Fiberglass Shower Pans For An Easy And Fast Solution

Fiberglass shower pans are a quick and relatively easy way to install a shower floor. This way you avoid the traditional way of building a shower pan with mortar and a waterproof membrane. The skill level for installing the fiberglass shower pan is a lot lower than building a shower pan the traditional way..

You can buy a fiberglass shower pan ready to install at building supply stores. There are standard sizes, which may or may not fit your space. Custom sizes are available too.

You can fit a fiberglass shower pan into an existing shower location many times without replacing the walls. If you have an older ceramic tile shower you can plan to replace just the floor and enough of the walls to get the replacement pan in place. Of course sometimes when you tear out the floor you may find the walls come down too. That's the case if moisture damage has caused the tiles in the wall to turn loose.

For a new installation these shower pans can be used with either ceramic tile walls or with ready-made fiberglass shower walls. Especially for standard size showers, the pans will go in fast and easily.

Another common application for a fiberglass shower pan is in handicapped access showers so there is no curb. Also you may want a special non-skid surface in a handicapped shower.

Compared to the traditional way of building a shower pan, fiberglass shower pans have some advantages and of course some disadvantages. The traditional shower pan construction builds layers of mortar both under and over a waterproof rubber-like membrane and then installs ceramic tile over the base. The fiberglass shower pan advantages are: easier to install, quicker, cheaper, easy to keep clean. The traditional advantages are: lasts longer with proper care, looks better, less subject to wear and damage.

For the steps for installing fiberglass shower pans see the installing fiberglass shower pans article.