The 10 Best Tub Surround Ideas On The Market

Video: The Best Bathtub Surround

What are Tub Surround Panels?

Tub surround panels are a surface material designed to protect the bathtub unit. Essentially, it describes the area around your bathtub with a specific focus on the wall or tiles to the exterior.

The best bath tub surround is not only good at enhancing your bathroom’s aesthetic feel but also provides robust bumper solutions if your bathtub experiences excess water flow from continuous showers. A tub surround can be constructed in many styles depending on the level of structural integrity you want. Unlike tiles, which will cost you more, upgrading will convert your bathtub into a watertight showering space.

How Much Does it Cost to Do a Tub Surround?

On average, we’ve evaluated that the cost of setting up a tub surround in your home depends on the material you use. Currently, the average cost of all resources required ranges between $ 400 and $1,050 per item. Of course, this doesn’t take into account the labor price, if at all you opt for outsourcing one. Also, your total cost may be influenced by factors such as location, the amount of work at hand, and the finish options you choose.

What Can I Use for Bathtub Surround Options?

The common materials used for bathtub surround options are acrylic and fiberglass. Depending on which one you choose, each one of them has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, you need to look at every aspect before deciding which one is right for you and your bathroom. There are plenty of options now available in the market. However, we’ve highlighted the best bathtub surround options you might want in your home that we’ve test.

6 Best Materials for Bathtub Surrounds

When going for a given bathtub surround, there are things you need to put on your radar other than aesthetic appearance alone. For instance, the material is an important aspect that affects its durability and how it will serve the intended need. Therefore, whether you want to spend on one that offers total enclosure or just a bare wall surround, you need to search on every available website for the best options before settling for a purchase. You might be interested in different types of bathtub liners as an add-on for your bathrooms.

Here are some of the best materials you can look out for.

Acrylic

A bathtub surround made out of acrylic is one of the cheapest options you’ll find in town. This is because the material is low-priced, with price variations highly dependent on the standard.  It’s also fancied because of its lightweight, and cutting it into shape is relatively easier.

Another aspect that makes it a good choice is its resistance to mold and mildew. This means you can have an easy time looking after your bathroom to ensure the floor and the wall are clean all the time. Besides, its appearance also means it will improve the overall appearance of your bathroom.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is another cheap material you can use for a bathtub surround. It’s ideally lightweight, moldable, and can be used to make a single-piece or multiple surround panels. However, experts opine against this idea as multiple wall panels increase the risk for water leakages when there’s no effective watertight seal.

A fiberglass bathtub surround is also easy to install as it’s usually glued straight to the wall. Furthermore, it’s easy to clean thanks to the shiny surface that maintains a beautiful appearance for a long time, even without regular cleaning. However, fiberglass makes the wall more permeable, which is why you should be wary of stains and leakages.

Veritek

Veritek is commonly used for high-end and expensive items. It was first formed under pressure to achieve its excellent qualities of strength and durability. Veritek is uniformly colored and doesn’t have top-coat colorations like acrylic or fiberglass.  All these qualities render it stain and scratch-resistant. It also bears immense sturdiness and will never fade regardless of how long it’s put under use.

However, Veritek is a little heavier than both acrylic and fiberglass. This means you’ll pay the price of lifting heavy loads during the installation process. Veritek also doesn’t come cheap, meaning you’ll have to spend a little more on it.

Glass

Most people prefer glass for the installation of a complete shower unit in their bathrooms. However, using glass in surround units is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to its sleek, stylish, and modern look.

Even so, the biggest worry for glass material is also its weight which makes it heavy to install into the wall.  The few available glass items are also expensive and will require you to spend a little more to get a good one that fits the modern tubs. Its high price and level of maintenance are perhaps some of the key reasons why most people view it as the wrong choice for a bathtub surround.

Natural Stone

You can opt for a surround made of natural stone and still achieve the fulfillment you’re looking for. The commonly used natural stones here include granite, limestone, and marble. These are known for their exceptional beauty and yield an excellent aesthetic feel to your bathroom. But even so, some of these natural stones are vulnerable to water stains and other spots found in the bathroom. So, it would be best if you practice extra caution in maintaining their natural appearance. The good thing is that they are easy to install on the wall. You only need to arrange them one by one so that they can fit well on the wall.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is cheap, durable, and easy to install right into the wall. Perhaps this explains why it’s commonly used on floors, bathing places, and now also in bathtub surrounds. It’s also considered extra versatile and can be modified to any pattern, color, or texture. This versatility means you’ll have fewer struggles cutting it into different shapes and designs to match your desired style.

When you properly install ceramic tiles as required, you’ll achieve their unique and beautiful appearance. However, its susceptibility to cracks and the challenges when cleaning will make you think twice.  Worse still, ceramic tiles can create a breeding ground for mold and mildew if not well maintained.

How to Make a Choice for a Good Bathtub Surround

With many websites and online stores now being the leading marketplaces and providing inspiration, you’re spoilt with choices on what to choose for the best bath tub surround. That’s why your buying decision needs to be guided by vital considerations such as the price, the company you are buying from, and the product’s online reviews found on the selling website. To save you from the hustle of taking time to decide, we provide insights into the most significant factors you should consider.

