Asked on Sep 01, 2014

What is the material used in this shower?

Centrd
by Centrd
It looks like the walls are covered with some kind of planking. I like the look but am curious about what could hold up to the wet conditions of a shower. This bathroom is from Tiny Happy Homes, a company that make tiny houses in Tennessee. http://www.tinyhappyhomes.com/site/blog/51-special-delivery-to-florida
Thanks in advance!
  25 answers
  • Shari Shari on Sep 01, 2014
    This is awesome! The planking looks like the vinyl siding that covers the exterior of my daughter's modular home (except hers is pale yellow instead of white). The flooring looks like composite decking like Trex.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 01, 2014
    I had not thought of that. Good guess! Any other ideas, folks? Ideas on ways to get this look would also be welcome.
  • Most likely this is cedar siding. This wood resists decay and works well in damp environments. This is a very common look on outside showers by pools. This is not a good design for inside showers that are used daily. Soap and body oils that are often used in showers are difficult to remove with tile walls, but with a painted wall it would become harder to deal with. Outside showers are normally only used to rinse chlorine and salts off of body after using the pool or in prep to remove body sprays etc. before using the pool or spa. In any case these showers have a lot of ventilation to allow it to dry quickly and can be power washed to remove any build up of mildew should it occur.
  • Shari Shari on Sep 01, 2014
    Have you tried going to the company website, checking for an email address and asking them via email what materials were used in the shower of the Bumbleshack? (Haha, love that name!)
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 01, 2014
    Yes, haven't heard anything yet.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 01, 2014
    Shari, it really does look like vinyl siding now that you've mentioned it. Seems like vinyl wouldn't be subject to the same issues that cedar would have according to Woodbridge Environmental. What do you think, does her siding look real or sort of plastic-ey? Who knows, it could be anything. I'm always seeing amazing new products that I had no idea existed...this could be wood with some kind of treated finish, for all we know. Or maybe some kind of marine paint or finish, like they use on boats? I don't know, just some ideas. I really like the way it looks.
    • See 2 previous
    • Shari Shari on Sep 02, 2014
      @Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com Thanks for taking time to explain. That makes me feel better.
  • If you look closely to the picture. Vinyl siding uses J channel in the corners. Wood siding uses square blocks of wood that the siding comes into contact with. The photo shows that square wood. Not vinyl. Besides vinyl siding leaks water easily. Shower use would force moisture behind the siding creating a habitat for mold and bacteria development.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 01, 2014
    Thanks so much, Woodbridge Environmental. Is there any way to get this look and keep it waterproof?
  • If your looking for inside use, I would steer away from this. But you could use a cut marble or a solid surface material installed to look like siding, If this is what you want, be sure to understand it will be a nightmare to keep clean if its used on a daily basis other then to rinse and take a occasional shower which is why it works so well for outside use. We see along the Jersey shore many homes with outside showers that are simply nailed walls against the outside of the house. IT all depends on what the shower is used for.
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Sep 02, 2014
    With mold being so dangerous, I would not dare use something that does not have a LONG testing period! This would be adorable if it was a solid piece molded to look like individual boards!
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 02, 2014
    Thanks, WE. All of your info is very helpful. I'm looking forward to hearing what this Tiny Homes Company has to say, IF they respond to my inquiry. They seem to make a quality product, with proper certifications, etc. it's kind of hard to believe they wouldn't have taken these water issues into consideration so perhaps they're doing something we're not aware of. I hope so. I will be sure and let you know as soon as I hear anything.
  • Connie S Connie S on Sep 02, 2014
    Even for an outside shower, I think I would choose a cement siding product before vinyl. So many problems with vinyl that just aren't worth it.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 06, 2014
    Tiny Homes answered but only partially. They told me the decking is composite, but didn't answer my question about the walls and whether the material will hold up to frequent use. I asked them a follow up question but haven't yet heard. i'd really like to know more about the decision to use wood siding on the walls, if it is in fact wood siding.
  • Patti Nicholas Patti Nicholas on Sep 06, 2014
    I was thinking that maybe the walls were also one of the new composites that look like wood but are actually made of recycled plastics, or something of the kind.
