5 Piece Shower Wall Surround
|5 Piece Shower Wall Surround – Choosing the best shower or bathtub wall surround can be tough. Should you install acrylic, a good surface material like Swanstone, or use decorative tiles? Will the grade of these items stand the test of energy? Which one is the best match to your budget and tastes? Learn 7 practical steps to determine which wall product is best for you.
Step 1 – Determine if you want to look at your existing walls – To spend less it’s nice to place a bathtub or shower wall surround over a preexisting 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 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 existing system will have to removed, new backerboard installed and then new walls put up.
Step 2 – Think through your budget- If you’re like the majority of you need to obtain the most value to your money – a top quality material which will not break your budget. If you are looking for a simple to completely clean cost-effective material acrylic is an excellent choice. It is warm to the touch, installs quickly and comes with a lifetime warranty.
For a much more elegant appearance (which can be available in more decorative patterns and fashions) consider a Swanstone solid surface wall. Swanstone is simple to maintain, does not have any joints to grout or seal and also comes in a multitude of choices. Usually the costliest strategy is tile (if you do not have the ability to do the installation yourself and save the labor hours- tile is regarded as the time intensive to put in vs. sheet items like acrylic & Swanstone). There are limitless choices and price ranges of tile and yes 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 need to choose your design and color(s). Acrylic wall surrounds can be found in a variety of colors, patterns and finishes. There are solid, granite, metallic plus marble finishes. In addition the walls you select could be smooth, 4″ x 4″ simulated tiles, 8″ x 10″ simulated tiles or maybe a stone look. Acrylic is not only a white smooth faced wall.
Swanstone, whilst it continues to be famous for it’s strength, color and texture consistent, grout-free quality, as well as the fact it will not crack or craze – carries a very broad range of decorative options as well. 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 create a finished look. Tile supplies the widest product options in terms of color, accents, borders, sizes and thicknesses. Make sure to look for a high density waterproof tile to your bath or shower.
Step 4 -Choose your backerboard. Select material to adhere the wall material plus the truth of tile finish the face of the wall- What you don’t see in a bathtub or shower wall panel project is 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 will be in sound condition install over them by adhering the acrylic with butyl tape and color match sealant. This will save the landfill costs, lessen the project installation some time to spend less. If the existing wall can’t be installed over put up moisture resistant green board or perhaps a cement backer board. Swanstone – Like acrylic if the tile is at good structural shape install in the existing. If not, Swanstone could be installed over greenboard or perhaps a cement board using special glue.
Tile – Poorly done tile installations have caused a lot of wasted money historically (cheap backer board may have been used, poor grouting jobs, poor operate in the corners are only a few of the problems). For tile installations never use green board – use whether waterproof cement board or perhaps a waterproof extruded polystyrene board like this created from Wedi Corporation. These boards must be glued and screwed in your framing. In addition to while using right backer board consider investing in a urethane grout. This type of grout will not need to be resealed and is also waterproof. Although it will cost you more beforehand it will spend less in the future inside need to regrout, or worse yet the need to redo the shower for those who have any water damage.
Step 5 – Fix what’s behind the wall – The best time to repair a poor performing shower valve, a shower head which can be too low, as well as to add backer material to boost setting up your accessories occurs when you have got the wall opened up.
Step 6 – Identify the tub tub and shower accessories you need to add function and type in your project – Have you always wanted a leg ledge for shaving, a large part seat, a curved shower rod to hold the lake in, a hand held shower, a large part 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 and energy to accessorize your bath or shower to make it do the job you.
Step 7 – If the process sounds too difficult call a professional contractor that isn’t a “one size fits all” – Let’s face it, there are many of choices and installation details that need to be done correctly to make certain an excellent project. Calling an experienced could be higher priced inside short run but save you long lasting costs. Make sure to pick a contractor that does not make an effort to push you in to the one type of shower or bath wall surround system they offer (for example a company selling acrylic systems pushes this solution you). Look for a company skilled and competent in multiple systems that may look to understand the needs you have, budgets and tastes and offer different choices.
Know you’re equipped with 7 steps which will be the good outline to plan your acrylic, Swanstone or tile bathtub or shower wall surround installation.