- Don't buy a cheap, plastic drain. Purchase a solid brass or schedule 40 PVC drain kit. Kits can be purchased with a drain plug and drain plug linkage that operates via a lever on the overflow trim.
The easiest kit is installed on the drain pipe in the floor before the tub is put in place. The overflow drain attaches with a bracket and two bolts that pull the overflow drain tight to the outside of the tub and seal against a gasket. The bathtub drain attaches with a trim flange that screws into the drain kit using a specialized wrench. Access behind the tub and below the tub is not necessary with this type of kit. - Nail 1-by-4 lumber to the studs on all three sides of the tub enclosure as a ledger if required. With the tub sitting flat on the floor, measure up to the bottom of the tub flange from the floor at the two front corners, the two back corners and the middle of the back. Mark these heights on the studs and nail the ledger to the studs.
Assemble the drain and overflow kit. Don't forget the drain plug linkage if one is included. Connect the drain assembly to the drain pipe with the pressure fitting, making it snug but not tight. Temporarily put the tub in place and check the drain and overflow alignment. Make adjustments, remove the tub and tighten the slip nut firmly.
Fiberglass tubs require a bed of mortar beneath them, but don't lay the mortar right on the subfloor. Cut and lay a piece of 1/8-inch or 1/4-inch Luan plywood first, and staple or nail it securely to the floor. Dry fit the tub in place, and make sure it lines up with the drain kit and rests on the ledger board properly. Mix the mortar, and dump it in the center of the tub enclosure. Put the bathtub in place, and wiggle it down into the mortar bed until it rests on the ledger and aligns with the drain. - With the tub in place, use metal shims if leveling is necessary. Make any adjustments on the ledger boards, and level the tub according to the instructions. Use the tub clips to attach the tub to the wall with galvanized or stainless steel fasteners, two on the side walls, three along the back wall.
Connect overflow tube with the bracket and two stainless steel bolts that screw right into the overflow drain. Install the bolts just tight enough to keep the drain from moving. Roll a piece of plumbing putty into a 1/4-inch rope and place it around the trim piece flange for the bathtub drain. Add Teflon tape to the flange threads, and screw it into the drain assembly. Tighten it with a drain wrench.
Add plumber's putty to the bottom the overflow trim piece. Tighten the overflow bolts securely, and connect the drain plug linkage to the trim piece lever.
Test the drain by pouring water through the tub drain. If you can observe the drain from below, you should not see any leaks, dribbles or drips. - The backer-board or drywall board should end right at the tub flange and not go over it. Run a bead of silicone caulk around the top of the flange after the drywall or backer-board is installed. The wall covering, be it tile, plastic or fiberglass, should extend past the flange right to the tub.
Seal the entire enclosure with silicone caulk at all joints. This includes corners where tile meets tile, where the tub meets tile and where the tub meets the floor. New caulk that inhibits mold and mildew is available for little additional, and worthwhile, cost.
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