Note: This is Teague’s second post in 2.5 years! Let’s all make him feel welcome, and maybe he’ll come share his how-to’s (which are much more thorough than mine, since he tends to lead the process while I follow along) more often! – Mindy

STEP ONE:

The first step to installing our free-standing chrome fixture (a Sunrise Specialty from Vintage Tub and Bath) and tub drain (Strom, also from VTB) was to rough-in the layout. This was done prior to finish materials,ie. flooring, walls, etc. After following the manufacturers schematics for rough-in dimensions and deciding on a final resting place for the clawfoot tub we were ready to run the hot/cold feeds and PVC drainage under the floor.

We used .5″ copper for water supply and 2″ PVC for drainage. 1.5″ PVC is enough to meet NY codes, but bumping it up to 2″ is a good idea for clog-free operation long-term. The chrome drain and overflow are only 1.5″ above the floor so our transition to 2″ is under the floor. This is achieved by using a 1.5″ to 2″ coupling. Once the under side of the floor was roughed-in, we could start making connections from the top side.

Our fixture is a free-standing model, meaning the water feeds come vertically through the floor and the faucet handles and spout do not connect into the tub. The entire fixture consisted of 6 sections.

STEP TWO:

Starting from the floor up I installed the .5″ threaded end of the mounting flange through the floor and made a tight connection to the copper feeds previously ran. This required 2 people, one under the floor holding the feeds and the other up in the bathroom to make the connections.

STEP THREE:

The second section you need to install is the multi-turn shut-off valves, hot/cold,which need to be in the same position for aesthetics and functionality. To achieve this, leave a section of copper under the floor un-soldered so the shut-offs can be rotated into position once the tight connections above the floor have been made. We did our soldering after connecting the arms to the risers (explained in step five).

STEP FOUR:

The next section to put together is the supply lines for the hot/cold feeds. Make a tight connection into the shut-off valves.

STEP FIVE:

Attach the arms that connect the supply lines to the faucet. These took some adjusting and teflon tape to make a tight and parallel connection. Once you’ve got that figured out, you can go ahead and solder the copper below the floor, making sure the shut-off handles line up the way you want them. This took two people as well; one above to hold the risers straight, and one below the floor to solder.

STEP SIX:

Make the connection from the end of the supply line arms to the faucet.

STEP SEVEN:

Next, you’ll attach the shower riser and mounting brackets. I measured and then cut the brackets to size using a pipe cutter. To keep your chrome clean, use painters tape on the “keeper” side to protect it while cutting.

We were surprised to find that the drywall anchors that came with the set were visible behind the bracket’s mounting plate. The screw holes are very close to the edge, so the plastic anchor is not hidden completely. We screwed into a stud and thus avoided using the plastic anchors. Not a huge deal, but worth noting.

STEP EIGHT:

Attach the shower head to the shower riser. Once you’ve got everything together, cross your fingers and test it out. Be sure to check each connection point for leaks.

Next up, I’ll explain how I installed the drain.