I installed a surround for a customer about 9 months ago. It took alot of effort originally to get it flat to the wall for the adhesive to set. Well after a couple of months the double faced tape let go. I put some tub surround adhesive under the buckled portion and all was good. Now 3 months later it’s buckled again. So we removed the buckled section(backwall) and when trying to reattach there is no way to get it flat. Eveytime you push down the buckled , it buckles somewhere else. Has anyone else had this problem and are there any solutions.
The buckle is big enough to stick your fist behind.
If you were arrested for being a quality builder would there be enough evidence to convict you?
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We installed a "very inexpensive" shower enclosure with PL200 over a non-absorbing surface and in the course of a month the glue "ate" the enclosure (large ripples everywhere). 3M is quite a company we found out from the experience. They said it was probably because the enclosure had too much recycled plastic in it. Also the non-absorbing surface held the vapors. Also they said we might have used too much glue in the situation. But they really came through for us. We replaced it with a much better surround.
I don't know if any of this applies to your situation.
Customers want no seam, so you make the corners very tight, right. Chances are the panel is a little to tight a some point. Try trimming and to leave a slight gap. Some will shrug, but a wonderful job of silicone at the seams will finish it nicely.
That is unless they are like my last Swanstone shower. We wound up trimming the vertical corners with rips of swanstone. Very nice, could use it as an opportunity for accent color.
Yup, same thing here.
Mine was a swan tub surround though. I ended up taking the "main" tub surround off, removing all the double-edged tape that Swan gives you. (I LOVE how Swan says to use the tape, but then they require you cut the corner panels down which removes all the tape).
Anyway. bought many tubes of the Liquid nails extra adhesive stuff (I originally used the stuff intended for tub surrounds but that doesn't hold diddley squat).
Used like 5 rolls of 3M double-stick heavy duty tape and put the sucker up. Had to hold it in place for about 20 minutes in one spot though.
Ironically the downstairs bathroom has a smaller sized Swan tub surround and it held fine. I think my main piece was "warped" (it never did quite lay flat), and of course Swan won't replace it (that's not covered under warranty).
I guess I should've tiled.
Never have had any luck w/ surrounds....now I refuse the job...
i've done about 4 surrounds.. boy do i hate fiberglass surrounds....never again...
i'll do laminate, i'll do corian.. tile anytime.. but no more fiberglass surrounds
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Agreed. I think that some of the "nice" laminates work very well (I kick myself for not using that). Normally I hate tile (on the walls, in showers, etc.), but to each his own.
Never tried the corian walls though.
--Kevin
most plastic surrounds are too flexible. Dont mind tile, havent done corian, but that should be fine. Just refuse to do the thin ones.
This is swans ww-6000 tubwall made of heavy gauge fiberglass. Cost around $500.00 and what a POS. The real stinker is the plumber got it and charged the customer for installing it before scooting from the job without installing. Being the Saint I am, I put it in and now all the problems are mine.
I knew that I should listen to those voices in my head.If you were arrested for being a quality builder would there be enough evidence to convict you?
$500 for fiberglass? My materials cost on tiling a surround works out to about $150 for 4x4 tile, $50 for backerboard, $10 (or less, if I have scraps) for 15# paper or poly, $15 for a sack of premium thinset, $10 for a 5# box of premium grout, and another $50 for misc stuff... so, maybe $300, guessing liberally? Now, maybe the labor costs eat up the difference, but the way you all describe it, I wonder.
Edit: I guess I'm thinking of tub surrounds... shower would be different, as you have to deal with the pan which is big $$ for tile.
Edited 2/17/2003 11:06:43 PM ET by AndyL
I have used Swan surrounds on about 10 different bathroom remodels in the past 2 years. Never had a problem like you were discussing. Yeah, you have to put up bracing until the adhesive dries, cutting it is a mess, the corner strips have to stick real good, sometime requiring taping a bracing, but the end result look really nice. The last one I did, included a shower pan and the walls, trim pieces, 2 soap dish holders. Cost was about $1400.00, Yup expensive but a quality job is always worth it. The cheap ones are a waste of time and money. I prefer tiling myself but the customer is the boss and if that is what they want, that's what they get. I will try to talk them into the more expensive unit as it is much easier to work with, and the results are much better. I also let them take a look at other customers jobs, when they balk. Work for me. Good luck
One thing we have gone to on tub surrounds is latex glue. One of the surrounds recommended it so we ordered it special. We've used it ever since. The advantage is you don't have to worry about how much glue you are using (no harmful vapors). Also with the swan we clamped the thing with plywood springy strips overnight.
I installed one in my bath three years ago using contact cement. I know that is not the recommended way to do it but it turned out great, is absolutely flat, and not lifting anywhere. One word of advice, DO NOT try this metod without a helper.