Laminate surrounds

[Jabela]

Terry has mentioned and I've seen in a few threads in the past about laminate shower surrounds. But as much as I've scoured here and the net I can't find specific installation procedures. Any ideas?


Left to my own devices....

We are tearing out old tub and tile surround. Expanding the end walls each a foot, installing a bench at one end. Interior dimensions about 53 inches by 36.

I'd redo the walls in tar paper on concrete backer board. Add the schulter corner beads just like they do for tile. And glue the laminate down like they do on countertops. For the bench edge I could again go with a shlulter bead. All on top of a mud pan because I want the drain location at the same end it was before instead of moving it to the middle.

But since my size is wider that the 48 inches I think laminate comes in what do I do for that last 5 inches? I've seen one or two examples of one level being laid down horizontally with another layer overlapping on top but that doesn't look nice.

[jimbo]

If you are talking about a laminate like formica, I dont know if it is rated for a shower. It certainly needs a very smooth and flat substrate. I dont think cement board would take contac cement very well.

By the way, the 15 pound felt would go UNDER the cement board, not on top.

Have you looked at the surrounds from Lasco, American Shower and Bath, MAAX, Silestone, and Swan. There are lots of things available.

[Jabela]

sorry, typo. I did mean "under" but typed "on".

Here's a link where Terry talks about a laminate surround.

http://terrylove.com/forums/showthre...light=laminate


On the other surrounds like Lasco that are premade I haven't figured out how to use them on a bench seat. And I haven't been able to get much info on how to use the solid surface surrounds on the seat either without having a professional installer in which case I might as well get cultured marble.

[Terry]

There should be people in the phone book that advertise these.

It's a one piece that bends around the corners. They glue it over greenboard.
The prefered way to to go beyond the tub, and put "legs" on the front side of the tub.

It's not prefered over tile, but it lasts pretty well.
There is only the seam where it meets the tub.
Make sure no greenboard touches the tub, as it will "wick" water up the wall, there should be a gap.
The Laminated can touch the tub and be siliconed.

[Jabela]

Thanks Terry. I may have seen something like that which is either premanufactured or bent to specs. I think the shower surround has to be a double height unit though. I was hoping I could hand make it but sounds like not so back to more traditional methods.

Jimbo, thanks for the note about American Shower and Bath. Hadn't heard about them before. I'm really intrigued by this unit.

http://www.asbcorp.com/product.cfm?prodid=506

We'd have to put in a wood bench instead of a solid one I imagine. I'm going to take this down to my home center and have it priced out.