Tile Designs For Shower Walls
|Tile Designs For Shower Walls – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be hard. Should you install acrylic, an excellent surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the grade of the products stand test of time? Which one is the foremost match for your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall system is right for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you would like to go over your existing walls – To save money it’s nice to position a bathtub or shower wall surround over a pre-existing surface. It is possible to use specialized glue or butyl tape to adhere acrylic or Swanstone solid surface materials over existing tile as long as the present walls aren’t spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it’s not at all possible to place new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the present system will need to removed, new backerboard installed then new walls offered.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like most you need to get the best deal for your money – a superior quality material which does not hurt your wallet. If you desire a simple to clean affordable material acrylic is an excellent choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and includes a lifetime warranty.
For a far more elegant appearance (that is obtainable in more decorative patterns and fashoins) think about a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is simple to maintain, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and is available in lots of choices. Usually the costliest strategy is tile (if you don’t manage to do the installation yourself and save the labor hours- tile is easily the most frustrating to install vs. sheet products like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates a stylish look at the same time.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you desire – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you need to choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds can be found in a variety of colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic plus marble finishes. In addition the walls you choose could be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or maybe a stone look. Acrylic is not merely a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, although it has become known for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, along with the fact it won’t crack or craze – includes a very broad range of decorative options at the same time. There are over 45 standard, glossy, and granite colors. In addition there are decorative panels to develop unique architectural designs named Pebble, Geometric, Beadboard, Tangier and Barcelona. There are also designer trim pieces and rosettes to produce a finished look. Tile supplies the widest product options in terms of color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to choose a high density water-resistant tile for your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material plus the case of tile finish the face area with the wall- What you aren’t seeing inside a bathtub or shower wall panel project is as essential as what you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls have been in good shape install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save the landfill costs, lessen the project installation some time to save money. If the existing wall cannot be installed over offered moisture resistant green board or perhaps a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if the tile is good structural shape install on the existing. If not, Swanstone could be installed over greenboard or perhaps a cement board using special glue.
Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused lots of wasted money historically (cheap backer board might have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor operate in the corners are merely a few with the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use whether water-resistant cement board or perhaps a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like this created from Wedi Corporation. These boards must be glued and screwed for a framing. In addition to while using right backer board consider investing inside a urethane grout. This type of grout does not need to be resealed and is also waterproof. Although it will set you back more at the start it’s going to save money in the future within the need to regrout, or worse yet the need to redo the shower if you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to correct an undesirable performing shower valve, a shower head that is too low, or add backer material to boost investing in your accessories occurs when you have got the wall opened up.
Step 6 – Identify the tub tub and shower accessories you need to add function and type for a project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, a large part seat, a curved shower rod to hold the lake in, a hand held shower, a large part caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or perhaps a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time for it to accessorize your bath or shower making it do the job and your family.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a reputable contractor that isn’t a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are a lot of choices and installation details that need to be done efficiently to make certain a successful project. Calling an expert could be costlier within the short run but help save long-term costs. Make sure to choose a contractor it doesn’t try and push you to the one sort of shower or bath wall surround system you can choose from (for instance a company selling acrylic systems pushes this place solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that can look to understand your requirements, budgets and tastes and offer different choices.
Know you’re designed with 7 steps that can function as good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.