Looks kinda cool, but is it really loud?

@foogiefive, I was thinking the exact same thing!

ha, as was I.

I hate to say it but, I kind of liked the tiles before. It looked like it could've just used some cleaning, paint and new fixtures.

Me too

I would love to sing in this shower! Looks fantastic. And it's a basement shower so does it really matter if it's loud or not?

looks like shower inside a Chipotle. I liked the tiles before. You could do a lot worse than a cool geometric pattern as far as tiles are concerned.

I'd like to see more of the room. Hopefully it's decorated in a fun, rustic vibe!

im not sure i like the before or the after, the after makes me feel like im showering in some sort of storage container =\

My first that was also about the noise. And @ dustinstruckmeyer it's not the noise heard by the rest of the house that would bug me, but the noise while taking a shower might drive me nuts.

I didn't think it was so awful before, and actually the before is more to my style. I agree that some cleaning, paint, and other accessories throughout the room to tie it together could have resulted in a great space.

It's hard to get a feel for the space overall, however, without more pictures. It might look much cooler in context.

On another note--I'd also be a bit concerned with how the galvanized steel will hold up. Under "normal" weather conditions outdoors it should take a very long time to rust, but I wonder how it would fare in the shower? But hey--what do I know? And if it works for this family, that's great.

very cool & nicely done!

and after checking out the link to the full posting on their site, the original tile actually looks pretty fugly. don't blame them for covering it up.

I like it - but I must agree that I've seen far, far worse tilework.

Galvanized sheet metal reminds me of the agony of putting hurricane shutters on my childhood home.

I'm sure your guests won't have negative associations with it, I just can't get beyond my own.

I looked into this idea pretty seriously before tackling my own bathroom renovation last fall. I found that if I was going to make the surround waterproof (by using concrete board behind it, flashing it and that sort of thing), it would be basically the same cost as tiling. Love the corrugated look, but in the end, I decided that tile would probably be a better value because I'll probably try to sell my house in the next few years...

ummm... soap scum?

To each his own... not my cuppa.
To me, the metal and wood are an off-match tone and style-wise and makes the shower look top-heavy. The shower head looks wimpy, too, in the new surround (they don't cost much).
Nice crafty idea, would like to see a designer take it somewhere, though.

If you follow the link to their blog, the bathroom is quite lovely. However, I think this is a very bold choice for such a small room. Regardless of how loud the water is, this is a loud statement in a small, understated space.

Very cool.

I think it is a cool idea. I would love to know if the metal is any louder than tile when the shower is turned on.

Maybe continue the wood up to the ceiling, and put in one of those cool wood rugs in side the shower (or even stones) - something to even out the weight of the top wood. Oh, and ditch the shower head, something big, craftsmen styled, and def oiled bronze ish coloring. I dig the start though... Just needs a bit more natualish materials to warm it up.

Oh and after looking at the blog, maybe some paint to warm up the room... greens? Maybe a really warm olive?

I've been house hunting and these are the things you see and roll your eyes at and think "wow, someone thought they had a knack for design, how much to rip it out?"

Holy god, I tried to look at their blog, but was anyone else getting a migraine from the bizarre stencil-like, very small font they use everywhere?

with regard to resale value, if I saw this I would assume they used leftover roofing materials and wonder what else was done on the cheap. I'd pass on it.

I don't have a problem with the steel it's the steel with that wood that irks me. It just doesn't seem to match. Perhaps a different stain?

Kind of interesting and pretty for a showcase idea.. but in real life.... kind of impractical....

First.... It's a basement! This is the kind of shower for the mandatory outside of a house.

Second.... the noise of the water hitting it!!!!

Third... Can you imagine everything that's going to accumulate, grow and crawl behind and between all the crevices between the wall and the sheet, thanks to humidity?????

I'm glad that you like it, but to me, the tile before was more palatable than this.

Wow, so many opinions! Ha.

It's actually not loud at all. Frankly, we were quite worried about that, too, but the fact that it's firmly applied to the concrete walls keeps it from echoing or pinging.

Also, we were sure to coat it with a clear Rust O'leum coat. It's our basement bathroom, so we don't use it that often - I'm not sure we would have done it otherwise.

