tile looks great at first, but long-term? Not always less hassle.
That’s exactly my worry. I get the appeal of a custom tile shower, but after seeing a neighbor rip theirs out after five years because of leaks, I’m not convinced it’s worth the risk. At least with a solid base, you know what you’re getting—less chance of water sneaking where it shouldn’t. But then again, how do those plastic or acrylic pans hold up over time? Do they end up in the landfill sooner, or is that just old info?
At least with a solid base, you know what you’re getting—less chance of water sneaking where it shouldn’t.
That’s been my experience too. Pre-formed acrylic or fiberglass pans are usually pretty reliable for keeping water in check, as long as they’re installed right. They don’t have grout lines or seams to worry about, so leaks are way less common compared to tile.
As for how they hold up—most decent brands last 10–20 years if you don’t drop anything heavy on them. Scratches and stains can happen, but they’re mostly cosmetic. I’ve seen some older pans look a bit faded but still do their job just fine.
On the landfill thing, yeah, they’re not exactly eco-friendly if you toss them, but tile demo isn’t much better—old mortar and broken tile aren’t recyclable either. In the end, it’s kind of a trade-off: easier maintenance with plastic/acrylic, more custom look (and risk) with tile. Just depends what headaches you want to avoid.
Yeah, I’m with you on the leak risk—less seams just feels safer. I actually went with a fiberglass pan when we redid our shower last year, mostly because I didn’t want to deal with potential water damage down the road. The idea of a slow leak under tile kind of freaks me out. Haven’t had any major issues so far, but I do notice it scratches pretty easily if you’re not careful moving stuff around.
I did think about the landfill thing too, but honestly, after seeing how much junk comes out of a bathroom reno (broken tile, drywall, old pipes…), it all seems kind of unavoidable. At least for me, peace of mind and not worrying about leaks was worth it—even if it’s not the most “green” option. Tile looks great but just feels like more risk than I’m comfortable with right now.
The idea of a slow leak under tile kind of freaks me out.
I get that, but honestly, with a proper waterproofing membrane and careful install, tiled pans can be really reliable. I did one a few years back—took my time with the prep and liner, and it’s been bone dry ever since. Scratches on fiberglass drove me nuts in my last place... always looked scuffed up after a year or two. If you’re careful with the build, tile doesn’t have to be risky.