PVC Primer & Cement (Type of cement depends on type of pipe)
Tools Needed
Tin Snips (to cut wire mesh)
Level
Basic Hand tools
Bucket (Mix Cement)
Hacksaw (cut Plastic pipe)
Saw / Grinder (Cut " Cement Board)
First remove the drywall around the base of the old pan. Remove drain cover. Under drain cover you will find thick rubber gasket around 2" pipe. Remove rubber gasket. Make sure that you remove all of the fasteners that are attaching the base to the wall.
Once you have removed the fiberglass pan you can cut the 2" waste pipe back to the height you need it. You want the new drain base to sit flat on the sub floor. Glue the shower drain onto the pipe and fasten to the floor. The type of solvent / glue depends on what type of pipe you are gluing (PVC, ABS, CPVS, ETC.).
Cut your 2x6 and double it up. Nail this into the wall framing. If the curb does not line up with a wall stud then you can add a reinforcement 2x4 perpendicular to the framing. Remove the top screws in the shower drain and separate the assembly so that you can install your pan liner. Lay out your pan liner so that it wraps up over the curb, and wraps at least 8" up the wall. Once you have your pan liner sitting how you want it. Cut a slot into the liner where the drain hole is, and carefully cut out the hole. Once the hole is cut out you can re- install the top of the drain assembly. Next you neatly fold the corners,(I do not recommend cutting & seaming). Keep the trimming to a minimum. Attach to the wall framing using 1 5/8" treated screws. Make sure to only use 1 screw per corner, and keep them as high as possible. Next cut and install your cement board to cover the wall at least 6" up the wall, and the whole curb. While we recommend that you use at cement board as your entire shower sheeting, a lot of people find it more cost effective to use drywall on the top portion of the shower.
Adjust your drain so that the top height is a minimum of 1" Next mark a level chalk line around the cement board at a 2-3" height. This will be the line you pour the cement to. Now cut and fit the wire mesh around the drain. You want to use this wire mesh to reinforce the cement. Once you have the wire mesh down you can mix your cement and begin pouring. I use 2.5 -3 60 pound bags of quick crete sand topping mix for a 3x3 shower area. Pour the cement into the shower base using a cement trowel to reach the desired height. Make sure you pour this base nice and uniform. The better job you do finishing the cement the easier it will be to install the tile.
