What to Do About Old Acrylic Shower Surrounds: FAQs Answered  

You may or may not know when your acrylic shower was actually installed. Fortunately, you can assess whether or not it’s time to replace it based on things like wear, tear, and structural damage. Still, you may want to know how long an acrylic shower should theoretically last.

Modern acrylic shower surround systems should last a minimum of 15 years, and can last up to 25. This is assuming that the materials are high-quality and properly installed, creating the waterproof seal an acrylic shower should offer.

Poor-quality acrylic shower insert kits or improperly installed systems may fail within as little as 3-5 years, especially if moisture is able to get behind the walls.

In fact, one of the most undeniable signs that it’s time for a shower replacement is if your acrylic wall panels are peeling away from the wall or show signs of mold growth. Water damage only gets worse (and more expensive to fix) over time.

Acrylic shower wall panels are typically smooth and flat. Do you really need to remove them before installing something like a tile and grout system? Couldn’t you just tile over the acrylic?

Under no circumstances should you tile over your acrylic shower walls, and here are just a few reasons why:

• Failure to address structural issues: Without removing an old shower system, you aren’t able to fix common issues like wood rot and subfloor damage before installing your new shower system.
• Increasing weight on acrylic panels: Acrylic panels are highly durable, but they’re also thin and lightweight. Adding grout and tile to the exterior of the panel increases the weight and pressure on the acrylic, causing warping and even cracking over time.
• Improper installation: Tile is meant to be installed on backer board, which is typically made from sand, cement, and reinforcing fibers. Grout and mortar can’t actually grip acrylic properly, meaning your tile will start to fall sooner rather than later.

If you really want a tile shower, you need to start by demolishing your existing acrylic shower and following proper tile installation techniques.

What if the only problem you have with your shower is aesthetic? Maybe you no longer love the color you picked a decade ago. Maybe you moved into a house with a relatively new acrylic shower, and you don’t like the previous owner’s choices. Could you just paint over your acrylic shower walls?

You technically can paint acrylic wall panels, but there is a very specific process to do so correctly, and you may find that it isn’t worth the hassle.

For example, you’ll need to sand the entire wall system in order for the paint to bond properly, and then you’ll need to dust the entire wall system to remove what you’ve sanded off. You’ll need the appropriate epoxy paint, which has to be applied completely within six hours of mixing. You’ll need to vent the bathroom while you work and while the epoxy paint cures to avoid toxicity. These are only a few of the steps you’ll need to follow, and the results will only last a few years at most before showing wear.

Acrylic shower surround kits can have low upfront costs (ranging from about $1,000-$10,000 once you purchase any additional installation tools you don’t have on hand). Will a DIY acrylic shower last long enough for that low price tag to actually be worth it? The truth is that your shower insert kit lifespan is going to depend on factors like:

• How durable the materials are that come with the kit
• How level the install is and how easily water is going to get funneled towards the drain
• How reliable your waterproofing system (including those corner seals) is

Cheap shower insert kits can fail in as little as a few months if they’re not installed with precision and expertise.

Something as simple as a small gap in your corner sealant is going to pave the way for water damage and mold growth. Cheap shower pans start to warp with regular use. Brittle wall materials crack under the pressure of a drill if you decide to install accessories.

Ultimately, there are a ton of reasons and opportunities for your cheap shower to fail, and those reasons only increase with DIY installation. That said, if you’re installing a shower in a bathroom no one really uses, you may find the low upfront cost worthwhile.

The best thing to do with an old acrylic shower is replace it with a new one. Hiring a trusted company to install it ensures quality, durability, and warrantied support. What do acrylic shower replacement services actually come with?

When you hire a bathroom remodeling company like ZINTEX, your acrylic shower replacement will include:

• Full demolition of your old acrylic shower
• Post-demolition waste removal
• As-needed structural repairs (e.g., replacement support beams, mold remediation, plumbing upgrades, and subfloor replacement)
• As-needed reinforcements for weight-baring accessories like grab bars or seating
• Full shower installation and waterproofing
• Post-installation clean-up

In other words, all you have to do is choose your customizable design options. The rest will be handled by your bathroom remodeling team.

You’ve decided that it’s definitely time to do something about that old acrylic shower surround, and now you know why tiling or painting acrylic isn’t a lasting solution. You’re also not sure you’ve got the time, tools, or know-how to replace your shower yourself. That means it’s time to hire a shower replacement company, but who should you hire?

With over 25 years of experience, ZINTEX Remodeling Group is a trusted acrylic tub and shower replacement company with locations across the South and Midwest. Learn more about us to decide if we might be a good fit for you.