Retrofit Showers

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Author Message Don Harris CSI, CCS, CCCA, AIA Senior Member Username: don_harris Post Number: 183 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 10:21 am:    Existing building has fiberglass shower units that need to be retrofitted with blocking for grab bars. Anyone ever run into this before? Any suggestions other than removing and reinstalling the showers? Showers are mostly back to back, so we have considered through bolting something like TREX boards on the inside of the showers??? George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: geverding Post Number: 416 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 10:55 am:    Cut out one of the shower units and install the appropriate blocking within the wall framing, then patch the fiberglass back in. If you get a skilled technician, the fiberglass patch will be essentially invisible, assuming the color of the unit is fairly standard. At any rate, it has to look better than exposed trex board, and probably will be stronger as well. Nathan Woods, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: nwoods Post Number: 243 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Thursday, April 10, 2008 - 11:49 am:    I think the effort of patching the enclosure would be much slower and more expensive than simply removing the entire one peice enclosure. Remove two plumbing fittings, cut out the sealant bead at the perimeter, and yank it out with those big suction cup grips that glazers use. Most Lasco or Fibercare enclosures have molded in ribs for blocking to be installed prior to setting the enclosure. If your units have that, you are good to go. If not, I like George's idea of common wall blocking between the units.