Choosing a Shower Base

If you are going to rebuild your shower or install a new shower, you should decide what kind of shower base to use. Your shower base will affect the look of your entire shower, as well as your bathroom. Its shape and material will affect both your bathroom's look as well as the amount of space that is available.

Making a good choice when picking a shower base is quite important, as your shower base should last a long time, meaning that the positives of a good choice, and the negatives of a bad choice, will be with you for years to come. What follows should help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of the options available to you when choosing a shower base.

Rectangular Shape

The shape of your shower base is quite important. In terms of aesthetics, the shape of a shower base can help to match or accent the rest of your bathroom. In terms of function, the shape of your shower base will allow you to use your space efficiently. it will also allow you to have a spacious shower without interfering with the rest of the space. A rectangular shower base can be a great choice if you prefer a more spacious shower; however, it can be a problem, as rectangular shower bases are the largest. Be sure to plan your entire bathroom in advance.

Square Shape

Square shower bases are more compact than rectangular units. That makes them a great choice when you have a limited amount of space. If you are trying to conserve space, you should also consider the pentangular shape. If you have the option to do either a square or pentangle, the choice is entirely aesthetic.

Pentangle or Neo Angle Shape

Pentangle shape shower bases are similar to square bases, but with 1 corner cut off to increase both the amount of space and placement options. While the extra space from the missing corner is minimal, it can mean the difference between opening a door and having it blocked by your shower base, or even for the shower door to be able to fully open without hitting against the vanity for instance that's close to it.

Material - Natural vs. Synthetic

Shower bases come in a wide variety of materials. Acrylic and stone are the most common; however, there are many other options available. If you wish to match the rest of your décor to your shower base you should not feel confined to choosing stone or acrylic. Ceramic is an excellent choice of material that can be great for matching other bathroom fixtures, particularly if you have decorative ceramic tiles. Glass tiles are also an option.

Keep in mind that acrylic trays are the cheapest and easiest to install. If you are fine with having a relatively plain shower tray, these features may be important to you.

Style Choices

Choosing a style of the shower base that fits into your bathroom perfectly is also important. Shower bases come in almost any color, particularly if you select glass or ceramic. Choosing a texture that matches is also a great idea. Some shower bases come in a deep style that can double as a bathtub, although the shallow style is standard. You should also look at custom shower bases, as many companies make them.