There are a lot of myths out there about solid surface shower walls. You may see your options as limited when they’re actually extensive. Higher quality materials like porcelain slab shower walls can go far in busting many preconceptions. Here are a few of the more pernicious myths that you should see for what they are:
#1: They’re All Acrylic
You’ve heard that acrylic walls are the only solid surface shower walls that are grout free? These walls are often sold by bathroom installers who prioritize speed of sale and installation over quality. Acrylic is a decent option, but it has its limitations.
Other options include PVC composite, fiberglass, and laminated – among others. The best choice is porcelain slab shower walls. Modern porcelain construction techniques make it thin and exceptionally strong.
#2: You Need Thick Panels
The thickness or thinness of panels isn’t that important. The quality of material is far more important. Porcelain slab shower walls are made with exceptional thinness because they can still match the waterproofing and durability of other materials.
In fact, a higher-quality material with less thickness will perform better over time and won’t have the same effect of making your shower seem smaller.
#3: Only Standard Sizes Apply
Solid surface shower walls don’t just come in standard sizes. You can get them custom for large showers in panels even as large as 144” x 100”.
Here, the only potential limitation is what fits through your door for the remodel.
#4. One-Piece “Bends”
One piece systems are easy to implement during construction but not necessarily as part of a remodel. A seamless unit has to fit through the pre-existing doors, after all. A one-piece system bent at the corners uses trim, so it’s not truly one-piece.
The best solution here is simply to use separate panels for each wall. Quality installation can achieve the same aesthetic and practical effects that present the installation as continuous.
#5: All Solid Surface Shower Walls Are Cut the Same
Some materials are easier to work with and install than others. Acrylic is easy to install if everything’s standard. If it needs to be cut, it turns into a nightmare. This is because acrylic expands and shrinks. Where you cut one day will match a different place the next.
It’s far easier, quicker, and more accurate to work with materials like porcelain or fiberglass, especially when it comes to custom installations.
Interested in porcelain slab shower walls? Talk to the East Coast Flooring (and shower!) experts.
