Vinyl Panels For Shower Walls

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Vinyl Panels For Shower Walls – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be tough. Should you install acrylic, a solid surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the standard of the products stand the test of your energy? Which one is the better match on your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall method is good for you.

Step 1 – Determine if you want to review your existing walls – To spend less it’s nice to put 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 as long as the current walls usually 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 have to removed, new backerboard installed and after that new walls offered.

Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like most you want to get the most value on your money – an exceptional material which does not break your budget. If you are considering a fairly easy to completely clean affordable material acrylic is a wonderful choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and comes with a lifetime warranty.

For an even more elegant appearance (that is for sale in more decorative patterns and fashoins) think about Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is easy to maintain, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and also comes in a wide variety of choices. Usually the most expensive technique is tile (unless you manage to set it up yourself and save the labor hours- tile is the most time consuming to put in vs. sheet products like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates a sophisticated look as well.

Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you want – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you’re ready choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds are available in a variety of colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic plus marble finishes. In addition the walls you end up picking could be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or perhaps a stone look. Acrylic is no longer simply a white smooth faced wall.

Swanstone, whilst it has become recognized for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, as well as the fact it won’t crack or craze – carries a very broad range of decorative options as well. There are over 45 standard, shiny, 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 generate a finished look. Tile provides widest product options with regards to color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to get a high density waterproof tile on your bath or shower.

Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material as well as in true of tile finish the eye of the wall- What you don’t see in a bathtub or shower wall panel project will 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 come in 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 serious amounts of spend less. If the existing wall cannot be installed over offered moisture resistant green board or possibly a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if your tile is good structural shape install on the existing. If not, Swanstone could be installed over greenboard or possibly a cement board using special glue.

Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused a great deal of wasted money historically (cheap backer board has been used, poor grouting jobs, poor work in the corners are simply a few of the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use sometimes a waterproof cement board or possibly a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like this made out of Wedi Corporation. These boards needs to be glued and screwed to your framing. In addition to while using the right backer board consider investing in a urethane grout. This type of grout does not have to be resealed which is waterproof. Although it can cost you more beforehand it is going to spend less in the future inside have to regrout, or worse yet the have to redo the shower if you have any water damage.

Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to repair an unhealthy performing shower valve, a shower head that is too low, in order to add backer material to bolster setting up your accessories is when you have the wall opened up.

Step 6 – Identify the bathtub tub and shower accessories you want to add function and elegance to your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, a corner seat, a curved shower rod to maintain water in, a hand held shower, a corner caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or possibly a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the best time for you to accessorize your bath or shower to restore do the job and your family.

Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a reputable contractor that’s not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are many of choices and installation details that have to be done properly to make sure an effective project. Calling an expert could possibly be more costly inside short run but save you long term costs. Make sure to choose a contractor it doesn’t try and push you in to the one type of shower or bath wall surround system you can purchase (like a company selling acrylic systems pushes that one solution for you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems which will attempt to understand your preferences, budgets and tastes and still provide different options.

Know you’re designed with 7 steps that will serve as a good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.