Bathroom maker over

[sinjin]

Hi guys, i have a bathroom that is pretty tired. I would like to do total redo. The shower area is the one area i'm looking for some clues. At the moment i have glass screens which are fine.
What alternatives are people now using instead of tiles on the walls. Grout seems to be that one area which takes heaps to keep clean neat and tidy. I have thought about getting a large sheet of Stainless bent at 90 degs. And at the moment thats my first choice. But would like to hear if others have come up with low maintenace ideas. The other area is the base itself the existing unit is one of those acyrlic jobs and that is pretty sad as well.
Any links to some sites also would be greatly appreciated

[Bleedin Thumb]

I've never seen it done, but could you use glass sheets like a kitchen splashback? The cost wouldn't be too bad as you dont need toughened glass and if you chose a colour that didn't need star fired clarity? No grout lines.

[MurrayD99]

We are looking at replacing a corner shower unit (tired and the half-height join has gone) and doing up the bathroom as a consequence. The tiler who did work on the kitchen floor warned us against grout/tiles in the shower - mainly because the grout will dis-colour. Preference right now is to line the walls with a wet-area board that looks like tiles (well, from a distance). Glass door and panel.... Have a look at www.laminex.com.au/gallery.aspx?type=1. This product is no longer available in NZ but there is a Hardie alternative/lookalike at $180 for an 8 x 4. Be interested to hear what you decide.

[OBBob]

I'm not sure about the stainless ... I'd be a little affraid it may look like a hospital and it could also be very hard to keep clean ... re stainless appliances.

I still like tiles and found that if you seal the grout they are much easier to keep clean. There are however also perspex products around ... you could get a shet of that bent up ... any colour etc.

Bleedin Thumb ... why wouldn't you need toughened? I would have thought even if it is laminated on the wall it could shatter if you slipped against it? Are kitchen splashbacks nt toughened? Just a question ... I haven't ever looked into this.

[Bleedin Thumb]

Bleedin Thumb ... why wouldn't you need toughened? I would have thought even if it is laminated on the wall it could shatter if you slipped against it? Are kitchen splashbacks nt toughened? Just a question ... I haven't ever looked into this.

Once I sent that post I was questioning myself about it.
There is a bit of BS around about the toughened glass in the kitchen.

My take on it is you need it near your stove because of expansion /contraction issues with the heat, but you dont need it elsewhere as the chances of breakage is remote because its stuck close to the walls.
I'm sure that one of the kitchen boys is about to jump on me for speaking shyte as usual.
Go toughened anyway from a safety aspect. You don't want to star in your own version of the shower scene from PSYCHO.

[celeste]

Hi all

Have a look on www.somersoft.com.au in the photos gallery - wet areas there are photos of a bathroom done in SS,

Also I just completed a bathroom reno in large tiles - less grout and I did not find them harder to lay - take a look at one of the tile shops, there are heaps of new tiles - some that need min grout or no grout.

Celeste

[Cabbie]

Hey there being in the cabinetmaking business I have done lots of kitchens and more and more people are going glass. We normally get starfire toughned glass and paint it ourselves. I dunno if there would be a problem not using toughened but with my experience we only use toughened mainly for peace of mind. I would suggest glass panels as well just don't get the glass comany to paint it as they will probably charge you a fortune or you could even speak to a cabinetmaker who could get it in for you at a rerasonable price. I have only really ever seen tiled bathrooms so I can't offer any more suggestions other than the glass sorry good Luck anyway

[arms]

I'm sure that one of the kitchen boys is about to jump on me for speaking shyte
damn right !!!!!!!
actually the need for toughened glass doesnt come from a practical side ,it comes from a safety side ,i have been involved in many multi story installations of kitchens involving glass splashbacks ,one comes to mind in that the company thought it was easier and cheaper to only install toughened glass in the area of the stove ,trouble was they forgot that the dishwasher they installed let off a lot of radiant heat and cracked the non toughened above it ,case to point they had to replace 235 units with new glass because of them trying to get out of it cheap ,
physics is a great lesson teacher!!!!

[sinjin]

Thanks for all the tips

[rhancock]

This is an interesting one! I did our bathroom reno in tiles and grout 2 years ago and it looks like shyte now! Our main problem is a wooden house on unstable stumps during a drought! - everything moves, so the grout cracks at all the major joins....

What about using a laminex sheet backed onto masonite, and then sealed at joins with silicone? Stainless steel sounds good, but won't it feel like Prisoner Cell Block H everytime you get in the shower? (or if you're a POM, then like the Birmingham Bull Ring public toilets)

They sell the fake tile sheet a Bunnies, but don't know how much. Checked it out for my brothers reno and threw it out on price, so can't be cheap, but would be easy to install - could you just glue it to the old stuff? He had to jackhammer the old tiles off!

[OBBob]

Hi again ... I just saw a bathroom with a pressed tin shower ... actually I think its pressed aluminium these days ... but very different none the less!

[Ausyuppy]

Hi sinjin,
Personally I would definately not to stainless steel. As OBBob said, it will be a bugger to keep clean. Trust me on experience here. Im in the navy, keeping shower recesses clean that are made of stainless steel is possible, however you need to scrub it, and scrubbing it introduces a lot of scratch marks. Again you can live with that when your living on a 30 year old ship, but I beleive the maintenance and asthetic feel of it in your shower recess is not worth it.

Also stainless soaks up a lot of light, so you might find the shower recess will feel very dark.

All things to think about. Personally I like the sheet of glass idea, only got the corners to worry about and its reasonably easy to replace silastic.

Cheers
Steve