Finally, though I can appreciate what many are saying about the tile not being that bad before, it's one of those things where the picture doesn't quite convey it. The tile had no glossy coating on it, so it was very dull, worn, and dirty. Any dirt or mildew that had been on the tile wouldn't come off! The grout was missing in many places, and what was there was pale blue (ugly!). Also, the tile had been badly applied - you could literally pull it off with your fingers. Anyway, it needed to go.

Yeah, we know it's not to everyone's likings, and that's cool. We consider it our fun basement (rarely used) bathroom!

Before my eyes got oriented to the second photo, I actually thought I was in a garage.

It looks, now, awful. It used to be much better. What you needed was a really good curtain and that was all.

I dig it. I had thought of using similar but clear panels once in my bathroom.

It is sad that people's design choices are limited because they might resell the home in the future. I can only imagine the bland finishes and fixtures they have chosen. Beige FTW!

(Also how is everyone so sure it was going to be loud?)

It's unique for sure. It's cool to look at and since it won't be used a lot, I guess it borders on practical. But I'm still positive that installing cheap Home Depot ceramic tiles in a subway pattern would look nicer and be about the same amount of money.

I love the way it looks (and think it's a nice improvement.) I wonder how hard it is to keep clean?

Yuck, it looked better before. Agree w/ above...new colored paint above the tile, new shower curtain, refinish the pan....ANYTHING but this.

I love it! These honest looking materials are perfect for bungalows.

I dig it.

I have seen the whole bathroom and it looks great. This one photo just doesn't do the room justice. If you go to apartment therapy or google galvanize showers it will pop up and you can see it from their blog. Good stuff.

Wow that so many people are dissing. I think it's cool and creative.
Personally, I would rather have seen plain corrugated vs. the pro-rib profile you chose. WAY cheaper, too.
But still. Nice work.

I enjoy seeing creative solutions and this is no exception. Cool idea, esp. for a little used basement area. That old tile looked pretty sad and gross.

I think the before would have been interesting with a pale blue wall, some rust red somewhere, a mid century cabinet of some kind with a modern sink installed, interesting fixtures and maybe a huge ornate mirrow above sink all with old tile. Metal is cook, seems like a lot in one little spot though..

oops mirror and cool lol shouldnt type in the dark.

just because "you" like the tiles before doesn't mean they did. looks neat!

Galvanized is going to react with the water. Badly, and quickly. Did you consider applying a clearcoat of polyurethane to protect the finish? When this starts to rust it's going to look unpleasant.

The zinc coating will degrade as a sacrificial layer, but it won't last for long. Cleaners will exacerbate it.

all those screws... how much waterproofing did you guys have to do?

@foog foog:

"...not my cuppa."

Cuppa... tea? Very clever. I'm so using that.

Cool idea, but it feels a bit too industrial for me.

On the other hand, replacing tiles is very expensive and this is probably a very good DIY solution.

This is one of the coolest idea I've seen in a long time. The whole room was transformed. I love reversible transformations done on the cheap. If you get bored with the industrial chic look in a few years, it's pretty easy to change it. But, I don't think you will get bored. It is a very interesting treatment and sure to be a conversation starter. Thanks for sharing.

Love it! A friend of mine in a shotgun house in the swamps of Louisiana did this for their shower with standard corrugated roofing. As you say, if the metal is adequately anchored it is not loud at all--there is no vibration. Some prefab vinyl showers are even louder.

Wow, so many mean comments. I have metal surround in my shower too and I love it! And it's not any louder or dirtier than tile. Come on people, pull your heads out...and be nice!

At first I thought this was really tacky, but the more I look at it the more I like it. It reminds me of my grandmother's backyard, where we kids used to rinse off after coming back from the beach.

Nostalgia ftw

wow, lots of haters. I think it's super super cool.

Hmm. Good try. Industrial, suitable for a work place. But, for home? Might hurt value. Its still a redo at the end.

I don't know if it'd be practical for a shower used daily but for occasional use, I do kind of like the look of it. I'm guessing non-corrugated metal would have been easier even if it didn't look as interesting.

holy cow, that's awesome !