Synthetic Shower Surround: A Good Choice for Shower Stall

Tiles are used more often on shower stalls; however, there are some disadvantages to using them. One of the disadvantages is that dirt deposited from soaps, shampoos, and water would stain the grout overtime no matter how much you try to protect or clean regularly. Synthetic shower surrounds, on the other hand, are easier to maintain due to the lack of grout lines that tiles have. They have been used for shower stalls because of this very reason, as well as, ease of installation and cheaper price.

Here are some types of synthetic shower surround you can use for your next bathroom remodel:

ABS or PVC Plastic: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride) are commonly referred to as plastics. These enclosures can be installed over moisture-resistant wall made of sheetrock or other solid surface building material. These kits are easy to install using liquid nails. The thicker the walls, the easier the ABS or PVC can be installed over them.

Fiberglass: A fiberglass is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. Also known as fibreglass and glass fibre, is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products. For shower surrounds, pressed-fiberglass kits are fairly inexpensive and easy to install. The kit that comes with thick, rigid panels are very durable and their seamless design helps prevent water leaking into the surrounding walls.

Cultured Marble: Probably the most expensive of the three, the cultured marble is a mixture of resin and ground marble or limestone. Also referred to as engineered marble, it is fabricated to resemble that of marble or stones. Cultured marble is used by a lot of home builders in shower stalls and bath tub surrounds of homes being built nationwide. It is stain resistant, durable and very easy to clean. They last very long, even after years of use they still maintain their shiny luster.

These three types come in kits, mostly in three pieces. Because they are molded in the factory, you can also choose to order the ones that come in modules that would include the bath tub or shower stall floor that are also made of the same material. Epoxy or liquid nails are the common adhesives to use. These shower surrounds can also be installed directly over the existing ceramic tiles, eliminating demolition work that can produce waste materials that can fill up our landfills.

So if you are thinking of renovating your bathroom or if you would like to eliminate the maintenance that comes with tiles, consider choosing synthetic shower surrounds.