How to Add a Shower to a Claw-Foot Tub | Ask This Old House
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ธ.ค. 2024
- Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner add a shower to a freestanding tub. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey outfits an old standalone tub with a new showerhead.
Cost: About $200 to $400
Time: 2 to 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate. There are a surprising number of parts that must be assembled
Shopping List for How to Add a Shower to a Claw-Foot Tub:
Chrome-plated tub-and-shower kit, including shower-curtain ring
Copper pipe and assorted fittings
Emery cloth, to clean copper pipe
Lead-free solder and flux, for soldering copper pipe and fittings
Teflon tape, to create a watertight seal on threaded fittings
PVC primer and cement, for adhering plastic pipe and fittings
Plumber's putty, to create a watertight seal at tub drain[BR][BR]
Shower curtain and rings
Tools for How to Add a Shower to a Claw-Foot Tub:
Locking pliers
Close-quarter tubing cutter, to cut copper pipe
Pipe brush, to clean copper pipe
Propane torch, for soldering
Adjustable wrench, for tightening threaded fittings
PVC handsaw, to cut plastic pipe
Level, for plumbing up the shower arm
Cordless drill
Steps for How to Add a Shower to a Claw-Foot Tub:
1. Turn off the water to the bathroom at the water main or well pump.
2. Use an emery cloth to buff clean the two water-supply pipes protruding from the floor.
3. Gently pull up on the hot-water supply pipe, then clamp locking pliers onto the pipe to hold it in position. Repeat for the cold-water pipe.
4. Cut both pipes to length with a close-quarter tubing cutter.
5. Use a pipe brush to clean the inside of a copper male adapter.
6. Apply flux to the inside of the adapter and to the outside of the hot-water supply pipe.
7. Press the adapter onto the end of the pipe, then use a propane torch and lead-free solder to solder the adapter to the pipe. Repeat to solder an adapter onto the cold-water pipe.
8. Wrap the threaded portion of each adapter with Teflon tape.
9. Slide an escutcheon over each pipe, then tighten a valve onto each adapter with an adjustable wrench. Release the locking pliers.
10. Turn the water back on and check for leaks.
11. Use a PVC handsaw to cut the plastic drainpipe slightly below the surface of the finished floor.
12. Adhere a PVC fitting onto the end of the drainpipe with PVC primer and cement.
13. Set the chrome-plated escutcheon over the fitting.
14. Wrap a rope of plumber's putty around the threaded portion of the tub's drain fitting.
15. Assemble and connect the tub's drainpipe and overflow tube.
16. Install the new faucet to the tub wall, then connect both the hot- and cold-water supply pipes.
17. Tighten the showerhead onto the shower arm, then mount the shower arm to the tub faucet.
18. Attach an adjustable ceiling bracket to the shower arm.
19. Use a level to hold the shower arm perfectly plumb (vertical), then screw the bracket to the ceiling.
20. Connect the shower-curtain ring to the shower arm, then suspend the ring from the ceiling with vertical supports.
21. Install a shower curtain to the ring.
22. Attach a handheld showerhead to the tub faucet.
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How to Add a Shower to a Claw-Foot Tub | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse
Why am I watching this? Its 1am and I don't have a claw-foot tub lol
matthew9631
You don’t want to
matthew9631
Hehe... Well why are you up at midnight?
Bandito Rules
Cool avatar pic
Shepherd Wolf VGCPE, UTTPH & AKKTK
What can say 👍 U2
Bandito Rules
Your welcome I guess. I didn't understand
Lived in a house for a couple years that was built in 1857 and had one of these combos which was original to the house. Nothing like being wrapped in a shower curtain trying to get clean. It's like a rare earth magnet, all it did was stick to me. I'm a carpenter by trade and it cracks me up how people love these types of things.
That's why u need heavy curtains with magnets.
That’s why I DEMAND YOU to leave the carpentry business.
Same. Showered in one of these for 20 years and the curtain stuck to me like Saran Wrap, even with magnets. Looks cool and vintage and great for a bath, terrible for showers.
LOL! Still chuckling, haha
you silly goose. you forgot to order the heavy silicone magnets off of amazon for the inside of the curtain, to pin it to the tub. plus 2 pairs on the bottom of the curtain that you move back and forth. :) $20 solution to a beautiful tub for someone who goes 0-100 irate if a shower curtain even THINKS about fluttering up towards me.
I have been wanting to do this to my 119 year old claw tub in my 119 year old childhood house. My hubby is just as excited as I'am. Can't wait.
Lol at Richard nicking the escutcheon with the saw.
When Rich said "alright now try-out your new shower" I thought for just a second he wanted to see this lady in the shower.
Thats only on the bonus dvd collection
He definitely smashed
She was down
@@BobBob-we3wr I'd buy that for a dollar!
