Installing an Ella One-Piece AcrylX Shower Stall: Alcove Prep, Drain Opening, Fastening and First Use

Installing an Ella one-piece shower stall means setting the AcrylX unit into a framed alcove that matches the rough-in diagram exactly, over a 6 inch floor opening for the 2 inch drain, and fastening it through its nailing flange at every stud and every 8 inches vertically. Because it is one piece, the unit has to be brought into the bathroom before the door framing is finished. This article covers the stall itself; shower kits, bases and the dam are covered in their own articles.

The Unit at a Glance

The current specification manual (dated July 2022) covers the 48 x 37 x 80 inch New Construction One-Piece Shower, model E-3648 LWH or RWH, handed by seat. It is fiberglass reinforced with AcrylX, white, with a 4 inch low threshold and a center drain. Net weight is 160 lbs; it ships in a 53 x 42 x 84 inch crate at 280 lbs. Two packages are listed, Basic and Liberty (the Liberty packages on Ella shower spec sheets are the ones that add stainless steel grab bars), and a 2 inch chrome strainer brass drain with friction seal is included. Every stall has Armorcore reinforced walls so grab bars can be added later without hunting for studs, a Grip Sure textured floor, molded soap, shampoo and foot ledges, and square corners at the base that accept a curtain or a framed or frameless door. Dimensions can vary by plus or minus 1/2 inch. Other one-piece sizes have appeared on earlier spec sheets; ask the team for the current sheet for the exact unit you are considering. The 60 x 33 inch unit with the molded seat is a three-piece shower and has its own installation article; the two are compared in Ella shower stalls compared.

Before You Start

1. Inspect the unit thoroughly. A damaged unit must never be installed; neither Ella's Bubbles nor the distributor covers removal or reinstallation if a damaged unit goes in. Report transit damage within 48 hours following the freight damage steps.
2. Get the unit into the bathroom before the door framing is complete, or leave studs out so it can pass.
3. Check the rough-in dimensions against the job: the alcove must be the size shown on the rough-in diagram, square and plumb, and the floor must be level.
4. Leave the blocks or legs under the unit in place; they are part of the support system. They do not have to touch the floor for an acceptable install, but if they do not, look for an out-of-level floor. No foundation material is required.
5. If a fire-rated alcove is required, the approved finish material must be in place before the unit goes in, and the finished alcove must still have the interior dimensions on the diagram.
6. Provide a 6 inch floor opening for the 2 inch IPS drain connection, located to match the stall's drain position. Keep supply lines and valve plumbing off the studs and out of the alcove, and keep the drain pipe below floor level until the unit is set.
7. Finish all plumbing to code, cover the unit's floor with cardboard to prevent scuffing, and fasten the drain fitting to the unit before setting it.

Watch: Pocket, Drain and Valve Checks on Video

This video shows a multi-piece low-threshold shower rather than the one-piece stall, but the parts that matter here are the same: checking the framing pocket for square, plumb and level with a plumb bob, sliding the base into the pocket, marking a threshold line, preparing the 2 inch drain body, and locating the valve and PEX supply before the wet wall closes. Watch it for those checks, then follow the one-piece steps below. Watch: Step-by-Step Low-Threshold Shower Installation for Remodeling with chapters and a full transcript.

Installation Steps

1. Confirm the framed alcove is the correct size, square and plumb (Diagram 1A in the instructions).
2. Measure the spout and valve locations from stable reference points such as the back wall studs and floor, and write them down. Mark the fittings on the unit and cut the openings with a fine-tooth or abrasive hole saw, drilling from the smooth inside face outward.
3. Set the unit into the framing with the drain fitting over the waste pipe and the skirt firmly on the floor. Make sure the waste pipe protrudes well into the drain fitting and the floor keeps its slope toward the drain.
4. Check for level.
5. Pre-drill pilot holes and fasten the nailing flange at every stud and every 8 inches vertically. For wood framing use 1 1/2 inch galvanized roofing nails or #10 x 1 1/2 inch self-tapping washer-head screws; for concrete or block, 1 inch concrete nails; for 18 gauge steel studs, drill the flange and stud with a 5/32 inch carbide bit and use #12 x 1 inch sheet metal screws.
6. Where the finished wall is anything other than cementitious backer board, add furring strips as thick as the nailing flange on the studs above the unit so the walls come out flush. Run 100 percent mildew-resistant silicone between the backer board and the horizontal surface of the unit, then apply the finished wall material.

Clean-Up and First Use

Leave the warranty and maintenance label on the unit for the owner. Remove all debris before the plumbing leak test, using a sponge with warm water and liquid detergent. Never use scouring powders, steel wool, metal scrapers or sandpaper. Plaster and latex paint come off with warm water and a plastic scraper; glues and tars with acetone or paint thinner, never turpentine or lacquer thinner. Dull spots and light scratches buff out with a light-colored automotive rubbing compound.

Care of the AcrylX Surface

• Clean with warm water and liquid detergent or non-abrasive cleaners made for fiberglass.
• Apply a good automotive paste wax and buff every six months. Never wax the textured floor.
• Restore scratches with automotive polishing compound, then re-wax.
• Remove adhesive with a citrus cleaner, or sparingly with acetone on a white cotton rag, keeping solvents out of the drain and away from pilot lights.
• Take rubber anti-skid mats out after each use, and wipe up hard water so colors do not fade.

Using cleaners other than those recommended can damage the surface and void the warranty. The wider care routine for stalls, gel coat units and SMC bases is in caring for Ella showers.

Doors and Enclosures

The square corners above the threshold accept a curtain or a framed or frameless door. Ella's Bubbles lists the Duo 55 by 70 framed sliding door for its 60 inch wide stalls, and other sliders in 48 and 60 inch widths; the sizes and adjustment ranges are in glass door and screen options. Never drill into a shower threshold for a door track.

Warranty and Codes

The specification manual lists a Lifetime Limited Residential Warranty and a 30 Year Commercial Warranty for the Ella's Bubbles shower stall. The unit meets UPC, CSA B45.5 and IAPMO Z124 requirements and is manufactured and assembled in the United States. The installation instructions are also published in Spanish and French. The published terms for stalls, doors and seats are gathered in warranty terms for showers, shower doors and accessories.

Related Guides

• Why the Three-Piece Shower Arrives as One Unit and Where the Shipping Bolts Are
• Will a One-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorways? The 33-Inch Clearance Rule and New Construction
• Does the Ella Shower Stall Come With a Door, and What Size Door Fits the Opening?
• Installation Instructions and Spec Drawings for One-Piece and Multi-Piece Shower Units
• The 24 Inch Grab Bar Does Not Fit the Back Wall of My One-Piece Shower
• Shower Stall Shims Are Not Included: What Size to Make and How to Level the Base

Common Questions

For anything specific to your unit or configuration, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support.