Best Material/Method for remodeling Bath/Shower Walls?
atomicfrog81
My parents are looking to replace their old tile & grout with something else. One contractor recommended replacing the old tile/grout with a 3-piece acrylic unit, and putting down an acrylic liner over the old tub & replacing the fixtures. Another contractor recommended putting up cement board, covering with new tile, and replacing the tub & fixtures. The second guy said he quit using the acrylic because it didn’t work well (leaky, adhesive would come undone after a few years, etc.). Personally, I don’t want to deal with cleaning the tile and grout, but if the acrylic is going to fall off the wall in 5 years, I don’t want to go that route either. Anybody have any knowledge of which is the better system?
- P.S. - We’re not interested in getting fancy w/ the design; just plain boring white will be going up either way. Thanks!
My parents are looking to replace their old tile & grout with something else. One contractor recommended replacing the old tile/grout with a 3-piece acrylic unit, and putting down an acrylic liner over the old tub & replacing the fixtures. Another contractor recommended putting up cement board, covering with new tile, and replacing the tub & fixtures. The second guy said he quit using the acrylic because it didn’t work well (leaky, adhesive would come undone after a few years, etc.). Personally, I don’t want to deal with cleaning the tile and grout, but if the acrylic is going to fall off the wall in 5 years, I don’t want to go that route either. Anybody have any knowledge of which is the better system?
- P.S. - We’re not interested in getting fancy w/ the design; just plain boring white will be going up either way. Thanks!
October 19th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
If you can afford it, go with the tile. It will last a lot longer and has better resale value. Besides, that gives you the opportunity to check the inside of the wall for leaks or dryrot in the wood. You can then fix it before it becomes a problem (mold, structural failure, etc.).
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:37 pm
“Best” is a matter of opinion. Some people would never consider anything but ceramic tile, others might opt for acrylic panels. Another option: Companies that make solid surfacing (e.g. Corian, Swanstone, etc) often make panels and molding designed for lining shower and tub surrounds. The panels I’ve seen are stiffer than typical acrylic panels.
If you want to tile around a tub, here’s how to do it:
,,672069,00.html?xid=yahoo-answers&partner=yes
October 24th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Tile - - pain to keep clean.
Acrylic - - will stay for many years if applied properly; will scratch.
There are sheets (4′ X 8′) that can be used in moisture areas.
* * There are vinyl rolls that are similar to a vinyl kitchen floor. We have this in my mom’s bathroom for 45 years. Her pattern had a tile appearance but smooth. This has been washed, scrubbed & still don’t show age nor come loose. Use good glue and seal edges well.
October 25th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
I’m personally not a fan of any kind of acrylic shower surround. I think they look cheesy. And if I *was* going to get one, it would not be a 3-piece unit. You’re probably not going to like this answer, but here is what I would do (actually what I did in our bathroom).
1. cover the tub with cardboard and/or heavy blankets to protect it.
2. pull the existing tiles off the wall. If part of the wall comes off with the tiles, the wall wasn’t in very good shape to begin with.
3. Repair or replace the wall board as needed. I pulled everything down and replaced it with cement board.
4. Install new ceramic tiles/grout.
5. Seal the grout when complete to minimize need to clean.
October 28th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
You can find “cultured marble” in the yellow pages. Its not in vogue, but it’s a very good material and contrary to what people think when they hear the term, you can actually get it in solid colors and colors like “white on white” or “bone on bone” etc. There will be almost no visible swirls. And like I said, they can do solid colors. They just coat the table with the color first, then pour the marble. Works well, stays put, costs about the same, is sturdy (about 3/8″ thick) and is super easy to keep clean. It won’t warp like the cheap acrylic panels and the only seams are in the corners and if done right will last 10-20 years before they have to be redone, and it’s an easy repair.