Unlike algebra, geometry, or trigonometry class (and for you math haters, I’m sorry to bring these evil words up), there’s no one right answer between what’s better – ‘click together shower wall panels’ or ‘full sheet shower panels.’ And because of this fact – my business which has been wholesaling AND installing shower panels for a LOOOONG time (and no I didn’t have gray hair when I started) this is a big reason we offer both systems.
However, with that being said there ARE factors which can make your selection obvious once you know the pros and cons of both options.
And in this article, my goal is simple. I’m going to list the advantages and disadvantages (‘er the pros and cons) of ‘click together’ vs. ‘full shower wall panel sheets.’ At the end I’d love your feedback on which (if any) is the clear winner for you (and in the comments post questions if you’re still struggling to figure out what’s best).
I’ll start with the lesser known ‘click together shower wall panels’ (and if you’re not sure what these are, they’re panels which are joined with a tongue and groove locking system) which are very popular in Europe and are growing in the U.S. as well. Then we’ll turn our attention to full sheet shower wall panels. So, let’s dig in.
Section I – The Pros and Cons of ‘Click Together Shower Wall Panels’
Pro #1 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – You can make any width WITHOUT a seam piece between panels
Let’s say you’re looking to build your dream walk in shower which you want to comfortably fit 2 people and get rid of EVIL grout joints. The size you’re planning is 72” wide x 48” deep.
Then you go to your neighborhood home center store looking for single sheet options and find (as Seargeant Schultz from Hogans Heroes used to say) …..” Nothing!”
image credits: GEMEINKAT_
And as an industry wholesaler of various types of wall panels this would be of no surprise to me. Most manufacturers of single-sheet wall panels (which are the primary product stocked at home centers) have equipment which maxes out at 60” wide x 96” high.
So, the question becomes what can you do to get a ‘single-wall’ look if you can’t find a ‘single-sheet wall surround’ 72” wide?
The advantage of these panels is the width of your walls can be limitless. And because the laminate panels are sturdy and 3/8” thick, they’re not only built well but are very hard (especially with ‘stack bond’ wall panel patterns like you’ll see below) to know where the seam even is.
Pro #2 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – One person can install these panels!
Whether you like to DIY jobs (because you get a ‘tad’ crabby during the process and prefer no one around you) or you’d like to get your handyman to do your installation – it can be advantageous (and cost-effective) to install click together shower wall panels as a one-person project.
When you look at ‘single sheet’ wall panels which are 60” wide, it’s cumbersome to attempt to install them alone.
Pro #3 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – It’s simpler to get them in the house WITHOUT damage!
Has your spouse (or significant ‘utter’) already laid down the gauntlet and told you the consequences of damaging their walls, or new floors, when installing your shower surround panels?
If so, you’ll want to know the risk of bumping into walls, ceilings, or floors goes up the wider (and heavier) the shower wall panels are. And with 60” wide single-sheet wall panels – things can get dicey if you’re bringing the panels up a narrow staircase, through a tight hallway, then into a small bathroom.
When you’re working with 24”, 36”, or 40” wide click together shower panels your risk of damage is reduced vs. hauling in ‘big boy 60” wide panels.’
Pro #4 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – Click together shower wall panels are cheaper to ship
Since click-together panels aren’t as wide, the crates they’re shipped in are also narrower than full sheet panels. This helps reduce costs. And as you know – any cost-reduction in a bathroom remodel is music to your ears. And NO, I can’t remember ANYONE telling me they spent LESS money on a bathroom remodel than they expected. Sorry to depress you if you’re just doing your initial research on this project!
Pro #5 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – Click together shower wall panels can be glued up OR mechanically fastened
While glueing shower panels onto moisture resistant greenboard is a popular and straightforward process with single sheet wall panels, moisture resistant greenboard is not always are sturdy as some would like.
That’s why it can be preferable to use ‘click together’ wall panels which can be mechanically fastened with screws onto ½” thick OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or plywood. With this process you’ll also have a sturdier substrate if you add a fold down shower seat or grab bar later.
Pro #6 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – You can get custom sizes with ‘next day delivery’
Since the click-together system uses stock sizes which are click and locked together to achieve any size – you can literally get these from inventory even if you are remodeling the ‘strangest of strange’ shower sizes.
This can be huge if you’re looking to remodel a rental property (which will not be generating revenue until the shower is redone) OR you have an impatient spouse or partner (and yes, I know most of THEM are!).
Con #1 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – If you choose a ‘high gloss’ or ‘running bond’ pattern, the seams can be more visible
Perhaps you have your heart set on a subway tile shower surround which has a ‘running bond’ pattern (running bond is a staggered pattern like bricks on a home).
Well one of the challenges of narrower ‘click together shower wall panels’ is this ‘staggered pattern’ is continuing from one wall panel to the next. And especially if you use a high gloss pattern it can be easier to see where the panels are joined than if you use a ‘stack bond’ pattern (where one faux tile appears to be placed directly above another).
Con #2 of Click Together Shower Wall Panels – Lower quality ‘click together’ systems may have a tongue and groove connection which doesn’t fit well or cracks during installation.
As you’d expect – all click together shower wall panel systems ARE NOT created equal. You’ll find 1/8” ‘thin’ systems made of plastic which DO NOT give you a ‘warm all over’ feeling about their quality. These thinner systems can have click-joints which fail or are harder to join together.
So, now let’s turn our attention to the pros and cons of single sheet wall surround panels (which are -at this time – still most popular in the United States).
