How Do I Measure My Bathroom for a Shower Pan or Shower Base?

To measure for a shower pan or shower base, record the length and width of the opening the base will fill, note whether that opening is a three-wall alcove or a corner, and measure where the drain line sits in the floor relative to the walls. Those three facts decide everything, because an Ella shower base is molded at the factory as a rectangle with its drain in a fixed position and its threshold molded in, and the standard footprints are compared in What Sizes Do Ella Shower Bases and Shower Pans Come In?. If one of the three standard sizes fits, you order that size and name the drain position. If none fits, the same measurements become the order for a custom rectangle, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 confirms the drain and threshold before the base is made.

What a Shower Base or Shower Pan Is

Shower base and shower pan are two names for the same part: the finished floor of the shower. An Ella acrylic shower base comes out of a mold as a single finished piece that already carries the slope toward the drain, the drain opening and the threshold along the entry edge. It is the walking surface as shipped. Nothing is formed, lined or grouted in your bathroom, and the shell is set on the floor and supported from underneath so it feels solid. Because the surface is finished acrylic, it is never tiled over. Can You Tile Over an Ella Acrylic Shower Base? explains that thinset will not bond to the smooth acrylic, and tile laid on top would bury the molded slope that moves water to the drain. The wall finish, whether Ella panels or tile, comes down over the edge of the base so water runs onto the pan rather than behind it.

Ella also offers cultured marble shower bases in three sizes. The video on this page shows them: molded solid cultured marble with a glossy gelcoat finish and an ADA compliant slip-resistant textured floor. They are heavy, and at least two people are needed to set one, which matters when you plan who carries the base through the house and into the room.

The Three Measurements That Pick the Base

1. Length and width of the opening. Measure between the finished walls along the long side and the short side of the space. All three standard Ella bases share a 60 inch length and differ only in width, 30, 32 or 36 inches, so a 60 inch opening that is one of those three widths takes a standard base. Any other rectangle, shorter, longer or wider, points to a custom base. Footprints shorter than 60 inches are made, and a 58 by 30 inch base has been produced.
2. Three-wall alcove or corner. Write down which layout you have. Custom bases are made for both, and the team asks which one before the base is molded so the drain and the finished edges land in the right places. On a custom base the threshold goes on the longer side, so a corner base has its entry along the long edge of the rectangle.
3. Drain location. Measure from the center of the existing drain line to each wall it sits near. On a standard base the drain sits in a set position for that size, specified left or right when you order, so this measurement tells the team whether a standard size lines up with your plumbing. On a custom base 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 cannot be done, even on a custom pan, so a line that close to the entry needs to be moved by your plumber before the base is ordered.

Matching Your Measurements to a Size

The table lists the footprints Ella makes or has made, with the drain positions and the room each one suits. Every figure comes from Ella's published size rules and produced examples.

What the table means for your measurements: if your opening is 60 inches long and 30, 32 or 36 inches wide, a standard base is the simplest choice, because the drain sits in a set position for that size and the pieces around it are already sized to match. Anything else is a custom rectangle, as long as it stays within 44 inches wide by 80 inches long. A 38 by 80 inch base is inside the limit; a 53 by 76 inch request cannot be produced. The standard pans fix the drain for the size, while a custom pan frees both the footprint and the drain within the 9 inch rule, which is why the drain measurement decides between them. Where can I get a custom size shower base for my space? explains how to order once you know a custom size is needed.

Measuring for the Threshold

The threshold is the edge you step or roll across, and it is molded in with the rest of the base, so decide on it while you measure. The roll-in bases, which include all three standard sizes, are curb-less with no threshold to step or roll over, and they ship with a self-adhesive collapsible rubber dam that keeps water in while a wheelchair rolls over it. A 3 inch step-in threshold base is offered for anyone who prefers a slightly raised edge, and a custom base typically has a threshold of about 3 inches. Zero threshold bases sit flush with the surrounding floor for a barrier-free entry, which makes the finished floor height outside the shower part of the conversation with your installer. If you have been asking for a curb, you are asking for a raised threshold, and Does Ella Make a Neo-Angle Shower Pan With a Curb for Corners? shows what that looks like on a corner base.

Shapes You Cannot Measure for

Every Ella shower base is a rectangle. Bases with angled or curved edges are not offered, so a neo-angle corner with a clipped front, a curved front or any other non-rectangular footprint cannot be ordered, standard or custom. The practical test is to draw a rectangle into your space. If a rectangle fits, measure it and the drain as described above and a custom base can be made for it. If the room only works with an angled pan, that is the point at which an Ella base is not the right fit, and Who makes custom shower pans for odd bathroom layouts? covers which odd layouts a rectangle can and cannot solve.

What to Send with Your Measurements

Bring four things to your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850: the length and width of the opening, whether it is a three-wall alcove or a corner, the distance from the drain line to each nearby wall, and the threshold you want. With those, the team confirms whether a standard size matches your drain or whether a custom base is needed, and places the drain and edges so the base arrives ready to set.

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

Related Guides

• How do I measure for a replacement shower pan or base?
• Custom-Size Shower Bases: Size Ranges, Threshold Options, Drain Placement Rules, Construction, and How to Request One
• How do I install and level an Ella shower base or pan?

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