| Fiberglass shower pans are a quick and relatively | | | | often break as the floor is removed. |
| cheap shower floor. The traditional way to install a | | | | If you are installing a new shower, fiberglass |
| shower floor is to build a masonry base and then | | | | shower pans can be used with ceramic tile walls |
| set ceramic tile over the base. As you can see, | | | | or with fiberglass walls that match the floor. Often |
| the skill level for installing fiberglass pans is much | | | | the pans are used in handicapped access showers |
| lower. | | | | so there is little or no curb and a special non-skid |
| You can find standard shower pans at your local | | | | surface. |
| building supply store. These pans will be standard | | | | Compared to traditional masonry shower pan |
| sizes, but you can special order other sizes and | | | | construction, fiberglass options have advantages |
| sometimes even custom sizes. If you have an | | | | and disadvantages. The advantages are: easier to |
| odd drain location or size, the price for your | | | | install, quicker, cheaper, easy to keep clean. The |
| application will be much higher.. | | | | traditional masonry and ceramic tile advantages |
| Often a fiberglass shower pan fits into an existing | | | | are: lasts longer with proper care, looks better, |
| location without replacing the walls. For your older | | | | less subject to wear and damage. |
| ceramic tile shower, you can replace just the floor | | | | Note also that a fiberglass shower pan available at |
| and enough of the walls to get the replacement | | | | your local store is not suitable as a base for |
| pan in place. That's assuming the walls are still in | | | | ceramic tile. There are tile ready shower pans, but |
| good shape. Often the walls are damaged if | | | | they are different and more expensive. |
| water has worked behind the walls. The walls will | | | | |