You know, haven’t seen this one in a while and I gotta say, ...... nah. I am a gentleman. It is only about the work.
Just remember to put the shower curtain inside the tube when you're using the shower or there goes your hardwood floor.
pine floor
@Smarter Than You
He meant to say tub
@Smarter Than You "That's what she said".
I am a heating engineer/plumber in the UK and find it fascinating to see the sometimes subtle or substantial differences between the UK and USA
EXPLAIN pls
@@deeRay7292 Well, for one thing they don't have showers in the UK.
@Smarter Than You I'd say 90% of the time Americans only take a shower, bathing is a past time only some people enjoy.
And what might those be ?
Diego Raya Europe is way ahead of the USA in plumbing and electrical. Way ahead.
this guy loves his plumbers putty!!!
harrison herring old school
It is his best "Mait".
Rightfully so.
Jason C. No reason at all to use that much
KelMaster Construction I understand, use it daily. Still just overdoing it
Most master bathrooms have a HUGE deep soaker tub and a separate glass enclosed shower, but given that this is a vintage house and doesn't have the room for that, this is a perfect and beautiful solution for the elegant Master Bathroom. :)
I do have a soft spot for the exposed free standing external shower pipes with beautiful sun flower shower heads. :)
you'd put the chrome fittings on after you've sawn the pipes!
I was thinking the same. That way you don't nick or scratch the chrome.
I agree. All that chrome is super expensive.
I would have paid cardboard on the floor and taped everything.
That’s a little bit of putty like how the Hoover Dam is a little bit of concrete
I know he’s not actually wasting any because it’s squeezes out but it’s still annoying how he apples it
1:43 the tub looks terrified.
ha ha
5:30
Richard: Alright time to fill the holes
Shower: o o
O
Never seen vise grips used like that. Nice tip Richard!
Works good for PEX as well, especially inside the wall on retrofit. Just have to remember only tight enough to hold, not squeeze.
Richard sure makes it all look so easy. I suppose that it is a lot easier when you know what you are doing.
LK Campbell Anyone with a bit of life experience knows that it's not easy. Doing this for your first time, you know that you'll mess up at some details. Especially the sawing of that PVC pipe was dodgy.. Not to scratch the floor or those bits of chrome next to it, or losing the PVC pipe when it gets sawed through.
LK Campbell
Everything is staged first
very nice the shower close to the lamp on the roof , unbelievable
6:50 That's great!
BECAUSE YOU WANT A CLAWFOOT TUB!
I woke up one morning and searched for a second hand clawfoot; right out of the blue. Now I'm looking for interesting plumbing fixture ideas😅
I had used one of these at a B&B once , When you put the shower curtain inside the tub there is very little room to move around without the curtain sticking to your body. It does the job but it tends to be more frustrating than it's worth.
Bath tub experience great, shower not so great... take your flex... as rare as one uses a bathtub one might want the shower experience to be better but on the other hand a great bath tub experience is where the magic really happens!
Always the best case scenario for this plumber..
scary thing to have a shower on wood floors
@Scott Summers nope, concrete
These types of setups are nice, but why would you put finishing caps on before cutting the pipe?
One got dented in the end, when sawing the last part of the pipe. :'(
Mimmo Barba I imagine so
Yeah it chipped a piece of it
Richard - come on girly get inside the tub 😌😌
Could you please tell me where you ordered the adjustable ceiling bracket from? I need this exact piece of hardware and cannot find it anywhere. I see a few others have asked this question as well. Help us please and Thank you!
I am installing this exact feature into my home; and seeing as I abhor plumbing this video was right on time! Thank you.
Tyg Rahof do you know the name of the fixture? I would like one for my tub thanks!
goodfella19134 Any good plumbing store; NOT Home Depot or Lowes; can get you the fixtures and specific drain for a claw foot tub. Measure the distance between the tub holes; usually 4 inches and drain hole to tub end for the drain and overflow piping. I wouldn't scrimp here either. Drain should be brass or chrome plated brass, no plastic anything. You can also get risers; the pipe from the hot/cold spigots to the shower head with the curtain ring assembly. Comes all together in a kit. Can put it together yourself but it is a pain; have patients.
Not specifically but talking to them about what you need; they will know. Usually it is just spigots for a tub.
Which store and brand would you recommend. Thank you!
3 years later how is v everything look? including your floors? please update
I wish they would mention manufacturers of this stuff.
He makes it look so easy.
Good to see Tommy gets the good tools and the other guys get the outdated dewalt.
Installing the shower rod hoop would be nice
Where do you find ,ore ceiling supports. The one installed in my hour are not well attached so the whole chrome apparatus sometimes falls WHILE im in the shower.
what are those clamps called that attach it to the ceiling?
i need 2.
I would like to do this, but what about code and scald guard?
