Tile vs acrylic shower

What goes behind a tiled shower

When we build a tiled shower, we demo the stall down to the studs or the block and start over. Licensed plumbers rough in the new valve and drain, we hang cement backer board, wrap the stall in a waterproofing membrane and fill the pan with water to prove it holds before any tile is set. Our guide on how we build and flood-test a shower pan walks through each layer.

Opening the wall also lets us see what twenty or forty years of showers did back there. Rotted framing or an old drain found at demo gets priced and shown to you before we fix it, so it is dealt with once instead of hidden again.

What goes behind an acrylic system

With most one-day systems the original tub and drain stay where they are, and the old wall stays behind the new panels. Acrylic sheets are cut to fit and go on top of the existing surface, with the seams and edges sealed. Since the wall is never opened, whatever is behind it stays as it was.

We do not install acrylic liners over an old tub. Our work is the full remodel down to the framing, so on this page we are telling you how the two compare, not selling you the second one.

Time on site: one day against about a week

One-day installs are real for acrylic liners, because nothing is torn out and nothing has to cure. A tiled tub-to-shower conversion usually runs 3 to 7 days of work, and a curbless floor or custom tile can stretch past a week. Part of that is waiting on materials. Grout and setting materials need 3 to 7 days before the first shower, depending on the product.

Miami humidity and what it does to each

Both showers live in the same wet air, so the difference is where water ends up when something fails. With tile, the barrier is a membrane we tested under standing water before it was covered. With an overlay, the barrier is the old wall plus the new seams, and neither can be checked once the panels are on.

Mold needs moisture to grow. Keeping indoor humidity below 60 % and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours stops most of it, and in a Miami bathroom that takes an exhaust fan ducted outside no matter which surface you choose. South Florida water comes out of a limestone aquifer and leaves mineral spots on glass and fixtures, so we suggest an easy-clean coating on the glass and fixtures you can descale without scratching.

How long each one lasts

We will not give you a number of years for either one, since it depends on how the shower was built underneath and how well the room dries out. What we can tell you is how each one is repaired. A cracked porcelain tile can be cut out and replaced on its own, and grout can be refreshed without touching the membrane. An acrylic surface that cracks or lets water behind a seam usually means pulling the panel.

When each one makes sense

Acrylic can be a fair choice for a quick refresh when the tub and the walls behind it are sound, the layout stays the same and the budget does not stretch to a remodel. A rental between tenants is a common case.

Tile is the better fit when the tub is coming out, when you want a low curb or no curb, or when the house is old enough that you want to see the drain before covering it again. It also lets you choose the size and color of the tile, plus the pattern, instead of picking from a panel catalog.

Our tiled tub-to-shower conversion is $11,500 per conversion. That covers tile walls to the ceiling, an anti-scald valve, a niche and a standard glass door. Tile beyond what the job includes is $24 per sq ft. You can see the prices for every bathroom job we do side by side.

Frequently asked questions