FRP smooth or textured

[Kirb]

I am in the market for FRP and I found that I can get a smooth finish also. Does anyone have experience with smooth FRP? What thickness?
Thanks,
Kirb

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Very interested...

 

[easywash]

Smooth FRP

Smooth FRP

I wish I could find that in my area.

 

[Red Baron]

Pulled my FRP off and spent a little extra to go back with grunge-colored porcelain tile. Two years now, never been cleaned, worth the extra money.

 

[Kirb]

Red Baron,
Why did you pull your FRP off?

 

[Red Baron]

Red Baron,
Why did you pull your FRP off?

1. The contractor who installed it when I built my wash, wallowed a lot of the holes in the concrete block and I had panels blow loose in every windstorm. I was replacing 20 vinyl fasteners a month even when the wind didn't blow. After awhile I began dipping the fastener in Gorrila Glue before hammering it in, and that solved that problem for the most part. and;

2. The white panels got grungy in a few months and it took acid to clean them...got tired of that in a hurry (my son is a fireman and hazmat certified and even he doesn't want to mess with the acid).

The grunge-colored porcelain tile are installed 8' up the walls. Looks good, easy to adhere signs to, no cleaning involved. I just had the same tile installed on my new IBA, and will rip the Extrutech off my existing IBA and install tile as well.

Best money I ever spent.

 

[MEP001]

I'd do tile too. Aside from the seamless FRP, it just looks tacky to me.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Saw the smooth FRP at a local SS. Looked great. Was considering it for my place and asked a local guy who has sold and installed FRP at dozens of local washes about it.

He said yes, looks greats but the Nimrod vandal grafiiti people who love to scratch their tags in smooth surfaces luv them too so he does not reccomend it for SS, but does for tunnels.

Since these nimrods have doen it to my lexan fresh n vacs and even bathroom mirrors and other surfaces, went with the pebble finish.

 

[Gabriel]

Using tile is definitely a good solution, but expensive. However it also can be vandalized. I have seem squares cracked out to form a nasty spelled word. FRP is pretty easy to clean and replace, and is much less expensive if you cannot afford tile. I have had textured FRP in two locations for over 20 years. We tried smooth finish, but it smears and gets nasty pretty bad and seems to bw much more fun for kids to smear on. The old FRP has stayed durable, white and does need an occasional cleaning--what doesn't. It is also great in bath rooms and equipment rooms. The stuff is tough and can be found on the internet at great prices if you take the time to search. Any length or rolls are available. Not a bad way to go for many operators.