Best Shower Wall Panels
|Best Shower Wall Panels – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be hard. Should you install acrylic, a solid surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the standard of they stand test of time? Which one is the best match for your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall product is right for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you’d like to go over your existing walls – To spend less it’s nice to place 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 providing the current walls aren’t spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it’s not possible to set new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the current system should removed, new backerboard installed and then new walls set up.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re similar to you want to get the best deal for your money – a top quality material which doesn’t hurt you wallet. If you are considering an easy to wash cost-effective material acrylic is a great choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and has a lifetime warranty.
For a far more elegant appearance (that’s obtainable in more decorative patterns and fashions) think about a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is simple to keep up, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and comes in lots of choices. Usually the costliest technique is tile (unless you are able to install it yourself and save the labor hours- tile is among the most time intensive to set up vs. sheet products like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates a classy look as well.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you need – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you’re ready to choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds appear in a multitude of colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic and also marble finishes. In addition the walls you decide on can be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or maybe a stone look. Acrylic has stopped being only a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, as it has been famous for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, and the fact it’s not going to crack or craze – features a very broad range of decorative options as well. There are over 45 standard, high shine, 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 make a finished look. Tile provides widest product options when it comes to color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to choose a high density waterproof tile for your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material plus the truth of tile finish the eye of the wall- What you do not see in a bathtub or shower wall panel project will be as significant as everything you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls come in good condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save the landfill costs, slow up the project installation some time to spend less. If the existing wall is not installed over set up moisture resistant green board or even a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic when the tile is within good structural shape install within the existing. If not, Swanstone can be installed over greenboard or even a cement board using special glue.
Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused a lot of wasted money historically (cheap backer board might have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor are employed in the corners are only a few of the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use sometimes a waterproof cement board or even a waterproof extruded polystyrene board prefer that produced from Wedi Corporation. These boards ought to be glued and screwed for your framing. In addition to using the right backer board consider investing in a urethane grout. This type of grout doesn’t should be resealed which is waterproof. Although it will set you back more at the start it’ll spend less later on inside the should regrout, or worse yet the should redo the shower if you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to solve an unhealthy performing shower valve, a shower head that’s too low, as well as to add backer material to bolster installing your accessories occurs when you’ve got the wall opened up.
Step 6 – Identify the tub tub and shower accessories you want to add function and style for your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, most seat, a curved shower rod to hold water in, a hand held shower, most caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or even a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time for you to accessorize your bath or shower making it be right for you and your family.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call an established contractor that is not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are tons of choices and installation details that should be done right to make sure a prosperous project. Calling a specialist may be more expensive inside the short run but help save lasting costs. Make sure to choose a contractor it doesn’t attempt to push you into the one type of shower or bath wall surround system you can choose from (like a company selling acrylic systems pushes this one solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that will aim to understand your preferences, budgets and tastes and still provide different alternatives.
Know you’re built with 7 steps that will function as a good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.