How to Install a Rain Shower Head

Disconnect the shower arm by twisting it out counterclockwise. You’ll install a longer shower arm that’s designed to bring the new shower head out over you while you’re showering.

Take a look through the hole in the wall, and make sure you have a drop ear elbow installed and that it’s supported with a cross brace as in the picture to the right. You’re going to need the extra support for the longer shower arm.

Next, take plumbers tape and wrap it clockwise around the threads, so it doesn’t unravel as you screw the pipe fittings together. Wrap it around three or four times so there’s enough to prevent leaks. Learn more about using plumbers tape.

Before you screw in the pipe or shower arm, slide the flange or escutcheon — the trim ring that conceals the hole in the wall — and slide it over the pipe. Then fit the pipe in the drop ear and rotate it clockwise, hand-tightening it until it’s snug. You’ll test everything for leaks after you’re done.

Finally, take your new rain shower head and screw it onto the shower arm. You can hand-tighten it, or you can use a wrench. Remove any excess plumbers tape.

This shower valve has a screw-on fitting, so we’ll use a conversion fitting designed to connect the PEX. Slide a crimp ring on the PEX, insert the conversion fitting into the PEX and use a crimping tool to crimp the ring on, securing the fitting into place. 

Some crimping tools come with a gauge that has a Go side and a No Go side. Make sure that the No Go side doesn't go onto the crimping ring and that the Go side does go on. This will ensure that the ring is tight enough but not too tight.

Next, drill a hole for the PEX to run through the top plate in the wall. Measure from a wall stud over to the center of the shower valve, and then transfer that measurement onto the center of the top plate. Drill through the top plate at the mark.

Wrap plumbers tape around the shower valve fitting.

Run the PEX pipe through the hole in the top plate, and screw the pipe in place on the valve. Use a wrench to secure it tightly.

Cut the top of the PEX pipe as needed and, just as you connected the conversion fitting to the PEX pipe, crimp a 90-degree fitting to the pipe just above the top plate.

Connect additional PEX pipe cut to length to run out over the shower enclosure.

Crimp on a drop ear elbow. 

For this installation, there needs to be a cross brace between the ceiling joists at the location of the drop ear elbow. Cut the cross brace to length and screw it in place.

Secure the drop ear elbow to the brace.

Install a pipe clamp on the vertical pipe to keep it from shaking. Place the clamp on the pipe, and secure the clamp to the cross brace where the original drop ear was located. 

Before you close up the wall and ceiling, install a capped, 3-inch pipe nipple into the drop ear and then turn on the water to test for leaks. If there are no leaks, close up the wall and ceiling, but leave the cap in place until the repair and any finish work or tile work is complete. Install the shower arm and shower head after the wall and ceiling repairs are complete to prevent them from being damaged. When your wall and ceiling repairs are complete, turn the water off and remove the cap. Have a bucket ready to catch any water.

Wrap plumbers tape around the threads on the new shower arm, and screw it into the drop ear elbow. Hand-tighten and then use a strap wrench to tighten it a bit more.

Screw the new rain shower head in place on the shower arm. Remove any excess plumbers tape.