Need advice for a flexible shower wall.

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

yamsack

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2011
Messages
127
Reaction score
0
Hi all,<br><br>I plan on installing a mini sit-down shower inside my hi-top van.&nbsp; It will be a 3 wall design, with a shower curtain to be used as the 4th wall.&nbsp; I don't have any problems with the 2 walls that will be adjacent to the shower curtain.&nbsp; Those 2 walls will be about 3/4 to 1 inch thick plywood and will be straight with no bends or curves.<br><br>The issue I'm having is with the wall opposite to the shower curtain.&nbsp; This wall will be up against the van's side panel (behind the passenger's side) and will need to be flexible enough to curve up the side, yet sturdy enough to take screws, L-brackets, etc.<br><br>I've looked around for materials that can bend enough to be used for this wall, but even 1/8" inch plywood is too rigid to curve up the side of the van.&nbsp; Does anyone know of any type of material that can curve enough to serve as this wall that I need?&nbsp; Please keep in mind that this material also needs to be sturdy and thick enough as to accept screws, L-brackets, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp; As always, thanks so much for your advise.<br><br><br><br>
 
<p style="margin: 0px;">
yamsack said:
I've looked around for materials that can bend enough to be used for this wall, but even 1/8" inch plywood is too rigid to curve up the side of the van.&nbsp; Does anyone know of any type of material that can curve enough to serve as this wall that I need?&nbsp; Please keep in mind that this material also needs to be sturdy and thick enough as to accept screws, L-brackets, etc.
</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Hi,</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">For our&nbsp;teardrop trailer, we had 1/8" marine-grade plywood (okume, I think) for the ceiling which has a much tighter curve than the side of a van.&nbsp; Maybe marine-grade plywood is more flexible.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I know that some folks make wood more flexible by soaking in water ... but, I don't know if that will work with plywood, or not.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">For the teardrop,&nbsp;polystyrene sheets&nbsp;of insulation were sandwiched between the&nbsp;plywood (the ceiling)&nbsp;and a sheet of aluminum&nbsp;(the roof).&nbsp; </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">If I were you, I'd use at least two sheets of thin plywood on that wall so as to&nbsp;make it&nbsp;strong enough to hold the hardware.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">This picture show the curve of the plywood from inside of the teardrop trailer.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;<img border="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="baseline" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...AABfE/IwLed_DxmS4/s640/tdkitreadinglights.jpg"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;In this picture, you can see the curvature of the teardrop from the outside.</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><img border="0" hspace="0" alt="" align="baseline" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...I/AAAAAAAABfk/MukEyx8f1Gk/s500/CarlsonKit.JPG"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Hope this helps, Suanne</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p>
 
I know that Home Depot sells a 5 piece wall enclosure kit for around $47. It's flexible and I've seen the stuff used to retrofit travel trailer showers that don't come with shower walls installed (like mine). The guy used liquid nails to help secure the waterproof material to the trailer walls.<div><div><br></div></div>
 
<P>Hi Yamsack. Lowes has a product that is a 4x8 sheet of a&nbsp;1/4&nbsp;inch&nbsp;somewhat flexible pvc-type material. I'm not sure if it is plastic, rubber,&nbsp;or a pvc-type product. Anyway, it isn't floppy, but it can be bent easily to conform around corners, eliminating the need for seams. It looks extremely durable and certainly waterproof. It is in the section with the 4x8 sheets of wood/laminate&nbsp;paneling.&nbsp;I think&nbsp;it runs about $24 for&nbsp;a 4x8 sheet. It does have a stucco-type pattern on it, and I think it would make a great, inexpensive but attractive&nbsp;shower surround. It looks like you could cut it easily with a jigsaw. </P>
 
Top