One of the most common material used in shower base construction is fiberglass. Noted for its durability and frequent use in water environments, it is an ideal material to use when making a base for a shower floor that will prevent water from soaking through to the sub-flooring beneath. A fiberglass shower base is also extremely affordable and simple to install, perfect for homeowners who prefer to do their own remodeling projects.
What Is Fiberglass?
Fiberglass, also known as glass fibre, is essentially a plastic polymer that has been reinforced with fine glass strands or fibers. While the plastic creates the durability of the material, the glass fiber reinforcement gives it a greater strength and load bearing capacity. The material we refer to as fiberglass today was invented in 1938. Russel Games Slayter created the material during his employment with Owens-Corning. It was originally intended to be used solely as an insulation material, but its applications in other areas developed over the years. In order to improve the strength of the fiberglass even more, carbon fiber is being used in more advanced applications. Due to its extremely high cost, however, its use is currently limited to commercial and industrial applications.
What Are The Benefits Of Fiberglass Shower Bases?
Fiberglass is an extremely lightweight and durable material, able to handle applications requiring a waterproof material. It is also very affordable and easy to mold, which makes it ideal for use as a shower base material. While come consumers may not care for the slightly rougher texture of pure fiberglass bases, it can also be blended with acrylic for a smoother feel. Fiberglass bases are also easy to work with and don’t necessarily require a professional installation unless there are other obstacles that need to be dealt with during the installation.
Fiberglass is also used to create the backing support for tiled shower bases. The fiberglass or fiberglass and acrylic blend is molded into the basic shape of the shower base and allowed to harden. The base is then installed on the floor of the shower and the ceramic or porcelain tile is laid onto it with tile adhesive. The tile is the grouted and allowed to dry. The tile provides a traditional looking surface with a wide variety of color and style options, while the fiberglass backing or base provides a support structure and prevents water from soaking through the tile and reaching the subfloor beneath.
Overall, a fiberglass shower base is versatile, durable, long lasting, and, most importantly, extremely affordable and easy to install without professional assistance.
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