How do you fit and install a walk-in shower base and walls?

Fitting a walk-in shower starts with three measurements: the opening where the shower will sit, the height from the base to the ceiling, and the narrowest doorway or hallway on the path into the bathroom. From those figures you choose a base size and threshold, set the drain location before the base is built, and pick a wall system, and then a licensed local contractor sets the base and finishes the walls, because Ella's Bubbles does not send installers. Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit lists the standard footprints, and this page walks through the decisions in the order you make them.

Step 1: Measure the Opening and the Path in

Measure the width, length and height of the existing tub or shower alcove, and measure the width of any doorway the unit has to pass through. If the shower is replacing a bathtub in the classic three-wall opening, take the wall-to-wall width at both the back and the front, since the two are not always the same; What Is an Alcove Installation for a Walk-In Tub? explains that most bathrooms were framed around a 60 inch opening.

The path into the house is the measurement people forget. A one-piece Ella shower arrives as a single molded unit and needs at least 33 inches of clear opening at every doorway and hallway between the delivery point and the bathroom. Measure the narrowest point of every exterior door, interior door, hallway and stairway, because one tight spot is enough to stop the unit. That is why the one-piece stall is intended mostly for new construction, where it can be set before the framing and doors are finished. If your home is already built and the openings are narrower, compare the three-piece stall, which ships as separate sections. Will a One-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorways? covers the clearance check and the confirmation call the team makes before a one-piece order goes to production.

Step 2: Choose the Base and the Threshold

The base decides the entry height and the footprint, so settle it first. Ella's options include:

• A 32 by 60 inch barrier-free roll-in base with a low threshold, in left and right side configurations.
• A 3-inch step-in threshold base for anyone who prefers a slightly raised edge.
• Wheelchair rolling shower bases for accessible installations.
• SMC seamless showers.
• Custom bases built to specific dimensions, such as a 36 by 36 inch corner base.

A custom base is built with the drain placed to your exact measurements, for example 9 and 5/8 inches from each of two adjacent walls, so measure from the existing floor drain to the two nearest walls before you order. The online drain-placement tool can round measurements up to the nearest inch, so confirm the exact drain location with the team at (800) 480-6850 before the base is built. A base whose drain lands over the floor opening is the single biggest factor in a clean installation.

The video on this page shows Ella's cultured marble shower bases, which come in three sizes. They are molded solid cultured marble with a glossy gel coat finish and an ADA compliant slip-resistant textured floor. Unlike lightweight acrylic bases they are heavy, and Ella states they need at least two people to install, so plan the labor accordingly. The full range of base styles and threshold heights is compared in Shower Bases, Walls, and Filler Pieces.

Step 3: Choose the Walls and Check the Ceiling Height

Each wall kit is built for a specific footprint, so measure the alcove width, the depth, and the height from the base rim to the ceiling before choosing one. The acrylic 6-piece kit in Carrara White covers a 36 by 60 inch alcove to a finished height of 92 inches, with 1/8 inch thick panels and storage shelves on the left side. The solid white glossy 3-piece surround is larger, at 40 inches deep by 60 inches wide and 97 inches tall, with a 1-inch bend at each panel edge, so confirm both the ceiling height and the alcove depth before choosing it. Three-piece acrylic wall systems also come in white, CNC and digital print finishes with ADA accessories, and large panels are offered, including 98 by 60 inch back walls and 36 to 38 by 96 to 98 inch side walls. SMC subway-tile-look kits come in 6-piece or 12-piece form at 36 by 60 by 96 inches.

Ella's cultured marble travertine surround is the option with the most forgiving installation. Those panels are a natural quartz and granite composite with a gel coat surface, come as eight, six or four panel surrounds that one person can carry, and can be glued over drywall, plaster, painted walls, Durock or existing tile. Their edges are factory finished for seamless joining but can be trimmed for a custom fit. If your space is larger or smaller than a kit, give the team your measurements; Where can I buy acrylic shower wall panels for my Ella bathroom? compares the formats.

Step 4: Close the Gaps and Finish the Opening

Openings are rarely a perfect match for a standard base. Ella offers an 8 inch wide L-shaped filler piece to close a gap between a shower base and an adjoining wall or fixture. It is plastic, ships with brackets for installation, and can be trimmed down if it is too large for the space. For questions about ordering an additional filler piece, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, or check where you purchased your order.

Delivery Day and the Installation

Ella showers are built to order, and the team can confirm current timing for your specific order. If you bought through a retailer, the retailer sends your tracking once the unit ships, and the freight carrier then calls to schedule a delivery appointment, so someone needs to be available to receive it. Inspect the unit on arrival, keep all packaging material, and report any shipping damage right away to where you purchased.

The hands-on work is done by a licensed local plumber or contractor, not by Ella. Have the base, the walls and any filler piece on site before the day starts, confirm that the base drain lines up with the floor drain you measured, and bring a second person for a cultured marble base. Any question that comes up during the work can go to the team at (800) 480-6850 or through ellasbubbles.com/support.

Watch: Cultured Marble Reversible Shower Base with Low Threshold for Safer Bathing | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• What the Ella Acrylic Shower Base Is Made Of and How It Is Installed
• How do you install a shower wall panel kit from Ella's Bubbles?
• Installing Ella Shower Bases, the Flexible Shower Dam, and Shower Walls

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