What to Expect During Your Tub-to-Shower Conversion

Last Updated on April 25, 2018

Are you ready for a spa-like experience in your home? Who isn’t, right? Then it may be time to ditch your tub and convert it into a spacious walk-in shower. Today’s homeowners are soaking up the idea of tub-to-shower conversions as this new trend is bringing an oasis of luxury to bathrooms across the country.

Whether you’re looking to make your shower more accessible, or you don’t have a need for your bathtub anymore, Granite Trend Transformations offers you the option to go with a curbless or curbed tub-to-shower conversion.

The Benefits of Tub-to-Shower Conversions

A tub-to-shower conversion can bring you a host of benefits you’ll enjoy for years to come. Here are some of them:

• Bathroom will appear larger – Without the tub in the way, your bathroom floor will have a better flow, creating a seamless look to make your bathroom appear larger.
• Improves accessibility – A curbless shower accommodates the needs and abilities of everyone in your home by offering a safe way to enter a tub, without the need to climb into it.
• Easier to clean – Tubs have a lot of nooks and crevices where mold and mildew can grow, which makes cleaning a hassle. Walk-in showers are more streamlined, making them easier to clean.
• Keeps water down the drain – No more standing water. Curbless shower floors are sloped toward the drain, typically on one end of the shower floor to send water down the drain and away from the bathroom. Just be sure to position the shower head so the water stays within the splash zone.
• Seamless design – Eliminating the tub gives your bathroom those clean lines you’ve always wanted. Plus, it makes your bathroom appear light, airy, and less cluttered.

Tub-to-Shower Conversion Process

Are you considering a tub-to-shower conversion in your home? Read on to understand what it takes to get it done.

First, you will need to:

• Choose if you’d prefer a curbed or curbless shower
• Select your materials – which quartz, recycled glass or granite you’d like for the walls, along with any mosaic tile for inlays, floor or detailing
• Choose the type of drain – linear* or circular

*When choosing to install a linear drain, you must decide on which waterproofing technique to use. The phase of installing a linear drain requires a masterful meeting of the minds, since different waterproofing techniques require different fabrications.

Below are the waterproofing options for linear drains:

• Traditional – Most plumbers prefer the traditional waterproofing technique that uses a PVC shower pan liner and clamping flange to connect to the waste line. This is the most predominant traditional technique used in the United States today. Other traditional techniques are more region-specific and include hot mopping (which is only used in California) and the use of lead and copper shower pans (which are found in the Northeast).
• Modern – Tile setters are big fans of modern waterproofing. There are two options to this technique: One uses a liquid membrane that dries into a hard surface and the other uses a pliable fabric sheet. Whichever option is used, tile setters love the convenience of tiling directly on top of the surface, which makes installation faster and easier.

When you choose Granite Trend Transformations for your tub-to-shower conversion, you can rest assured that the process will be done right – with gorgeous, high quality materials like quartz and recycled glass. You might think the process, with these materials, would cost more than an acrylic/plastic interior, but the cost difference is minimal.

Here’s the tub-to-shower conversion installation process in a nut shell.

The installation process can take up to a week, depending on the size and complexity of the job.

• A Granite Trend Transformations professional will come to your home to survey your bathroom
• Remove the existing tub
• Move plumbing (replace valves, move drain, etc.)
• Install tile-ready shower pan
• Install tile or stone surface over shower pan
• Install waterproofing system
• Install tile or stone over wall system
• Install shower door, if you choose

Step into a world of luxury and rejuvenation with a tub-to-shower conversation from Granite Trend Transformations. Contact us today to schedule your free in-home consultation to learn more.