant. Cold, hot water is connected, you can check the performance of the system.

After installing the walls, the lid is assembled. There is usually a rain shower, maybe a lamp. When installing them, you can also use a sealant – you never know where water gets in … A hose is put on the shower pipe, which is tightened with clamps. Conductors are connected to the terminals of the lamp, the junction is carefully insulated, several heat-shrink tubes can be put on in series.

The assembled cover is installed on the wall. The joint is again lubricated with sealant. While the sealant has not hardened, the assembled door frame is installed. When doors are installed depends on the model. In some cases, they need to be hung before installation, in some – after. All joints are sealed.

The assembly of the hydrobox shower cabin is shown in sufficient detail in this video. There are no comments, but the sequence of actions is clear.

How to assemble a shower cabin, we hope it is clear. There are a lot of models and modifications, but they tried to describe the main problem nodes. If you missed something, write in the comments – we will supplement the article))