Shower pan liners are a component of roman tiled or built-up showers. You can buy a pre-formed acrylic shower pan, use a plastic sheet goods shower liner, or build one by layering roofing felt and hot mopped tar over a plywood and lumber substrate.

Acrylic shower pans

This beautiful shower installation starts with a properly installed shower liner

1. These units are easy to install right on the plywood substrate without using any further waterproof membranes or building components.
2. Install the shower strainer in the shower pan using plumber’s putty. Tighten the retaining nut securely because it will be inaccessible once the unit is installed. Remove the excess putty.
3. The shower enclosure should already be framed.
4. Cut a 5″ or 6″ round hole in the subfloor to accept the flange of the shower strainer.
5. Mix up some grout or mortar mix to a relatively thick, pudding-like consistency. Pour this right on the subfloor all around the drain hole and within a couple inches of the shower walls. This bedding material should be not more than 11/2″- 2″ thick at the thickest part.
6. Embed the shower pan in the grout.
7. Level the shower pan. Protect the shower pan floor with cardboard or plastic and stand in it to compress the pan into the grout.
8. While standing in the pan, anchor the pan rim by driving galvanized nails or screws through the nailing flange and into each stud that forms the shower walls.

Built-up roman tile shower bases

1. The shower enclosure should be previously framed with at least a 4″ threshold across the opening. A hole should be cut into the subfloor to accept the weephole drain.
2. Install the weephole drain and connect it to the plumbing waste line underneath the floor. Loosen the weephole drain bolts and remove the upper half of the drain first.
3. Hot mop asphalt or tar on the substrate and put down the first layer of 15 or 30 pound felt, also known as roofing or tar paper.
4. Ensure that the first layer of felt extends under the weephole drain flange and up the sides of the shower enclosure at least 4″.
5. Hot mop another coating of tar on the first layer of felt and lay down another layer of the same material in the same way and to the same dimensions as the first layer.
6. Lay down mortar mix or grout over the felt. Taper it toward the drain. Grade and level it. It should be at least an 1 ½” thick as it nears the walls.
7. When this sets up, install a pvc shower pan liner or continue with a tile base. If you decide to install a tile base, it is best to lay down several more layers of felt and tar first.
8. Install the screw-in drain and adjust it to the finished height.

Installing a pvc shower liner

1. After the mortar base of your roman tile installation sets up, you can lay down a pvc shower liner to provide additional moisture protection.
2. Cut the pvc sheet large enough so it extends up the shower walls at least 4″ and preferably 6″ or more and over the shower threshold.
3. Fasten the sheet at the top edge along the wall and on the outside of the shower threshold. Mold it to fit in the corners without cutting.
4. After installing the pvc shower liner, install a final layer of grout to give the base its finished profile. Then complete the threshold with mortar or grout and add tile or other masonry products to complete your project.

Tips

Make certain the joint between the weephole clamp drain and the felt is solid and well sealed.

Verify that sealants, mortar, or grout do not plug the drain holes in the weephole drain fitting.

Install the tile backer board, cement board, or greenboard on the walls so it extends down over the shower liner.

Towel warmers are a relatively recent innovation for homeowners. They came on the scene in Europe some twenty years ago. Eventually they became a popular accessory for homes in America. Towel warmers come in a variety of styles and configurations. You can get plug-in towel warmers, hard-wired electric ones, and hydronic towel warmers that utilize hot water from your domestic hot water heating system or your hot water heat system. Oil-filled towel warmers are also available.

Installing plug-in towel warmers

Replace a towel bar with a towel warmer and enjoy luxurious warm, dry towels anytime

1. These units can be hung on the wall or stand unsupported on their own. If you choose the wall-hung plug-in towel warmer, follow these simple instructions.
2. Locate your towel warmer on the wall of  your choice.
3. Make sure it is within reach of a GFI wall outlet. If  you do not have a GFI outlet, you must have one installed or install it yourself. Most plug-in warmers have at least a 7  foot cord.
4. Try to locate your warmer such that at least two of the supports go into wall studs. You can find these with a stud locator or by the location of windows, which have a stud on either side. Wall outlets also usually have a stud located on one side or the other.
5. Mark the location of your support anchors. Verify that your anchor locations are level or your towel warmer will be crooked on the wall.
6. Drill holes for the anchors. If your anchors will not go into studs, you will have to use hollow wall anchors. The best choice of hollow wall anchor for this purpose is a toggle bolt.
7. Install the anchor supports.
8. Hang the towel warmer and plug it in.

