Browse Forums Bathrooms and Laundry 1 Aug 23, 2011 11:45 am Hi, I would love to put glass in the shower instead of tiles (mostly because I hate grout, who doesn't?) Only, it is probably stretching the budget a bit... I have seen this topic before so sorry for starting it again but I couldn't actually find info from anyone who had actually used an alternative. Please let me know if the info is already somewhere I couldn't find. I have been looking at AKRIL as a possibility. I got a sample sent but it only tiny and I wasn't sure if it might look cheap as a large piece but I saw it on display at the home show on the weekend & I think it looks pretty good and it would be cheaper than glass. It is a bit more limited in colour choice but there is still some nice colours to choose from. I am thinking that you would also save in labour cost because it would be easier to install (and could probably DIY). Has anyone actually priced it compared to glass or tiles? Anyone actually got it and could recommend or not?? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 3Aug 23, 2011 11:53 am I'm interested in this as well. What would the glass price be? Casey + Gary + 5 kool kiddos + 1 funky Frenchie + 5 happy hens = barrels of fun in Muswellbrook Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 4Aug 23, 2011 11:56 am I haven't priced either at this stage. I have heard that AKRIL would be less than half the cost of glass... I find that very hard to believe but with 3 showers... costs add up!!! I also am thinking I would like to put a shelf up in the shower and cutting glass is going to be harder and higher cost?? Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 5Aug 23, 2011 10:56 pm Glass is unfortunately very expensive I have been also looking for an alternative but haven't found anything really nice. Laminex make "aqua" panels. I've been planning to enquire about some (toughened) glass tiles I found recently to determine if it would be recommended or expensive to use them in the 2 showers I am planning to build. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 6Aug 23, 2011 11:37 pm thumbs up for looking for alternatives to tiling. I had this product installed as a splashback recently. only 6mm thick so can also be installed as paneling in wet areas and at that thickness it suits the DIY crew next house all wet areas will have polaris on the walls. Just gotta finish this one!! http://www.naturastone.com.au/ Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 7Aug 24, 2011 9:01 am Would you mind if I enquire as to a price range? If its anywhere near the cost of glass it's out of my budget Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 8Aug 24, 2011 11:29 pm i think that question is directed to me. i paid $800 for my splashback with some intricate cutting around a window, so hard to give a m2 price that is representative of the norm. Unfortunately the bloke that installed the product in perth has closed down. i belive amerind will be distibuting the product to cabinet makers in perth and training them up to use the product. for my future bathroom I will try and buy the product direct from the supplier. It looks straight forward to apply as a wall product, just need a makita and sharp blade. I would expect to pay around $100 - $120m2 for the product. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 9Sep 07, 2011 5:16 pm We're about to start building on the coast and have decided to use polished stone slabs that we originally were going to just use for the kitchen benchtops. Got an extra one and since they're about 3000x2400 you can easily get the shower walls out of a single piece with a decent chunk leftover for bathroom benchtops. It does avoid grout but of course it doesn't come cheap, from memory they were around 3000-3200 each or something like that, the natural patterns through them are pretty incredible though. So then you're talking about $1000 per shower wall, significantly more than the $55 pm^2 (+ laying costs) tiles we're using in the house we're building now but around the same price, give or take a bit, as you'd pay for glass. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 10Sep 11, 2011 10:16 pm Wow! I'm sure the stone will look amazing. For us, it is really all about budget so stone or glass are really out of the question. If I'm lucky I might just win tattslotto at some point during this build... Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 11Sep 11, 2011 10:24 pm I'm currently considering buying toughened glass tiles (about $22 each for 600*300mm) and getting the bathroom / splashback in the kitchen tiled. It's not going to be that cheap but cheaper than a glass panel and I think it will look ok Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 12Sep 19, 2011 12:53 am Not sure what look you're after, but I have seen zincalume used in a few examples in magazines lately... can be corrugated or plain. That said, I'm not sure how it was fixed. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 13Oct 03, 2011 8:08 pm Would you consider acrylic sheet? I'm am not a fan of the stuff. But grout, it's the worst! Try these guys - http://showerline.com.au/Systems.html I've been quoted 8mm glass at $125 M2. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 14Nov 03, 2011 8:17 pm Laminex make a product in a limited colour range that looks as good as glass splashbacks for a lot less. You might try that We are going with the glass splashbacks in the shower at about $350 m2. 1.5 m from each corner of the shower. Will cost a bomb, but it will look spectacular. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 15Nov 03, 2011 10:03 pm Charliektm400exc Laminex make a product in a limited colour range that looks as good as glass splashbacks for a lot less. You might try that We are going with the glass splashbacks in the shower at about $350 m2. 1.5 m from each corner of the shower. Will cost a bomb, but it will look spectacular. I believe your referring to the aquapanel material from laminex, they are waterproof panels often used for splashbacks. Architect, apologies for the very late response, that stone looks nice, I will inquire as to approximate prices a little closer to the build date but I'll definitely keep that in mind. I'm starting to think of doing the splashback tiles only in the kitchen splashback but I might make some price inquiries and then decide. I'll post some pictures when its eventually done....which may be a while. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 16Nov 16, 2011 2:34 pm In the US there are a lot of alternatives- one that I was very happy with was a white perspex type surface- it was so easy to clean- no grout and mould- I loved it. I did have one similar in Australia in a house my parents built as a teen- the only weird thing about that one was that the bottom made a 'cracking' noise when you stood on it- like it was on an uneven cement slab or something- thought it was unique to our shower until I looked at a display home with the same shower yrs down the track- of course I jumped in and checked- sure enough it creaked and crackled too! So be sure to check what the 'floor' of the shower will be like! Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 17Jun 22, 2012 10:28 pm Naturastone materials were quoted as 5K for 2 showers! I'll be doing either acrylic or tiles. I know bunnings sells arylic but need to find out what my options are and fast The builder is now at the point of fitting off the taps and shower head so he's waiting on me. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 19Jun 27, 2012 6:14 pm I've decided to use tiles and just seal the grout...the alternatives are either not that nice or just too expensive. Re: Alternative to tiles in shower 20Jul 19, 2012 9:26 pm We are having backpainted glass in both of our showers in our new house (one is about 1200x1400 and the other 1000x1000). All up it came to just under $4000, but that was with the builder's 30%, so if you organised this yourself it would be more in the vacinty of around $3000-3100 (or around $1500 a shower). My advice is to go directly through a glass supplier and not someone that specialises in splashbacks only as they will normally charge you a lot more! Glaziers tend to paint it any colour you want as well. I think it is well worth it, purely for the fact I don't have to clean grout! I will put up photos once it is completed. Might cheaper to changer your idea of what makes a home, have you considered building a porch? 2 49344 I'll look into different shower heads and ask the plumber about some engineering and see what he says. Thanks 2 6205 Hi All, about to commence a bathroom renovation and need some advice on subfloor works. Current subfloor is hardwood T&G floorboards on 90x45 joists, but intention is to… 0 4408 |