Let’s get real. There’s no such thing as a perfect shower pan, just as there’s no perfect person. Shower pans are not a one-size-fits-all proposition.

There can be, however, a perfect shower pan for your specific situation.

Here’s the problem you’ve likely run into trying to find the perfect shower pan for your job. When you visit shower base manufacturers web sites what do you think they’re pushing? This is not a trick question.

They’re pushing their pans. They’re claiming their units are the ‘ultimate fighting warriors’ against all shower evils. They have the best pan known to man, woman and child (as if kids are even interested).

You’re left to sift through the B.S. You’re left to read on-line reviews (to the extent you have the time and desire to do this). You’re left to come to your own conclusions (even though you’re not a bathroom remodeling – or shower pan expert – and don’t play one on TV. Come to think of it, no one plays one on TV either).

As a guy who leads a business which daily is knee-deep in wholesaling and installing different types of shower bases, I’ve had the ‘pleasure’ (sarcasm intended) to see the good, the bad and the ugly in shower pans in our journey to make bathrooms great again (OK – if I’m being hones, most bathrooms weren’t great in the first place).

The goal of this article is simple. It’s to help you find the perfect shower pan for your situation. To do this we’ll look at different goals you may have. Here’s some popular shower pan goals. See if yours is on the list.

• Goal #1 – You’re looking for a cheap base. You own a home in a not-so-great section of town you’re looking to flip. You need a pan which fits a tight budget.

• Goal #2 – You’re looking for a base which is simple to clean. You’re tired of living your life scrubbing grout joints or staring at a dirty fiberglass shower pan you can’t get clean no matter what you do.

• Goal #3 – You want a contemporary design. Most shower pans you’ll find are big, bulky and ugly. You’re trying desperately to find a design which looks modern.

• Goal #4 – You need a roll in or one level shower pan. Sometimes a shower pan isn’t a want, it’s a need. A member of your family isn’t getting around like they used to. You need to find a pan which works but doesn’t like it belongs in a hospital room.

• Goal #5 – You want a shower pan which is built like a tank. Since the last pan cracked and leaked onto your mahogany dining room table you vowed this will never happen again. This time you’ll look for a shower base built like a tank.

• Goal #6 – You need a custom size. You don’t want to pay an arm and leg for it. So many shower floor pans – from walk in designs to odd sized tile showers to drains in weird locations – require custom sizes. You don’t buying one to cause you take out a 2^nd mortgage, but you want a nice-looking shower which lasts and won’t be a pain to maintain.

So, now that you’ve checked out the 6 goals, let’s dig into the brutally honest guide to the perfect shower pan which will help you achieve you find the best one for your situation.

The moment before you crank-up your reciprocating saw, rent the jackhammer or bring out the hand tools to demo your old fiberglass or tile shower pan do you look down and say to your shower base, “I’m going to miss you buddy. I’ve loved our time together.” If so, you may need psychological help.

The words used to describe shower pans don’t come from a place of love. More common words would be its ugly, disgusting, moldy, dangerous (but not in a ‘Baker Mayfield’ of the Cleveland Browns sort of way), grimy, yellowed or grungy. Negative words about shower pans could go on and on.

No where on this list is beautiful, sleek, contemporary, durable, shapely and safe.

But let’s play a ‘what if’ game.

What if your shower can could be stylish and safe?

What if your shower pan wasn’t the ugly red-headed-stepchild (sorry red headed stepchildren out there) of your shower enclosure or roll in shower?

What if you could be as proud and thankful about your shower pan as you were when your son FINALLY completed his 6-year college plan, and picked up the long-sought-after sheepskin (are diplomas actually made of sheepskins?) from State U?

I’m here to announce there are cool and safe alternatives for ugly shower pans. You don’t have to put up with cheap, clunky, yellowed fiberglass shower bases any more. You don’t have to deal with teeny-tiny tiles with fat grout joints which get dirty, moldy and bring you (literally) to your hands and knees.

When you think about it, your shower base is THE FOUNDATION of your shower. If it fails, everything above it becomes garbage. Money down the drain (literally and with a bad shower pan pun thrown in for bad measure).

As Gene Kranz said in the movie Apollo 13, “Shower base failure is not an option.” (OK – maybe the shower base portion of the line was left out to keep the movie tighter).

In this article I’ll present 7 alternative solutions for standard-sized, custom and roll in shower pans. Don’t accept the first clunky fiberglass shower pan your remodeler grabs off the home center shelf. Don’t accept ‘old-school’ mud set tile shower floor pans which are a pain in the drain for you to maintain.

Elevate your shower pan. Choose these 7 alternatives.

Updated January 26, 2019

While tile showers or those with natural stone or granite walls can look cool – they also have their drawbacks. Let’s face it – they’re a pain in the butt to clean and can be costly. If you’re looking for a different alternative the question is what can you use for a low maintenance, high style and affordable shower system? The article below will look at 3 combinations of products to achieve this goal which include a cultured stone shower bases and walls, a stylish glass enclosure with matching acrylic base and Euro-inspired high gloss wall panels.

Round acrylic “arc” base with sliding glass doors

The advantages of acrylic shower bases are many. They don’t yellow (like fiberglass), are warm to the touch and cost effective, easy to clean and non-porous to name a few. With all of these advantages though acrylic bases have not traditionally been thought of as an exciting choice…until now.

In the video and article below see how the Fleurco line offers a broad range of options, styles, and increased functionality for a new construction or bathroom remodeling project.

Curved glass shower enclosure with an acrylic slice shaped base by Fleurco

Since a shower base is the “foundation” of a shower enclosure making the right choice is critical (if you select a base that cracks or leaks down the road the costs can be significant because it may require replacing the entire stall or it  might have damage the floor below the base). Although no one type of base is universally “the best” (each type has their own pros and cons) acrylic shower pans are near the top of the list in popularity.

This article will explain the advantages, disadvantages and options in this type of base.

Curved shower base with curved glass shower enclosure slice design

Are you looking for an easy to install, uniquely styled shower base system that doesn’t require customization and won’t cost a lot of money? If so you may want to consider the new shaped acrylic shower base and enclosure systems available on the market. You’re no longer limited to square, rectangular and NEO angle shaped standard premade shower bases. Read below to learn how to use round, arc, bowed and a curved shower base that can offer high style at affordable prices.