Are you remodeling your bathroom and considering a solid surface shower? It will help to know the following things about the materials and installation for this unique material.
Material Options
There are a few common materials you have to pick from for a solid surface shower.
Acrylic Showers
An acrylic shower is going to be some sort of plastic surface that is used to line your shower. This is one of the cheapest materials that you can purchase for a solid surface shower, which can make it a great choice for those people on a budget. The waterproofing of the material is in the form of the material itself or the backing immediately behind it, which depends on the method of installation. There is a special adhesion process involved to get the acrylic layer to stick to the shower's backing material
Quartz and Granite Showers
What makes quartz and granite showers unique is that they are essentially made with the same countertop material that you'd use in a kitchen. This material can be very heavy and expensive, but the material will look absolutely gorgeous after it is installed since you're using a natural stone that looks unique as a visual feature in the shower.
Porcelain Showers
A porcelain shower is made with what essentially looks like very large porcelain tiles. The installation process also resembles installing tiles by using thin-set but requires special equipment due to the size and weight of the material. The waterproofing barrier is located behind the porcelain tile so that moisture does not escape your shower.
Installation
The nice thing about a solid surface shower is that there is not any grout in the shower. You can even select a matching shower pan that goes with your wall materials so that you don't even need grout between tiles on the floor. This helps create a solid surface along the walls, with a bead of silicone sealing the material around along the corners.
However, the installation of that large and solid material can be difficult to physically get into your home. This means that you may have better luck using a solid surface material for a small shower stall, but not a very big one with intricate curves or long walls.
Solid surface material also does not allow you to install niches like you would with tile, such as putting a shelf in the walls or ledge to give you more support when showering.
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