Formica for shower/bathtub walls?

[Richard Rumancik]

I am trying to find a sheet material for use as shower/tub walls and have been considering Formica. On the Internet I have found some people/contractors have used it for this purpose but can't find any really good technical info. On the Formica site I could not find anything and did submit a question. Does anyone have any experience or comments about this? I was planning on three flat sheets and caulking the seams rather than trying to bend it. If I did this should I laminate to mold-resistant sheetrock (bathroom grade) or would a plywood backer be better?

I have seen hardboard in the home centers with simulated tile patterns, but it only comes in 4 x 8 sheets and it makes it difficult to make a surround for a conventional 30" x 60" bathtub as I would like a 5'x5' sheet on the main wall, and want to minimize seams.

Any comments as to feasibility and installation would be appreciated.

[Matt Meiser]

It likes to delaminate from the substrate around sinks and over the dishwasher over time even in its intended used.

The hardboard/faux tile stuff doesn't hold up in showers long either.

If you want fast/easy, why not just just buy a purpose-made surround? Or tile--its not that hard to install cement board and tile.

[Thomas Bank]

Definitely not made for such applications and it won't hold up over the long term.

The shower panels you can get at the home stores are usually FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic). I've also designed with solid surface materials (Corian) in such applications.

[Mel Fulks]

Formica has been widely used in baths. Im old enough to remember when home improvement magazines had articles about 'covering that ugly ceramic tile and moldy grout'. Yes,contact glue is an inferior product. Caulked corners would be ugly . With the right slotted corners,trim,and adhesive it works. I don't know if those are available now .I agree formed units are easier.

[Richard Rumancik]

Thanks for the replies. I know Formica is intended for countertops and such but it seems really durable surface-wise and must be quite water resistant. Thomas, when you say it won't hold up - what kind of failure are you talking about? If it is an adhesive issue like Mel suggests - that should be something that can be solved.

Mel, I agree that silicone caulking is not always the prettiest but it is still required for a lot of shower and bath applications. Grouting is not always pretty either and there is a lot more of that with tile. I did not know that companies made corners which you could slide the Arborite into and finish the edges. I guess finding it is the problem.

I'm not a big fan of the molded units that have all the contortions, humps and bumps. And unless these are backed with fiberglass they have the strength of a 2 litre soda bottle. I am just surprised that there are not more options available in sheet materials for those that just want a flat wall.

Thomas, Corian looks great but is out of my budget as it would be all custom work. I just thought that Formica might be able to provide a "Corian" look at a budget price, and is something that I could do myself.

[Sam Murdoch]

Considering that I mostly agree with Matt but in light of your last post I suggest the following (which be advised I have not tried any of these myself - I am merely speculating. I have in the past built entire bathrooms (heads) in boats that were all finished off in formic for a full room shower effect but I can't tell you how they held up.) - FYI -there are horizontal grade plastic laminates and vertical grade. Vertical grade is thinner and can be more easily formed. If you decide to do a radiused corners you could do all 3 sides with vertical grade and create a seamless corner. That would be ideal but more of a challenge.

Otherwise - using either horizontal or vertical grade you will need to design a corner joint that will be more than just 2 pieces coming together and held with caulking. One needs to run past an inch or several inches and the other needs to be secured to a tight fitting "cleat"or substrate that allows for a tightly bedded joint. On top of the corner joint you might want to add an extra waterproof corner - perhaps a 45° beveled and laminated piece that is held in tightly with a good bead of caulk along both edges. Alternatively you might consider using a metal or PVC corner bead available from the box stores. You could get 15 or 20 years if you are thoughtful about the design (think like water) and careful with the execution. Back up the formica with a good solid substrate. I would recommend marine ply but that might push it out of your price range. Just use the best exterior grade ply/OSB you can afford.

The base will need to be a preformed shower base and the place where the wall board and formica meet the shower base is where this will likely fail. Keep the wall material up at least a 3/8" from solid contact and apply a coat of epoxy to the very bottom edges before you walk away.
I think . Worth a try.

[Mel Fulks]

Look into what aluminum or plastic corners and trim are available. If you decide to glue laminate to plywood I would use plastic resin glue. Then you could have wood corners and trim made to fit the panels. Since this is something you like and not just a desire for a cheap fix it is worth some research. I don't think the plywood needs to be marine,my first choice would probably be common 1/4 luan. I like laminate,it can look like tortoise shell over gold leaf,stone,wood,metal. I don't like corian ,I just find it pretty bland. Several years ago we did some work for a college making some window stools out of the patterned solid surface. Extremely expensive and way too subtle to be used in big spaces,I believe the appeal came mainly from the expense.

