Alternative Shower Materials

2 years ago

I want to replace my 16 year old tile shower with something requiring less maintenance. This is a custom shower so the materials used would have to be customized (72x40).
The choices are somewhat limited. There is acrylic installed by professionals with companies such as West Shore Homes or Bath Fitters. There is a product called Onyx that can be installed by homeowners but I think we would use someone with experience using this material. And, there is Wetwall made by Wilson Art which is also a DIY.
Does anyone have experience with any of these products?
Would you provide some advice, please?
Thank you

Featured Answer

Nancy in Mich

2 years ago

The advantage of a solid surface like Hi-Macs, Corian, Swanstone, Transolid, and maybe others is that they require no real upkeep, last a lifetime, cannot mold or mildew, and because the color goes all the way through the material, it can be repaired. Solid Surface has no outer surface treatment. The Onyx Collection will say they are solid surface, but they have a gloss finish on the top of the glossy choices. They now have matte finish, but I don’t know if that type is solid surface or not. The Kohler walls (I forget what they changed the name to, it used to be Choreograph) are not the same material all the way through, but have surface color only. If it scratches or chips, you see it. With Solid Surface, a stain that won’t wash off can be sanded off with a 3M scrubby. I have had my Transolid shower for 3.5 years and I never have washed the walls. I do need to scrub the floor about once a month because it is grooved for traction and the grooves stay wet a bit longer so that organisms can grow there. But a spray of scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush on a mop handle takes care of it in a few minutes. I need to wash the one line of caulk around the perimeter of the shower to keep it mildew free at the same time. Solid Surface costs a bit more than big-box surrounds, but the same or less than getting a properly waterproofed tile shower. If you plan to be in the house more than 10 years, it might be worth getting.

Comments (20)

G
2 years ago
Have you researched the solid surface material, Corian? They can make a completely seamless, groutless shower.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
I will research- thanks
Related Discussions
Tile Shower Alternatives
Q
Comments (9)
Is it possible for you to do the tile vs. a subcontractor & save some $$? You can get a precast base in your choice of material for the shower floor so you don't have to worry about the slope for water drainage & texture of the floor. With a simple block pattern design and a class or two at your local home improvement store you could easily do it yourself. Especially if you use oversize tile, it would take 1 or 2 weekends to complete (Saturday to lay the tile, Sunday to grout. If your shower is huge, it may take 2 days to lay the tile.) Tile spacers come in a variety of sizes to choose from so you can get the size grout lines you want & they will be consistent tile to tile. See if you have a tile outlet in your area for further savings on materials. I'm not much of a "do it yourself-er", but I tiled our guest bath in our last house and it turned out great. I think I spent around $125 maximum in materials-12" x 12" tile, spacers, mortar, & grout. We borrowed the application tools & tile cutter from my dad--application tools aren't that expensive & you can rent a tile cutter at a decent price. It took 2 days start to finish. If you go this route, see if your GC will give you a credit for materials & labor for the vinyl shower to put toward your cost for the tile one and have him substitute tile backerboard for sheetrock in the shower enclosure. Good luck!
...See More
Glass block alternative for shower window
Q
Comments (3)
I used privacy window film on part of my window. It was easy to install, comes in different styles, and let me have matching windows on that side of the house. you could put it over the entire window if you need to. Please excuse the dirty glass in the pic.
...See More
Alternative to Mustee Durastall shower kit??
Q
Comments (4)
Yeah, I did some googling and it seems like that brand really has the market cornered, at least in the US. What is your goal in improving the shower? If simply to lessen the ick factor at a low cost, I would buy a new replacement unit. Even if you built a box with treated lumber, put up some fiberglass panels and sealed all the seams, it still seems like the cost/benefit is comparable to just buying a new mustee unit. The only cheap fix I could think of is doing something like spraying it with Krylon Fusion paint to liven up the surface. But you would have to take some time to prep it. If you're overall trying to start improving the basement space, get yourself some nice straight 2x4s and a framing gun and having a go to frame out a place to put the shower.
...See More
Alternatives to carrara marble for bathroom with glass-enclosed shower
Q
Comments (12)
Here in Detroit, the subway tiles were mostly used in the basement laundry or secondary basement kitchen areas or other areas where servants worked. Our 1920s and 1930s bathrooms were done in beautiful 6 x 6 tiles in pottery-style glazes. These are the kind of glazes where there is variation tile-to-tile, so that there is a feeling of texture to the walls. The walls were usually tiled to the ceilings in the kitchens and in most of the bathrooms. Very pale yellow, peach, greens, blues, some tans are found. I believe that our long period of low housing values was a savior to our Detroit ceramic tile in older homes. No one would remodel a house that was not worth much, so we still have house after house with original tile and plumbing. We have an art pottery works called Pewabic here and some sun rooms have floors and fountains done in their distinctive darker Craftsman colors. There is a series of websites for each big city in the US called "Curbed [city name]" and Curbed Detroit shows these old homes and mini mansions and real mansions when they come up for sale. If you like old homes, check and see if you have a "Curbed" site for your city and subscribe. I have learned so much about old houses and the renewal of Detroit reading that website.
...See More
Moore4
2 years ago
Corian is not the only solid surface material, only one brand name of the many. And, this is an EXCELLENT option for a shower. 10 years+ after installation of mine (LG Hi-Macs), it still looks brand new.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
Did you install it yourself or hire someone?
Svetlana J
2 years ago
I used to have a solid surface shower (product was 22 years old when I purchased the home). It still looked perfect and required no maintenance. I think I sprayed it a few times with a cleaner and went over with a brush just in case, but it didn’t really need anything.
Moore4
2 years ago
We used the same material for our vanity countertops, the contractor installed everything.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
Nancy, thank you for this information. I looked at Onyx yesterday. I’ll research Transolid now and see if we have a source in our area. We plan to stay in this house- we built it to be the last one.
Verbo
2 years ago
Your solid surface choices will be double the cost of a standard high skilled labor tiled shower. Read the recent thread about the 22K Corian shower that isn’t turning out like envisioned. And that price didn’t even include plumbing or glass.

