Is it hard to install a tub wall???

Question

I am living in a very old house and will be for the next few years while saving and building our new home on our property. The house by no means is pretty and I do want to fix it up a little with out putting too much money into it. The bathroom is one thing that I am going to work on. The tub is just fine it the wall around it. When they built the house they put boarding up around the tub so it is not tiled at all. I dont know exactly what is behind it but I do know its not properly done. There is a window that I can see on the outside of the bathroom and the tub wall is actually over it. I guess as some point the updated (poorly) the bathroom and did this. It looks horrible and I guess I just want to do the same but with new materials that are not so outdated looking and that are clean. I am assuming that we can use a tub wall to just put around the tub. I wanted to know if this is something that is hard to do??? There is a door on the side of the tub that goes to the

.... plumbing so it will not be hard to change the positioning of the facets etc... Any tips would be helpful.

Answer 1

Certainly in your situation you need not spend large to make improvements that are temporary essentially

There are various styles of "Tub Surrounds" most often in a thin plastic, that can be glued to the current walls. The type is your choice. Some are direct to corners at a 90 degree; some are rounded; many have molded soap holders, shelves for shampoo, etc. and some even with towel or face cloth bars.

The square to corners may have molding that conforms, can also be glued and caulked. The rounded versions may be sold in more sections, allowing the overlap of straight/flat to the walls with the molded/rounded corners overlapping, also to be glued and caulked. I have to also assume not all of them are sold in WHITE only.

The thin wall surrounds are relatively easy to cut/trim with utility knife or shears, but in the molded "features" might need no rough handling after to distort the feature.

They are sold in other materials as well, such as Fiberglass and other thicker wall composites. The choice is yours through some first hand shopping.

A general carpentry adhesive like Liquid nails is adequate, and to avoid a LINE showing through as a LUMP, just spread the adhesive, press it to the wall, pull it away for 15 seconds to TAC, then press the panel back. It acts like contact cement that way.

There are Top/bead moldings as well as panel to tub moldings, and white silicone caulks designed for tub and shower allow a decent seal.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

I strongly suggest you do not use Liquid Nails. It can warp the plastic terribly. If you decide to go with a new surround, the stores selling them usually have proper adhesives in the same area - which won't cause warping. The Liquid Nails company does make a surround adhesive. Just be sure that's what you take home with you along with your new surround.

Answer 3

No its a piece of piss, use hardi backer board and not sheetrock, it comes in 1/4" 0r 1/2" thickness 3x5 ft shhet.
Lowes also stock a waterproof product called dense shield, its easier to work with than hardiboard.

Answer 4

I agree with Steven. Instead of using Liquid Nails tho, I have been using Power Grab (by Loctite)-- It grabs and holds immediately unlike Liquid Nails