    • Deb Owens Deb Owens on Sep 07, 2014
      @Patti Nicholas AGREES IT LOOKS LIKE THE NEW WOOD LOOK COMPOSITES
  • Shari Shari on Sep 06, 2014
    I'm assuming you know the people who will be living in the Bumbleshack have a blog ( http://thebumbleshack.com/ ) and a "contact us" link for emails. Perhaps if you shot them an email, they would be more forthcoming with the info about the shower material than the company has been.
    • Centrd Centrd on Sep 06, 2014
      @Shari No, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the link. I only contacted the company that built it.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 06, 2014
    Good suggestion, Patti. I did a search for "waterproof composite siding" and found a company called Everlast. They claim their siding is completely waterproof with the look of wood without any actual wood or cement in it (both of which are prone to water damage). they seem pretty confident offering a lifetime guarantee. Maybe this shower uses something like that? I can't tell from the site how the boards are joined, whether it's a "j channel" or "wood blocks" as described by Woodbridge Environmental. If that's not what was used in this shower, it might be worth looking into for its suitability. It does come in white. :) http://everlastsidingnewengland.com/what-is-everlast-siding/
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 07, 2014
    From the Everlast site. It looks pretty realistic in the photos.
  • This material is simply a composition plastic siding. Many house trims such as Aztec is the same. I would still be careful with any product such as this if it was used inside. Showers are hard enough to keep clean, with an outside shower at least you can power wash all the nooks and crannies, While in the house its good old elbow grease. If you think grout is difficult, try getting into the groves where the siding overlaps itself. It appears from the photos they use solid corners much like they do with wood siding, but there are gaps at the end of each board that needs to be caulked with manufacture provided matching sealant. Great for houses, not so much for showers.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 07, 2014
    they say crushed stone and resin...is that what composition plastic siding is made of as well?
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 07, 2014
    Well, I suppose those folks are going to find out if it was a good idea or not once they've used theirs for a while. Maybe they can just take a power washer to it every so often? :)
  • Most siding is made of Vinyl materials. Some are wood, some are wood and resin, some are cement. There are about as many types of sidings as there are materials to make them. Simple wood siding would in my opinion work the best if you really wanted this look without spending a ton of dollars on it, but the siding will need to be painted and sealed really well to assure moisture and water does not get behind the jointed areas. Vinyl siding would be the worst material, It has simply way to many openings, but would be impossible to seal. Its expansion rate is so much that no sealant would ever last. But as I said before, My biggest concern is mold development and the difficulty in cleaning. If the shower is outside, and used more for pool side use and an occasional guest shower. Not a big deal, easily cleaned with power washer. And any mold that could develop would never really be any issue due to the amount of ventilation an outside shower brings. But if this was to be used in the inside, I would suggest you find a better idea you like. It simply would end up being a nightmare for cleaning and the possibility of a mold development within the wall and behind the individual boards.
  • Centrd Centrd on Sep 07, 2014
    Yeah, that's basically what I'm trying to do, find an alternative that looks like this that isn't vinyl. It's a cool look, very different than stone, and clearly the builders of this house felt it would work. So either they're way off, or we're missing something. :)
  • Lisa Karen Ward Lisa Karen Ward on Oct 19, 2016
    The Bumbleshack is my house :-) You could have emailed me through the blog, and I would have been happy to answer! The company who built our house is super, super busy, and I know they have a hard time keeping up. The walls are cedar shingles, same kind that are on the exterior of our house, with marine grade paint. My family of 4 has been living and showering in it for 2 years now. No mold, no leaks, easier to keep clean than any shower I have had...just wipe it down. We use all natural soaps and shampoo. The critics above are incorrect. I highly recommend our shower to everyone, and I highly recommend our builder too!
  • Centrd Centrd on Oct 19, 2016
    Thanks for clarifying Lisa. I asked this question 2 years ago, and according to my remarks above, I did ask via the blog and never got a response. But whatever, I'm glad to know what exactly it is. I really love the look. :)
  • Sto9397494 Sto9397494 on Nov 04, 2016
    Vinal
    • Centrd Centrd on Nov 04, 2016
      Actually, it's not vinyl. The homeowner answered just above and they're cedar shingles.