Tile can be low maintenance. If you make the appropriate tile choices, and hire the right skilled craftsman to build it.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
I’m looking for that thread- thanks. I don’t need a nightmare experience!
Nancy in Mich
2 years ago
Remember the labor costs of tile, and all the steps. Solid Surface can go up in a day or two. No waterproofing painted under it, no grout after the tile is in. If you can scribe for drywall, you can scribe for solid surface. Transolid used a lot more trim pieces in my handicapped shower than most companies use, so those went up and were braced in place after the walls had been finished. I know that with Swanstone, some installations use a butt joint for corners and have no trim at all. It comes up to 96” in length, too.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
Having the shower go up in one day is definitely a plus- I don’t think I have the patience for several days of installation. We will hire professionals for this job, not DIY.
smit2380
2 years ago
We had our hall bath redone with Onyx a few years ago. Solid surface showers are hard to get where I am located. Onyx has a clear coat which i like slightly less than solid surface. However, i liked onyx better than cultured marble or acrylic. We have liked it and it is easy to maintain. My daughter likes it so well that she is planning to use the exact same thing in her bath. We also looked at Tyvarian, but it was too bold for a hall bath.
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
I am really leaning toward Onyx.I looked at it yesterday and really like it better than the acrylic I had previously looked at. I have never liked the tile in my shower and hate trying to keep it clean. The acrylic has great properties such as easy to maintain but I still find the look of acrylic a little institutional. The Onyx has a warmer feel and look.
So glad to hear that you are still pleased with the onyx.
Thank you.
Glenna Rhodes
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I have a Kohler Luxstone walk in shower - I love it! The 2 head shower sprayer, the semi-frameless clear glass doors, the shower niche for shampoos and walls to the ceiling. easy to squeegee the walls and glass. But it cost a pretty penny. May not be true solid surface (i.e. same color all the way through) but I am the only one using it and I don't beat it up! I ended up with Kohler because finding someone knowledgeable about installing a solid surface seemed impossible even tho I live in a rather large metro area. Kohler crew was in and out in a day and a half.

Back in the day I used Corian and it was so easy to clean and no grout fails but very plain. This was in the 80's before they were too expensive. I'm considering redoing my 2nd bath and again I'm on the hunt for a solid surface that won't break the bank AND offers a faux Subway white tile look. Looking at Oynx (found an installer for that product). Considering Swanstone and Transolid but haven't found an installer familiar with either product. Or maybe I will do everything (vanity, flooring, mirror, toilet) EXCEPT a new shower and just hang a new curtain over my one piece fiberglass surround. I don't love it but there is not a thing wrong with it, other than the cream color (I would like white!)
Becky Campbell
Original Author
2 years ago
Your shower is beautiful. I have someone coming on Friday to give me a quote on using the Onyx. Acrylic seems to be material many are using but I really like the look of the solid surface and the Onyx. I really am not worried about scratches or dents, only adults here!
Thanks for input!
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
2 years ago
Another option is a large format tile or porcelain like Dekton
maggieq
last year
@Nancy in Mich. Recently found Transolid SaraMar at Lowes. Is this the same as your Transolid directly from the company? Thanks.
Nancy in Mich
last year
Maggieq, it appears to be. It says that it is a solid surface material that is repairable. Color goes throughout.
Sandy Wu
8 months ago
Wow Beverly the Dekton tiles are interesting…

Alternative Shower Materials

Nancy in Mich

Comments (20)

G

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Related Discussions

Moore4

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Svetlana J

Moore4

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Verbo

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Nancy in Mich

Becky Campbell
Original Author

smit2380

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Glenna Rhodes

Becky Campbell
Original Author

BeverlyFLADeziner

maggieq

Nancy in Mich

Sandy Wu

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Alternative Shower Materials

Comments (20)

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

Becky CampbellOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author

Becky Campbell
Original Author