Faucet valves for showers and bathtubs commonly have a body with a highly polished chrome plated surface or similarly finely prepared surface such as polished brass, antique brass, colored plastic, vinyl or enamel. However, with new construction, the faucet valves are often installed before finished walls are installed. Consequently, the faucet valve surface must be protected against any further construction that can easily cause damage to the surface of the faucet valve.
Consequently, protection of the faucet valve is necessary against accidental nicks, dents and scratching. This protection is provided by a plastic protector commonly referred to as a plaster guard which has a planar base section that has mounting holes for receiving fasteners which engage the faucet valve fitting and a tubular section which receives the faucet valve body. The plaster guard stays mounted with the faucet valve during plastering and finishing of the wall. The wall is plastered flush with a planar base section of the protector. After the wall is finished, the fasteners are removed and the plaster guard is discarded. An escutcheon is mounted over the hole in the plaster wall formed by the plaster guard and the faucet valve handle is mounted onto the valve to complete the installation.
The plaster guard, however, up to now has been limited to the standard installation of a wall with standard tile and it is not adaptable for either extra thick tile or fiberglass and plastic shower and bath units which are becoming popular. Because the standard plaster guard is not useful during certain installations, the plaster guard is often discarded and a cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll or paper towel roll is slipped over the faucet valve for these special installations.
What is needed is a combination mounting bracket and plaster guard which maintains the protective abilities of the previously known plaster guard and is adaptable for various faucet installations including special thick tile, and fiberglass and plastic shower and bath units.
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