Waterproof Shower Wall Covering
|Waterproof Shower Wall Covering – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be hard. Should you install acrylic, a great surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the caliber of these products stand the exam of energy? Which one is the foremost match on your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall system is most effective for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you would like to go over your existing walls – To save money it’s nice to place 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 providing the current walls usually are not spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it’s not at all possible to set new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the current system should removed, new backerboard installed then new walls placed.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re similar to most you would like to obtain the most value on your money – an exceptional material which doesn’t hurt you wallet. If you desire a fairly easy to wash affordable material acrylic is an excellent choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and has a lifetime warranty.
For a much more elegant appearance (that’s available in more decorative patterns and styles) think about Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is not hard to keep up, doesn’t have any joints to grout or seal and comes in lots of choices. Usually the most expensive technique is tile (if you do not manage to set it up yourself and save the labor hours- tile is among the most time intensive to set up vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates an elegant look at the same time.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you desire – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you need to choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds can be found in many colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic and also 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 not only a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, while it may be known for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, along with the fact it’s not going to crack or craze – carries a very broad range of decorative options at the same time. 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 make a finished look. Tile offers the widest product options when it comes to color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to choose a high density water repellent tile on your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material and in the truth of tile finish the face area from the wall- What you don’t see inside a bathtub or shower wall panel project is really as significant as that which you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls will be in good condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save on landfill costs, slow up the project installation serious amounts of save money. If the existing wall can not be installed over placed moisture resistant green board or a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if your tile is in good structural shape install over the existing. If not, Swanstone could be installed over greenboard or a cement board using special glue.
Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused plenty of wasted money historically (cheap backer board may have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor work in the corners are only a few from the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use sometimes a water repellent cement board or a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like that made out of Wedi Corporation. These boards ought to be glued and screwed for a framing. In addition to using the right backer board consider investing inside a urethane grout. This type of grout doesn’t must be resealed and is also waterproof. Although it will set you back more beforehand it will save money in the future in 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 correct an unhealthy performing shower valve, a shower head that’s too low, or to add backer material to boost the installation of your accessories occurs when you’ve got the wall showed.
Step 6 – Identify the bath tub and shower accessories you would like to add function and magnificence for a project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, a corner seat, a curved shower rod to keep the river in, a hand held shower, a corner caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time and energy to accessorize your bath or shower to make it work for you and your loved ones.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call an established contractor that is not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are many of choices and installation details that must be done correctly to ensure a prosperous project. Calling a specialist may be more costly in the growing process but help you save long lasting costs. Make sure to go with a contractor which doesn’t try to push you in the wedding party shower or bath wall surround system they offer (like a company selling acrylic systems pushes this place solution you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that can look to understand your requirements, budgets and tastes and still provide different alternatives.
Know you’re designed with 7 steps that will be the good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.