They Removed the Old Tub, Switched to a Wall-to-Wall Shower, and the Bathroom Stopped Feeling Stuck in 1969
Want a small bathroom to feel newer without changing the footprint? This remodel from Reddit user jowiso shows what happens when an aging tub layout gets stripped back to the studs and rebuilt around one full shower zone instead of separate sections.
The original bathroom came from 1969 and still had the same small tub, mosaic floor, half-height wall tile, and narrow layout. Mold around the tub grout showed the waterproofing had already failed. The floor sat on a thick mud-set base reinforced with wire mesh, which made demolition heavier than expected once the tile started coming out in concrete chunks.
Everything past the studs was rebuilt.
The Tub Was Replaced With One Full Shower Wall
The biggest change came from removing the tub and extending the shower across the full back wall.
Instead of a short tub under the window, the new layout uses a low-profile shower base with frameless sliding glass. The room no longer splits into separate zones. From the doorway, the eye moves straight to the back wall without interruption from a curtain rod or raised tub edge.
The new shower also sits lower and flatter against the room, which exposes more floor area.
The Remodel Went Back to the Structure
The bathroom was stripped to the framing and subfloor after water damage appeared around the old tub area.
New insulation was added under the window, damaged studs were replaced, the shower drain was rebuilt, and a new exhaust fan was vented through the roof. The drain also had to change from 1½-inch to 2-inch plumbing for the shower conversion.
RedGard waterproofing membrane was applied behind the wall system before installation.
Large Shower Panels Replaced Grout Lines
Instead of ceramic tile walls, the remodel uses Swanstone solid-surface shower panels cut to size on-site.
The panels were installed with silicone and braced against the walls while curing because of their weight and size. A matching window kit wrapped the inside of the shower window, which removed exposed edges around the opening.
The owner chose the system to avoid grout maintenance. After one year, the panels still looked new according to the Reddit update.
The Black Floor Changed the Weight of the Room
The old floor used small pale mosaic tile with dense grout lines. The replacement switches to oversized black hex tile sheets, which gives the floor a stronger surface pattern without breaking the room into smaller sections.
Because the shower walls stay white and matte, the darker floor grounds the room instead of making it feel busy.
The black fixtures continue the same contrast through the shower frame, shower column, handles, and faucet.
The Shower Became the Main Feature
The new shower system uses a Delta rainfall setup with a handheld attachment mounted against the left wall. The frameless glass keeps the room open while the black hardware creates structure across the white surround.
The owner also chose acrylic wall panels over tile because of maintenance concerns. The goal was not luxury finishes. The goal was a bathroom that stayed easier to clean long term.
The final layout keeps the same narrow footprint, but the room no longer feels divided between tub, curtain, vanity, and wall trim. One continuous shower wall now anchors the entire space.
All credits goes to: jowiso.
The post They Removed the Old Tub, Switched to a Wall-to-Wall Shower, and the Bathroom Stopped Feeling Stuck in 1969 appeared first on Homedit.
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