Q: Is it Possible to Install a Fiberglass Shower Pan in a Tile Shower?
Deciding whether to install a tile shower or a pre-fabricated fiberglass shower can be difficult. Typically, you see showers that are all one type of material. You see showers with tiled walls and floor. Or you see showers with fiberglass (or acrylic) walls and floor.But it is possible to "mate" the two building materials. And it's not all that difficult or unusual.
Tiling your shower walls gives you flexibility and beauty. Installing a fiberglass floor liner gives you practicality. Why not combine the best of both worlds?
Even though fiberglass and acrylic showers are improving, many homeowners still prefer the design choices offered with tile. They may hire a tileman to do the tile or they may tile the shower by themselves. Mating the fiberglass or acrylic shower liner with the tile means that the floor can "flex" with the weight of the shower-user, ensuring more years of usability.
Pros and Cons of Fiberglass Pan in Tile Shower
Pros- Pan can flex, avoiding the cracking associated with tile shower pans.
- No seams or grout - easier to clean.
- Slightly easier work for an expert tiler - much easier work for the do it yourself tiler.
Cons
- Considered aesthetically inferior to an all-tile shower.
- Tough for a do it yourself tiler to construct properly.
