Installing the 60 x 33 Three-Piece Low-Threshold Shower With Molded Seat (Liberty 24 and 36)

Three-piece shower installation for the 60 x 33 inch low-threshold unit with molded seat needs a framing pocket 60 to 60 1/4 inches wide and 33 1/4 inches deep; the base is leveled, shimmed and screwed to the studs before either wall goes on, the seat-side wall goes in first and the valve wall last, and the drain and all seams are checked before the wallboard closes the plumbing in. This article follows the owner's manual for the 3P unit. The one-piece stall is covered in installing the one-piece shower stall, the multi-piece gel coat units in installing the multi-piece gel coat showers, and the printed sizes of both stall types side by side in one-piece versus three-piece shower specs.

The Unit at a Glance

• Model numbers E-6033-3PLWH24SS and E-6033-3PRWH24SS (Liberty 24, left or right seat), with Liberty 36 grab bar and Basic variants also listed. The manual cover reads 6032 SH 1S 3P.
• Outside dimensions 33 inches wide by 60 inches long by 77 inches high; seat 22 inches wide by 18 1/2 inches deep by 21 inches high; threshold 4 inches.
• Base 33 x 60 x 28 inches; each side wall panel 33 x 30 x 49 inches.
• Net weight 175 lbs; shipping 60 x 48 x 72 inches at 325 lbs.
• Liberty 24 includes three 24 inch fine-finished stainless steel grab bars; a 2 inch chrome strainer brass drain with friction seal is included. Flange trim and multi-piece window trim kits are available through the team at (800) 480-6850.
• Applied acrylic finish with a 6 inch tile pattern and diamond accent, Armorcore reinforced walls, pin-lock wall assembly, self-supporting pre-leveled base (no mud set), Grip Sure floor. The spec sheet lists a 30 year limited lifetime warranty on the shower panels.

Before the Truck Leaves

The unit ships as three large pieces, so inspect every carton with the driver present and note any damage on the bill of lading before signing; if you cannot open the packaging on the spot, sign "subject to further inspection." Photograph anything you find and report it the same day; see the 48 hour freight damage window.

Framing and Floor

1. Remove the old tub. The shower is 77 inches tall, so remove wallboard on all three walls to at least that height.
2. Frame the pocket to 60 inches minimum and 60 1/4 inches maximum wide by 33 1/4 inches deep, square and plumb. Expect to adjust: a plumb bob and level usually show that studs are not perfectly straight, and notching a stud or shimming the pan is common.
3. The floor must be clean, solid and level. Box out a 6 x 6 inch core in the subfloor around the drain location and relocate the floor drain if needed.

Dry-Fit First

Watch: Step-by-Step Low-Threshold Shower Installation for Remodeling with chapters and a full transcript.

The video is the visual companion to the manual and starts where the manual does: dry-assemble the three pieces in an open space before demolition, confirm the panels, drain location and fit, check that the gaps are even (the front corners may pull inward up to 1/2 inch, which is normal), and photograph the assembly as a time-stamped record. It then shows the pocket being checked for square, plumb and level with a plumb bob, the base slid in on short lengths of 1/2 inch PVC pipe used as rails, temporary leveling and a single screw at a center stud, a line marked at the front of the threshold, and the base pulled back out so the 2 inch drain body can be set in plumber's putty with the pipe left 2 to 4 inches proud for trimming. It closes on the base's built-in back support leg, which must make solid contact with the subfloor, and lines of silicone adhesive at least 1 inch tall laid on the floor so the pan is supported and adhered when it is set for good.

Base Installation

1. Install the drain fitting to the drain manufacturer's instructions and protect the floor and seat with cardboard.
2. Place the provided wood shims under the back edge of the base. If there is no rear access, pour thin-set mortar at least 1 inch high directly under the support leg instead. Do not step into the shower until it is leveled and screwed off.
3. Slide the base in without dragging it over the drain fitting. Level it, mark the studs at the flange, drill 1/8 inch countersunk pilot holes and fasten with 6D galvanized screws, snug to the surface but not tight enough to crack the flange. Recheck level as you go.
4. Glue or nail the shims to the subfloor so they cannot move. Confirm the base is level, secured to all three walls, the support leg touches the floor and the floor slopes to the drain, then finish the drain connection.

Walls: Seat Wall First, Valve Wall Last

1. Dry-fit the seat wall onto the alignment pin at the center of the back wall. The center grout lines of base and wall should meet with an even gap; a larger gap in a corner means the base is not level or the stud is not plumb.
2. Dry-fit the valve wall, then remove both panels.
3. Run 100 percent clear silicone on the base from the front corner to the center line, set the seat wall, and screw its flanges to the studs with flat-head screws, shimming so the panel is drawn evenly to the wall.
4. Mount the valve on the stud wall, transfer its location to the valve wall panel, tape the surface and cut the hole, then trial fit.
5. Remove the valve wall, run an unbroken bead of silicone along the center seam and around the pins, angle the wall to engage the center seam pins, rotate it past the valve and push the seam together hand tight. Wipe excess.
6. Mark flange holes at each stud (16 inches on center) and every 8 inches along the vertical front flanges, drill 1/8 inch holes and fasten with 6D screws, shimming where needed.
7. Finish all seams with premium color-matched caulk, install the valve trim, and do not use the shower until the caulk has cured per its instructions.

A Second Walkthrough with the Extra Checks

Watch: Barrier-Free 5-Piece Low-Threshold Shower Installation u2013 Complete Tutorial with chapters and a full transcript.

This longer tutorial uses the same pin-and-slot method on a multi-piece unit and adds the details installers ask about most: sweep the pocket clean, because even a pebble under the pan changes the draft to the drain; brace the pan near the drain for about four hours after it is set in silicone, or weigh it with water-filled 5 gallon buckets; floors more than 3/16 inch out of level need a rapid-set modified thinset; check the steel rod supports inside each panel before drilling the valve hole; loop the PEX so it cannot kink and test the valve over a bucket before the valve wall goes on; then caulk the 1/8 inch seam gaps and cut the drywall 1 inch beyond the nailing flange.

Doors, Grab Bars and Finishing

The square corners above the threshold accept a curtain or a framed sliding door; the Duo 55 x 70 framed slider is the one commonly paired with this 60 inch stall, and its steps are in installing framed sliding doors and the Tidy screen. The three grab bars mount to the Armorcore reinforced walls; the manual and the envelope packed with the unit give their positions, and the general rules for wall-mounted bars are in grab bars included and add-on.

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
• How Much Weight Can the Molded Shower Seat and Shower Base Hold?
• Installation Instructions and Spec Drawings for One-Piece and Multi-Piece Shower Units
• Installing the Freedom 3-Piece Shower Stall Over Existing Drywall
• What Is the Hole at the Edge of My Shower Wall Panel and How Do I Close It?

If your unit arrived without shim blocks, or you want the recommended shim size and a shims-versus-mortar explanation for the low-threshold stalls, see shower stall shims are not included: what size to make and how to level the base.

Common Questions

For anything specific to your model, serial number or order, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support.