Installation Instructions for a DuPont Corian Shower Wall

Plan the orientation and placement of the Corian sheets. Arrange the sheets so only horizontal or vertical seams are present, not both. In most situations, it is easier to orient the sheets with vertical seams. There should be a small space left in each corner or, if a hardseamed corner sheet is used, near the corner to allow for the expansion that will occur when temperatures rise.

Cut the sheets to fit the shower walls, and make spaces for fixtures as needed. Use a router to cut the sheets. Wear adequate safety gear while cutting. Treat the sheets as you would treat wood.

Shape the edges of adjacent panels to prepare them to be joined together. A tongue-and-groove seam allows for fairly easy sheet alignment. Hold one sheet down, and center the tongue or groove cut in the middle of the sheet. Do the same for the partner sheet, making the complementary cut. Once the tongue and groove have both been completed, dry-fit the two sheets together to make sure they fit properly.

Join adjacent sheets. Apply silicone adhesive to each side of the tongue and in the groove, and press the sheets together, eliminating any air bubbles. Wipe excess silicone off the face of the sheets, and allow the silicone to harden before attaching the panel to the wall substrate.

Adhere the sheets to the walls, one wall at a time. Remember to leave a small open space in the corner rather than butt one sheet end tightly against the face of the other. Apply a silicone adhesive, running a 1/4-inch bead around the panel perimeter about 1 inch from the edge of the sheet and across the width of the sheet every 6 to 12 inches. Press the sheet to the wall substrate.

Hold the sheets in place with a wood brace or some other suitable brace until the silicone adhesive hardens. Orient a few 2-for-4-inch boards vertically against the face of the panel on one side wall, and set partner 2-by-4-inch boards on the wall opposite. Cut boards to fit snugly between the two, and insert them to hold the panels securely. Cut short pieces of wood to jam between these braces and the back wall.

Finish the corners. DuPont offers a number of trim pieces that can be installed, generally using silicone adhesive, to cover the corners. Hardseamed or Thermoformed corners are made of one piece that extends over the corner, relocating the joint a few inches from the corner. The corner gap can also be filled with silicone.

Run a bead of silicone caulk over any joints or corners that have not yet been treated.