When you’re planning a bathroom remodeling project, there are countless decisions you’ll need to make in the process. Aside from choosing the right contractor for the job, the most important decision you’ll make is the materials to use for your shower area.
You may have heard that fiberglass shower stalls are popular with local homeowners, but is that the best choice for your home? By reading this detailed guide, you’ll learn more about fiberglass shower enclosures and why we recommend a different material for most shower remodels (hint: it’s acrylic!).
Do you have any questions about which materials to use as you begin to plan your bathroom remodeling project? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts by contacting us online or calling your local EZProBaths Express location.
What Are Fiberglass Shower Stalls?
Fiberglass shower stalls are made from a mixture of polyester resin and woven glass fiber that is then poured into a gel-coated mold. Once it’s set, the gel coating remains on the fiberglass shower, which acts as a protectant against water damage.
Because of the use of the mold in the manufacturing process, there are fewer customization options for fiberglass showers when compared to other shower materials.
How to Tell if You Have a Fiberglass Shower
Many homeowners don’t know what type of shower they have, even if they’ve lived in their house since it was built. If you’re curious about whether you currently have a fiberglass shower in your home, there are a few tips to help you figure it out.
- Apply a small amount of weight to your shower walls or pan. Fiberglass is a completely rigid material that won’t bend, whereas other materials will give a bit.
- Knock on your shower walls. Fiberglass will feel or sound like solid wood when you knock on it.
- If you can see the unfinished side of your shower pan through a crawl space, perhaps, this is another way to determine if you have a fiberglass shower. If you do, you’ll notice a lot of tiny fibers that are stuck together on the underside of your shower pan.
Why does it matter what material your shower is made from? Well, how you care for your shower largely depends on the material. The expected lifespan of your shower is also dependent on the type of material you have.
Is There a Better Alternative to Fiberglass Showers?
When local homeowners chat with us about upgrading their bathrooms, they often ask us about different shower materials. Our answer is always the same: acrylic showers are a much better alternative to other materials like fiberglass and tile.
Unlike fiberglass showers, acrylic ones are made from a combination of different heated materials that are stretched into a mold and then vacuumed into their final shape. Since there is more flexibility compared to the fiberglass manufacturing process, acrylic showers come in more colors and textures than fiberglass showers. This makes acrylic the perfect shower replacement material.
Here at EZPro Baths Express, we exclusively install virgin acrylic, which has a thicker top layer compared to other types of acrylic. We’re so confident in this material that it’s backed by a lifetime warranty against cracking, discoloration, and fading and it includes a 20-year labor warranty. When you choose an acrylic shower from EZPro Baths Express, you can have the ultimate peace of mind that your investment is protected.
The Ultimate Comparison Between Fiberglass and Acrylic Showers
As you plan your shower remodeling project, our experts at EZPro Baths Express are here to help you make the best choice for your family’s needs. That starts with understanding more about both fiberglass and acrylic showers, so you can make an informed decision for your bathroom.
Below, we have a closer comparison of these two materials. We think you’ll quickly be able to see why we believe that acrylic is the best of the best.
Durability
A fiberglass shower has an average lifespan of about 15 years. Even still, fiberglass is much more prone to damage compared to acrylic. That’s because fiberglass is a porous material, and the gel coating on it is very soft. This leaves the material vulnerable to scratches, color loss, heat damage, and more. Over time, it’s also common for the gel coating to wear away, which leaves your fiberglass shower vulnerable to water damage every time you use it.
Acrylic, on the other hand, is extremely durable and resistant to cracks, scratches, dents, and fading. When you opt to install an acrylic shower in your home, you can feel confident that it will look great, even after years of use.
Customizations
Part of the fun of renovating your bathroom is customizing the space to perfectly fit your design aesthetic. From choosing the perfect color scheme to outfitting your shower with all the best accessories, having the ability to customize your shower is what makes it feel like your own.
As we briefly mentioned above, fiberglass showers have fewer customization options due to the manufacturing process. If customization is important to you, then acrylic is a much better option for your shower.
Here at EZPro Baths Express, we offer acrylic shower walls in a variety of different textures, styles, colors, and patterns, so you can create virtually any look you want. Some of our acrylic shower walls are even designed to mimic other materials like marble so you can get the look of almost any material with all the durability of acrylic. What could be better than that?
We also offer customization options beyond just design. When you work with our installers, you can customize your shower with a number of different accessories such as:
- Built-in shower seats
- Safety features like grab bars
- Built-in shelving
- Handheld shower heads
- And more!
Price
When we sit down with local homeowners to talk about their bathroom remodeling ideas, one of the first things we discuss is budget. The total price you’ll pay for your new shower depends on the different customizations you choose, the size of your shower, and other similar factors.
Generally speaking, acrylic showers tend to be a bit more expensive than fiberglass showers, at least upfront. However, over the life of your shower, you will likely spend less money by choosing an acrylic option. That’s because acrylic showers are less likely to need repairs compared to fiberglass options.
So, while you might spend more initially for your acrylic shower, the cost of repairing a fiberglass shower will likely cost you more in the long run.
One of our missions as your local bathroom remodeling expert is to make it easier for you to make updates to your shower area for a price that fits your needs. We are proud to provide special discounts and financing options so you can get the shower of your dreams for a price that works for your wallet.
Color
When you spend time picking out the perfect shade for your new shower, you want it to stay that beautiful color for as long as possible. Unfortunately, when you choose fiberglass, you won’t be able to enjoy that color for quite as long. With a fiberglass shower, it’s only a matter of time before it starts to fade, no matter how well you maintain it.
When that happens, your shower area will start to look worn down and much older than it really is.
An acrylic shower, however, is resistant to fading, so it will continue to look good as new, even years after you have it installed. As a result, your bathroom will continue to look new and fresh, helping you get a better return on investment.
Maintenance
Even the most durable materials need to be properly maintained to prolong their lifespan. So, how does the maintenance compare between fiberglass and acrylic? Perhaps most importantly, you want to avoid abrasive cleaners, no matter which material you choose. Harsh cleaners can damage both acrylic and fiberglass, so it’s better to choose a gentler option when you clean them.
When it comes to mold and mildew, you’ll find that fiberglass is more susceptible to growth, making it harder to keep your shower area clean. Acrylic, on the other hand, is infused with silver ion technology, which helps prevent mold, bacteria, and mildew growth, so your shower is easier to keep clean with less effort.
When you hire EZPro Baths Express for your shower installation, we’ll take the time to give you maintenance tips so your shower will look great for as long as possible.
Choose an Acrylic Shower With the Help of EZPro Baths Express
Now that you’ve learned more about fiberglass shower stalls and how they compare to acrylic, we hope you’ll agree that acrylic is the best option for your home. When you’re ready to transform your whole bathroom with a beautiful new acrylic shower, there’s only one name to trust for the installation: EZPro Baths Express.
Since 2009, we’ve helped homeowners like you create more functional, beautiful bathrooms, using high-quality products like acrylic. When you’re ready to start planning your own bathroom transformation, please contact us online or call your local EZProBaths Express location.
