Carefully choosing the right base for your walk-in shower will help you choose a floor that will provide you with more stability and comfort while you bathe. Choosing the right base will also improve the style and look of your bathroom, so for that purpose, you should take into account the most appropriate and popular choices – shower bases and tiled floors for the bathroom.
What Are Shower Bases?
This type of floor acts as a watertight floor inside the shower which is usually pre-made. Shower bases can be installed on the subfloor which means that you won’t need to install an additional layer of tiles or sloped mortar bed. This type of shower floor is more affordable than tiles floors and most importantly, it’s easier to install and clean. And the best of all is that you can have peace of mind regarding its quality if you decide to buy shower base.
Just like with everything else, this type of floor comes in a large selection of shapes, materials, styles and appearance which explains its difference in price and maintenance. When in the search to buy shower base for your bathroom, first you should take into account its shapes. Generally speaking, you can choose between square, rectangular, corner, round, oval, pentagon, semicircle and many more. Even though round ones are quite common these days, nothing beats the beauty, uniqueness and simplicity of the square and rectangle shower bases.
All of them can be made from a range of materials out of which composite, plastic and ceramic are the most commonly used. When in the search for the right one, make sure to consider these and all of the other materials available on the market in order to make the right choice. Without deep research, you risk investing in a base for a shower that won’t serve you at all, so you’ll end up uninstalling it and investing in a completely new base which is more costly. Aside from the material, an important thing to have in mind as well is looking for a base that’s resistant to scratching and chipping, one that’s easy to clean, lightweight and one that’s durable above all. Make sure not to choose a base made from material that’s porous since such materials tend to absorb water and they’ll crack over time.
What Are Tile Floors?
As the name suggests, these bases are made entirely of tiles and a lot of people prefer them over prefabricated bases for showers. The one and only reason is the huge colour, style and finish options. While prefabricated bases for showers have a limited material and finish option, this isn’t the case with tile floors. Depending on the tiles you choose, some of them can even mimic natural finishes like wood and marble. Even though in the past tiles were considered a more durable option than prefabricated bases, nowadays, this isn’t the case. Although some types of tiles might be a bit sturdier than prefabricated bases, this doesn’t make them less of a choice. When comparing their ease of maintenance and cleanliness, it seems that the ready-made bases are easier to clean and maintain because of the material. Tiles, especially the textured ones tend to collect more dirt, germs and even mould which makes them a bit harder to maintain. Regarding the slip resistance property, it seems that it’s easier to find more slip-resistant tiles than ready-made bases, however, slip-resistant tiles have a texture on them which leads to their maintenance issue.
When it comes to their installation, prior to installing the tile base, first, you’ll have to waterproof the surface area and prepare it for tile installation which can be time-consuming and not pocket-friendly at all. In order to prepare the floor, you can make a mud pan by combining cement and sand in a thin layer across the subfloor. Once done, lay felt paper or tar and a waterproofing membrane and then another layer of cement and sand. You can also buy a premade pan that is designed for this purpose and much easier to install, however, you’ll still need to custom order one according to your area. sop, both of these base options can be a bit time-consuming so you should carefully consider your options before making any decision. Installing tiles, on the other hand, is much harder than installing the ready-made shower bathroom base which is another disadvantage for tile floors. Plus, if you’re one of those people who love to give their home a fresh look quite often, then it would be better if you invest in a ready-made bathroom base than making one with tiles. Tiles might be longer lasting, but they’re extremely hard and messy to remove and for this job, you’ll also need a hand from a professional.
