Things You'll Need
Level
Pencil
Drill
Masonry drill bit for tile or standard metal drill bit for fiberglass, recommended size
Phillips head screw tip
Squeeze tube of clear silicone bathroom caulk
Pliers
Teflon tape
A slide bar allows persons of different height to adjust the elevation of the shower head to a comfortable level. Installing a slide bar requires no specialized tools other then a masonry bit if you are drilling into tile. Attempting to drill into tile with a standard bit will do nothing more then dull the bit and crack the tile due to heat build-up from the friction between the drill bit and the tile. If you are installing the slide bar in a fiberglass shower enclosure, a standard drill bit will work fine.
Step 1
Determine the mounting height of the slide bar. Take into consideration the height of the tallest person in the home as well as the shortest. Measure the shower stall width. Divide the width by two to find center. Mark the center line of the shower stall with the pencil. Lengthen the center line mark by placing the level on the mark. Extend the line greater then the length of the slide bar.
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Step 2
Mark the bottom elevation of the slide bar on the center line mark of the shower stall. Hold the slide bar on the center line mark. Align the bottom of the slide bar with the elevation mark. Plumb the slide bar with the level. Mark the mounting holes with the pencil.
Step 3
Drill the recommended hole size at each location you marked with the pencil. Use medium pressure and cool the drill bit by dripping water on the bit as use drill. Drilling fiberglass requires a small amount of pressure behind the drill and a lot of speed. Wipe down the shower stall wall to remove debris from the area that the slide bar will be mounted.
Step 4
Align the top mounting holes of the slide bar with the top mounting holes that you drilled into the shower stall wall. Run a screw in one of the mounting holes to hold the slide bar loosely in place. Puncture the end pf the squeeze caulk tube. Apply a small amount of silicone caulk to each screw to seal against water. Run the screws into the shower stall wall. Check the slide bar for level. Tighten the mounting screws.
Step 5
Remove the old shower head. Wrap Teflon tape around the threads of the plumbing pipe at the wall. Attach the slide bar supply line to the shower supple pipe. Tighten according to the manufactures instructions.
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