Acrylic Shower Wall Liner
|Acrylic Shower Wall Liner – 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 items stand the exam of energy? Which one is the better match to your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall system is good for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you would like to review your existing walls – To spend less it’s nice to put a bathtub or shower wall surround over a current surface. It is possible to use specialized glue or butyl tape to adhere acrylic or Swanstone solid surface materials over existing tile so long as the current walls are not 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 current system will likely need to removed, new backerboard installed and after that new walls placed.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like most you would like to get the most value to your money – an exceptional material which does not break your budget. If you desire a straightforward to scrub cost-effective material acrylic is a superb choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and has a lifetime warranty.
For a far more elegant appearance (that’s accessible in more decorative patterns and styles) think about Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is easy to take care of, has no joints to grout or seal and also comes in numerous choices. Usually the priciest product is tile (if you do not manage to install it yourself and save the labor hours- tile is among the most time-consuming to install vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and yes it creates a classy look also.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you need – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you’re ready choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds appear in a variety of colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic as well as marble finishes. In addition the walls you choose could be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or possibly a stone look. Acrylic is no longer merely a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, although it has become recognized for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, and also the fact it won’t crack or craze – features a very broad range of decorative options also. 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 produce a finished look. Tile offers the widest product options regarding color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to look for a high density water resistant tile to your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material and in true of tile finish the facial skin of the wall- What you aren’t seeing inside a bathtub or shower wall panel project can be as important 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 sound condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will reduce landfill costs, decrease the project installation serious amounts of spend less. If the existing wall cannot be installed over placed moisture resistant green board or perhaps a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic in the event the tile is at good structural shape install in 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 a lot of wasted money historically (cheap backer board may have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor work in the corners are merely a few of the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use the water resistant cement board or perhaps a waterproof extruded polystyrene board prefer that created from Wedi Corporation. These boards needs to be glued and screwed to your framing. In addition to while using the right backer board consider investing inside a urethane grout. This type of grout does not must be resealed and is waterproof. Although it will set you back more at the start it will spend less later on inside the must regrout, or worse yet the must redo the shower when you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to solve a poor performing shower valve, a shower head that’s too low, or add backer material to strengthen setting up your accessories occurs when you may have the wall exposed.
Step 6 – Identify the bath tub and shower accessories you would like to add function and type to 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 perhaps a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the best time and energy to accessorize your bath or shower making it do the job and your family.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a professional contractor that isn’t a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are many of choices and installation details that must be done right to ensure an effective project. Calling an experienced may be more expensive inside the short run but save long lasting costs. Make sure to go with a contractor it doesn’t try and push you in to the one kind of shower or bath wall surround system you can purchase (for example a company selling acrylic systems pushes that one solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems which will seek to understand your preferences, budgets and tastes and supply different alternatives.
Know you’re equipped with 7 steps which will function as a good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.