Non tile shower options? Brands used? Thoughts?

5 years ago

For those of you that answered yesterday, I thank you for your answer. The GW gremlins seem to be at work as I have not been able to find my threads other than going through my Houzz. Perhaps I'm being punished? :-0

My DD and her DH are interested in tearing out their tub/shower combo and replacing it with a shower. They live in a starter home type tract builder neighborhood and their house is near the top of the market for that area. They are thinking a non tile shower option may be cheaper than a tile shower.

What brands have people used and would you use it again? Thoughts, comments, feedback?

Sorry if you saw a similar thread yesterday, I just don't see it anywhere.

Featured Answer

Nancy in Mich

5 years ago

I just put in a solid surface shower. This thread explains what a solid surface is, that it cannot mold or mildew, that if scuffed up or scratched, it can be renewed by buffing or sanding it because the color goes right through the material. There are several examples of different brands of solid surface showers shown and discussed. Other types that have a gel finish are also discussed - Marbelite and Onyx Collection are two. Mine is the most recent shower posted there. [Kohler Choreograph Thread[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kohler-choreograph-dsvw-vd~3420698?n=216)

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Comments (13)

bbstx
5 years ago
My builder spec'd tile showers for my house. I changed it to solid surface that looks like white subway tile. He couldn't believe it. I have an unholy aversion to mold and mildew and the solid surface is very easy to keep clean and there is no grout to baby.

The shower in DD and DSIL's house started leaking. She had all of the tile torn out and replaced it with solid surface that looks very much like the tile in her bathroom. Again, no grout to mold or mildew. What we found out when doing her house was no every solid surface company can make sheets of material that look like tile. Her's had to be spec'd from a company 3 1/2 hours away.

Regretfully, I do not have a brand name for you. Google for "cultured marble" in your area.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked bbstx
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I got Swanstone walls for my tub/shower combo and I love the material (kit ordered through Lowes with 15% "moving coupon" discount anyone can request). I wanted something that would stay clean and never have icky grout. My color Prairie is speckled and matte a bit like stone and does not look like cheap plastic. See this link for the color Glacier, the white in the Prairie Collection made from recycled materials. From the site's contact link I requested a color sample and they sent it right away. Below is the link to the Swanstone kits page. I ordered mine from Lowes and they can help you pick which one is right if you bring in your measurements. The Swanstone built in tall shower niche I got has the soap dish built in and has worked out great. I also learned in the thread about dispenser units for liquid soap/shampoo/conditioner and now I don't need any bottles in the tub/shower. Swanstone new recycled content colors http://www.theswancorp.com/index.php?page=green_page Here is a link that might be useful: Options for tub/shower wall kits Here is a link that might be useful: Swanstone shower options
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Edie Nicosia - I was just wondering about that teak vanity you bought a while back. Just keep it posted on CL or ebay. Sooner or later someone may buy it. I just checked out the semihandmade website - wow it's fancy and looks nice. I didn't know places like that existed. And your hubby is considering teak even after you bought a teak vanity?? LOL.. smh... I can certainly see where tension comes into play during remodels. My husband keeps asking what stuff is costing but he tends to complain a lot so I don't tell him all the details :) For my countertop, I simply googled "stone yards" or "granite yards" and called them one by one. Some places would not deal with the public directly but after about 4 calls I found a place that invited me up to see their remnants. The place I used had several granite and quartz remnants to choose from. They carried Silestone and other big brands. I was so excited to find my piece. I almost picked swan cotton - it has larger specks but some of the specks looked dirty so I went with Aurora snow.
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I know that some in the Smaller Homes forum have done some acrylic inserts/walls. Here, we don't see that so much, but there are some who do Swanstone/Corian/Kohler Choreograph/Transolid shower or bath walls. Some like the Marbelite or Onyx Collection enclosures, too. If you don't get a better answer here, try Smaller Homes.
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@eastautumn oh the lessons I have learned! I really wish I had taken more time and researched some of my decisions before quickly making them or not thinking them through. It is so hard in the middle of a remodel (these bathrooms were part of a much larger remodel) to succumb to decision fatigue and make decisions without enough thought. A quick search of the forums would have steered me to lighter grout. I also would have vetted this tradesman much more closely and supervised him super closely. And the second I was unsure of something, I should have spoken up right away! Live and learn.
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Joaniepoanie
5 years ago
My brother installed Swanstone in one of his bathrooms...it’s like Corian....lots of colors and patterns. I thought it looked very nice.

We just moved into a new house and have solid surface in the master shower and I like it so far...it’s a breeze to clean. We remodeled the bath in our previous home 8 years ago and while I love the look of tile, I’m not sure I’d get it again due to the mold and cleaning issues.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked Joaniepoanie
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Anglophilia
5 years ago
bbstx, solid surface (Corian is one brand) and cultured marble are NOT the same thing at all!!! Cultured marble is a far lower grade product and has many disadvantages.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked Anglophilia
mainenell
5 years ago
USMarble is another company that does a solid surface, cultured marble, type product. I believe they are similar to Onyx. You can get the sheets in a tile look also.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked mainenell
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
5 years ago
I'm in Canada and we just put in Kohler Hytec, which is a dream to clean. We live in a rural area with hard water which makes grout even more of a nightmare.
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nosoccermom
5 years ago
I stayed in an upscale hotel and drooled over their walk in quartz shower (Silestone).
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User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Why is this in the Building a Home Forum? It has zero to do with that.

”Onyx” is just a fancy name for cultured marble. As is a lot of things around masquerading as solid surface. The printed FRP sheets glued to the walls are the exact same stuff as in gas station bathrooms, just with a much higher price for that printed surface.

If you want solid, Corian and Swanstone. None of the faux solid surfaces.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked User
Nancy in Mich
5 years ago
The cultured marble type products are inferior to a “true” solid surface material in one critical way. They cannot be easily renewed or repaired onsite. A solid surface material by definition has the color and pattern of the surface running right through the entire depth of the material. It can have surface scratches or scuffs buffed or sanded out on site using scrubbies or sandpaper. This means that it can have NO surface coating that gives it shine or a finished look. That is why you will see us solid surface lovers constantly telling you that cultured marble, Onyx Collection, cultured granite, and any other product with a gel coat or surface shine coat of any kind is not a solid surface. In addition, there are professionals who can make repairs to the material of solid surface material burns, chips, cracks, and so on that are invisible.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked Nancy in Mich
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Designer Drains
5 years ago
Corian is a solid shower base, Mincey Marble is also a great option.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked Designer Drains
alex9179
5 years ago
In addition to Corian and Swanston is Formica's version.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked alex9179
User
5 years ago
ID Debbie Travis on an old show once did a bath/shower area in vertically applied tongue and grove wood painted w/marine paint meant for boats.
RNmomof2 zone 5 thanked User
RNmomof2 zone 5
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for input about the acrylic ones. The units by Maax at Menards are acrylic and now the kids know to steer away from them. They just want a simple white subway look so they were looking seriously at them.

When they priced out solid surface last fall, they were very surprised how pricey it was going to be.

They may have to live with their tub shower since they aren't sure about spending probably 10k on a bath remodel.

Non tile shower options? Brands used? Thoughts?

Nancy in Mich

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bbstx

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Non tile shower options? Brands used? Thoughts?

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