How to Replace a Shower Tub Faucet

Use a tub faucet with shower diverter when you have a bath that has both a tub and a shower. For a shower-only you'd need the shower diverter without faucet instead.

The hard part - accessing back of tub faucet

Go to the room behind the tub / bathroom. Look for an access panel. If there is no access panel, cut one. There are lock nuts on back side of the faucet, and the only way to take them off is with access behind the wall. Sometimes when there is no access panel, the manufacturer could have put the wall's sheet rock in place after installing the faucet - in this case it is best to cut a hole and then cover with a new access panel.

12 steps to installing a new bathtub faucet

• Cut water off.
  
• Remove access panel.
  
• Unhook water lines and lock nuts from faucet stems.
  
• Go back in bathroom - pull the faucet out.
  
• Put the new faucet in. (At this point someone to help will make it easier, ask them to hold the faucet in place from the back.)
  
• Go back to access panel side - Hold the faucet from the back, put each lock nut on. Snug but do not tighten all the way down.
  
• Go back to bathroom - make sure the faucet is straight.
  
• Go back to access panel side - Finish tightening the lock nuts.
  
• Before reconnecting water lines, look inside plumbing fitting for cone washer - sometimes that cone washer gets stuck on end of old faucet. Ensure cone washer is inside the fitting, where it will connect with the back of faucet.
  
• Reconnect water lines and shower lines.
  
• Secure access door. or create a panel (using wood preferably, which you can paint) to cover the hole where you accessed back of faucet.
  
• Turn water on.