Bath Shower Wall
|Bath Shower Wall – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can often be difficult. Should you install acrylic, a good surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the standard of they stand test of time? Which one is the best match for the budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall product is good for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you want to check out your existing walls – To cut costs it’s nice to put a bathtub or shower wall surround over an existing 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 existing walls aren’t spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it’s not possible to put new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the existing system will need to removed, new backerboard installed and then new walls offered.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like most you wish to obtain the most value for the money – a top quality material which does not hurt your wallet. If you desire an easy to wash economical material acrylic is an excellent choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and has a lifetime warranty.
For a more elegant appearance (which is obtainable in more decorative patterns and fashoins) think about a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is straightforward to maintain, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and comes in lots of choices. Usually the costliest method is tile (until you manage to set it up yourself and save the labor hours- tile is among the most time consuming to setup vs. sheet goods like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile also it creates a sophisticated look too.
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 and also marble finishes. In addition the walls you decide on might be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or even a stone look. Acrylic has stopped being simply a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, while it has become noted for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, as well as the fact it will not crack or craze – includes a very broad range of decorative options too. There are over 45 standard, shiny, 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 offers the widest product options in terms of color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to get a high density water resistant tile for the bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material along with true of tile finish the face in the wall- What you can’t locate inside 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 have been in good shape 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 cut costs. If the existing wall can’t be installed over offered moisture resistant green board or even a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if the tile is within good structural shape install on the existing. If not, Swanstone might 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 could have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor operate in the corners are simply a few in the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use sometimes a water resistant cement board or even a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like this made from Wedi Corporation. These boards needs to be glued and screwed in your framing. In addition to while using right backer board consider investing inside a urethane grout. This type of grout does not must be resealed and is also waterproof. Although it can cost you more at the start it’ll cut costs in the future within the must regrout, or worse yet the must redo the shower for those who have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to correct a poor performing shower valve, a shower head which is too low, or add backer material to boost setting up your accessories is the place you’ve got the wall opened up.
Step 6 – Identify the bath tub and shower accessories you wish to add function and magnificence in your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, a large part seat, a curved shower rod to maintain the river 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 best time and energy to accessorize your bath or shower to restore do the job and your loved ones.
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 a lot of choices and installation details that must be done right to ensure an excellent project. Calling an expert might be more costly within the growing process but help save long lasting costs. Make sure to go with a contractor it doesn’t try and push you in to the one sort of shower or bath wall surround system they offer (for instance a company selling acrylic systems pushes this solution you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that may seek to understand your needs, budgets and tastes and provide different options.
Know you’re designed with 7 steps that may function as good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.