Tub Surround vs. Tile

[Sobershea]

We are preparing to remodel our main bathroom and THOUGHT we wanted to get a tub surround so we wouldn't have to deal with grout/caulk issues. Initially we had decided on a Best Bath System http://www.best-bath.com/Gallery/Gallery.htm then we started wondering about the Sterling by Kohler. We saw a cutout of the Best system at a local bath store and it looks thick and strong. We haven't been able to see/touch the Sterling system. If we get a surround rather than traditional tile we lose the ability to have a towel bar in the tub area and are stuck with configurations that aren't exactly what we want. Plus there is the unknown - will the product last? I thought I was so sure about the surround but after reading in this forum it seems the surround and the matching acrylic tub are subject to flexing, cracking, and who knows what else. Sounds like I'm talking myself into traditional tub and tile - yes? I would like some professional input - if it was your house, and from your experience, what would you use?

 

[Cass]

Sterling has many different styles with towel bars. I highly recommend Sterling.
Find a place that sells Sterling and look in the book. The sterling surrounds attach to the studs not the drywall which is a much better set up, and are designed to drain the water back to the tub provided they are installed correctly.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

You have probably millions of choices if you go with tile,although a prefab design is easier. There are all sorts of techniques out there to help keep grout from being a sightly mess. Some of the things like RedGard or Kerdi, or Wedi help to make the thing dry out quicker which helps to prevent mold are good materials to use. Also, there are numerous epoxy grouts now available that aren't hard to install that are not prone to mold.

The biggest thing about mold is moisture, if you build it right, what little is there normally isn't a problem.

If you want to get a lot more perspective on the tile option, check out www.johnbridge.com.

 

[Sobershea]

Sterling has many different styles with towel bars. I highly recommend Sterling.
Find a place that sells Sterling and look in the book. The sterling surrounds attach to the studs not the drywall which is a much better set up, and are designed to drain the water back to the tub provided they are installed correctly.

The thing that bothers me about Sterling is that I can't touch/feel it. I don't want to make that kind of investment just looking in a catalog. I need to know how thick it is - I know what the surrounds are like at Home Depot etc. and they are flimsy at best. The Best surround is a good inch thick and is fiberglass backed acrylic. I looked on the Sterling site but they don't tell those kinds of specs. About the towel bar - I'm talking a towel bar across the back wall (opposite the shower head) that holds two bath towels. That's what we have now and the surrounds don't show anything like that. And the supply shop as well as the contractor suggested against putting that kind of towel bar on the surround. I just looked at the Sterling site again and noticed they list Home Depot and Lowes as the place to buy it locally. I will go back there just to see if they are the ones we don't care for. At the moment I guess we are leaning towards regular tile - need to do more research. And I thought it would be easy to do the bathroom!

 

[rodeoman]

i have the sterling tub no surround, the tub is made of a good material and the tub has a lot of room, i used 10x13 tiles for the wall and added a towel bar and soap holder works great i also added kohler shower doors! good luck and i would tile instead of surround, use cement board not greenboard and grout 1/16" space no mold in my tub after 1 yr.

 

[JohnfrWhipple]

....I would like some professional input - if it was your house, and from your experience, what would you use?

I would tile and waterproof myself. If you are worried about cleaning issues then Epoxy Grout is the answer.

Showers can get a bad wrap - that is because most tile men do not know what they are doing and most builders are in the dark of modern technology. If I had to choose a shower unit for my home and it was a ready made unit - I would pick the one that can come into my home without removing an upstairs window...

Many times these units need to be delivered prior to homes windows going in...