Bathroom Shower Wall Designs
|Bathroom Shower Wall Designs – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be difficult. Should you install acrylic, an excellent surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the grade of these products stand the test of time? Which one is the foremost match on your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall method is right for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you’d like to check out your existing walls – To cut costs 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 provided that the present walls aren’t spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it’s not possible to place new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the present system will have to removed, new backerboard installed then new walls set up.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like the majority of you would like to obtain the most value on your money – a superior quality material which doesn’t hurt you wallet. If you’re looking for an easy to completely clean cost effective material acrylic is a wonderful choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and includes a lifetime warranty.
For a more elegant appearance (that’s for sale in more decorative patterns and designs) think about a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is simple to keep, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and will come in numerous choices. Usually the most expensive method is tile (unless you be capable of set it up yourself and save the labor hours- tile is the most frustrating to set up vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates an elegant look as well.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you need – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you need to choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds come in many colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic as well as marble finishes. In addition the walls you choose can be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or even a stone look. Acrylic is not only a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, as it has become noted for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, and also the fact it won’t crack or craze – carries 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 make 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 water-resistant tile on your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material and in true of tile finish the face with the wall- What you aren’t seeing in a bathtub or shower wall panel project can be as important as whatever you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls are in very good condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save the landfill costs, decrease the project installation some time to cut costs. 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 in good structural shape install on 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 lots of wasted money historically (cheap backer board has been used, poor grouting jobs, poor work in the corners are only a few with the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use whether water-resistant cement board or even a waterproof extruded polystyrene board that way created from Wedi Corporation. These boards ought to be glued and screwed for your framing. In addition to with all the right backer board consider investing in a urethane grout. This type of grout doesn’t must be resealed and is waterproof. Although it will set you back more at the start it is going to cut costs as time goes on within the must regrout, or worse yet the must redo the shower if you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to fix a poor performing shower valve, a shower head that’s too low, in order to add backer material to boost the installation of your accessories occurs when you have got the wall opened.
Step 6 – Identify the tub tub and shower accessories you would like to add function and magnificence for your 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 even a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time for it to accessorize your bath or shower to really make it work for you and your family.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a reputable contractor which is not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are tons of choices and installation details that must be done properly to make sure a successful project. Calling an expert may be costlier within the short run but save you long term costs. Make sure to select a contractor that doesn’t try to push you to the wedding party shower or bath wall surround system they offer (for instance a company selling acrylic systems pushes this solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that can seek to understand your requirements, budgets and tastes and offer alternative ideas.
Know you’re designed with 7 steps that can function as a good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.