Stone shower trays: varieties, selection, care

Stone shower trays are becoming the choice of many buyers. At the same time, goods made from materials of artificial origin are more in demand, since at a lower cost they have a number of advantages over natural ones.

Each natural marble shower tray is a unique piece, as the pattern of any part of the stone is unique. However, such a thing will cost a lot and will require special care: marble is a porous material, it is able to change color under the influence of water and various chemicals, therefore it must be regularly covered with special protective agents.

Artificial marble is created on the basis of natural filler (which is marble chips and quartz sand) and polyester resins. Cast marble is the preferred material for shower trays compared to natural marble.

This is due to the fact that the products of it, they are more convenient to install and practical to use due to a number of properties that this artificial stone possesses, namely:

• much lighter than natural marble (2 times);
• more durable (withstands impacts of greater force without the formation of chips and cracks);
• it is characterized by low thermal conductivity, so it does not give the feeling of a cold surface, like natural stone;
• does not absorb dirt, is easy to clean, is characterized by high hygienic properties, since the material is non-porous;
• more wear-resistant;
• allows you to create a non-slip surface;
• has a longer service life;
• products made of it can be repaired at the installation site, without dismantling.

It is still possible to split a pallet made of cast marble, but this will require much more effort than is necessary in order to make a similar natural thing unusable. When caring for reconstituted marble surfaces do not use cleaning agents with abrasive particlesas it will scratch, just like natural stone. Products made of artificial marble have a lower cost, while manufacturers offer a very wide range of colors and shapes of shower trays.

Acrylic artificial stone is made on the basis of acrylic resins and natural mineral fillers. Shower trays made of acrylic artificial stone have a number of positive properties, thanks to which they have become widespread and in demand among buyers, namely:

• they are warm because they have low thermal conductivity;
• hygienic, since the material is non-porous and does not absorb moisture, easy to clean;
• waterproof;
• do not require special care;
• safe, do not emit harmful substances;
• durable;
• repairable: defects that arise on the surface as a result of careless operation can be eliminated by grinding and polishing;
• do not change color, retain their original colors even after long use;
• presented in a wide range of different colors, shapes and sizes;
• are cheaper than similar products made from natural stone.

Shower trays made of acrylic stone have disadvantages: the smaller the thickness of the sheet from which they are made, the lower their strength characteristics. Falling heavy objects onto the stone pallet can cause cracks to appear on the pallet. The acrylic stone surface can be scratched, and such a defect will be clearly visible if it is dark and monochromatic. Acrylic stone is made by a number of manufacturers who market their products under different brands. The most famous: this Corian, Montelli, Staron, Hi-Macs, Akrilika, Hanex, Tristone, Grandex.

Quartz agglomerate - Another type of artificial stone used for the manufacture of shower trays. A composite material based on quartz and polyester resin is characterized by high strength and resistance to mechanical stress. It is recommended for large pallets. In the composition of the quartz agglomerate, the proportion of natural quartz is up to 93–95%. This material is much stronger than granite. Products from quartz agglomerate, in contrast to those created from natural marble, do not change color under the influence of household chemicals containing acids.

In addition, the non-porous structure of this material, the lack of the ability to absorb water, endows products made from it with high hygienic properties.

Well-known grades of quartz agglomerate from different manufacturers: Caesarstone, Samsung Radianz, Vicostone, Avant, Dekton, Silestone, Cambira, Technistone.

The standard and most demanded sizes of artificial stone pallets are 120x90, 120x80, 90x90, 80x80, 100x100 cm (1000x1000 mm). However, if the buyer needs a pallet of an atypical shape or slow-moving size, then the firms selling these goods offer to make it to order according to an individual project.

Custom production of a shower tray involves the following stages of work:

• measurements at the site of the future installation;
• selection of the shape and color of the product;
• production of the ordered copy;
• its installation.

Typical forms of artificial stone shower trays:

• square;
• quadrant;
• rectangle;
• pentagon;
• asymmetrical rectangle.

Acrylic stone shower trays come in different depths. Trays made of artificial marble are not made deep, but there is a choice in height, manufacturers offer:

• low;
• standard;
• high.

There are several options for installing artificial stone shower trays:

• on a flat floor (if the drain is horizontal);
• into a pre-prepared recess (suitable for different types of drain);
• on a flat floor with a hole for vertical drainage.

The location of the pallet and the entire shower stall can be:

• angular;
• wall-mounted.

A material such as acrylic stone makes it possible to obtain products of various, most non-standard shapes; it is easy to cut, drill, and grind it. If an object is made of several parts, then after gluing and grinding the joints, a complete product is obtained without visible seams, this ensures a high level of hygiene, since the seamless surface does not allow dirt to accumulate at the joints of the parts. Trays made of reconstructed marble also differ in a variety of shapes, which will allow you to choose an option that suits any shower stall and interior style.

Artificial marble for pallets is produced in different colors and shades. You can choose a single-color coating or a single-color one with splashes, as well as order a color with stains like a natural stone. As a rule, the goods on sale are presented in standard colors - white, black (less often blue, beige, blue). Natural stone colors are available for custom made pieces.

Artificial marble pallets have excellent aesthetic characteristics, are distinguished by color fastness, which is not affected by water.

Manufacturers also offer a wide variety of varied colors and shades for acrylic stone pallets. It is natural that the largest variety of options can be seen when ordering goods for an individual project... Pigments, due to the addition of which the material is colored, are distributed throughout the entire thickness of the product, color fastness is guaranteed throughout the entire period of operation. Quartz agglomerate pallets are presented in a wide palette of colors and shades, including those with imitation of the structure of natural stone. Items made from this material do not change color during the entire period of use.

For information on how to choose a pallet, see the next video.