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Building a Home Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Trying to decide on what to use for shower walls

Patricia Collie

4 years ago

I would love to get suggestions on what to use on the walls of my shower. The size of the shower is 61 1/2 x 48" and we have not yet decided to include a door. I know I do not want marble and would like something that does not break the bank! I would love to use something that requires very little grout. I have heard of MSI and Swanstone, but do not know a lot about either item.

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PRO

Anglophilia

4 years ago

I used porcelain tiles that were also used on the floor and the tub surround. They looked a lot like honed Carrera marble and were quite reasonably priced. I even tiled the ceiling in my small shower as even with a fan, moisture up there continuously ruined the paint in the previous shower. I love it, it looks great and was very cost-friendly!.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
4 years ago
If you have a fabricator, get their opinion. There are softer/less expensive composites that work there.
PRO
Skippack Tile & Stone
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
There are porcelain tiles that are bigger than your shower; what is the look you want to achieve for the bathroom? Post photos of your space for better assistance.
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PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
What do you have for the floor, a floor plan and some pictures of all your other choices.I actually find 12 x24 floor tiles in a porcelain and the same for the shower walls is a nice look . IMO too many different finishes and tiles in a bathroom gets too busy. If you go with a bit darker tile for the floors and walls with matching grout it has a nice clean look and is not very expensive. The large the tile the more expensive it is and the install can also be pricey.
lyfia
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
We currently have cultured marble in white on white. Had the same in a previous home not something I selected then, but it so easy care for except it was different colors. That house had 20 years plus on it and it was still in great shape so we asked for it in our current house too and will use it again for the house we're building as well. Our current house has a thicker frame it in the same material so it looks a little nicer.

I'm considering doing a band of tile inlay above the general water level for our future house.
lyfia
4 years ago
I don't know why Houzz leaves words out and adds double words when I type on my and then doesn't let me edit.

The thicker frame part should say around it. I had the word in there and somehow when posting it went away and I have tried 3 times to add it back and it doesn't stay.
lyfia
4 years ago
When I type on my phone. It just left the phone part out. I promise I had it in there.
april
4 years ago
We are redoing our guest bathroom. After getting a horrendous quote for bathroom rip out and tile install, we have decided to go a much less expensive route, cultured marble. Also looked at Marble-ite which is a more recent product. Was quite an interesting product.
User
4 years ago
None of those are budget materials.

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