Section II – The Pros and Cons of ‘Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels’
Pro #1 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – No seams if your shower walls are 60” wide or less
And it’s nice to know with the most popular full sheet shower wall panels you’ll find panel widths of 30”, 32”, 36” and 60” readily available. And in these instances, only 3 wall panels will be needed (a 60” back wall panel and two 30” to 36” side wall panels) vs. the 4 to 7 panels required with a click together system to ‘get ‘er done’, as Larry the Cable Guy would say!
Pro #2 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – Most bathroom remodeling contractors are experienced with supplying and installing full sheet panels if you HATE, HATE, HATE tile!
Let’s face it, the #1 reason people are flocking to grout free shower wall panels is they hate grout joints. It’s often not the tile that’s the problem, it’s the doggone grout joints.
So, it’s nice to know whether you’re looking to hire a professional bathroom remodeling contractor, or want to DIY, you can eliminate seams and grout joints if you’re doing a wall panel job where there’s no wall bigger than 60” wide.
Pro #3 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – There’s a wide selection of ‘full sheet’ shower wall panels – from low budget to luxury!
While many people (mistakenly) associate grout free shower wall panels only with cheap, white, plasticky materials (like F.R.P – Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic or fiberglass) they see at home centers, single sheet shower wall panels can be M-U-C-H nicer than that. Check out these examples:
Cultured granite shower wall panels – While these 3/8” panels can be a bear to install (because they’re so heavy), they are as durable as all get-out.
PVC wall panels – These ¼” thick panels are uber-easy to install and give you a real stone look – and are NOT back-breaking to install.
High gloss acrylic wall panels – These panels have the look of back painted glass without the HUGE price of that material. And while these panels aren’t cheap – they’ll give you a show-stopping looking.
Sculptured solid surface – These panels are more than just a shower surround system – they’re literally a work of art. Are you bold enough for them in your shower? Ok – I’ll admit they are (unfortunately) pricey!
Image credits: MR Walls
Pro #4 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – You can get a ‘full slab’ look, at an affordable price
With marble-look click together panels you need to be cautious if you want your wider walls to look like a continuous marble slab, because in most cases they will not.
However, if you have a 60” wide walls (or smaller) you can get full sheet shower wall surround panels which are made to look like one solid marble or granite slab. And that’s cool!
Con #1 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – The wide wall panels are heavier than click-together options (made with similar materials)
If you’re working with 60” wide panels it only stands to reason they’ll be heavier than 24” wide click together shower panels made of the same material. This weight can make them not only back-breaking to install (especially if you’ve chosen solid surface or cultured granite shower wall surrounds), but they can be harder to get up the stairs and into a small bathroom as well.
Con #2 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – Since they’re wider, they’re more prone to cracking
Even though I’m NOT an engineer and I don’t play one on TV (although in my Carnegie-Mellon University undergraduate days I went to college with a bunch of smart engineers, even though I was ‘just’ a business major!), I can tell you logically the wider full sheet shower wall panels are, the more prone to cracking they are. And this is especially true if you’re using a cheap plastic system, or a brittle cultured marble wall panel.
So, if you’re worried about buying a wall panel system which cracks (especially if you need custom sizes) you’ll have less risk using click together panels (where you can create custom sizes with ‘off-the-shelf’ panels which are joined together).
Con #3 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – You’ll have a visible seam (or piece) if you need a dimension wider than 60” (in most cases)
While single sheet 60” wall panels are wonderful, they’re not so wonderful if you can’t get the 66” or 72” wide wall you need. No, in those cases (unless you’re working with a solid surface manufacturer who is capable of making them bigger than 60”, which are few and far between) you’ll have a visible seam (and seam piece) between two panels, and that’s not the best look.
Con #4 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – You’ll need to be careful doing the glue up installation process– so you don’t screw up!
While lighter full sheet wall panels are simple to glue up (acrylic, fiberglass, and PVC wall panels are examples of this), if you choose heavier full sheet glue up shower surround panels made of solid surface or natural stone, you may also need to brace these panels, so a panel DOES NOT fall before the glue has cured.
This can be a major problem if you’re not thoughtful in how you brace the walls, and a panel falls before it’s set up.
Con #5 of Full Sheet Shower Wall Panels – Bigger panels are more expensive (and riskier) to ship!
While you’d like to believe (like Old Man Parker in A Christmas Story) if a wall panel supplier or manufacturer puts the words Fragile (say it with an Italian accent) on a shipping crate all will be well, if you’re living on ‘this planet’ you KNOW that’s not always true!
And a reality is the bigger and/or thinner a panel is (and some 60” wide x 96” tall shower wall panels are only 1/8” thick) the greater the probability for breakage during shipping.
So, which system is best for you… click together or full sheet shower surround panels? Can our team assist with questions, wholesale pricing, or installation details?
I’ve presented pros and cons of both systems – but has one stood head and shoulders above the other for you? And if so – which is best? I’d love your feedback in the comments section below.
If you’d like to learn more about click together and full sheet shower surround panels but are still uncertain which is best, where to buy them, or who you’re going to get to install them, here’s where to get help.
President of Innovate Building Solutions a nationwide supplier and regional (Cleveland and Columbus) remodeling contractors. Some of our product lines include glass counters, floors, backsplashes, glass blocks and grout free shower and tub wall panels
Jean – I’d recommend you call us at 877-668-5888 and we can review our dealer list with you and find the best dealer (bathroom contractor) for you – Mike
Jean
Can you recommend any remodeling outfits in the Oklahoma City area?
Mike Foti
Jean – I’d recommend you call us at 877-668-5888 and we can review our dealer list with you and find the best dealer (bathroom contractor) for you – Mike
Jean
Can you recommend any remodeling outfits in the Oklahoma City area?