Our shower has two handles. For each handle, there's a wallplate/ring glued to the tiled wall, a chrome tube (escutcheon) coming out of the wallplate/ring, and a handle attached to the escutcheon. We were trying to change the washers of or the whole stem assembly inside our shower's two handles. Our problem is the previous owner of our house has glued the escutcheon to the chrome wallplate/ring. We tried to unscrew the small screw on the side of the escutcheon, but its head is smashed. We tried to unscrew then pull the escutcheon with a pipe wrench and lots of elbow grease and couldn't. We already put lots of dents on the escutcheon. Is there another way to free the escutcheon? Or should we take the wallplate/ring off the wall, and if so, how? The wall is tiled and we don't want to damage the tiles. Help!! We'd appreciate any advice.
Escutcheon stuck to wallplate!! Help!
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Prashster
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Are you sure it's glued or is it just caulked. Old caulk can grip mighty tight. Try running a fresh utility razor around the perimeter, under the rim.
The escutcheon covers (obviously) a hole, so if in fact it is glued, it's probably only glued close to the perimeter.
If you can shimmy a metal putty knife blade under the rim, a few hammer taps, gentle pries, and a healthy dose of curse words might jimmy er loose.
The escutcheon covers (obviously) a hole, so if in fact it is glued, it's probably only glued close to the perimeter.
If you can shimmy a metal putty knife blade under the rim, a few hammer taps, gentle pries, and a healthy dose of curse words might jimmy er loose.
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Escutcheon stuck to wallplate
Many thanks for your fast reply. Did you want us to run a utility razor around the perimeter of the escutcheon where it meets the wallplate? or around the perimeter of the wallplate where it meets the wall? We tried the hammer taps, the gentle pries, the not so gentle wrench (which put some dents on the escutcheon, and at this point, some dents don't matter). As for the curse words, they didn't help the project, but they sure helped us give up and come to this forum for help.
Many thanks for your fast reply. Did you want us to run a utility razor around the perimeter of the escutcheon where it meets the wallplate? or around the perimeter of the wallplate where it meets the wall? We tried the hammer taps, the gentle pries, the not so gentle wrench (which put some dents on the escutcheon, and at this point, some dents don't matter). As for the curse words, they didn't help the project, but they sure helped us give up and come to this forum for help.
Geniescience
Homeowner
Patience
chances are, the wall tiles are ceramic glazed, not porcelain which is 1000 times tougher. Bad news for you.
How you destroy the glued on escutcheon is up to you now. My opinion. Maybe someone will provide a new idea that helps.
BE gentle, don't lose patience. Think of how smoe peoplpe keep on sanding things with ever finer sandpaper. They have patience. Keep trying slightly more force. I once tried 20 different ways to remove an unusual stain from a $1000 toilet bowl, and when I was done everyone complimented me on my patience and professionalism. I had no idea what would work.
idea:
lever action is 10 times stronger than prying with your own muscles. Lever action under the escutcheon will break cheap ceramic tiles or damage the glaze before it lifts the escutcheon at all. Protecting the tile with a strong flat surface (like a knife blade) and protecting the galze with a tissue, will give you the base to lever off of. Try : tissue, cardboard and metal in a three-layer sandwich. Lever on this. Protect the tile. Spread the weight of the lever which will be hundreds of pounds on a point.
chances are, the wall tiles are ceramic glazed, not porcelain which is 1000 times tougher. Bad news for you.
How you destroy the glued on escutcheon is up to you now. My opinion. Maybe someone will provide a new idea that helps.
BE gentle, don't lose patience. Think of how smoe peoplpe keep on sanding things with ever finer sandpaper. They have patience. Keep trying slightly more force. I once tried 20 different ways to remove an unusual stain from a $1000 toilet bowl, and when I was done everyone complimented me on my patience and professionalism. I had no idea what would work.
idea:
lever action is 10 times stronger than prying with your own muscles. Lever action under the escutcheon will break cheap ceramic tiles or damage the glaze before it lifts the escutcheon at all. Protecting the tile with a strong flat surface (like a knife blade) and protecting the galze with a tissue, will give you the base to lever off of. Try : tissue, cardboard and metal in a three-layer sandwich. Lever on this. Protect the tile. Spread the weight of the lever which will be hundreds of pounds on a point.
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