Removing and fitting a new shower screen is a DIY task that can make a big difference within any bathroom or en-suite. In terms of its difficulty, there are some parts of the installation (such as drilling holes) that require extra thought but we would state that it’s doable for beginner DIY’ers. To give you an idea of what’s involved, below is our guide to fitting a new shower screen where we walk you through the entire process with photos of each step.
Types of Shower Screens
Depending upon the type of shower screen that you are installing will determine how you fit it. For example, if you are installing a shower screen for a bath, it’ll differ from installing a screen as part of a shower enclosure.
Within our tutorial, we fit a shower screen for a bath but the installation steps are very similar. Therefore, we recommend that you use our guide for the basics in order to gauge an idea to see if it’s a DIY task that you are confident in doing.
If you are yet to purchase a new shower screen for your bathroom, we recommend reading our roundup of the best rated showers screens on the market.
What You’ll Need
- Spirit level
- New shower screen
- Fitting hardware such as screws, wall plugs and screw covers (usually supplied in the box)
- Bathroom sealant
- Screwdriver
- Electric drill with drill bits
Removing An Old Shower Screen
To remove an old shower screen is relatively simple but again, it’ll depend upon the screen that’s installed. To begin, you’ll want to remove the screen from the metal wall channel because this will provide you with access to the screws.
After carefully removing the shower screen, proceed to loosening the screws and pulling away the wall channel. After the removal, you may need to scrape away the old sealant prior to fitting the new screen. You may also notice mould around the area but this can be easily removed using a mould remover. It’s also good practice to give the surface a deep clean before fitting the new shower screen because any dirt left behind may affect the application of new sealant.
How To Fit A Shower Screen
1. Position The Wall Channel
After removing and cleaning the area, you’ll want to position the metal wall channel upon the wall and use a spirit level to ensure that it’s upright at the highest point of the bath side. With the wall channel aligned, mark out the fixing holes on the wall and remove the wall channel from the wall ready to begin drilling into the markings.
2. Drill The Fixing Holes
Use your drill and a masonry bit to drill through the wall for the fixing points and then proceed to putting a wall plug into the hole.
With regards to the drill bit required, the shower screen that you are fitting will state the size in the instructions.
Whilst fitting this screen within our guide, we used a 6mm masonry drill bit but for certain wall structures, you may want to use an alternative method.
3. Apply Sealant Upon The Wall Channel
To maximise the chances of a watertight fit, you’ll want to apply sealant along the length of the wall or the channel.
We opted to run the sealant along the wall channel but its completely up to you with regards to how you do it.
However, we highly recommend using a high quality bathroom sealant for the application as this’ll avoid any issues in the future and increase the longevity of the seal.
4. Position & Screw The Wall Channel In Place
After applying sealant, you can then begin to position the wall channel in place and then install the fixing screws.
5. Put The Screen Into Position In The Channel
With the wall channel in place, you can fit the shower screen and adjust the position so that it’s level with the bath. It’s important to note that there should be a small gap between the screen and bath because this is where the seal will be installed to ensure that it’s watertight (as shown in step 7).
6. Drill Into The Frame & Channel
The next step of drilling through the frame and channel is often the hardest and you may require a second person to hold the screen. Depending upon the screen, most will require at least three fixing points to hold it securely. Therefore, using the required drill bit (will be stated in the instructions), drill through and install the supplied screws.
7. Install The Screw Covers
After screwing in the screws, you should also be supplied with covers to hide the screws as a nice finishing touch.
8. Install The Screen Seal
With the screen in place, push the seal through at the bottom and ensure there is no gaps between the seal and bath.
9. Apply Sealant On The Channel
Apply sealant along both sides of the wall channel and smoothen it with a wet finger or a dedicated sealant tool. Although you can get away with just sealing the inner side of the channel, we recommend doing both sides for peace of mind.
It’s important to note that you’ll want to allow the sealant at least 24 hours to cure before using the shower or bath.
10. Clean The Screen
After successfully fitting the shower screen, you may want to clean the glass of the screen as there will more than likely be fingerprint marks on it.
Conclusion
Fitting a new shower screen is relatively straightforward and certainly a DIY task that beginners can tackle. The only difficult part of the installation is drilling into the wall for the fixings but even if you do make a mistake, the wall channel will hide these mistakes. Therefore, with regards to the drilling, mark out the holes and take your time and it’ll be fine.
If you require further information with regards to fitting a new shower screen, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.
