Glass Blocks For Shower Wall
|Glass Blocks For Shower Wall – 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 quality of these items stand the test of your energy? 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 want to look at your existing walls – To lower your expenses it’s nice to position 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 provided that the actual walls usually are not spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it is not possible to set new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the actual system should removed, new backerboard installed and then new walls offered.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re similar to you wish to get the most value for your money – a top quality material which does not break your budget. If you are considering a straightforward to scrub affordable material acrylic is a great choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and has a lifetime warranty.
For a much more elegant appearance (which can be obtainable in more decorative patterns and designs) think about Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is easy to keep up, does not have any joints to grout or seal and comes in a wide variety of choices. Usually the more costly strategy is tile (if you do not be capable of set it up yourself and save the labor hours- tile is regarded as the time consuming to install vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates a sophisticated look at the same time.
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 come in numerous colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic as well as marble finishes. In addition the walls you select can be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or even a stone look. Acrylic is not simply a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, as it may be famous for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, as well as the fact it certainly can’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 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 offers the widest product options with regards 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 as well as in the case of tile finish the eye from the wall- What you can’t locate in a very bathtub or shower wall panel project is really as essential as that which you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls are in good 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 lower your expenses. If the existing wall can not be installed over offered moisture resistant green board or possibly a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if your tile is at good structural shape install on the existing. If not, Swanstone can be installed over greenboard or possibly 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 operate in the corners are simply a few from the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use whether waterproof cement board or possibly a waterproof extruded polystyrene board prefer that created from Wedi Corporation. These boards should be glued and screwed for your framing. In addition to with all the right backer board consider investing in a very urethane grout. This type of grout does not must be resealed which is waterproof. Although it can cost you more up front it will lower your expenses down the road inside the must regrout, or worse yet the must redo the shower in case 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 which can be too low, or add backer material to strengthen installing your accessories is when you’ve got the wall showed.
Step 6 – Identify the bathtub tub and shower accessories you wish to add function and magnificence for your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, most seat, a curved shower rod to hold the water in, a hand held shower, most caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or possibly a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time for you to accessorize your bath or shower making it do the job you.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a professional contractor that is not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are a lot of choices and installation details that must be done efficiently to be sure an excellent project. Calling an experienced may be costlier inside the short run but save you long lasting costs. Make sure to choose a contractor which doesn’t make an effort to push you to the one sort of shower or bath wall surround system they sell (such as a company selling acrylic systems pushes that one solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that may seek to understand your preferences, budgets and tastes and offer different choices.
Know you’re furnished with 7 steps which will function as good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.