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Discussion Forum

Suggestions wanted: Material for shower ceiling

DanH | Posted in General Discussion on January 2, 2014 10:30am

It’s looking like the ductwork for the vent fan in our downstairs bathroom has disassembled itself.  Access to repair same will necessarily be through the shower ceiling.

The existing ceiling is drywall with a course “sand finish”.  I would plan to cut that out, make the repairs, then replace the ceiling with some sort of sheet goods.  (I’m getting too old to spend two weeks duplicating the texture of the existing sand finish — it was bad enough when I did it the first time, 35 years ago.)

The shower is a fiberglass unit (in very good condition), with ceramic tile filling in the 18 inches or so above the fiberglass enclosure and below the ceiling.  The shower is about 32×46.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a material to replace the ceiling with?  It should look reasonably nice — better than the typical apartment building painted plywood ceiling hack, certainly — and be reasonably moisture resistant.  And it should be possible to fasten it somehow without obnoxiously visible fasteners.

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Replies

  1. jimblodgett | Jan 03, 2014 10:51am | #1

    Tile?

    Any chance you have enough tile left over that matches your wall tile?  Might be able to make that look okay.

    1. DanH | Jan 03, 2014 06:41pm | #3

      Tile would be a PITA to install (especially with my bum arm) and, after 35 years, I doubt that I have any pieces left.  (But no telling what's hiding in the bottom of that vanity.)

      I'm looking for something a bit simpler.

  2. sapwood | Jan 03, 2014 12:08pm | #2

    How about a mirror?

    1. DanH | Jan 03, 2014 06:42pm | #4

      I've got to presume you're joking.  I'm the main user of the shower, and there's no way I want to see my naked reflection.

  3. Geoffrey | Jan 03, 2014 09:28pm | #5

    Ceiling Fix

    Dan,

    I presume the ceiling in the shower area is "dropped" to accomadate the fan fixture,

    with that as your situation, mark a line 3" (or more if you prefer) in  from the outer walls/edges and remove the ceiling board, do

    your repair and install a new piece of moisture resistant drywall (w/ backers as needed ) Scrape the sand texture as smooth as

    possible around the outer edge surface,  then mud and tape seams/joints as needed (smooth finish), prime and paint, done.

    Useing a  3/4" nap roller for the final paint  will help to hide any  imperfections in the mud job (adds a "texture" to the surface to

    hide imperfections)

    Just my 2cents,

    Good Luck,

     

    Geoff

  4. calvin | Jan 04, 2014 10:37am | #6

    Dan

    Get a pc of floor paper-rough cut it to fit the ceiling an inch shy all around.  Tape it up there.

    Take a 2" something-register the edge along the wall and mark the opposite side of the something on the paper.

    Pull paper-place on a pc of pleasing PLAM and register that 2" something to the pencil line-mark the opposite edge on the laminate.

    Cut it out-take the line. 

    PL Premium the snot outta it up on the ceiling-brace it with spreaders and spring boards.

    Caulk the perimeter with GOOD caulking.

    Take a shower.

  5. renosteinke | Jan 04, 2014 06:59pm | #7

    Do It Right Tis Time

    1)  Completely remove drywall ceiling; make a ceiling joist define the limots of what you remove;

    2) Replace drywall with DuRock;

    3) "Mud" seams with setting ("hot") type joint compound and fiberglass tape;

    4) Cover ceiling by gluing FRP panel ('fiberglass reinforced plastic') on to the DuRock; (I like  the Permatex adhesives), and,

    5) Cover your corners using 'plastic' trim material

    1. DanH | Jan 05, 2014 08:09am | #9

      Yeah, FRP is along the lines of what I was thinking.

      1. calvin | Jan 05, 2014 03:07pm | #10

        frp

        You sure don't need durock as a substrate.

        1. DanH | Jan 05, 2014 03:22pm | #11

          Yeah, I'm gonna see what I can find in FRP and brainstorm with that.  Simple is good.

          1. calvin | Jan 05, 2014 03:52pm | #12

            Check with Franklin Adhesives .............

            and use what they recommend for FRP-the wrong stuff won't last, might eat up the plastic and shouldn't be used.

          2. DanH | Jan 05, 2014 04:45pm | #13

            I'm thinking if I went the FRP route I'd probably use mechanical fasteners, though I'm still mulling  it over.

            Keep the ideas coming.

          3. calvin | Jan 05, 2014 08:57pm | #14

            Dan

            FTP has a proprietary matching drive rivet.  Not small, but might interest you.

          4. DanH | Jan 05, 2014 10:21pm | #15

            Yeah, I was thinking about that.  I've seen some that looked pretty decent, others not so.

  6. User avater
    MarkH | Jan 04, 2014 11:14pm | #8

    A fiberglass panel would be nice.  I would put a painted panel under (over?) it because it is a bit translucent.

  7. User avater
    Mike_Mahan | Jan 06, 2014 11:39am | #16

    T-bar.

    Why not a T-bar ceiling? Use whatever panels you like.

    1. DanH | Jan 06, 2014 06:47pm | #17

      Worth considering, I suppose.  Would likely take a bit more headroom than I'd like, and visually would be a bit too close, I suspect.

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