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Hi Dan,
I once painstakingly installed a plastic laminate tub surround. The scribed corners fit perfectly and I glued it up with panel adhesive that stated that it was suitable for tub surrounds. It was part of a much larger job and about a month later the client hauled me into the bathroom to show me his tub surround laying on the floor. It had gone off like a time bomb. Fortunately the laminate was undamaged and I glued it back in place with silicone caulking which I have used since with excellent results and no call backs.
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Hi Dan,
I once painstakingly installed a plastic laminate tub surround. The scribed corners fit perfectly and I glued it up with panel adhesive that stated that it was suitable for tub surrounds. It was part of a much larger job and about a month later the client hauled me into the bathroom to show me his tub surround laying on the floor. It had gone off like a time bomb. Fortunately the laminate was undamaged and I glued it back in place with silicone caulking which I have used since with excellent results and no call backs.
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Polystyrene foam??? For a tub surround? Please, uh, expand, I mean elaborate.
*Thanks.For a change someone has come back and told everyone what happened. Like a breath of fresh air.On the jumping off surround. I think I used the tube adhesive once and found out about the jump. Since have tried to talk 'em out of the plastic surround or will use trowel grade suitable for plastic. Full coverage or nothing.But then again, I don't know didly.
*It's not a soft foam-type board but rather flexible plastic. I guess it's extruded or pressure-treataed polystrene...it's the kind of 5 piece stuff that sells for about 125 at many home centers...I put it in my back bathroom 7 years ago and ,other than polishing it every feew weeks, its been great...(cheap but serviceable)..
*I used to write articles for a local newspaper, and this topic was one that was frequently brought up. I did about a year worth of research on this, and here is what I found."I wanted to wait until I had all of the research info and field test results in hand before answering this frequently asked question. The tub surrounds I am referring to here are the very thin, one piece acrylic/vinyl surrounds that are glued to the drywall (or whatever other surface covering is being used). They are experiencing cracks, both vertically and horizontally after approximately 1 year of service. Here's what I have found... The cracks start appearing small at first, then they grow in length. They can be found on edges, in the curves of the corners, or anywhere in the surface. They have no specific pattern, and there can be a few, or a lot of them. What causes these crack to appear is pretty simple. STRESS. Expansion and contraction of the vinyl happens constantly. Sometimes the expansion rate is great (when taking a hot shower), and sometimes the rate is small (everyday temperature changes). In any event, the vinyl is expanding and contracting. This is what it is supposed to do. Unfortunately, the tub surrounds are not able to expand and contract for more than about a year before the stress cracks start appearing. The cracks in the curves of the corners usually (but not always) appear first. This is the area of highest stress on the vinyl. It has been bent to accomodate the corner, and this puts more stress here than anywhere else on the tub surround. After expanding and contracting for awhile, it just wears out. Another added problem is the adhesives used. Most home centers, lumberyards, and do it yourself stores have a myriad of adhesives that all state that they can be used on tub surrounds. Most can, some can't. If the label lists petroleum distillates, then this product CANNOT be used on vinyl/acrylic tub surrounds. Another problem that the adhesive contributes to is this: the vinyl/acrylic surrounds will contract and expand with temperature changes. If the adhesive was applied directly out of the tube (in long, thin lines) then the vinyl/acrylic adheres to theses spots only. This allows all of the open spaces between the glue to expand and contract at a greater rate, while the areas directly over the adhesive do not expand and contract as great. This difference in contraction and expansion rates causes undue stress in the panels. This stress causes small, hairline cracks to appear. I have been asked why this doesn't happen to vinyl siding, since it too is vinyl. Actually, in some cases it does. Vinyl siding as a whole, is manufactured a little different than the tub surrounds.It is stronger, and made to withstand the elements. Siding, in most cases, has a grained texture to it. This actually gives the vinyl a little added strength (though not a lot). Also, vinyl siding isn't put through quite the same routine as tub surrounds. Tub surrounds are heated and cooled at a much faster rate than vinyl siding. The rare cases where vinyl siding was put through a similar experience, it too failed. What the whole thing boils down to is this: The tub surrounds are not made well. The materials used to manufacture the vinyl seem to be inferior. The vinyl used has a flaw, which makes it susceptable to cracking. There are going to be many skeptics out there who say this is all a bunch of hooey. They evidently have not had this happen to their surround....yet. There are quite a few brands that have not had this happen yet, but I have only been researching this problem for a little over a year. In this time, some brands have held up quite well, while others have shown the tell all cracks. Cost of the surrounds doesn't seem to dictate which brand is better. Some of those that have held up were cheaper than those that failed. I have also been hearing of 3 and 5 piece surround kits that have experienced the same problem cracking. The whole reason for the research is that I own a Home Repair and Improvement Company, and we have had several of these suroounds fail. I had to find out why (the company reps were of no help whatsoever)these surrounds were failing. My company's, and my personal reputation were on the line. I could not afford to keep installing these surrounds, and then have to return and replace them once they failed. I had to find the cause. (I have since stopped installing them, and now install cultured marble surrounds, or heavy fiberglass type surrounds)"Now this info may or may not be of any use, but I thought I'd toss it out there anyway. The more we know as tradesmen (and homeowners) the better armed with knowledge we are to tackle and solve problems. James DuHamel
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After many inquiries and much phone-tag, I found that the adhesive I used was not exactly right even though it says on it in big letters "Tub
Surround"...according to the manufacturer of the panels the adhesive must specifically say :for polystrene foam" or it will "crack the plastic"..funny thing though, the nation-wide chain store that sold the panel kit does not carry any adhesive that states "for polystyrene foam"...