These videos interest me so much, great work!
and how does a “sleeping porch” have a perfect set up with hot and cold and a drain ready for install?
The window can no longer be opened, great job :)
I would like to buy this exact same shower kit. What is the name of this one? And I need the part that keeps the showerhead stable to go in the ceiling just like he doing it on here.
Me too!!! Did you ever find it??
Same, so that is 3 of use...anyone one knows where I can find the kit?
if you have one of these you need to shorten the curtain so it stays in the tub without being annoying.
i have a clawfoot shower conversion, and it was annoying to use before i shortened the curtain. now it's pretty good.
where's the shopping list? need the faucet. mines's worn out.
1:38 “that’s beautiful”
My kids would clean the whole bathroom with that hand shawer.
Extremely specialized niche. Not everyone has a room like this
QUESTION- Could you have installed the soaker tub closer to the shower head wall to accommodate a shorter faucet instead of using the pot filler?
The old saying is that "the plumber gets to give the first shower" !
Cool
I need to replace just the hose on my Victorian handheld faucet. What size do I need???
what is the name of the tub and shower kit and where can i get it from!?
I love these old claw foot tubs.
What is the size of water supply inlets ? Can I use regular flex water supplies ?
I myself would leave the cooper unpainted and have it a natural cooper color though the whole system
I am installing one just like this. Where can I order these fittings?
The biggest shortcoming of all these episodes is that none of them show you the finished project, for more than one second, before the episode ends. In this instance, it would have helped to show how the new tub looks from all angles of the room, rather than just showing a cropped video of the faucet.
George X this is a real show they only post clips like every other show that has a youtube channel
how do we turn the hand shower on
kurt cummins there’s a button
@@ratcoon917 yep there's a button that's meant for.
We are about to add a shower to our claw foot tub and this video was a great demonstration. I am wondering what brand of pipe cutter would you recommend? They vary substantially in price from what I've seen. Thanks!
I'm about to do the same, can you tell me where you bought your shower kit?
Now I need to cut this pipe without scratching the floor. Cuts pipe and throws saw and pliers on floor lmao
Why not put a piece of cardboard or wood under the saw?
How would I totally get rid of the claw foot tub and replace with walk in shower?
@thisoldhouse can you help me find the supplier of the tub hardware? I have the exact same tub and issue with where to attach the shower ring, yet I cannot find these exact supplies in my online research. Thank you!
Kudos for this guy, is really good and on point.👍
me watching remodeling videos when I am supposed to paint the bathroom only
What would an installation like this cost?
Might first want to check if that floor can support the added weight other wise she's going to be taking a bath/shower in the living room
what is this elbow brace converter called?
Wonder how this jobs are plan and who paid for the service ? Nice tub !!
son muy buenos sus videos .gracias por la enseñansa sobre el trabajo..
"you have a shower" "weoeoeoeow" This made my day
Hi where is this shower kit from I'm been looking but cant find one with everything
NurseT hey amazon this. My PlumbingStuff RX2300J JUMBO Clawfoot Tub Add-a-Shower - 60” D-Style Shower Rod with Shower Rings - JUMBO Chrome-Bell Showerhead - B3100 Ball-Valve Technology - 12 Shower-Curtain Rings. You can find them if you search for claw foot tub fixtures 🙂
I have a jacuzzi tub. I have an angled ceiling above the tub following the dropping angle of the roof. There is room to install a shower but it is somewhat tight. I would like to install something similar to this however I already have a tub spout that is deck mounted. So I would like to splice onto the hot and cold and run a shower with a handheld coming out of the wall at the meeting place of the ceiling and the wall going to the center of the ceiling above the tub. I also need one of those large oval shower curtains. I wish This Old House will take a look at what I've got and give me some tips.
SERIOUS QUESTION... Is that up to code having that hanging light fixture that close to the shower head?
yes but if it where my house it wld be one of the few lights on a gfci/rcd
were can i purches the part that holds the shower head??????plz help
Hiya!!!!! Welcome Claw-Foot-Bath-Tub-Shower-Oyster
There is a drip coming from the pipe connecting my shower outside the clawfut tub. I can't describe it verbally. I don't know exactly where the leak is coming from. Does anyone have a diagram of this tub and shower set up? Very hard to get to space between tub and wall. help!
Where can I find the ceiling mount support elbow connection piece that supports both the curtain rod & the shower head shown in this video???
Asking the same question. Did you ever find out?
It’s two split rings back to back with a rod and a 90.
Search around. I got mine here www.vintagetub.com
Why did I get excited when he told her to try it out?
my over flow preventer is covered. I live dangerously
The real question is, why would you want to? With the side sloped towards the center and the back sloped towards the front. They are uncomfortable and super slippery to stand in.
You can put non slip pad or something in it.
