How Do You Build a Custom Shower From Base to Walls?

You build a custom Ella's Bubbles shower in a set order. Design it online, have a contractor measure the room, choose the base and its threshold, then add the wall system, the front and the accessories. Ella's Bubbles manufactures the components and a local licensed contractor installs them. The overall sequence is outlined in How do I build or install a walk-in shower at home?. This page goes deeper on the custom choices at each stage, from the pan on the floor to the top of the walls.

Begin with a Design, Then a Real Measurement

A custom shower starts on a screen. The online Shower Builder Tool lets you scroll through the available options and put together a custom shower design before your project moves forward. Treat what you build as a picture to talk from, a starting point for the conversation with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

The second step happens in your bathroom. After you have built your design, a contractor visits your home to measure the space in person and finalize the installation details. This is where the design meets the real dimensions of the alcove and your existing plumbing rough-in. Ella's Bubbles does not send its own technicians, so measuring and installation are handled locally by a licensed plumber or contractor. One measuring tip matters for a custom size: measure the finished opening, not the framing, before requesting a custom base, so the base arrives ready to set.

The Base: Check the Standard Sizes, Then Go Custom

Everything else in the shower is sized from the base, so it is chosen first. Ella's Bubbles manufactures its own shower bases in standard sizes of 30x60, 32x60 and 36x60 inches, each available with a left or right drain. The wheelchair accessible roll-in base comes in the same three sizes, with the drain position specified at order time. If one of those matches your measurements, your base decision is nearly done.

When a standard pan will not fit, a custom base is made to your length and width. Here is what a custom base can and cannot be:

• Shape. Only rectangular sizes are made. Bases with angled or curved edges are not offered, so a neo-angle corner, a curved front or any other non-rectangular footprint is not a fit for an Ella base. The first question for an unusual room is whether a rectangle can be drawn into it.
• Size. The largest custom base is 44 inches wide by 80 inches long. A 38 by 80 inch base with a left drain is within the limits, while a request such as 53 by 76 inches cannot be produced. Shorter pans are possible too, and a custom 58 by 30 inch base with a center drain has been produced.
• Drain. The drain can be placed left, right or center, but it must sit at least 9 inches from each wall. A drain only 7 inches from the threshold edge is not possible, even on a custom base.
• Layout. Custom bases are made for three-wall alcoves and for corner installations, and the team asks which one you have so the drain and edges are placed correctly.

Ella pans, standard or custom, are finished acrylic and do not need to be tiled over, which removes a whole stage from a traditional shower build. Unusual rooms are worked through in Who makes custom shower pans for odd bathroom layouts?.

The Threshold: A Step-In Edge or a Flush Entry

The next decision is how you enter the shower, and it is best made before the floor is touched. A custom shower base typically has a threshold of about 3 inches. For a barrier-free entry, zero threshold bases sit flush with the surrounding floor instead, which can make getting in easier. Roll-in bases are curb-less pans that a wheelchair can roll straight into, and they ship with a self-adhesive collapsible rubber dam that keeps water in while a wheelchair rolls over it.

Because the threshold style affects how the base meets your plumbing rough-in, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to confirm which style suits your bathroom before your contractor begins.

The Walls: Sized to the Base, in Three Looks

With the base settled, the walls come next. Ella's Bubbles manufactures shower wall panels at 98 inches high, with side panels measuring 40 inches and the back wall panel measuring 60 inches. They come in a few different styles:

• A plain white finish, offered as a plain white acrylic three-piece panel kit.
• A CNC routed design with light gray grout lines, engraved into the acrylic.
• A digital print option, with a marble-look three-piece panel kit among the wall systems the team supplies.

Bases are often paired with multi-piece wall kits and are not usually sold as stand alone pieces, and the wall system is chosen to be sized to the base. If your base is a custom size, tell the team the exact dimensions so the wall system can be matched to it. Because styles and finishes vary, ask to see samples before you decide. The finishes, along with surrounds made for walk-in tubs, are covered in Shower Bases and Wall Panels.

The Front, the Accessories and a Marble-Look Base

The last layer is what closes and equips the shower. A four-fold or LayDown glass screen can be added once the base and walls are in place, and accessories such as grab bars or a shower door complete the build. Shower products are sold per item, not as a single bundle, so a complete shower is put together from the pieces you need: the base in your size and drain position, a wall system sized to the base, and the accessories. What ships with a base and what is separate is spelled out in Wheelchair Accessible Shower Base Sizes, Drain Positions, and What Is Sold Separately.

If you like the look of stone underfoot, the video on this page shows Ella's cultured marble shower bases, which are available in three sizes. They are molded solid cultured marble with a glossy gel coat finish and an ADA compliant, slip resistant textured floor. They are heavy and require at least two people to install, which is worth telling your contractor ahead of time.

Putting the Request Together

When the design, the measurements and the choices are ready, the request is simple. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 with the base size, the drain position, and any walls or accessories wanted, or ask your Ella dealer. For a custom base, include your exact length and width, whether the space is a three-wall alcove or a corner, and where the existing drain sits, so the team can confirm the base can be made before your contractor cuts the floor.

Watch: Cultured Marble Reversible Shower Base with Low Threshold for Safer Bathing | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• What the Ella Acrylic Shower Base Is Made Of and How It Is Installed
• What are acrylic shower walls, and how do they hold up?
• How do you install a shower wall panel kit from Ella's Bubbles?

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