What You Should Know Before Installing Sheet Metal Shower Walls in Tiny Homes

30 March 2021
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog

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An area of tiny home construction that can be difficult to design is the bathroom. You want something that is functional, fits a small area, but also has some appeal. You can't put in a typical shower stall because of the space limitation. One of the options is to use sheet metal instead. Before you decide to use sheet metal for your shower stall walls in your tiny home, consider the following things you should know.

Use Flat Sheet Metal

You may be considering a corrugated sheet metal for the shower wall. Though this will give a nice appeal to the area, it can cause some issues in a tiny home. The space for a shower in a tiny home generally does not have exhaust fans to pull out the humidity during your shower. You may have a window in the area or some other venting, but a traditional exhaust system is usually not available. Corrugated sheet metal will trap the humidity and can cause mould as well as wood rot. Instead, use a flat sheet metal with a membrane between the metal and the wall to prevent the humidity from getting trapped.

Seal the Sheet Metal

Though you may not think that sheet metal will have issues from water exposure, sealing the sheet metal may still be a good idea. You can seal sheet metal fairly easily with an epoxy seal or a similar seal from a home improvement store. Once the sheet metal is placed, you can use a spray sealant on the entire shower stall. It will need several hours or longer to dry. This will seal it from stains, possible water damage, and other related issues.

Caulk the Sides

Some people want to install a sheet metal shower stall or walls and think that it is protected because it is screwed in place. The truth is that you should caulk the sides and top to ensure that no moisture can seep behind the sheet metal. You can use clear caulking or traditional caulking if you want that sort of finished look. Though most caulk will do fine, try to find one specific for bathrooms.

These are just a few things you should know before installing sheet metal shower walls in your tiny home. If you are ready to order your sheet metal, consider getting your measurements and using a store that does cuts based on your specifications. This will give you a cleaner cut and will help you avoid cutting your own sheet metal.

To learn more, contact a steel sheet metal supplier.