Ok, so, the part starting at 6:00 where he mounts it to the ceiling... How do I make this more secure? Mine keeps unscrewing from the ceiling. One day my son was showering, stepped on the curtain and that whole dang thing fell OFF the ceiling 😂Looks to me its mounted into drywall ceiling, its not going to hold. I went and bought some Molly Bolts to replace the screws placement, but is there anything else I can do to keep this freaking curtain holder IN the ceiling? Thanks!
you're going to need to install wood blocking in the attic. between the ceiling joists then get longer screws to go into the blocking
This little th-cam.com/users/postUgkxVoi3B4CB6Oygq1-vo4OTL1M_M5JkrXif tub works perfect in our 6 x 6 shower and is easy to get in and out. Also easy to drain.
It’s a beautiful bathroom but a wooden floor like that seems incredibly impractical.
A friend recently asked if I could do this for her. How much should I charge her to convert to this same scenario? Including supplies?
Bro I'm a plumber just charge her the parts Plus ten percent on them and then I'd say 1200 to 2400 on the installing just depends on the person the area how much money they are Willing to spend but yea at least 1200 min try to get 1600 or 1800 if you can try to tell her that job for a Plumbing company to do is over 2500$$$$$$
@@larrymartinez2332 Thank you bro! I honestly needed a firm visualization of what I think I should charge! I appreciate it!
If it's just a friend then you should ask her to buy the parts and do it for a case of beers or a pizza.
"Friend" "her"
The answer is obvious. You tell her the payment is a steamy shower together when it is done! Not even joking here. It is a ling standing and fair trade.
So interesting
I would have cut the PVC first.
I was thinking that, but maybe once you have enough experience and skills it doesn't matter.
Oh so an "overflow" keeps water from overflowing the tub?! Wow, great to know! Thanks!
She's 🔥!!
I need help. I am a renter and I have this type of clawfooy tub
the shower arm is thinner than most shower arms. I bought a shower spa set, however, they are too big to attach to the shower arm. what do I need to get so I ca use my modern shower spa and change the shower head! I cant find a video on this!
See if you can get the size (diameter) of the shower arm. If not, trace it onto a post-it or something, then take it to ace hardware, or home depot or lowes and just ask someone in the plumbing department. It shouldn't be more than a buck or two for an adapter fitting. Be sure to use teflon tape on the male threads on both the adapter and your shower head. Good luck!
Vampi yours is 3/8 You need 1/2
don't understand putting a shower on a wooden floor ? how is that ?
I would have been prudent to cut the pvc drain pipe before installing the chrome supply valves as one slip of that saw blade and the new becomes the old with scratches!.,
why chrome it can be copper bud or even plex
Anyone think it doesn’t really look right in that room? I get keeping the appearance with the style of the house but....I dunno... appreciate the skill involved here don’t get me wrong.
is he not looking for electrical instalation close to the tub , so the lady got not electrocuted ?
hopefully somebody checked to see if that floor could support that tub
Great Video! Question. How does the water come out of the hand held sprayer if there are only two options?
There seems to be one option between the up and down position, horizontally if you prefer.
I'd hope it's just a trigger mechanism like a sink sprayer. anything else would IMO be crazy.
Ah the classic 'there's a few more things we've added'.. Just to make the bill just that little more.
beautiful
Why didn't you use putty on over flow ,like you did on the drain?
because its an overflow.
overflows still leak if no putty is added...
It has a rubber gasket on the back side
Joe Alvarado they can still leak after a while
You need putty so the drain sits snug in the little depression below the tub floor. A rubber washer will put the drain to high and water will pool around drain. Rubber or foam washer is best for the outside
3:07 that's a wack solder job. Plus he just did it over finished flooring without any covering or protection
I live in an oldish apartment & it has a small cramped bathroom with a tub like this. I HATE IT SO MUCH!!! I need 3 shower curtains to wrap around it to keep the water in & due to air flow the curtains suck in & stick to the person showering. It is awful!
Where can I find a kit like that?
no tape on water connections? 5:43
Isnt that the claw tub that was used to kidnap Sandy Claws from Nightmare Before Christmas?
That’s dope.
Very convenient that neither pipe is secured to anything and just free flows in the floor space.....
I'l bet that room gets freezing in the winter. Have fun taking a shower!
Couldn't you tell from her voice that she's from Down South?
It's not as bad as you think. I've taken showers in outdoor campground showers at night when it's like 38 degrees. As long as the water is hot you are fine and afterwards (assuming you take a decent length shower) your body has been warmed up enough to give you plenty of time to get dried off and dressed.
Why are all these pipes made out of copper they are not insulated anyways?
momo rain you can insulate copper pipe but generally everything has been copper for a while because it’s cheap and effective as a potable water supply line. I think recently it’s been getting replaced by pvc and pex.