Aluminum Shower Walls?

[brisk]

I would like to use sheet metal for the shower surround in a bathroom. I am after a brushed aluminum look and don't rally care what kind of material it is.

The idea is to apply it the same way as other more conventional shower surround materials - with Liquid Nails or such.

It has been very difficult finding info about that since it is not something that is used a lot. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[unclesyd]

Aluminum is not a very good material for your application as too many cleaners can corrode it. It will not take long for the pretty finish to turn pretty ugly. Usually anything not readily available is good sign that it is not good in the application. No one wants a recall.
It could be done but I don't think you will like the results.


They make a S/S material that looks like burnished Aluminum.

 

[brisk]

OK, I see your point, but I don't understand why do shower doors have aluminum frame, how does that work? And what about stainless steal, very popular in bathroom and kitchen design, can it be done in brushed finish?

 

[unclesyd]

Small areas don't show up like a wall would. The better door trim is anodized which add to it's endurance. Is the finish you like a series of slightly overlapping circles, engine finish.
S/S is burnished for mainly Architectural Finishes. The only problem is that burnishing like any finish makes a surface a little harder to clean.
There is also a brushed S/S, like with a Scotch-Brite wheel

We were looking for a S/S that wouldn’t finger print not long ago. It’s found on some refrigerators and sold as retro-kit for existing ones. Haven’t found a supplier yet.

Here are some of the finishes that S/S sheet comes in.

http://www.avestapolarit.com/template/Page____2483.asp

I'll try a supplier that I used for S/S roofing, not for myself too expensive. I think they have all types of S/S panels in stock.

 

[kenvlach]

Pretty much agree with unclesyd, I think that aluminum is used because it is cheap and easy to extrude.

To answer your questions:
Aluminum shower doors and frames are extrusions of fairly corrosion resistant alloys (usually 6063 or 6463) which are protected by anodizing. Checked my shower: the top & vertical surfaces are pretty good, but there is bad corrosion on the frame along the bottom of the glass, and minor corrosion at the bottom corners* and where galvanized screws hold the shower-side door handles. The aluminum appears to have had a light caustic etch for a satin finish prior to anodizing.
*Anodizing is done by the extruder, so no anodize where cut.

I would strongly advise against a brushed finish, as this is hard to clean and bad for corrosion (the smoother the better). With a corrosion-resistant alloy (e.g., 1100, 1350, 3003, 5005, 5657), an anodized satin finish and proper installation to avoid crevices and galvanic corrosion (what about the water taps?), I estimate a 20-25 year useful lifetime -- less if cleanser is used.