Learn how to replace a shower valve and modernize your shower setup.
Time A full day
ComplexityIntermediate
CostMore than $200
Introduction
Our step-by-step shower valve replacement project shows you exactly how to swap those old double handles for a sleek single-handle valve.
One of the most common projects we get reader questions on is the process for switching from a two handle to single handle shower faucet. The sheer number of questions we get about this comes from the fact that most of these shower faucet projects are a little different depending on the construction of your house, with wall thickness, plumbing sizes and materials, and small differences between each shower valve manufacturer all playing into this.
That said, we still wanted to show the process so we built a shower wall to spec with plumbing and all to walk you through the shower valve replacement process.
Tools Required
- Caulk gun
- Oscillating multi-tool w/grout saw and cutting blade
- Pipe deburring tool / file / sandpaper
- Screwdrivers
- Tubing cutter
Materials Required
- 1-5/8" cement board screws
- Cement board
- Cement board waterproofing coating
- Ceramic tile
- Grout
- New shower valve
- Pipe fittings
- Shower faucet trim kit
- Silicone caulk
- Thread sealant or PTFE tape
Project step-by-step (7)
Layout your opening
Turn off the main water line, and open faucet handles to drain any excess water from the water lines.
Determine and lay out how much tile you need to cutout to give yourself enough space to cut and reconfigure the water lines for the new single-handle faucet. Plan to remove the tile along the grout lines and in a square or rectangular pattern, depending on the shower’s tile layout, so it will be easy to replace the backing board and tile when you are finished.
Cut the opening
Using a multi-tool with a grout saw attachment, remove the grout around the laid section of tile you are removing to get access. Then, switch to a cutting blade in the multi-tool to cut through the cement board behind the tile, accessing the wall cavity and pipes.
Gather the plumbing fittings
Determine the necessary pipe fittings to connect the two waterlines and make the connections to the single-handle shower valve. These fittings will depend on the type of pipes you have (PEX/copper), their diameter and how far apart they are in the wall cavity.
We needed two 1/2-in. 90° brass elbows, four 1/2-in. brass couplings, and two 1/2-in. x 1-1/2-in. brass nipples to expand the valve to fit our 8-inch wide water lines. We also need to add a copper female adapter and a small stub of 1/2-in. copper pipe on top of the valve to run to the shower.
Dry fit them together, without pipe thread sealant or PTFE tape and confirm the fittings work.
Connect the water lines
Disassemble the dry-fit fittings from the valve and reassemble them using pipe thread sealant or PTFE tape.
Hold the single-handle valve with attached fittings in place and mark the water lines and shower line where they need to be cut to make the attachments. We used SharkBite fittings for these attachments, which require 24mm (about 15/16-in.) of the pipe to be inserted into the fitting for the connection to work, so we cut the pipes that much longer.
Cut the water and shower lines with a tubing cutter, then remove the old valves. Ensure that the cut water and shower lines have a square cut on the ends, and then deburr them using a pipe deburring tool, file, or sandpaper to remove both the inner and outer burrs.
Secure the new shower valve to solid blocking between the studs using the valve’s mounting brackets. Then, push the cut water lines onto the sharkbite fittings to connect the lines.
Connect the shower line
With the water lines attached, move on to the shower line. Use a slip coupling with SharkBite fittings on each end. Again, ensure that you cut the shower pipe and stubbed-on copper pipe on top of the valve with sufficient room to slip the pipes 24mm into each side of the coupling.
Once the shower line is attached, ensure the valve is off and turn on the water to check for leaks. Let the connections sit under pressure for at least 20 minutes while inspecting all connection points before closing up the wall.
Repair the wall and tile
With the plumbing work complete, it’s time to patch up the hole in the wall.
Start by putting the insulation back in the wall cavity.
Cut a piece of cement board the size of the opening with a circle cutout for the valve. Some shower valves come with a plastic plaster ground piece that can be used to trace the cutout on the cement board. The face of the plaster ground, when attached to the shower valve, should be flush with the level of the finished tile.
Install the cement board to the wall framing using cement board screws. If there aren’t any studs in your cutout, scab a couple of pieces of 2x material in the wall cavity and use them to attach a replacement piece of cement board. Coat the cement board with a waterproofing coating.
After that, re-tile the cutout using matching tiles and grout the area.
Finishing touches
Finally, install the escutcheon plate and handle on the shower valve. Apply a bead of clear or white silicone caulk around the top half of the escutcheon plate, ensuring that water running down the shower wall does not get behind it.
FAQ
Are two-handle shower valves illegal?
Shower valves with two handles aren’t strictly illegal. They are, however, prohibited in new construction and remodeling in areas with modern plumbing codes because they do not provide built-in anti-scald protection.
Can I change the shower handle without changing the valve?
Yes, in most cases, you can replace the shower faucet trim and handle components without replacing the valve cartridge itself.
What causes a shower valve to go bad?
There are several reasons why shower valves wear out over time, including wear and tear from constant use, mineral buildup from hard water deposits, and corrosion of pipes and water heaters.
