# Hello all! I need help on how to remove an old standup shower



## canadaclub (Oct 19, 2006)

Most shower drains unscew however I have seen some installs where they actually glued it on:furious: The drain grid should just pry off.

Have you got a pic?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

What is the drain set up like---what is the pan made of?


If the pan is plastic or fiberglass--I will usually take a Skillsaw and make several plunge cuts around the drain--this way you can remove the old pan--leaving only the pipe-the drain set-and a bit of the pan around the drain set.

If you will be replacing the P-trap(which you really aught to do)--You should see enough of the drain piping to get a saws all blade down the hole and cut out the old P-trap.


If you hope to save the old drain piping(bad plan)--You can chuck a hack saw blade into the Saws All and slit the old drain set up the side and pry it off the old piping.

Post a picture,if you can--or at least come back and tell us what the base is made of.

Lots of people here that have done what you are trying to do.--Have fun--Mike--


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

oh'mike said:


> What is the drain set up like---what is the pan made of?
> 
> 
> If the pan is plastic or fiberglass--I will usually take a Skillsaw and make several plunge cuts around the drain--this way you can remove the old pan--leaving only the pipe-the drain set-and a bit of the pan around the drain set.
> ...


Im not even sure what its made of ill take a photo of it , is it difficult to post photos here?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

How To Attach A Photo To A Post - DIY Chatroom - DIY Home Improvement Forum

Hit--Go advanced on the 'quick reply'--there are instructions there---If you are computer illiterate like me-
click on the link above for a long explanation--Mike--


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Common materials that shower bases were(and are) made of--
1965 and newer--fiber glass--pvc and other plastics

1950 --1970--terrazzo--concrete with a steel pan--colored pebbles embedded in the surface --then ground and polished


1920---1960's--lead pan--concrete and tile

1990--present--rubber or vinyl liner--concrete--tile

2000--present---Styrofoam pan--water proof membrane ---tile 


These are just the roughest outlines of types and dates---Terrazzo bases are still available--
some tradesmen use 'old fashioned' methods that work for them--but this should give you a clue as to what you may be looking at.

---Mike----


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

oh'mike said:


> How To Attach A Photo To A Post - DIY Chatroom - DIY Home Improvement Forum
> 
> Hit--Go advanced on the 'quick reply'--there are instructions there---If you are computer illiterate like me-
> click on the link above for a long explanation--Mike--


I just tried to upload the photo the but size is to large i have to crop it down a bit.


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

6ft3soldier said:


> I just tried to upload the photo the but size is to large i have to crop it down a bit.


I hope u can see the drain


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

What is this unit made of? Walls? Floor?
The picture is a little close to see the base construction.
Ron


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Good start Soldier--We need an over all shot so we can figure out what it's made of.

Can you see if the drain pipe is white PVC or metal?

==Mike---


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

oh'mike said:


> Good start Soldier--We need an over all shot so we can figure out what it's made of.
> 
> Can you see if the drain pipe is white PVC or metal?
> 
> ==Mike---


Ill take another shot of the whole shower and ill look down in there to see if I can see the drain pipe

Pipe is white so im assuming PVC pipe


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

6ft3soldier said:


> Ill take another shot of the whole shower and ill look down in there to see if I can see the drain pipe
> 
> Pipe is white so im assuming PVC pipe


another pic of it


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You're probably going to have to remove the entire unit(walls first) to get the base out. The walls will sit inside the base to make sure the water is contained. 
Do you intend to enlarge the shower?
Ron


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

Ron6519 said:


> You're probably going to have to remove the entire unit(walls first) to get the base out. The walls will sit inside the base to make sure the water is contained.
> Do you intend to enlarge the shower?
> Ron


Im not sure but i def want to replace it with a new shower.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Does the base look like plastic or fiberglass? or is it solid like concrete(Terrazzo)?


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

oh'mike said:


> Does the base look like plastic or fiberglass? or is it solid like concrete(Terrazzo)?


 The base of the tub?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Yea,I need to know if you need a big hammer to crush the concrete base before you saws all the remaining drain parts out ---or a skill saw to cut up the fiberglass pan.


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

oh'mike said:


> Yea,I need to know if you need a big hammer to crush the concrete base before you saws all the remaining drain parts out ---or a skill saw to cut up the fiberglass pan.


I will need to do that just to remove it?


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

He needs to know if the base of the shower is basically (Concrete or Plastic).

Then he can tell you the method of removal.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Most shower drains are not designed to be removed---On The older ones the pan is sealed to the pipe with okum and molten lead--

The newer ones use a rubber dough nut-- hammered in between the pan and the pipe.

If you wanted to save the pan I suppose a person could work for a few hours and pick the seal out--
But to scrap the old thing it's easier to quickly destroy the pan --then SawsAll the remaining parts off the pipe.

I could have had that thing in the dumpster in less time than all of this typing has taken!!!!

---Mike----


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

Sometimes those drain nuts rust on so you can't get them off. I wonder if that's what he is trying to do. I wish I'd known years ago that I could just cut one fo those down the middle with a metal sawzall blade. We made do without a shower for a long time before I decided to just demo the whole thing and replace it.


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## 6ft3soldier (Mar 17, 2010)

kwikfishron said:


> He needs to know if the base of the shower is basically (Concrete or Plastic).
> 
> Then he can tell you the method of removal.


The base of the shower is plastic not concrete.


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