I plan to build my own retirement home when I am 65 (you may laugh out loud). Some of the house plans we have liked have a walk-in shower with the curved wall. My wife and I do not like tile on shower walls but have been very impressed with the long term performance of simulated marble in a sheet form. I cannot imagine how I would install that on a curved wall so I am asking what, other than tile, is a viable wall material for the curved intrance to a walk-in shower?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The Big Beautiful Bill could do away with much of the Inflation Reduction Act, including the 25C, 25D and 45L tax credits.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
The various resinous countertop materials such as Corian, Silestone, etc all make versions for wall applications and that includes shower and bath enclosures. Check the Yellow Pages. But ask yourself or johnbridge.com why you don't like tile.
I doubt that you can do that with Silestone has it is rock like after it is made.But the solid surface, Corian, swanstone, and the like can be thermal molded.There are a number of local cultured marble fabricators. Contact them and see what they can do.Glass blocks can be done on a radius.Stainless Steel will work.Then there are more exotic materials such as concrete, custom fabricated fiberglass, and laminate.
I'm not sure but in the 1/4 inch material such as Avonite that it can't be bent to a reasonable radius. Ask a fabricator. I don't think it is thermoplastic.
Thank you for pointing me to the web site JohnBridge.com. I am very impressed with the specialized work that is performed by that company. But, after reviewing all of the comments about water penetration of both the ceramic tile and the portland cement grout, I am still concerned about the potential for mold and mildew formation in the grout. One of our primary objectives is to build a retirement home that requires a minimum of maintenance or upkeep. The water/humidity exposed areas are one of our greatest concerns.
One book on building homes that I read recommended painting all surfaces of every piece of wood before assembly. I know from my experience in the electronics industry that no coating short of vacuum deposited Paralene can totaly stop humidity from entering the wood but it probably is a good idea so as to slow down the rate of humidity change in the wood itself. This is one of the advantages of building the house myself--I can put my wife to work painting every piece of wood before it is installed.
You'll want to use a membrane type product. Schluter Kerdi is about state-of-the-art and good quality as you can get. You can put it right over sheet rock (but for a curved wall, maybe 1/4" Hardi will bend enough?) The Kerdi is a plastic membrane that you adhere to the wall with thinset, then tile over. In terms of mold & grout, there's grouts & additives you can use that are mildew resistant.
The john bridge forum is the best place for tiling info.
kevin
Painting all the wood will go a long way to keeping mold down, pay special attention to the endgrain. However using steel studs may go further with less trouble. Also using a wallboard that has little if any cellulose in it , composite sheeting (Hardi or what not) will also contribute. Cellulose feeds the mold, take away the food you stop the mold. Insulate without paper, i.e. foam. Keep anything made from wood or wood by byducts out of the room. Check into paints, I don't know if latex is more prone to mildew than alkyd enamel but it's worth knowing. Treat any joints (fixtures to walls and floors) as if they didn't get caulking, keeping them scribed as tight as possible, so that the caulk you will use is minimal and easily removed and replaced. I'm not saying skimp on caulk, just keep everything tight so that the bead isn't filling an 1/8" or more gap, using the best caulk you're willing to buy.
Terry: DW & I started a house after 65. Built most of it ourselves. I won't laugh at you. Not one bit. I applaud your interest in living after hitting "Retirement age."
Advice - it has to be walk in. And perhaps wheelchair friendly. Make provisions for stainless grab bars to be installed for when you aren't as light on the feet as you are now. Make sure there is a light in it, and if you can swing it, a fan intake to keep the steam out of the rest of the bathroom. Also might consider a seat along one wall if you have the space.
Good luck.
Live long and prosper!
Don
Cultured marble can be formed to a curve. Speak with a qualified installer. Open your checkbook.
Where ya located?
I will be building in southern Tennessee near Fayetteville although I currently live in Tucson, AZ.
Several of the ideas have appeal. My thanks to all who have responded. Some of the ideas may require more than for me to open my wallet. I imagine that I might have to open one of our piggy banks.
Humidity will be a problem so I appreciate the validation of my idea to duct a central ventilation fan directly to the shower. I agree with the light in the shower. As we age, our eyes become dimmer. I find that the sixty watt shower light I have now is not enough some days.
Thank you.
If you were staying in AZ, I had a contractor for you. But not in TN. Oh well.
Terry, Fantech makes an excellent ventilation system with a remote fan motor. You can have multiple outlets in one bathroom, or tie more than one bathroom together on the same fan. The best part is that the air intake can include a very bright yet inconspicuous light.
Mike
Mike, Thank you for the suggestion to incorporate the fan intake duct into the shower light. I did not see that option at Fantech.com or at FantechPlus.com. Are you thinking of a standard can light? Would not the humidity corrode the electrical elements?
Terry
Terry, I don't know the details, but our electricians install them all the time:
http://www.fantech.net/vlc.htm
Mike
Thank you, Mike, for pointing me to the correct Fantech web site for the vent/light combination. That is a perfect design for what I want to do in the walk-in shower. This is my first posting in the Breaktime area and I am really enjoying the discusssions and contributions from all the members.
In our commercial applications, I've seen a thin compsite sheeting bent to the curve in two layers and then tiled with a small square tile. The wall studs were metal and it seemed the tilers used a good amount of thinset to follow the curve. I imagine there are limitations as so the radius of the curve. But then I also know that now that archy's and designers know that curves can be worked, that's all they want to do.