Want to add a handheld shower to a bathtub? It sounds like a plumbing project, but in most cases it is not. If your tub already has a fixed shower outlet — the top spray — you can add a handheld shower with a 3-way diverter, a roll of Teflon tape, and a holder that glues to the tile instead of being screwed into it. No drilling, no new pipework, and no plumber required.
This guide walks through the setup for a 1960s bathtub in Repentigny, Quebec: a Moen Engage handheld shower (model 26100BL) and a Moen PRO-FIX 3-way diverter, with the holder mounted under the storage niche using 3M VHB tape. The whole project costs about C$151–174, and the hands-on work takes about an hour — plus a 24-hour wait for the adhesive to cure. This guide is based on the manufacturers’ instructions and standard practice. We have not done our own install yet — it will be updated with photos after our own install.
What You Will Need
Parts
- A handheld shower set with a hose. We used the Moen Engage 26100BL in matte black (C$97.99 at RONA), which comes with a 60-inch metal hose and a Magnetix magnetic holder. Read our full review of it before you buy.
- A 3-way shower diverter, 1/2 inch. This guide uses the Moen PRO-FIX 3-way diverter in matte black (C$32.98 at BMR). The 1/2-inch size is the standard thread size for North American shower arms, but check your existing fitting before you buy.
- Teflon tape (also called PTFE thread-seal tape) for every threaded joint.
- Spare rubber washers that fit the hose connections, in case the ones supplied are damaged or missing.
- 3M VHB tape, if your holder mounts with adhesive. Some holders include the tape; if not, buy a roll rated for bathroom use.
Tools
- An adjustable wrench.
- A soft cloth or rag, to protect the finish of the fittings when you use the wrench.
- A cleaning cloth and a mild bathroom cleaner or rubbing alcohol, for preparing the tile.
- A pencil, to mark the holder position.
Cost Breakdown
- Moen Engage handheld shower set (26100BL, matte black): C$97.99 at RONA
- Moen PRO-FIX 3-way diverter, 1/2 inch, matte black: C$32.98 at BMR
- Teflon tape and spare washers: a few dollars
- All-in total: about C$151–174, including taxes and the small consumables
Prices were checked November 9, 2026, at RONA Repentigny and BMR. Prices change — confirm the current price before you commit to the budget, and check stock, because the matte black finish is popular and is not always on the shelf.
Before You Start
First, confirm that your setup matches the one in this guide. You need a shower arm sticking out of the wall above the tub, with a fixed shower head or top spray threaded onto it. This guide covers the common case: the existing top spray stays in place, and the diverter adds the handheld as a second outlet.
You do not need to shut off the main water supply for this job. The diverter threads onto the shower arm, which is downstream of the tub’s shower valve — as long as the shower valve is off, no water will come out of the arm while you work.
Second, decide where the holder will go. A good spot is under the storage niche in the tub surround, which keeps the handheld out of the way but within reach. Hold it in place and check that the 60-inch hose reaches comfortably from the diverter, and that the hand shower can be lifted out of the holder without hitting the niche edge. Mark the position lightly with a pencil.
Step 1: Remove the Existing Top Spray
Unscrew the existing shower head from the shower arm by hand. If it has been there for years, it may be stuck — protect the finish with a cloth, grip it with the adjustable wrench, and turn slowly, holding the arm steady with your other hand so you do not bend it. Set the top spray aside and look inside its fitting: there should be a rubber washer. Keep it, and check it for cracks or flattening — a worn washer is the most common cause of drips at this joint, and it is also the cheapest thing to fix.
Step 2: Clean the Threads
Wipe the exposed threads on the shower arm with a cloth. Remove any old Teflon tape, mineral deposits, or grit. The threads must be clean for the new tape to seal. If the arm is corroded or the threads are damaged, stop and replace the arm — a diverter will not seal on damaged threads, and forcing it will only make the leak worse.
Step 3: Apply Teflon Tape
Wrap Teflon tape around the shower arm threads in the direction the diverter will turn — clockwise when you look at the end of the arm. Four to six wraps is usually enough. Keep the tape flat and tight as you wrap; overlapping and wrinkles create gaps. Tear or cut the tape, then press the end down firmly so it stays in place. You will use Teflon tape on every threaded joint in this install: the arm-to-diverter joint, the diverter-to-top-spray joint, and the diverter-to-hose joint. This is not optional — the tape is what makes the threaded joints watertight.
Step 4: Install the 3-Way Diverter
Thread the diverter onto the shower arm by hand first. It should turn smoothly for several turns; if it binds after one or two turns, back it off and start again — cross-threading the fitting will damage it. Before the final snug turn, check the outlets point the way you want — one for the top spray, one for the handheld hose. Then use the wrench with a cloth over the fitting to give it a final snug turn, about a quarter-turn past hand-tight. Do not over-tighten. Brass and plastic fittings crack under too much force, and a cracked diverter leaks no matter how much tape you use.