Size

When choosing a perfect surround, the first thing you should consider is the size of your tub. This also includes the size of the walls where you want to install it, how your shower head fits, and just what size of the shower too. Luckily, you don’t have to struggle as each surround now has a minimum and maximum defined size. So, it’s just a matter of cutting the right pieces and fitting them appropriately into the side walls. But just to be safe, you should first check and measure the surround to ascertain if the measurements make it compatible with any of your tubs. This way, you’ll avoid carrying one with the wrong measurements that cannot fit around your intended tubs.

Shelves and Storage

Your bathroom needs ample storage space where you can store your bathing stuff in an organized manner. That’s why the number of shelves and storage spaces provided by the bathtub surround should be one thing to consider if you don’t have much storage on the back wall.  If you have a shared bathroom, an option with multiple shelves is an ideal fit as it will provide enough space for everyone to leave their stuff. The multiple shelves and storage spaces also mean everyone can have their toiletries separate from one another instead of fighting for space on one wall.

Material

There’s no doubt the type of material used in making the surround should influence your choice. As stated, tub surrounds are made from different materials, with each having its unique benefits. Choose one that is the perfect complement to your ceramic tile, wood backsplash, or shower head. The common tub surround materials include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (abs), Veritek, fiberglass, and many others.

Material is an important consideration when choosing good bathtub surrounds because it affects how you’ll benefit from it in the long run. For instance, you may need a long-term solution in your bathroom, which means you’ll fancy durability and the ability to withstand any form of damage. In this case, abs and Veritek will be good options. However, if you need a short-term solution, acrylic and fiberglass will serve you just better. Depending on your choice, be prepared to pay more if it bears a higher quality.

Ease of Installation and Maintenance

One of the vital considerations when shopping for a surround is whether you’ll set it up yourself or call for professional services. If you trust your DIY skills, ensure you buy one that will give you ample time during the setup process. Another thing about tub surrounds is that they require proper maintenance to serve you well.

Therefore, you need to go for a tub surround that’s easy to clean, resistant to mildew, and doesn’t stain too often. Models made from abs or Veritek are easy to clean and don’t have huge maintenance requirements. For instance, aftr being tested, Veritek is non-porous and resistant to scratches. It’s also color-through, preventing it from fading.

Style

Installing a surround is a great way to freshen up the appearance of a bathroom and make it good for use. But choosing a surround is not all about finding a proper solution that can prevent the tub from wearing off. As a proud homeowner, you also need a taste of style that fits both your bathtub and bathroom aesthetics.

The fact that you’ll be relying on the surround for a longer time means you should choose one with a style that you love. This can be anything from a style that matches your bathroom design or one that elevates the overall appearance of your bathtub.

Can You Put a Tub Surround Surround over an Existing Tub?

The most significant benefit of installing a surround is that it elevates your bathroom’s general look and makes it a lot easier to keep your bathroom clean. This being the case, you can install a bathtub surround over an existing tub in many different ways. The common one involves screwing straight the studs where you won’t be required to mount the drywall. In other ways, you can choose to glue the surround directly to the wall. However, this will apply if you’re going for one with a thin-paneled style. Unlike screwing the studs into the wall, the gluing process requires little know-how. Most of them come in pieces of 3 or 5.  So, as you go around installing them onto the wall, you need to constantly look out for watertight seals to avoid any breakages.

5 Different Ways to Install Bathtub Surrounds

1. Prepare the Drywall First- Preparing the wall allows the panels to bond appropriately. Therefore, you need to ensure this happens seamlessly by cleaning the wall and ensuring it’s free from anything that can mix with the glue and prevent it from sticking firmly.
2. Try Dry Fitting the Attachment or the Shower if Possible-This also needs to happen before fully embarking on the installation process. By dry fitting the attachment, you’ll be able to lay each board ensuring they fit in well before gluing or screwing the surround into the wall.
3. Side Panels Installation- You have to ensure there’s a more solid base that will offer the necessary support for the surround. Here, installing side panels and lining them up will help you achieve that. Other processes such as adding adhesives should follow suit if you want to achieve absolute sturdiness.
4. Installation of the Back Pieces –After the above process, you need to set the back section and remove any protruding studs. You should also trim the wall into shape to achieve the required fit.
5. Fasten All the Panels-Set the panels into place and connect them to the tub. Focus on adjusting until they are all even. If you notice any gaps in the wall, you can seal them off using shims.

Top Reasons Why You Should Choose Tub Surround Over Tiles

It’s no secret that most homeowners are now ditching tiles and opting for bathtub surrounds in their bathrooms.  This decision is primarily necessitated because there’s more to a tub surround than what meets the eye. Here are a few reasons why choosing the best bath tub surround is a necessary upgrade in your home.

1. If you were worried about cleaning your bathtub, installing bathtub surrounds will make life easier for you. A good surround provides a smooth surface for the tubs or shower making it relatively easy to clean and maintain your bathroom.
2. A tub surround improves your bathroom décor. Their availability in multiple styles and color means you have many options to improve the interior outlook of your bathroom and make it comfortable.
3. A surround protects the wall. Installing a surround is more than just elevating the outlook of your bathroom. It’s considered a good way of protecting against water seepage and molds.
4. Unlike tiles which involve a pretty delicate and cumbersome installation process, installing a tub surround is short and straightforward. If you possess little or no experience, you can easily rely on the provided kits and make it a DIY process in your home.