How to Replace Bathtub Diverter Spout Tile

Fig.1 Gary

By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:
Channel locks® pliers
Caulking white silicone
Diverter instructions
Electric drill
Pencil or permanent market
Shoe Booties (protects bath)
Shower tile
Spring clamps 4 inch
Teflon tape(white)
Tile adhesive
Tile hole saw kit
Tile scraper 1/4 inch gaps

Dr. Valvus called me from an advertisement from a Bing advertisement campaign. He was related to the late Dr. Valvus who invented the valve. Dr. Valvus wanted his shower tile repaired after a local plumber worked on the shower spout.

This post shows the eighteen steps on how to drill a hole in a shower tile, and how to replace a missing diverter valve.  

Step 1: A local plumber repaired the shower mixing valve but would not repair the damages or the diverter valve and stated that the doctor should get a handyman to finish the job. Plumbers do not repair tile or wall damages, they just can not make enough money to cover their time and cost. 
Step 2: Fig.1 shows the Handyman removing the diverter spout with a pair of Channel locks® pliers, now twist off the diverter spout away from the wall. 
Step 3: Fig.2 shows the diverter valve has been removed and only the pipe is left.

Fig.2 Tub with missing tile

Step 4: Fig.3 shows are Channel locks® pliers that were used for this job. The handyman is wearing shoe booties on his shoes to protect the tub sides.

Fig.3
Channel Locks pliers

Step 5: The next step is to cut the hole in the tile. From your local hardware store, or a plumbers store purchase a tile hole saw kit, make sure that the hole saw is the same diameter has the water spout. This kit comes with a tile hole saw and a base.   
Step 6: Fig.4 shows the tile hole saw is being drawn with a pencil on the backside of the shower tile.

Fig.4 Circular tile cutter

Step 7: Fig.5 shows the circle drawn in pencil.

Fig.5 Tile to be used

Step 8: Fig.6 shows the base is placed on top of the tile. In this example the hole needs to be position as the left upper side of the tile, not an easy cut.

Fig.6 Circular base 
for water pipe

Step 9: Fig.7 shows the drill drilling the into the backside of the tile. In this example an electric drill was used.

Fig.7 Drilling tile hole

Step 10: Fig.8 shows the hole from the tile saw, the cut has been made. Dr. Valvus had to help me steady the drill and the clamps so the drill hole saw would cut straight.

Fig.8 Hole Cut

Step 11: Fig.9 shows the orange tabs are the spring clamps that held the base of the tile hole saw. Two sets of 4 inch spring clamps were used to do this project.

Fig.9 Removing the base

Step 12: Fig.10 shows the hole in the tile and on the new spout the plumber placed into the shower. The end piece is not new, its the piece between the spout and the valve that needed to be replaced, this picture does not show that part.

Fig.10 Fitting the copper pipe 
around the newly cut tile

Step 13: Fig.11 shows the hole in the tile ready to be applied to the shower wall.

Fig.11 Hole cut

Step 14: Fig.12 shows Teflon tape is being applied on the new copper pipe threads. This Teflon tape came with the diverter package.

Fig.12 Teflon the end

Step 15: Fig.13 shows the instructions on how to install a diverter on a spout pipe.

Fig.13 Direction

Step 16: Fig.14 shows the tile adhesive being mix to place behind the new tile to glue to the shower wall. I used a tile scraper with 1/4 inch gaps to allow the adhesive on the tile.

Fig.14 Tile grout

Step 17: Fig.15 shows the tube grout being applied to the edges of the tile.

Fig.15 Applying caulking

Step 18: Fig.16 shows the new wall tile and the new tub diverter valve. Now Dr. Valvus can enjoy his new shower in his new home.

Fig.16 Job finished new 
tile with new fixtures

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