Fiberglass Insert and Plumbing Access

[Quietman]

Hello All,

While trying to change a shower head in a Aquaglass tub/shower/spa insert, it seems I managed to break the plumbing on the other side of the shower head. My guess is the lunkhead that installed it all years ago used PVC (or some other plastic) plumbing for the shower head connection.

My question is, am I better off trying to access the plumbing from the other side of the wall (drywall) or cut a circle around the shower head, repair the plumbing, then use a fiberglass repair kit (or something like that?)

I'm hesitatnt to open the drywall on the reverse side, as it is part of another bathroom, and wallpapered, and the wall paper pattern will most likely be impossible to locate, so I'm trying to avoid wallpapering the other bathroom to service the plumbing in the first.

Many thanks!

Quietman

[Paul Franklin]

Rock and a hard place. Me, I'd go in through the drywall. For one, you probably don't know exactly what broke or where, or what else you may decide needs to be fixed once you're in there, so you may end up with a much bigger hole than you think. And fixing fiberglass so it will hold up in a shower and looks decent is probably going to be hard.

Maybe you can get by with installing a plumbing access hatch in the wall and painting it to blend with the wallpaper, rather than trying to match the wallpaper. The supply places sell plastic access door kits in various sizes.

Barring that, you could always hang a nice big picture in the other bath...

HTH, Paul F.

[buffalobill]

your search items are access panel and escutcheon, at:

[Malcolm Hoar]

Repairing the drywall and making good is likely to be easier and more satisfactory than repairing the fiberglass (unless you're a fiberglass expert in which case you wouldn't be asking).

Cut the drywall to repair the plumbing and then get creative with access covers, paintings and other decorative approaches when you're ready to fix up the wall.

[Quietman]

eVERYONE,

Thank you for your tips and ideas. After more thought, i will most likely go trough the drywall. The location in the OTHER bathroom has a small medicine cabinet hanging approximately where the hole will need to go.

I'm thinking, rather than match wall paper, etc, install a LARGER medicine cabinet over the access hole.

Thanks again & Happy Holidays everyone,

Quietman

[Wayne Boatwright]

Oh pshaw, on Mon 17 Dec 2007 03:21:04a, Quietman meant to say...

Sounds like yuou've got a solution!