Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Fiberglass tub surround
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09-22-00, 12:28 PM
When installing a fiberglass tub surround/shower stall, can it be affixed directly to the studs or does it need to be affixed to greenboard?
09-23-00, 03:40 PM
Ronni2502:
I'm not sure if the two tub surrounds I've installed were plastic or fiberglass, but I'd suggest you have something solid behind the tub surround.
The tub surround's I've installed were only about 3/32 of an inch thick, and that's thin enough to fall between the studs and the lip of the tub, so not having drywall or greenboard there to hold the tub surround in front of the tub lip would create new problems in caulking that joint to make it waterproof. That's not to mention the fact that without backing, the tub surround would be easy to break if you slipped in the tub and put any force on it.
I found that with the tub surrounds I installed cutting the panels was best done with a laminate knife. You score the panel deep enough, then break it like laminate. I also found it beneficial to tape panels in place with masking tape while I marked them with the adjacent panel held in place in order to know where to cut the first panel.
I'm not sure if the two tub surrounds I've installed were plastic or fiberglass, but I'd suggest you have something solid behind the tub surround.
The tub surround's I've installed were only about 3/32 of an inch thick, and that's thin enough to fall between the studs and the lip of the tub, so not having drywall or greenboard there to hold the tub surround in front of the tub lip would create new problems in caulking that joint to make it waterproof. That's not to mention the fact that without backing, the tub surround would be easy to break if you slipped in the tub and put any force on it.
I found that with the tub surrounds I installed cutting the panels was best done with a laminate knife. You score the panel deep enough, then break it like laminate. I also found it beneficial to tape panels in place with masking tape while I marked them with the adjacent panel held in place in order to know where to cut the first panel.
10-13-00, 01:37 PM
I installed a plastic tub surround about six months ago. Between the tub and the surround I caulked and put a plastic strip (on the advice of home hardware). The strip and the caulking has started to come away from the wall. How did you avoid this problem? I would really appreciate any advice you have to offer.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nestor Kelebay:
Ronni2502:
I'm not sure if the two tub surrounds I've installed were plastic or fiberglass, but I'd suggest you have something solid behind the tub surround.
The tub surround's I've installed were only about 3/32 of an inch thick, and that's thin enough to fall between the studs and the lip of the tub, so not having drywall or greenboard there to hold the tub surround in front of the tub lip would create new problems in caulking that joint to make it waterproof. That's not to mention the fact that without backing, the tub surround would be easy to break if you slipped in the tub and put any force on it.
I found that with the tub surrounds I installed cutting the panels was best done with a laminate knife. You score the panel deep enough, then break it like laminate. I also found it beneficial to tape panels in place with masking tape while I marked them with the adjacent panel held in place in order to know where to cut the first panel.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nestor Kelebay:
Ronni2502:
I'm not sure if the two tub surrounds I've installed were plastic or fiberglass, but I'd suggest you have something solid behind the tub surround.
The tub surround's I've installed were only about 3/32 of an inch thick, and that's thin enough to fall between the studs and the lip of the tub, so not having drywall or greenboard there to hold the tub surround in front of the tub lip would create new problems in caulking that joint to make it waterproof. That's not to mention the fact that without backing, the tub surround would be easy to break if you slipped in the tub and put any force on it.
I found that with the tub surrounds I installed cutting the panels was best done with a laminate knife. You score the panel deep enough, then break it like laminate. I also found it beneficial to tape panels in place with masking tape while I marked them with the adjacent panel held in place in order to know where to cut the first panel.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>