I want to rip out my fiberglass shower/tub assembly (1970 vintage) and install a new tub with tiled shower walls above, glass doors, and all new fixtures. Is there a good plan available somewhere as to how to do this? I'm particularly curious as to what base is required to attach the tiles. Any special waterproofed material required over the dry wall?

Let me paste up a article I found on the net.

Summary: If you are about to build a ceramic tile shower, you better pay close attention to details. A ceramic tile shower that has tile for the floor must be built with a special membrane that diverts water to the drain. Installing ceramic tile in showers may be easy, but don't underestimate the work involved to install the special liner so it is 100 percent waterproof.

Many people think that ceramic tile installations themselves are fairly watertight. They are far from that. Water can readily pass through tiny shrinkage cracks in the grout and around the contact point between the tile, grout and the shower drain. Leak proof tile showers incorporate special hidden membranes that are beneath the tile and a thin cement setting bed. You made your mistake thinking that the concrete slab would direct water to the drain. It simply doesn't work that way.

Years ago before the plastics industry was born, plumbers used thin sheets or lead for shower membranes or pans. They would skillfully form the lead into the bottom of the shower area and extend it up the shower walls approximately 9 to 12 inches. All seams would be soldered to make the pan leakproof. The lead connected to a special drain fitting that allowed water that seeped past the tile to go into the drain piping instead of your house.




Lead shower pans over time do develop leaks. Corrosion happens for any number of reasons and tiny pinhole leaks cause water to spot ceilings and walls. When this happens or in the case of a new shower installation, it is time to call in the replacements. The premier shower pan membrane used today is a flexible plastic made from chlorinated polyethylene (CPE). I have used it countless times and have it in my own showers. I have never had a leak with this product.

You can buy other polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pan membranes but they tend to be stiffer and harder to work with. The PVC membranes have a memory and try to go back to their original shape when you try to bend them around wood corners. The CPE products are flexible and have no memory. They naturally conform to irregularities in wood framing and are very easy to work with. If it is necessary to seam pieces together, you use a special solvent that welds them together into one leak-proof piece. Note: It is recommended that the shower pan shall be seamless. Seamed corners can leak, seamless corners can not.

Special clamping ring drains, (flange type slower drain, see image) must be used with shower pan membranes. These plumbing fittings have adjustable finished drains that allow you to adapt them to a wide variety of cement setting beds and tile thicknesses. The CPE or PVC membranes attach to the drain in the same manner that a rubber washer is sandwiched between a nut and a bolt. Once the clamping portion of the drain is tightened, all water that collects in the pan is directed to hidden weep holes within the drain fitting.

. If the liner is placed on a wood sub-floor, make sure all nail heads are recessed and there are no large splinters that could puncture the membrane. Small washed gravel needs to be placed over the weep holes as well. If you fail to do this, the cement base that supports the tile can clog these vital pathways that lead to the drain.


You will need Blue Compaseal for the shower pan formed into a seamless pan with 8" lips. You will also need a flange type shower drain,(see image).
Cement board is used in place of drywall for better waterproofing for the tile walls. More questions? I'm as close as a click.
I can advise on all aspects of the plumbing end but once we pan out the shower floor and set the drain the tile guys come in and take over. Regards, Tom

Thanks, Speedball1.

Nice concise summary. I would like more detail on the use of flexible pan liners.

Speedball1, where would I find the Blue Compaseal?

Thanks

I was thinking about using natural stone for the tub/shower, what would you recommend. I live in Georgia and have many choices in natural stone.

Speedball1... you there??