Fit a walk-in shower screen panel to a lath and plaster wall — HomeGraft

Fit a sturdy glass shower screen so it stays firmly fixed and watertight, whatever your wall is made of.

SP-01Unpack and dry-fit the panelCheck the panel and channel for damage before you start. Hold the panel in the opening against the shower tray to confirm it's the right size and sits square. Protect the tray or bath with a dust sheet so you don't scratch it while you work.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 roll · Masking tape

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SP-02Work out what's behind the tilesTap along the fixing line. Lath and plaster sounds slightly hollow and springy compared with the dead thud of solid brick or block. Run a detector along the line to find timber, then drill one small pilot hole in a spot the frame will cover to check what comes out: fine plaster dust and thin wood splinters mean lath and plaster over timber, brick dust means solid masonry, and fine grey swarf means a metal stud frame.

1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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1 each · 3mm drill bit

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SP-03Safety check before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just the usual safe zones, and detectors miss cables that are deep, boxed in metal conduit, or behind metal-backed board. Sweep the whole fixing line with your detector, then still drill a shallow pilot hole first to prove it's clear before going deeper. Find your stopcock, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns freely so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt at all about what's behind the wall, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit and turn off the water at the stopcock before you drill or cut anything further.

SP-04Mark and level the fixing lineHold the wall channel against the tray upstand and set it dead vertical with a spirit level. Mark the fixing hole centres in pencil — most channels take three fixings, roughly 150mm from the top and bottom with one in the middle. Check this height matches your dry fit from step one before you drill anything.

1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Tape measure

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SP-05Fit a noggin if you've nothing solid to fix intoA shower screen gets pulled and pushed every time it's used, so a fixing into plaster or lath alone will work loose over time, and a plasterboard-only fixing between metal studs won't hold it either. If a marked fixing point misses a stud, cut a small inspection hole, fit a 50x38mm timber noggin between the studs at the right height using two 75mm screws at each end, then patch the hole with plasterboard offcut and filler before continuing. On lath and plaster, always aim your fixings at the stud behind the laths — never rely on the lath and plaster itself to carry the load.

1 each · Timber noggin (50x38x600mm)

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4 each · 75mm wood screws

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1 each · Plasterboard offcut

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1 tub · Filler

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SP-06Drill and fix the wall channelIn solid brick or block, drill to 40mm with a 6mm masonry bit and use a red plastic wall plug with a 50mm screw. Through lath and plaster or plasterboard on timber studs, drill a pilot hole through the plaster or board and drive a 60-70mm wood screw into the centre of the stud, so it bites at least 35mm into solid timber. On plasterboard over metal studs, never use a wall plug or an ordinary wood screw — they strip straight through 0.5mm steel — use a self-drilling metal stud fixing for light points only, and rely on the noggin from step five for the main load-bearing fixings. Through dot-and-dab plasterboard, use a fixing long enough to pass through the board and the adhesive dabs and still bite around 40mm into the masonry behind, typically 75-90mm overall.

6 each · Red plastic wall plugs

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6 each · 50mm screws

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4 each · Self-drilling metal stud fixings

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4 each · Long frame fixings (75-90mm) for dot-and-dab

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SP-07Fit the glass panel into the channelWith the channel firmly fixed, slide the glass panel into it and fit the rubber gasket strip along the edge to cushion the glass. Tighten the clamping screws evenly a little at a time, working along the length, so the glass grips without being over-stressed at one point.

1 each · Rubber seal strip

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1 each · Allen key set

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SP-08Check plumb, level and swingRecheck the panel is dead vertical with your spirit level. Open and close the door or panel to make sure it swings freely without catching the tray or wall. Slip thin plastic packers behind the channel where needed to true it up, then fully tighten all fixings.

4 each · Plastic packers

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SP-09Seal the panelMask either side of the joints between the frame, tiles and tray with tape for a straight line. Run a neat, continuous bead of sanitary silicone along the wall joint and the base joint, then smooth it with a sealant tool or a wet finger before pulling the tape away. Leave it to cure fully — check the tube for the time, usually around 24 hours — before using the shower.

1 tube · Sanitary silicone sealant

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1 roll · Masking tape

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SP-10Clean up and testPeel off any protective film from the glass and wipe the panel down. Once the silicone has fully cured, run the shower briefly and check every joint and fixing for leaks or movement. Tighten anything that's worked loose and clear away all packaging and offcuts.

1 each · Cloth

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