# Bathroom remodel advice, Rebath acrylic stone shower walls?



## dls0210 (Mar 20, 2012)

We are about to embark on a major bathroom remodel.  We have received three quotes from three different companies in Houston.  One quoted ceramic tile for the floor and shower walls.  One quoted porcelain tile for the floor and shower walls.  And the third is Rebath, which quoted an acrylic stone solid surface wall for the shower (and vanity countertops).

The Rebath lady made their system sound awesome.  And she went into detail about why tile walls aren't so great (water can and will leak behind the tiles, which is why those companies put hardy board behind the tile, she said).  Rebath will do a solid wall surface made of acrylic stone.  They also have a product called durabath which is also a solid wall surface, but the sample pieces looked very thin and flimsy, so we elected to go with the upgrade to the acrylic stone. 

We will be doing frameless glass on two sides, and the chosen option on the other two walls of the shower.

I have been doing lots of internet research and am having trouble finding any information to help us make a final decision.  Any advice fellow tuggers can give is MUCH appreciated.  

Thanks.
dls


----------



## MelBay (Mar 20, 2012)

Rebath was our first bid, and it was the cheapest of them all which sent up red flags for DH.  I wanted to see finished bathrooms before signing on the dotted line, not just the little shower stalls they set up at home shows.  They never could provide me with that, so we went with the tile guys.  One thing I did like about them is they said they'd be done in a week.

If you get tile guys that know what they are doing, there are LOTS of things that can be done to minimize the chance of leakage.  Ours looks really classy, and I'm not sorry we did it.  IMHO it was worth the extra $$..  The 2 months of demo (which DH did) and plumbing, finishing, etc., got really really old, especially when I had to get up at 2 a.m. and go down the steps to the main floor bath.  (poor me...)

Either way, join your local Angie's List to get reviews of contractors, whether it's your local Rebath or Tony the Tiler.


----------



## glypnirsgirl (Mar 20, 2012)

I don't know the brand of what we have but it is a crushed stone in a resin base --- basically fake marble. I love it. We had our bathrooms done 8 years ago and the surfaces look brand new. In our bathroom, there is not grout but some kind of flexible seal (silicone ?) between the walls and the tub. 

Our contractor had the pieces customized with the number of cubbyholes that we wanted. 

We had both bathrooms done and they both look great.

elaine


----------



## TSPam (Mar 20, 2012)

to make sure that your tile doesn't leak (and it will!) use a waterproof membrane like Schulter Kerdi. I would not use a tile contractor that didn't use it or didn't always use it. Water will get behind tiles and it will decay blueboard, cement board, wood studs.


----------



## winnipiseogee (Mar 21, 2012)

Finally - a question that I can intelligently answer.  Although we only started timesharing two months ago we've built 4 homes in the last six years and are remodeling the baths in our current home as we speak.  

Avoid the rebath like the plague.  We tried it in our first place (actually a remodel not an entirely new house) because my wife thought it would be easy to keep clean.   Instead it turned into a nightmare. Regardless of what they said the material is not as hard or as dense as tile.  Over a year it got lots of tiny scratches that could barely be seen but collected dirt and grime like a magnet.  No matter what we did it just always looked dirty.

Tile on the other hand is a timeless look and so long as they properly seal the grout (and you have it resealed every 3 to 5 years) looks great.  I've never heard of anyone actually having a leak problem with tile either unless they install it really wrong.  Between the backboard, the mortar, the tile and the grout you really don't have anything to worry about.

Best of luck to you!  New bathrooms make such a difference!


----------



## dls0210 (Mar 21, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the comments.  

I did join Angie's List, but they are not in full service in the Houston area (free trial membership while they grow the database for this area), so there wasn't anything there helpful about Rebath.  There were several good comments about one of the other contractors we're looking at (who would do tile).

Rebath wasn't too different from the others in price.  Although the cabinets and countertops they quoted are WAY cheaper than the other companies, so that makes me wonder how good a quality they would be.  Rebath uses Bertch cabinets, made by Amish we were told.  I've always thought Amish made furniture was pretty good quality.  The Rebath lady said they are "better than custom".  But then why so much cheaper?  

We're meeting with the last of three contractors tonight to get the full blown quote from them as well as some pictures.  The info you all have provided is making me think we need to go with this guy and get the regular tile.

Thanks again.
dls


----------



## Icc5 (Mar 21, 2012)

*Tile Tile Tile*

This is the fourth house we've had and the second we've had the showers redone.  We had the best tile we could find and the largest so the grout is very minimal only because we didn't want any cleaning hazzels.  The tile has been great and easy to clean.  
We also tried thinking ahead and since we are getting older we have very low step to get into the shower.  The frameless glass is also great.  While they worked on one shower we had the other to use and then switched.  I would do the same again in a heartbeat.  
Everything done to code and with permits too.
Bart


----------



## 1950bing (Mar 21, 2012)

Go with the tile. It will not leak if put in correctly.


----------

