Shower Wall Support?

[mpire]

So I'm throwing in a shower in the garage bonus room because, why not? I needed a toilet, but a shower isn't much extra work... at least I thought so.

I'm using a shower kit with vinyl walls, and the subfloor is open from the bottom so the drain/plumbing access is pretty simple.

Its going to be as small as I can make it, but I am trying to resolve the support wall of the shower enclosure.

I was leaving it open so light could get to the toilet area and going with a single light/vent kit in the center of the ceiling.

I'm concerned with the wall being wobbly, so the shower wall wouldn't be very rigid.

I was thinking I could stick a column and tie the front into the ceiling truss, or am I just worrying about nothing?

Would it be easier to close it up all the way to the ceiling and have no opening?

Don't want the wall to move and make the shower door not close correctly, but want to maximize the light in the "study" area.

 

[dcg9381]

Yea, walls framed like that are "wobbly" until you kick a perpendicular section at 90 degrees. You can't do that due to the toilet.
What I'd do in this case is frame tie into the exterior wall at the top of this shower. If you don't like the height, you might raise the total height of your shower wall and tie it in across the top.

Whatever you do, you have to brace the "pony wall" that you've built or it will wobble. You could do that across the top on the opposite side (toilet area?) of the shower too - you'll need it anyway if the toilet gets a door.

Sure, you can go into the ceiling and tie it there, but that seems harder.

 

[nadogail]

Tie the top of the wall to the overhead.

 

[Git]

^ This but I would try to make a 'feature' out of it. Maybe drop the ceiling down above the shower and add one of those big showerheads and maybe a vent. Something like this

 

[mpire]

^Something like this

That's a bit fancy for a garage shower isn't it? lol

 

[Bert_]

Just pull that last 2x4 and replace with one that runs floor to ceiling.

 

[Git]

It was just an example - how to solve your problem with the wobbly wall and actually make an improvement. It's something I would probably do if I was in your situation, but whatever

 

[dcg9381]

That's a bit fancy for a garage shower isn't it? lol

Mohen has "transfer valves" (under $100). You can do some really cool stuff with them that's pretty inexpensive.

 

[CraigStu]

I would just install 2 light units. Once you are above there to put the light/fan over the shower it would be maybe 30 minutes extra work to put a light (or light/fan) over the toilet. Then you can do whatever you want to close in and support that wall.

 

[mpire]

It was just an example - how to solve your problem with the wobbly wall and actually make an improvement. It's something I would probably do if I was in your situation, but whatever

Yeah, I'm probably following your lead. The thought of such a fancy shower would mean OTHER people would want to use it. lol

 

[planestrainsandcars]

I've been thinking about adding a shower myself as it's easy to get filthy pretty quick sometimes. Any idea how much adding a shower might run, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[mpire]

I've been thinking about adding a shower myself as it's easy to get filthy pretty quick sometimes. Any idea how much adding a shower might run, if you don't mind my asking?

Not really, the shower kit was $550, the glass door was $270, the valve kit was another $150. The pipe and plumbing are unique to your install and could be very little or a lot depending on the run.

STERLING STORE+ 36 in. x 34 in. Single Threshold Center Drain Shower Base with Shower Walls and 10-Piece Accessory Kit in White 72301700-10-0 - The Home Depot

Provide an ultimate addition to your home with Sterling STORE+ Single Threshold Center Drain Shower Base with Shower Walls and 10-Piece Accessory Kit in White.

www.homedepot.com

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sterling-Finesse-67-in-H-x-34-5-in-to-36-in-W-Frameless-Pivot-Nickel-Shower-Door/1000364713

 

[rburke65]

Tie the shower into the outside wall and run it across to the toilet. You could frame the ceiling in with yo7r lights, like pictured in the post #4. Then you could use the space about to store supplies for the bathroom.

 

[bassJAM]

I'd probably frame to the ceiling, but frame out a window of sorts for the area above the shower, so essentially the only 2x4's going all the way up is the one against the wall and then doubles on the very outside. Or like someone already mentioned, just post a post of sorts on the outside going to the ceiling.

I think either way you're going to want some light above the jon.

 

[firebirdparts]

Would it be easier to close it up all the way to the ceiling and have no opening?

It would be effective. In fact, that's the only way to be effective. As you already figured out, you can leave a hole it in for light. It can be mostly hole.

 

[Lynden]

Since the shower is in the garage, you could go with a plumbing "theme." Add another 2x4 to the top of the wobbly wall to make it a little taller, install the drywall and nail a 1x5 wood cap on the top. Brace the wall by installing a 1" galvanized steel pipe with a pipe flange on each end from the top of the wall to the outside wall of the garage. The pipe would be a few inches above and in line with the shower door. Paint the pipe. Continue the theme by adding pipe towel racks, clothes hooks, grab bars and toilet paper holder (see link below). Paint them all the same color as the pipe above the shower door.

plumbing theme towel rack

 

[The Cobbler]

I can think of severall ways to stiffen that centre wall . a pc of steel or wood to either or both side walls . frame it in with a valance , run something vertical up the centre wall in to the ceiling , make a "shelf" across both stalls with doors on the front .
you don't need anything too robust to achieve what you need to stiffen the wobble

 

[Voi]

I've been thinking about adding a shower myself as it's easy to get filthy pretty quick sometimes. Any idea how much adding a shower might run, if you don't mind my asking?

I purchased something from a guy with a huge detached shop many years ago. The guy had a wet room for a shop bathroom. Basically a normal sized bathroom with a drain in the middle of the floor and a shower head coming out of the wall. No dedicated shower stall, door, curtain, etc.

I can't remember how he did his walls but I think it was either cement board or kerdi board with some sort of membrane rolled on.

Sink was an undermount on a leftover piece of granite held up my some metal brackets he fabbed up.

Guy could have afforded whatever he wanted from the looks of things but he said he saved a lot of money doing it that way.

 

[couch67]

Assuming you are going to use a shower curtain, install a rigid bar for that and that should stiffen it up.