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Old 01-05-2007, 02:13 PM   #1
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Shower wall

On my Ambassador the shower wall with the fixtures on it is part of the closet.

Originally it has a green waterproof type of wall paper on it. Ugly and needs to go!

What would be a good replacement wall covering for that?

I know, aluminum, or stainless. I was thinking of a laminate like I used for the counter tops but the stuff I have is not rated for shower use.

I thought they made laminates for shower walls, but everytime I ask the Home Depot guys they give me blank stare....
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Old 01-05-2007, 02:21 PM   #2
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That's their natural look.

Mine has a laminate on it too but full of holes from PO's mounting things to the other side. I painted mine with the same exterior paint as the rest of the interior. Of course I would like to use the same laminate I did on the two countertops but it's discontinued. I wouldn't worry too much about it being waterproof, afterall, how long of showers will you be taking in the Ambassador? Just seal up the edges really good because the laminate itself should be waterproof.

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Old 01-05-2007, 02:46 PM   #3
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Hi Tim,

We had the same issue in our Caravel. We tore off the yucky paper, sanded down the wood wall, and coated it with primer. After that, it got a couple of coats of two-part tub epoxy. We don't anticipate taking long, luxurious showers in that wet bath, so mainly just wanted to keep the water from soaking the wood wall. Good luck!
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Old 01-05-2007, 02:58 PM   #4
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That's true. Its not like it will be our daily household shower.

Maybe I could use the laminate I have. They just said it was not shower rated. I have enough to give it a try.

I wonder what makes it shower rated or not.
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Old 01-05-2007, 03:06 PM   #5
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Hi Guys- I thought the holes where there so that you could take a shower and wash your clothes at the same time! And then that would explain the missing rivits in the side wall to let the air in to dry. Sorry, but I had to do that ! Take a run over to your friendly Lowes Hardware/Lumber Big Box place. They have shower wall sheets that come in white or eggshell and are sabresaw cuttable. Pretty slick stuff to work with and you can seal the seams with white caulk [the flexible type] Danger though, use a wet paper to carefully sand the edges and not scratch the surface.
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Old 01-05-2007, 03:55 PM   #6
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Try some yacht paint , West Marine is where I get mine, If it's good enough for the topsides of a sailing vessel a little sprinkle in the shower should be no problem. It is pricy, but if you follow the directions and apply it with a brush it will look sprayed! honest
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Old 01-05-2007, 04:18 PM   #7
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Just saw an episode of "How's It Made" on the Discovery Channel that went through the laminate manufacturing process. It's all layered kraft paper soaked in resin. They use a different resin for the top decorative sheets that the backing and solid color tops are a little different than patterns. We used WilsonArt (a Formica brand competitor) in our bath surround at home. They preform it to the measured dimensions of your walls but I was free to choose any color/pattern from the samples. I'd call up a place that specializes in kitchen/bath remodels and ask them about the specs for different brands. I don't see why they all wouldn't be waterproof. Perhaps they have a special line of laminate with anti-microbal treatment that they call "shower rated".

Regular counter tops are bonded to perticle board. Stuff like seats in fast food restaurants are built up of numerous layers of the same substrate as they use behind the top sheet and are waterproof. They're also basicly bullet proof

Other options would be to get fiberglass panels or hack a sectional shower surround. I've been on the lookout for a sectional or better yet one piece shower stall that could be cut to fit into the rounded corner space of our rear bath unit. The idea of a thin wood veneer with wall paper was absurd. Obviously the designers back then never had to actually CLEAN the shower for themselves!

Why in the heck they ever thought putting the bath all the way in the rear was a good idea I'll never know. It would make infinitely more sense to put a bed in the most out of the way place in the trailer.

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Old 01-05-2007, 04:40 PM   #8
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Home Base sold a 4x8 sheet of plastic that is perfect for this. Maybe it's available elsewhere. It's not quite 1/8" thick and has a "bubble" surface on one side, the other is more smooth, but not shiny smooth. It glues up with silicone (nasty word here, I know, but in this application it's perfect). You can cut it to fit with a saber saw and then sand the edge smooth. 100% water proof and probably last forever.

I used it and a sheet of 1/2" plywood to replace the shower wall in a 60s Bambi that has been used extensively since. This was 7 years ago and it's still in great shape.

