Polymer Shower Walls
|Polymer Shower Walls – 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 grade of these products stand the exam of your time? Which one is the foremost match to your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall product is most effective for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you would like to review 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 existing walls are certainly not spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it isn’t possible to put new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the existing system will likely need to removed, new backerboard installed and then new walls set up.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re similar to you wish to get the most value to your money – a top quality material which will not hurt your wallet. If you are looking for a straightforward to wash affordable material acrylic is a superb choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and includes a lifetime warranty.
For a much more elegant appearance (which can be obtainable in more decorative patterns and fashoins) consider a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is not hard to keep up, doesn’t have joints to grout or seal and comes in lots of choices. Usually the more costly technique is tile (if you don’t manage to do the installation yourself and save the labor hours- tile is among the most time-consuming to put in vs. sheet products like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile plus it creates a classy look also.
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 come in numerous colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic plus marble finishes. In addition the walls you choose can be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or perhaps a stone look. Acrylic is not simply a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, as it may be recognized for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, and the fact it will not crack or craze – has 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 develop 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 the widest product options with regards to color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to locate 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 the situation of tile finish the eye in the wall- What you do not see inside a bathtub or shower wall panel project can be as important as that which you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls come in very good condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will reduce landfill costs, slow up the project installation time and save money. If the existing wall can not be installed over set up moisture resistant green board or perhaps a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic when the tile is at good structural shape install within the existing. If not, Swanstone can be installed over greenboard or perhaps a cement board using special glue.
Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused lots of wasted money historically (cheap backer board may 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 the water-resistant cement board or perhaps a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like this made out of Wedi Corporation. These boards ought to be glued and screwed for your framing. In addition to while using right backer board consider investing inside a urethane grout. This type of grout will not need to be resealed which is waterproof. Although it costs more up front it’ll save money later on in the need to regrout, or worse yet the need to redo the shower if you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to fix an unhealthy performing shower valve, a shower head which can be too low, in order to add backer material to bolster setting up your accessories is the place you’ve got the wall opened.
Step 6 – Identify the bathtub tub and shower accessories you wish to add function and type for your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, most seat, a curved shower rod to help keep the lake 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 perfect time for you to accessorize your bath or shower to make it do the job and your family.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call an established contractor that’s not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are tons of choices and installation details that need to be done efficiently to ensure a prosperous project. Calling an experienced could possibly be costlier in the short run but help you save lasting costs. Make sure to choose a contractor that does not make an effort to push you to the wedding party shower or bath wall surround system they offer (for instance a company selling acrylic systems pushes this one solution giving you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems which will seek to understand the needs you have, budgets and tastes and still provide alternative ideas.
Know you’re equipped with 7 steps that will function as good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.