Cheapest way to make DIY shower walls?
Alright guys, try and go easy on me here!
I’m a very DIY kind of guy. I’ve been doing my own major renovations and such my entire adult life but this is my first time needing to build a shower from scratch.
My ~30 year old plastic shower walls are cracking and falling apart and I want to get rid of the (plastic) tub. I need to put in a very plain utilitarian shower on an extreme budget in a mobile home. Ease of cleaning is also one of the highest priorities, so I mostly just want flat walls I can scrub down (though I will of course provide for a soap/shampoo shelf of some kind). “Institutional” might be the best word for you to get an idea of what I’m going for here. 😉 My overall home motif is futuristic in case that helps you come up with ideas for me.
I’m going to make my own concrete shower pan by following an online tutorial I found, but the walls are driving me crazy. I’m looking for a cheaper alternative to plastic shower wall panels, with the added benefit of being able to build it to my own dimensions. $400+ for three plastic walls just seems crazy to me.
I don’t want tile or anything resembling tile. Really I just want it look like ordinary painted walls. Any cheap way to achieve this?
What I imagine is a concrete pan seamlessly blended into the walls and a commercial type coating of some sort. Non-slip and antimicrobial additives in the floor coating maybe?
Thank you for any help achieving my goals here.
Replies
A mobile home is not the best place to put a huge cement shower base. the floor and frame are not built for such a use.
you really will be better off with a replacement similar to what was there.
I am reminded of the signature of a person who used to frequent an SUV enthusiast forum. "It is not too expensive, you are too cheap"
But if you want to save money, install some https://www.homedepot.com/p/Glasliner-4-ft-x-8-ft-White-090-FRP-Wall-Board-MFTF12IXA480009600/100389836?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-B-F_D30-G-D30-30_27_PANELING-Generic-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_D30-G-D30-30_27_PANELING-Generic-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA--71700000052659303-58700005045840622-92700044042640858&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqrb7BRDlARIsACwGad6sTS3tx4cpV6qEEXVsI2m0oxrOEkQbX_uoS4amoD8W0VKNcgBrSggaAp36EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
or similar on the walls. make sure to overlap the base so that when the sides move relative to the base (they will), the caulk you use has a chance to stay sealed.
You also can put in ordinary painted walls.
If you put cement board walls, and tape them, then add a couple coats of a waterproofing paint, and add additional coats until you are happy. use some floor paint if you like.
you can add anti-mold additives, and depending on ventilation, you might be ok.
try to keep it dry and you should be ok.
( I still think you would be better off with a commercial product made for mobile homes. may look like it costs more, but it will be lots more work to cobble together an alternative, will not be as cheap as you hope, and will probably end up cracking and leaking.)
"try to keep it dry" ? in the shower?
between showers. so mold does not grow.
make sure it dries out.
Sometimes you can substitute skill and care in installation process for the right materials. However, water is a wicked beast that will wick thru the slightest flaw in your coating. The FRP sheet at least cuts down on your vulnerable areas to just the seams, and it is cheep!
You could look at some of the lightweight concrete mixes if your heart is set on it, but you did say you did want to save money...
A plastic or fiberglass base and FRP sheets. Use FRP adhesive and glue plastic quarter round in the corners with a polyurethane sealant. Don't use silicone! I've more mobile home showers like this than I can remember. About a 1 day job.
Thank you for the replies guys!
Florida, your post looks like the most helpful so extra thanks to you.
UncleMike42 "It is not too expensive, you are too cheap" is a great line but I still say these shower wall panels are really overpriced. I'll hold onto that line though. =)
So after reading UncleMike42's first reply I went digging for hours and found a set of shower walls and base that were a price I just barely found acceptable.
Then I went to the store planning to most likely buy that setup, but with Mike's post rolling around in my head helping me along I rationalized my way into spending double my originally planned budget because I found a shower I really, really liked that also had more elbow room. It just has a perfect look for my sci-fi motif. The door is what broke the bank, and I had intended to avoid a glass shower door 100%, but after staring at the thing (and price tag) for over an hour I decided that since I'm likely going to have this shower the rest of my life it was worth spending a four or five hundred bucks more than I had planned.
Of course, it also means I'll probably be dealing with trying to keep the door clean for the rest of my life too. =(
Worse come to worst if I can't take it after a certain number of years I can yank out the glass door that was > 50% of the price I paid for the whole setup, and put in a shower curtain I can take down and run through the washing machine.