[Richard Rumancik]

Thanks Sam and Mel for the further thoughts and ideas. I think that there are a lot of patterns in Formica that would be attractive in a shower, and I don't think it would necessarily look cheap if done right (using some of your suggestions). Will ponder this some more.

[Sam Murdoch]

A little more time to consider this project and so I wonder - I've been thinking all along that you would need to build the shower in place BUTTTT - if you have the luxury of space and some help you might consider building it prefab. Laminate your ply sides in the garage, for example, assemble the pieces as a unit that can be dropped over the shower pan or built fully assembled with the shower pan. Drop the entire assembly in place and build your stud walls and rough plumbing as need be to close it in.

The advantage of prefab is that you would have the luxury of laying up the laminate while laying flat then you could detail joints or supports so that you could clamp up your assembly with caulking or epoxy insuring very waterproof corners. In this case I would definitely use a 3/4" substrate to support the laminate (certainly no less than 1/2" but I suggest 3/4" because it can be more self supporting and accept screws and joinery better). Marine ply is better (more solid, void free and waterproof) than any other exterior grade you might buy, but with a thoughtful process, anticipating and preventing moisture issues, any good grade of ply should be OK.

[Tom Hargrove]

Richard -

There are many attractive patterns available from the several manufacturers who currently sell high pressure laminate a/k/a Formica. It is a great product in many applications. However, it will not hold up in any application where it is constantly exposed to water or high humidity. If Formica was a superior or even an acceptable product for showers, lots or people would be using it because it is attractive, relatively cheap and easy to install. But the reality is that people don't use Formica in showers because it doesn't last when constantly exposed to moisture.

I used to work in a shop where we worked with laminate from time to time, and my brother was the production manager of a laminate shop for several years. I say this from experience and first hand knowledge.

If money is a concern, use the one piece/three piece units. If you have more coin, go with cement board and tile. Big tiles mean fewer joints to leak, and if the bozos on DIY TV can do it, so can you. Corian or another solid surface material can provide a great look with very few joints that need to be caulked, but these materials are quite pricey.

[Mel Fulks]

Tom the "reality " perceptions of people in a trade are often at odds with those of the buyers. One of my favorites is the assertion that a shop made laminate top with contact cement glued edges is better than a post form top that won't fall apart. But a laminate top with an applied wood round edge is better than either of the before mentioned.

[Curt Harms]

A couple thoughts. I recently posted about using Bondera for setting tile. I think it'd work in bathrooms (but not for floors or ceilings), is quite easy and looks like a traditional tile job. I'd call or email Bondera to check suitability before using it in a shower though. I've never done tile using traditional methods so can't compare the difficulty. You could also check places like solidsurface(dot) com for 1/4" solid surface sheet goods. They're intended for vertical uses such as shower stalls and may not be that expensive. I'm not sure who sells 1/4" solid surface goods to Joe Q. Public but know I've seen it.

[mike farlis]

I've used Formica/Wilsonart for shower surround. It does hold up long term. I go all the way up to the ceiling. I use 1/2" or 3/4 plywood for the backing. Plywood is strong, bend resistant, and it can handle moisture to a point. Typical "caulk gun" construction adhesive. I've built 4 now for different houses. My first, 30 YEARS AGO is still holding up great. No separation, no problems, and is very easy to clean. I use a pvc J end cap for the outer edge, looks nice. And simply caulk the two inner corners, as well as bottom. You may have to change caulk in five years, no big deal. I have not found anything that holds up as well, and is so easy to maintain.
Current pre-made surrounds are crap in my opinion. A joke really. And they're too short. Tile is too hard to clean. Make sure your surfaces are clean, and well glued. I'm building one right now. The 3 pieces of Formica from HD total $145. 2-36" wide pieces and one 60" wide. All three 8 foot length. (Formica comes in 6', 8' and 10' length only and 5' wide max). Inspect carefully. HD has a habit of smashing anything they touch. Hope this info helps. Go for it, but make sure you're stuck on good. I make inner braces to keep pressure applied overnight.

[Dave Lash]

They do make extruded aluminum inside corner trim for the joint between the two pieces of formica. Years ago it was typically used to add a formica back splash to a counter in a kitchen. Do a Google search for aluminum inside corner molding.