Putting a shower in a non-shower room

by Rebecca
(Racine, WI)

My boyfriend and I just purchased a home built in 1952 from his parents, and there is no shower in the home - only a bathtub. We don't want to get rid of the tub, but we would like to add a shower to the tub. How do we adjust the bathtub only plumbing to have a shower as well? Also, the bathroom walls are wooden shingles, so we need to get past that problem as well because the wood will rot if it gets wet. Help!

Rebecca - Thank you for submitting a Bathroom Shower How To question...


There are several options that you have to add a shower to your existing bathtub.

1 - You can add an add-on shower like the one shown below. This will connect to your existing plumbing without you having to plumb behind the wall....



2 - You can remove the shingles and the sheetrock around the shower, and re-plumb for a shower by adding a new faucet and pipes to the existing plumbing system.

If you shoose to go with option 1, you can put a good sealer on the wooden shingles - check with your local home improvement warehouse. Wooden shingles are made to go on the outside of houses, and they are exposed to weather there..... Also, be sure to invest in a good exhaust fan to remove the moisture from your bathroom.....

Good luck on your bathroom remodel!