Installing hard wired electric towel warmers

1. These units install in essentially the same way as plug-in warmers with the following exceptions.
2. Make sure that you have an electrical junction box in the wall where you want to hang your towel warmer. Most likely, you will have to install one yourself or hire an electrician to install one for you.
3. The electrical outlet on the towel warmer will connect directly to the cover of the junction box so this will, in turn, determine the location of the towel warmer anchor supports.
4. Ideally, the towel warmer will be on a dedicated circuit because it will be on all the time. Towel warmers use less electricity than a light bulb so the electrical demand on the circuit is usually light.

Installing hydronic towel warmers

1. Hydronic towel warmers take the place of a hot water radiator in a bathroom, kitchen, laundryroom, or anywhere you will want to use a warm, dry towel.
2. Remove the cover from the existing radiator to gain access to the supply and return lines.
3. Turn off the hot water heat system, including the boiler and circulating pump.
4. Drain all the water out of the supply and return lines but not from the boiler itself.
5. Cut the supply and return lines under the floor. You can gain access to them from the crawlspace or the basement, otherwise, you will have to cut an access hole through the floor of your bathroom.
6. Reroute the hot water lines to match the inlet and outlet of your towel warmer in its predetermined location.
7. Locate the anchor support locations on the wall.
8. Install the anchor supports.
9. Hang the towel warmer on the wall.
10. Connect the hot water supply and return lines up to their proper respective ports on the bottom of the towel warmer.
11. Make sure you install balance cocks or shutoff valves and unions on the hot water lines to the towel warmer.
12. Refill and bleed your hot water heat system.
13. Turn on your hot water heat boiler and circulating pump.

Tips

In general, towel warmers are set at the factory for the proper temperature.

Some of the more expensive units come with thermostats and on/off switches so you can set your own temperature and turn the unit on and off as desired.

You can use towel warmers in certain locations as another heat source, too.

Regularly clean the towel warmer or collected dirt and dust can discolor the towel warmer surface and ruin your towels, as well. You can clean your towel warmer with warm water and a mild detergent. Wipe it dry afterwards.

Plastic laminates, also known as Formica, come in various sizes, colors, and patterns and they make an excellent impervious surface treatment for counter tops, tabletops, and work surfaces. They are not particularly difficult to install, requiring very little in the way of specialized equipment.

Substrate Preparation

The substrate that will receive the plastic laminate must be flat, clean, and free of any defects. It can be plywood, particleboard, or even another plastic laminate surface.

1. Sand the new substrate and remove the dust with a vacuum or brush. If the substrate is another finished product, clean it thoroughly and let it dry before proceeding.
2. Ensure that the substrate is flat and defect free. If there are low spots or defects, fill them in with a product like Bondo auto body filler, or Fixall. Trowel the leveler off, sand it smooth, and remove all the dust.

Plastic Laminate Preparation

1. Cut your sheet of plastic laminate a little oversize with a fine blade circular saw, a laminate trim knife, or a fine tooth handsaw. In general, cut from the back side of the laminate. Trim it to fit once it is installed.
2. Coat the substrate with at least one uniform moderate coat of contact cement and let it dry to the touch.
3. Coat the bottom of the plastic laminate with at least one coat of contact cement and let it dry to the touch as well.

Update your countertops with a beautiful plastic laminate

Plastic Laminate Installation

1. Lay 3/8” wooden dowel rods across the substrate surface about 12” apart and parallel.
2. Beginning at one end, lay the plastic laminate in place being careful not to let the laminate touch the substrate surface.
3. Remove the dowel rods as you lower the plastic laminate in place.
4. When the final dowel rod is removed, use a roller to work out any air bubbles. You can also use a wooden block and mallet. Work from the center outward.
5. After the cement has dried according to the manufacturer’s instructions, trim the plastic laminate. You can use a router with a plastic laminate trimmer bit or a file.

Tips

Always use as large a piece of plastic laminate as possible to avoid unsightly seams. If you have to use two or more pieces, bevel the adjoining edges with a fine tooth file so they are almost invisible when overlapped. You can also butt them together but the seam will be highly visible.
You can use a sabresaw, jigsaw, or even a tablesaw to cut the laminate but cut from the back side to avoid chipping. If you cut it with a razor knife or laminate cutter, cut from the front side.
Contact cement will hold up to 70% of its permanent strength upon initial contact so avoid letting the two cemented surfaces come into contact until they are perfectly lined up. After the job is done, clean up any excess contact cement with acetone. Let it dry and wash the laminate with a mild detergent and warm water before use.