What do you look for in a great shower base? Material, shape, design, and things like that, right? These things need to be on point if you’re going to get back your investment in a shower base. Below we talked about different types of shower base materials and a few other points.
Shower Base Materials
There are three materials most commonly used by shower pan manufacturers. And there’s a misconception among buyers about the material.
Most people think that Acrylic is a material used to make shower pan, but the reality is that Acrylic is only a coating on the shower base to make it non-porous and more durable. The main three materials are Ceramic, Composite, and Plastic.
Ceramic
Ceramic as a material is made by mixing water and natural clay, and sometimes other organic materials. Then, it’s dried, glazed, and hardened. You’ll see lots of different types of ceramic shower bases such as Porcelain, Terracotta, Stoneware, etc.
Pros
- Doesn’t get scratched
- Easy maintenance
Cons
- Hard impacts will chip it
- More on the expensive side
Composite
Composites such as Resin and Fiberglass are the two popular options available in the market.
Resin
This material includes rotomolded polymers and polyester resins. Polymers have a more beautiful texture, and polyester resins are more of a reinforced resistant coating. Resin as a material looks like stone but isn’t as heavy or costly.
Pros
- Durability
- Easy maintenance
- Lighter than stone
Cons
- Costlier than other composites
FiberGlass
This is a type of reinforced acrylic.
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight, easy installation
- Easy repair
Cons
- Very brittle
- Porous
- Color and shine will deteriorate with time
ABS Plastic
This is a type of reinforced plastic that’s easy to fabricate and lighter than most materials. It is recyclable with thermoforming properties.
Pros
- It has the highest impact resistance
- Recyclable
Cons
Shower Base Shape
The shape of your shower base depends on where you want to place it and how much space you have. There are three types in general,
A square shower base is a great fit for smaller bathrooms. These do look crowded when you’re in it.
If you need more space, you can always opt for rectangular shower bases as they have more room but also require more space for installation.
A corner-style shower base is a balance between the comfort of a spacious shower and saving space. These can have either a rounded corner or a 90-degree corner.
Shower Base Installations
This is a great point for consideration as the durability and longevity of the shower pan highly depend on it. You can install a shower base or pan in three ways,
This is the quickest and easiest way to install a shower base. You install it directly onto the surface of your shower.
This is a walk-in shower design. It’s almost level with the floor surface suited for newly constructed showers or renovation.
These shower bases are quite expensive and luxurious. Furthermore, ready to tile units are good for elderly people. The shower base is covered by tiles, so this incurs an extra cost. And you’ll need to use a customized design for it.