# need creativity for shower



## Snoopdogie187 (Jun 27, 2002)

Hi, I have a shower which has a single know (I think it’s a moen) and to turn it on, you just pick it up and hot you move it to the left, cold to the right. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense, please just look at the picture. 

Anyway, behind it is the pipes, and they aren't connected to anything, just standard copper pipes. They aren't attached to anything from how it looks/feels. The wall is at least 2/3 inches away from the pipes (it is a shower unit thing - just one giant piece) The shower walls itself seem sturdy, but the pipes only have their own strength. 

I can see this shower not being done right, the pervious owner did a lot of diy work and well he did lack something. There are a lot of mini-projects that are unfinished, etc. and in that very bathroom pipes would freeze (which I already fixed). 

Anyway back to the problem. I have a time limit of like a week to do everything to get this problem fixed, and by my standards, a week isn't long (after I do everything else that I have to). So no cutting into walls, or taking the shower out. I really just have that little space behind the plate you see in the picture to work with. I'm fine with that, I have the patience to do that. My problem is, I can't reach anything inside there to fasten the pipes to. 

My thought is to use a piece of wood (really two pieces) and form it to be snugged up around the pipes and screw them together and also into the two holes on the bottom of the valve for the shower (It has 4 total holes, the top two are used on that plate). I also want the wood to be snugged up against the plate all around. To give you a better idea of the problem, the whole plate and know does move left and right a lot. The knob part will also pull out (into where you stand for a shower) even farther. The only reason it doesn’t push in more is because the two screws in the plate, so the screws & plate hold it from going that way. I can't really tighten the screws a lot because this just pulls the knob out. As far as up and down, I think the pipe that goes to the shower head is supporting all that, but I also don’t want to stress that pipe out. 

I don’t mind working the extra hard, or a lot, just no walls at the moment, but I want a nice job (so it doesn’t move at all and it looks the same as it does now). 

Thank you

P.S. sorry this is so long, and confusing, and a lack of pictures. I will try to get a picture of the inside tomorrow, and you can recommend any other pictures you think would be helpful.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi Snoopdogie:wave:

I take it you have removed the trim plate before.... so that does not seem to be an issue. What I gather is that you wish to secure the valve-body to keep it from moving around. The opening for the fixture can be increased to a point where the trim will still cover (and seal). What is on the other side of the wall that the fixture is mounted in?? 

Any blocking/bracing does not have to be pretty.... it just has to work. Any scrap material will do. Liquid Nails or any type of construction adhesive will come in handy as will shims or wood wedges. 

I'll wait for the pic of the unit with the trim plate removed.

SABL


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## Snoopdogie187 (Jun 27, 2002)

I can already reasch inside the opening behind the cover, it is a pretty big opening. 

That is the thing, the fixture isnt mounted to anything at all, the pipes around it aren't mounted to anything (only mountings are that plate and maybe a little around the shower head part just be design).

As far as how far back the wall is, I was way off (it helps to use a flash light), it was about a foot back from the pipes, the pipes are about 1.5 inches away from the shower stale, 

Also sorry for the bad picture, I had to use a flash light and my cell.


I forgot to mention, the pipes dont go over to the walls that are around it, they are in the middle almost between the wall and the center of the opening. There are no boards or anything expect on the side (left and right edge of the shower stale) and all the way in the back.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What is the wall behind the valve if wallboard it may be just as fast to cut a access hole install a brace and patch the wallboard.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm laughing at the pic..... yep, not so good. I never trust my Nokia for pics (but it does have a flash)... I don't have a service to send the pics to. 

So, you do have space between the pipes and the back side of the shower wall?? If the back wall is @1' back then it is a plumbing chase.... 2 seperate walls with a space between them. 

How far away is the framing (studs) on each side of the opening?? From the looks of things (and being a shower) you will have plenty of flex to get suitable blocking in place. I would try some 2"x2"x whatever length (only if yo DO have 1 1/2" between the pipes and the wall) will fit into the opening. With some adhesive on the face of the 2x2, let the pipes hold it in place until the adhesive sets. After the blocking is secured, the pipes can be strapped to the blocking.

If the adhesive does not do the trick, then the back wall will need to be opened up and mechanical fasteners (screws/nails) used to secure some type of blocking. With any luck it will be inside a closet where an access panel can be used to cover the hole.


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## Tumbleweed36 (May 14, 2005)

What is the wall behind the shower opening constructed of? Is it 2 x 4's that you can fasten to or it is drywall, or plywood, or what is there to fasten to?


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## mack1 (Nov 27, 2007)

Hi everyone and hi Snoopdogie,

Snoopdogie, if I understand all you said, I would only suggest one addition. Put some flat headed counter sink type wood screws in the corners to capture the fixture to the shower housing. You didn't show the back of the plate, but if it has a recess, make a good capture with the screws. If not, try to just catch the edge of the screws. Not sure you can fill the hole with wood, so I sketched what I thought you might get to fit through the hole. 

Hope it works for you.

Best regards,
Mack1


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## Snoopdogie187 (Jun 27, 2002)

Hello all,
I will try my best to answer everything I can.

The studs are about a foot away from the pipes on either side and about 18 inches away (from the center of the opening) on either side.

The shower is actually next to a walk in closet and that is the way I would go if I really had to get into there.

The wall behind the vavle is an outside wall. It actually has the fiberglass batting in there, but all the way back. The walls to the left and right are normal walls with studs and drywall.

mack1, you kind of gave me a new idea. 
The plate only has 2 screw holes in it now, but instead of trying to attach the pipes to something study, I could attach the plate to a guide, just something that wont let the plate move left and right (and just a spacer for the vavle coming fowards and backwords). 

I really am looking for something quick for now, and that will fold up. Eventaully we will be re-doing over in that area of the house hopefully and at that point I would have more time/be able to make more of a mess. 
As for time, a lot goes on, and unforntantly this isnt the only things I'm fixing. I do have to just hope someone doesn't run into the mailbox tomorrow like they did today though.


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## vnestohr (Feb 27, 2009)

Snoopdogie187 said:


> Hello all,
> I really am looking for something quick for now, and that will fold up. Eventaully we will be re-doing over in that area of the house hopefully and at that point I would have more time/be able to make more of a mess.
> As for time, a lot goes on, and unforntantly this isnt the only things I'm fixing. I do have to just hope someone doesn't run into the mailbox tomorrow like they did today though.


You know, you could probably get some of that spray in insulation foam - not the small lowesdepot cans, but something a bit bigger - and spray it into the wall. It should do a good job of holding things, and you'd get some insulation to boot.


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## Snoopdogie187 (Jun 27, 2002)

I'm really not sure where to get the bigger bottles of those. I need some for the pipes (the house is drafty right where the pipes are and I'm trying to fix that up now), so I have been looking for bigger than those cans for the last month but never came across any.
Would you have any thoghts wher to get some?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Home Depot used to sell the twin bottle system they look like 2 30LB Freon bottles, but I don't think they have them any longer, be careful if you ever have to work on the plumbing later on it can a problem removing it to get at them.

http://www.tigerfoam.com/?gclid=CJOwgZqHipkCFQUWGgodND8imQ


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