shower/bathtub in mobile home

[icandoanything]

My mother in-law has a 1 yr old mobile home and in her master shower/bathtub it looks like she is getting what looks like checking on her shower walls. I don't know what the manufacturer installs for their shower walls but it looks to me like some kind of masonite covered with a plastic laminate. My question is: Can I repair this possibly with some kind of polyurathane or should I just go ahead and replace this stuff? I'm sure with this mobile home, if I take down the shower walls I'll probably end up having to replace the drywall or whatever they use. Any thoughts??

Thanks in advance

Dick Austin

[Bird]

Dick, someone else on the forum may already be familiar with your problem and can help, but since I'm not, if it were me, I'd start by contacting the manufacturer to find out exactly what was used to build it.

[egon]

At one year old is there still warranty applicable.

Egon

[icandoanything]

Egon, don't I wish. When she bought it, it was still brand new but 4 yrs old (1999 model, bought in 2004), they only gave her a 1 yr warranty. Trying to get these people to do any kind of warranty work was like trying to raise the dead. By the way, never,ever buy a mobile home from CAVCO. They're a mobile home sales\manufacturer out of Arizona.

Dick

[Bird]

That's a brand I'd never heard of.

[Pat]

Is there room to overlay the walls with some of the plastic sheet stuff? It is about 1/16 thick or so. I used it at my previous house to cover sheetrock to form a shower wall. I was installing a corner shower kit but needed to water proof the wall higher than the plastic sheeting that came with the kit. I used a light easy to clean pebble grain. It is super stong and water proof. IT is a bit hard to cut as it is reinforced with fibers but you can saw it or score it and break it. I used the prefinished foam plastic trim (imitation wood) to trim and to cover the seam where the two materials met. tlhe trim is 100% waterproof, easy to cut and can be glued or nailed.

You could just add this water proof layer over her walls.

Worked well for me. Your mileage may vary. Also, if you tear the wall vcovering off you may find NO SHEETROCK but instead find that the stuff yo removed is the wall. Don't be suprised if the framing isn't 2x4 or unusually strong. If my dire predictions/concerns come true, you'd be be better off gluing on some waterprofing layer than most alternative paths.

Let us know what turns out.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[icandoanything]

Thanks Pat, I think I will try your idea. After closer inspection of the shower wall I think your right about the shower wall BEING the wall with nothing behind it. Where did you get your materials from? I'll have to make a pilgramige to Bastrop and check out HD and McCoys. Might as well stop at TSC while I'm there. Wish me luck!!

Dick

[Pat]

A good spray and wipe down with TSP (or a low phosphate replacement) followed by a spray and wipe down with a strong bleach solution will prepare the existing surface to take adhesive well and reduce the risk of trapping mildew or any other undesirable living stuff which could cause unwanted effects. You will probably want to let the substrate (existing wall) dry fairly well prior to continuing. I used liquid nails but had some difficulty with "print through" where you could see the outline of the glue and had to work like a demon to press the covering down and reduce the effect. After quite a struggle it was mostly OK but I regret not using a notched trowel and adhesive.

I recommend using a notched trowel and spreading a complete uniform layer of adhesive (not contact cement.) Get brand/type recommendation from an expert or read the labels at the big box stores. Work out the layout to minimize seams rather than to conserve materials. The sheeting lasts indefinitely and you'll find a use for the leftovers.

There is prefinished trim for both inside and outside corners and trim suitable for covering butted seams. The trim I refer to is plastic made to resemble wood and may come in imitation wood grain or brown as well as plain white but I recommend the white to match the sheet goods. The trim will not likely be found in the store next to the sheet stuff as they aren't actually made to match but just happen to go well together.

The sheets can be cut using a carbide tipped "scratcher" made to score plastic for breaking. Score it from the back side with multiple passes till you are breaking through, then it will break neatly on your line. you can sand the edges to reduce any uneveness or serrated knife effect I do not recommend nailing through this stuff but if you just have to have some nails, predrill the holes and use galvanized NOT ZINK PLATED. You shouldn't have to have any exposed fasteners. You might want to use some good tub and shower caulk to hide any exposed edges, like at the botom of a sheet where it meets the shower pan. I prefer that over adding a trim piece. It is less likely to catch water and promote mildew that way.

The plastic sheet I used came from Home Depot but might be available at any number of suppliers. It has a light pebble grain finish that is easy to wipe down with a cloth (doesn't squeegee real easily) on the good side and is pretty much dead flat on the back side. It is rather hard and doesn't bend easily to a small radius. It is fiber reinforced and quite strong. Likewise the trim pieces came from Home Depot and are available at many suppliers. There is some easier to bend thin and more supple plastic used for shower wall coverings, dead flat and shiny but I don't recommend it as it "bruises" easily and doesn't take scrubbing well. I wouldn't use abrasive cleaners on the stuff I recommend but it stands up to strong cleaners and strong rubing with cloth. I have "descaled" it with fairly strong acids, Lime Away, etc and it didn't do anything to the plastic. We had hard water. How hard was it? It was so hard that you could get bruises in the shower.

My installation held up really well and looked new after 4-5 years when we sold the house.

Let us know how it goes.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[bgott]

It sounds like you are talking about FRP. Fiberglass reinforced panel or fiberglass reinforced polyester. I use it in my rental units and it works well. I have a friend that specializes in the stuff, commercial establishments use it to meet the code requirement for a " washable surface" in restrooms and kitchens. I have gotten to the point where I do the whole room, if you do it right it will stay there forever. I like to use the water based adhesive sold especially for FRP. You have to buy it at the commercial supplier. Lowes sells the solvent based adhesive but it's a pain to work with. I've seen jobs that had been done with liquid nail, it'll hold it but it's to hard to get a uniform coat of glue so the panel can buckle. Even though, or maybe because, it looks like a McDonald's restroom, my tenants love it!

[Pat]

bgott, In generic terms FRP is fiber(glass) reinforced plastic, AKA fiberglass. In merry old England it is GRP, glass reinforced plastic.

Anyway I think we are talking about the same stuff. The sheets I used were from Home Depot and were fairly glossy white with a sort of fine pebble grained finish. Yea verily, liquid nails is a challenge to squeeze out flat enough to avoid the "ripple" effect. I wish I had used a roll on or notched trowel applied adhesive.

Cleans well, lasts forever if you don't use abrasive cleaners. Only caveat to life is sealing the edges and seams so there isn't any water penetrration behind the sheet.d I put green board behind so minor moisture problems aren't catastrophic. Concrete backer board would be a good choice if it has to be bullet proof forever.


[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]