Slate For Shower Walls
|Slate For Shower Walls – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can often be difficult. Should you install acrylic, a solid surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the caliber of they stand quality of your energy? Which one is the foremost match for your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall system is most effective for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you’d like to look at your existing walls – To cut costs 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 present walls are certainly not spongy or bowed. If you have a plastic or fiberglass system it is not possible to place new walls over your existing materials. In these cases the present system will need to removed, new backerboard installed after which new walls put up.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like the majority of you would like to get the most value for your money – a superior quality material which won’t hurt you wallet. If you are considering a straightforward to completely clean cost-effective material acrylic is a great choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and includes a lifetime warranty.
For an even more elegant appearance (that’s for sale in more decorative patterns and styles) consider a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is simple to maintain, doesn’t have any joints to grout or seal and also comes in lots of choices. Usually the priciest technique is tile (unless you be capable of install it yourself and save the labor hours- tile is easily the most time-consuming to set up vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and it creates an elegant look also.
Step 3 – Select your material, designs, colors and accents you desire – After you’ve selected between acrylic, Swanstone and tile you’re ready choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds can be found in numerous colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic and in addition marble finishes. In addition the walls you select could be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or perhaps a stone look. Acrylic is not really just a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, although it may be famous for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, and also the fact it certainly can’t crack or craze – carries a very broad range of decorative options also. There are over 45 standard, high gloss, 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 supplies the widest product options when it comes to color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to look for a high density water resistant tile for your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material plus the situation of tile finish the eye in the wall- What you don’t see in a very bathtub or shower wall panel project is as significant as whatever you do see. Use the right material(s) behind the wall. Here are some recommendations: Acrylic – If the tile walls are in very good condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save on landfill costs, decrease the project installation serious amounts of cut costs. If the existing wall can not be installed over put up moisture resistant green board or a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic when the tile is at good structural shape install within the existing. If not, Swanstone could be installed over greenboard or 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 are employed in the corners are just a few in the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use the water resistant cement board or a waterproof extruded polystyrene board that way created from Wedi Corporation. These boards ought to be glued and screwed for your framing. In addition to while using right backer board consider investing in a very urethane grout. This type of grout won’t should be resealed and it is waterproof. Although it costs more in advance it is going to cut costs in the future within the should regrout, or worse yet the should redo the shower in case you have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to repair an undesirable performing shower valve, a shower head that’s too low, or add backer material to strengthen installing your accessories is the place you have the wall showed.
Step 6 – Identify the tub tub and shower accessories you would like to add function and type for your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, most seat, a curved shower rod to hold the lake in, a hand held shower, most caddy, a frameless shower door, shampoo or soap niche or a grab bar? When you’re installing new wall surrounds is the perfect time for it to accessorize your bath or shower to make it be right for you and your loved ones.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a professional contractor that’s not a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are many of choices and installation details that should be done correctly to ensure a prosperous project. Calling an expert could be more expensive within the short term but help save long-term costs. Make sure to choose a contractor that doesn’t make an effort to push you in the one sort of shower or bath wall surround system they sell (such as a company selling acrylic systems pushes this solution on you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems which will look to understand your needs, budgets and tastes and provide different options.
Know you’re designed with 7 steps that may function as a good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.