How Deep Should My Moen Shower Mixer Valve Be Set?
Asked by CuriousCat123
I'm currently remodeling my shower and have installed a Moen shower valve. I'm getting ready to close up the wall and want to make sure the green mud ring is set at the right depth before I proceed. I estimate that once I add the cement board, tile, and mortar, the mud ring may end up being about 3/16" higher than the finished wall surface. Is this acceptable, or does it need to be nearly flush with the finished wall? I feel like there should be some leeway with the valve depth. Any advice would be appreciated!
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From my experience with Moen valves, it's a good idea to set it a little deeper than you think. If you set it too shallow, the handle might stick out more than you'd like. I've found that using a 2x4 against the wall isn't always deep enough; instead, I like to use 3/4" plywood to get it right against the back wall for better placement. Just my two cents after doing a few of these recently!
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It might help if you share the valve info or even a picture of the box. Here's a helpful link to Moen's instruction sheet that could clarify things: [Moen Instruction Sheet](https://assets.moen.com/shared/docs/instruction-sheets/mt620j.pdf). That diagram is much clearer than the one that came with your model!
CuriousCat123: Thanks a lot! The diagram you linked is much better than the one that came in the model I bought. Based on the diagram, it looks like being 3/16" proud of the finished surface should be just fine.
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CuriousCat123: Thanks for the tip! I'm okay with the handle sticking out a bit. If it comes to reworking my layout, I'll definitely go with the plywood method you suggested. I used a 2x4 but I also dug out a hole for the valve cover, so I'm probably about an inch from the wall anyway.