A shower base acts as a watertight floor inside the shower. It is often premade and ready to install. It can be installed on the subfloor, meaning you do not need to put in a sloped mortar bed and tiles. However, a shower base can also refer to a tiled shower floor built from wet cement, sand mix or another type of mortar. Tile shower bases are more challenging to install and remove than other types. Keep reading this guide for information to assist you in your search.
There are several points to consider when searching for the right shower base, such as the installation, the shape, the material it’s made from and other options. In this guide, we will particularly focus on materials as this is the most important category to consider.
Shower bases can be installed in different ways. The most common are raised, recessed, ready-to-tile bases. Your project type may also guide the installation you choose. Certain installations are done for shower bases made from a specific material.
raised-shower-base-by-CATALANO
recessed-shower-base-by-wedi
Ready-to-tile-shower-tile-shower-base-by-Villeroy-Boch
An evacuation system consisting of pipes, a siphon and an extra-flat drain is necessary for the proper drainage of wastewater. The evacuation system will be one of two types: a vertical drain when space is available under the base or a horizontal drain when the tray is raised or simply when space is limited.
Shower bases can come in a number of different shapes but the most common are rectangular, square and corner. Other shapes include round, semicircle, pentagon and oval. Round is currently trending. Manufacturers are creative and you should look into the variations to find the perfect base to match your needs. Keep in mind, though, that the shape of the base must match the shower enclosure; any gaps will result in water leakages.
square shower base by Disenia
rectangular-shower-base-by-GLASS-1989
corner shower base by Bette
The most common materials used are plastic, composite and ceramic. There are many materials to choose from so be sure to browse them all. Keep in mind that many shower bases have an acrylic coating, a durable finish which can maintain its quality for years while offering a non-slippery surface when wet. Wood, concrete and cement are less common so we will not discuss them in this guide. However, know that they are customizable and design-friendly. Wood can offer a natural ambiance.
Most common materials:
This material combines natural clay mixed with water and, sometimes, other organic materials. It’s shaped and decorated, often glazed and hardened by heat. Therefore, it is a broad category that includes pottery, earthenware, terracotta, stoneware, porcelain, etc.
It can be used to make a smooth surface or tiles. It is scratch resistant, but hard impacts will cause chipping and its smooth surface makes it rather slippery.
Composites such as fiberglass and resin are common materials for shower bases. Many brands use their own special composites, such as Corian®, Pietraluce® and KRION®.
Resin includes rotomoulded polymer and polyester resin. Rotomolded polymer has a pleasant texture, while polyester resin has a highly resistant reinforced coating (fiberglass + gelcoat). Resin looks like stone but isn’t as heavy or as expensive.
Fiberglass, a variety of reinforced acrylic, is easy to install and inexpensive.
Corian® is an exclusive solid-surface material newly used in the bathroom. It is easy to clean and is nonporous so stains do not penetrate the surface. If properly cleaned, it can resist the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. It also resists scratching, stains, chips and cracks.
Pietraluce® is an exclusive shiny, water-proof, antibacterial material which is easy to maintain. Scratches and stains can be removed with a normal polishing paste. It’s too early to note disadvantages.
KRION® is an exclusive new generation antibacterial solid surface material developed by Krion, a company that belongs to the PORCELANOSA Group. It has sound insulation and a high mineral content and is 100% recyclable. It’s too early to note disadvantages.
Some commonly used plastics are PMMA, polystyrene, ABS and Cristalplant®.
It can be confusing to understand the differences between each, so we’ve listed them here.
PMMA: This material is a synthetic resin produced from the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. It is a transparent, lightweight and rigid plastic with shatter-resistant properties, making a decent substitute for glass. It is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass or plexiglass.
Polystyrene: This material is a synthetic hydrocarbon polymer made from the monomer styrene. It can be solid or foamed. It is usually clear, hard and rather brittle but is an inexpensive option.
ABS: This material is easy to fabricate, lightweight compared to glass and strong. It can be recycled and has good thermoforming properties.
Cristalplant®, an exclusive solid material that is 100% made in Italy. It boasts of being the first sustainable solid material with 50% minerals and 30% bioresin.
Natural stone and metals have their share of advantages and disadvantages. The most common types of stone used are slate and graphite, but marble, travertine, quartzite and quartz are also available. All stone is very heavy; however, it contains antibacterial and non-slip properties and also benefits from being 100% waterproof. Variations of metal are cast iron, stainless steel, vitrified steel, steel, aluminum and copper. Enamelled cast iron is very heavy but extremely resistant. Steel is very resistant and easy to maintain. Steel is much lighter than cast iron.
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