Updated drawing. The shower doors should hopefully hide any obvious difference.

Oops, forgot the drawing.

What's the best way to cut various thicknesses of firring strips? I don't have a table saw. I'd have to use my circular saw or have some cut for me somewhere.

Hi Dave...

If no table saw then safest to use circular saw and cut strips of plywood... comes in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", etc...

Otherwise, have someone cut pieces for you.

Will the door hide the transition... including under the threshold?

I need some 1/4", some 3/8" some 1/2" and some 5/8". I don't want to buy a whole sheet of each thickness. I wonder if Home Depot or Lowe's would rip some from a couple 2x10's. I'm not sure I know what you mean by "Will the door hide the transition...including under the threshold?". Also, what were you saying about the walls out of plumb? They should be plumb, I framed the walls and checked all that.

Dave...

What are the two transition pieces you show in your picture? Are these a marble border? If so, then why do you need to fir anything out?

I don't think HD or Lowe's can rip anything lengthwise for you... only crosscut..?

If need to fir anything out then could buy 1/4" flat stock pine, 3/8" lath, use 1/2" sheetrock strips for 1/2"... just use longer screws, and could overlap the 3/8" lathe with the 1/4" flat stock for the 5/8"... just some more ideas...

Let me know.

Mark, in order for the marble walls to fit down inside the lip around the shower base I need to fir out right? I like the idea of using the 1/4" and 3/8" for the 5/8". Does Home Depot or Lowes sell 1/4" flat stock pine? What is 3/8" lath?

Yes... got you. You need to fir out wall so base meets wall.

Home depot or Lowe's sells 1/4" x 1.25" wide x 8' long flat stock... should be in the finish trim aisle... perfect for this as studs are 1.5" wide.

3/8" wood lathe comes in bundles of 3/8"x 1.25" x 3' lengths (like $7.00). This is the wood lathe that plasterers would apply to studs with 1/4" spacing inbetween pieces and then lay down structolite material in series to build walls! That I know of, this lathe is primarily sold for the purpose of firring out walls today so really appropriate here.

Lay the lathe onto studs first then put the 1/4". Lathe tends to split if using screws so use nails here.

Talk later...

Ok, sounds good. I'll look for these items this weekend. I think I'm going to bring my 90 deg. Drill home from work to use with the inside pipe cutter. I think it will give me better control.

Hey Dave...

Use a regular drill for cutting the pipe... better control as you are up closer. When cutting the whole deal centers around pushing oin drill/inside cutter sideways while making cut.

My opinion, but I have tried the angle drill for this cut and I lost the power I had pushing sideways... ;)

Just FYI.

Good day.

Mark, I made a test cut and the 90deg drill worked pretty well for me. I had another quick question though. Looking at the rubber donut from the No-caulk drain, it says "This side up for 2" but it seems like that's the side that would go down since it has an angle to it and would seem to wedge against the bottom of the brass drain. What's your thought on this?

Hi Dave...

I'm honestly not 100% sure here.

I know what you are asking and I know what is obvious. I have always set rubber so it matched the contour of the drain... like you are wondering. I also never had any leaks, but now you have me wondering here... hmmm..?

Let me check into it and I'll let you know... ok?

Ok, I might try to get ahold of somebody at Oatey until I hear anything back from you. Thanks for the help.

Mark, I went to Oatey's web site and found these instructions. It says the beveled side goes up and to cut the pipe so it's flush with the rubber donut/sleeve.

Then beveled side up it is!!

Seems the compression ring compresses the beveled part of donut to make the seal. Makes sense when I thought about it!

I guess so. I got an e-mail back from them and here is what they had to say.
"The bevelled edge should be facing up. Before tightening the locking nut make sure the drain pipe is about 1/8" above the bevelled edge. I have attached the instructions below.
http://www.oatey.com/apps/catalog/in...alk-drains.jpg "

Funny... step 4 looks nothing like drain pipe 1/8" above rubber donut!

Hey, that sounds about right, by the way... but be sure to tie that drain wrench to a long piece of string in case the drain wrench falls into the drain when you are tightening the compression ring!

Been awhile since I installed one... been installing custom showers and cast iron tubs last couple years!

I think they make a new wrench for tightening the compression ring... try the one you have and if that fails miserably let me know and I will get info. On newer wrench style... ;)

Thanks Dave.

Yes, the photo doesn't really show it well. I cut the pipe to within about 1/4", soaped up the black donut, shoved it in the drain and installed the nut and tightned it with the flat little wrench that came with it. Then I cut the pipe to within about 1/8" of the donut. Hope it doesn't leak,, :)

Great article, I am also installing a cultured marble shower base with no instructions provided only I will be tiling, I have a 1/4" gap between the base and the denshield backerboard, should I fill this with something before I tile or leave it empty.

Thanks... scotty

Hi Scotty

Fill the 1/4" gap with the adhesive you'll be using to put tile on the wall... that, or a mildew-reistant silicone... ;)

Mark