Step 5: Reattach the Top Spray
Thread the existing top spray onto the diverter’s top outlet, again with Teflon tape on the threads and the original washer in place — or a new one, if the old washer looks worn. Tighten by hand, then a gentle snug with the wrench and cloth. The top spray is your existing fixture, so you know how it should sit; make sure the spray angle is the same as before.
Step 6: Connect the Handheld Hose
Connect the handheld shower’s hose to the other outlet on the diverter. Check that the washer is seated in the hose end before you thread it — a washer that is crooked or missing will leak the moment you turn the water on. This connection is usually designed to be hand-tight; tighten it firmly by hand and only use the wrench, with a cloth, for a small final snug if it drips during testing.
Step 7: Test for Leaks
Turn the shower valve on. First, run the top spray and watch every joint you touched: the diverter-to-arm joint and the diverter-to-top-spray joint. Then switch the diverter lever to the handheld and check the diverter-to-hose joint and the hose-to-shower joint. Leave the water running for a minute on each setting, then turn it off and check again — small drips sometimes take a while to show.
If a joint drips, turn the water off, unscrew the joint, check that the washer is present and not squashed or cracked, add a fresh wrap of Teflon tape, and reassemble. Do not solve a drip by tightening harder — a leaking threaded joint is almost always a tape or washer problem. If the hose drips where the metal braid meets the fitting, the hose is faulty and should be exchanged.
Step 8: Choose and Mark the Holder Position
With the plumbing tested, decide the final position of the holder. A good position is under the storage niche in the tub surround. Check three things: the hose reaches without pulling, the hand shower lifts out of the holder without hitting anything, and the holder is not directly in the main stream of the top spray. Mark the outline lightly with a pencil.
Step 9: Prepare the Tile and Mount the Holder
This is the step that makes the install no-drilling, and it is the step most people rush. In a 1960s tub surround, the tile is the thing you are trying to protect: drilling into old tile can crack it, and every hole in a wet area is a place water can get behind the tile. The Magnetix holder mounts with 3M VHB tape instead, but the tape only works if the surface is prepared properly.
Clean the tile where the holder will go with a mild cleaner or rubbing alcohol, and wipe it until the cloth comes away clean — soap film and limescale are the usual reason tape fails. Then dry it completely. The tile must be clean and dry — not damp, not mostly dry, completely dry. Apply the 3M VHB tape to the back of the holder, peel the backing, press the holder into the marked position, and press it firm for 30 seconds with steady pressure. Pressing firm is what activates the bond; a light touch will not do it.
Step 10: Wait 24 Hours — No Hanging, No Water
Leave the holder alone for 24 hours. Do not hang the hand shower on it. Do not splash water on it. Do not test it by tugging. VHB tape reaches its holding strength over time, and the first day matters most — a holder loaded the same afternoon is one you will be re-gluing next weekend.
After the wait, hang the hand shower in the holder and check that the magnet seats it firmly. Give the holder a gentle tug to confirm it is holding, then run the handheld through all of its settings and confirm the hose does not pull the holder sideways when you reach across the tub.
Troubleshooting
A joint drips. Check the washer first, then the Teflon tape. Replace the washer if it is flattened or cracked; re-tape if the tape is bunched or too thin. Do not over-tighten.
The holder does not stick. The cause is almost always the surface: the tile was not fully clean or fully dry, or the tape was pressed too lightly. Remove the holder, clean the old tape off, clean and dry the tile again, and use fresh VHB tape.
The flow seems low. Check the washers: a washer that has shifted into the mouth of a fitting restricts flow. Also check the small screen inside the shower fitting — packaging debris sometimes ends up there on a new install.
The Shower in This Guide
The handheld in this guide is the Moen Engage 26100BL: six spray settings (Wide Coverage, Downpour, Relaxing Massage, Massage, Soothing Massage, Rinse), a 60-inch kink-free metal hose, the Magnetix magnetic dock, and a 3.5-inch spray head, at C$97.99 at RONA. We reviewed it in detail in Moen Engage Handheld Shower Review: Is It Worth It in Canada? — the spray range and the magnetic dock are why this guide uses it, and the matte black finish shows water spots, so expect to wipe it down.
Final Check
Before you call the project finished, check five things: the top spray runs without drips, the handheld runs without drips, the diverter switches cleanly between the two, the holder has had its 24 hours and holds the hand shower firmly, and the hose reaches every corner of the tub without pulling. If all five are true, the job is done — and your 1960s bathtub now has a handheld shower that did not cost you a single hole in the tile.
Prices were checked November 9, 2026, at RONA Repentigny and BMR. Prices may change; check the current price before you buy. This article contains no affiliate links.