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Old 01-05-2007, 06:42 PM   #9
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Another idea for you

Safari:

I painted that wall (and the other walls, the ceiling and the shower pan) with the POR 15 product WhiteCoat.

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It seems porcelain-like in its hardness.

I will cover the biggest portion of the wall, equal to the width of the shower pan, with a sheet of clear acrylic or Lexan.

The sheet will be backed with a layer of the 3M film that signwriters use to imitate frosted glass.

I like the look of chrome, brilliant white and frosted glass together.

Sergei
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Old 01-05-2007, 08:04 PM   #10
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I'm thinking some sort of laminate or panel placed over the wood closet wall would is something that I'd prefer over painting.

If my formica I used on the counter would work that would be ideal as I have it already and it would match everything else. My only concern is that Formica said it was not shower grade.
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Old 01-05-2007, 08:32 PM   #11
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Tim; Why don't you do a little testing with your formica? Maybe spray on a coat of clear sealer or something along those lines then turn the garden hose on it for a short 6 gallons! Or coat it with flow out epoxy. Or have me fab up a carbon fiber stall for you! I like the formica approach tho give it a whirl. the other Tim
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Old 01-05-2007, 10:58 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeppelinium
Home Base sold a 4x8 sheet of plastic that is perfect for this. Maybe it's available elsewhere. It's not quite 1/8" thick and has a "bubble" surface on one side, the other is more smooth, but not shiny smooth.
This sounds like an "FRP" (fiberglass reinforced plastic) panel. That's what I'm using, to replace the greyish-colored dull vinyl-type stuff that was on the water-exposed wood in my bathroom. Decided on the standard industrial white to brighten up the tiny area, but Lowe's carries some other products designed for bath or shower surrounds, in different colors and patterns. Talk to someone smart in their custom cabinet & countertop area, I think these are fairly new special-order products for them.... (I got my FRP panels at a wholesale specialty place, but Lowe's had some nice other options.)

Plastic laminates (Formica, Wilsonart) really DON'T hold up well to soaking.

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Old 01-06-2007, 04:27 AM   #13
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Bath Fitters

I think "bath fitters" is a national franchise. They work on homes... and should be able to do an Airstream. They actually form each surround on site. With an RV we could go to them!

Their product is a form fitted one piece shower surround that is made to cover ugly old tubs and tile.... this could be the answer to the ugly Airstream bathroom/wet bath.

I talked to a couple of vintage owners who were looking at the wet bath in my 22 and wished they could install it in their small units. Of course the radius of the ceiling curve has changed over the years and the new surround won't fit the old curve.

I STILL like my 22's wet bath better than the 25's separate shower and WC. Basically small bath = bigger closets. I only use a bath for a couple of functions and none of those take longer than 10 minutes. Cleaning a wet bath is idiot simple... spray your favorite wet clenser everywhere, HOSE IT DOWN, then wipe up the hair from the floor drain, wipe the toilet seat dry and optionally squeegee the walls. Little or no "hands on" wiping and washing of every surface, especially those yellow stains where the 3 year old nephew used the facilities!

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Old 01-06-2007, 07:47 AM   #14
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Tim:

I can’t see why Formica or Wilsonart won’t work. Like with your kitchen counter, the concern with water is at the sink and the splash back.

Similarly, if you use good moldings and caulk it should work in a limited-use shower, like in a trailer.

There are also a lot of very good specialty caulks available now.

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Old 01-06-2007, 11:06 AM   #15
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I thought this question would be slam dunk .... No problem Tim, go to isle 12....

Instead I here:

Use the formica

Don't use the formica

Use plastic

Paint it!

Call in a custom fabricator!

Maybe I should stick with the green wallpaper!

I think I'm more confused then when I asked.
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Old 01-06-2007, 11:36 AM   #16
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I think that you want to use Formica. Go ahead and do it. If you protect the EDGES everything should be OK.

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Old 01-06-2007, 11:49 AM   #17
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formica the 2nd...

my inlaw's shower was redone with it about 8 years ago... no problem since. They did seal the seams though.
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Old 01-06-2007, 11:51 AM   #18
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I'll third the formica!
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Old 01-06-2007, 11:52 AM   #19
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Fourth for formica. Now goet out there and do it.

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Old 01-06-2007, 12:46 PM   #20
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Don't use the formica--brittle edges, too stiff, ugh ugh ugh...
I think I'll got to Home Depot and see if they have the plastic.

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