What Companies Offer Custom Shower Wall Panel Systems, and Does Ella?

Ella's Bubbles is one company that manufactures its own shower wall panel systems, along with custom shower bases and acrylic wall surrounds for walk-in tubs. This page speaks only for the Ella line, so it does not rank other brands. Instead it lays out what Ella makes, in which sizes and finishes, and where the custom part comes in, building on the overview in Shower Bases and Wall Panels.

What Ella's Bubbles Makes for Shower Walls

Ella's Bubbles is a family-owned company based in Chicago, founded in 2005, and it is the manufacturer of its shower walls and bases. That matters when you are comparing companies, because the walls, the base and the accessories are designed to work together as one shower.

The wall lineup has four parts:

• Three-piece acrylic wall system. One back wall and two side walls, published as 40 by 60 by 98 inches high. It can ship as a single unit, or in pallets for bulk orders.
• Large acrylic wall panels. Back walls of 98 by 60 inches and side walls of 36 to 38 by 96 to 98 inches.
• Cultured marble travertine surrounds. Multi-piece surrounds in eight, six or four panels, made from a natural quartz and granite composite with a gel coat surface.
• Wall surrounds for walk-in tubs. Surround systems that enclose the area around a walk-in tub, with an acrylic top portion available for a finished, water tight look above the tub deck.

Shower wall panels are manufactured at a consistent 98 inch height. That one height is the same across the acrylic finish styles, which keeps planning simple: you choose the look and confirm the widths for your space.

Ella Wall Options Side by Side

The differences come down to how much wall you want each piece to cover and what is behind it today. The acrylic systems are tall, large-format panels, so a 60 inch back wall is covered in one piece and the look is clean and easy to wipe down. The cultured marble surround is divided into more, smaller panels, which is why one person can carry and install it. Side wall widths are published two ways, 40 inches in the three-piece system and 36 to 38 inches in the large panel listing, so confirm the side wall width for the exact kit you are considering before your contractor frames or finishes the opening. Sizing for kits is covered further in Shower Bases, Walls, and Filler Pieces.

Where the Custom Part Really Comes in

If you are searching for a custom wall panel system, it helps to know which parts of an Ella shower are made to your project and which are standard.

• The finish. Acrylic panels come in a plain white finish, a CNC routed design with light gray grout lines, and a digital print option. This is the main way the walls are tailored to your bathroom.
• The base under the walls. Ella manufactures shower bases in standard sizes of 30x60, 32x60 and 36x60 inches, each with a left or right drain, and it also manufactures fully custom base sizes. One example that has been produced is a custom 58x30 inch base with a center drain. A custom base typically has a threshold of about 3 inches, and zero threshold bases are available for a barrier free entry.
• The fit on site. The cultured marble panels have factory finished edges for seamless joining, and they can be trimmed and cut for a custom fit. The 8 inch L-shaped filler piece is plastic, so it can also be trimmed down if it is too large for the space.
• The accessories. ADA accessories are available with the three-piece acrylic wall systems.

What stays constant is the 98 inch panel height. So the honest picture is this: Ella offers a manufactured wall system with a choice of finishes, a base that can be built to custom dimensions, and pieces that can be trimmed to close the last gap.

The Cultured Marble Surround, on Video

The video on this page shows the cultured marble travertine shower walls. It explains that the panels are made from a natural quartz and granite composite with a gel coat surface, for a natural look and feel that is durable and easy to clean. It shows the eight, six or four panel surrounds and notes that they can be carried and installed by one person.

The detail that matters most for a remodel is what the panels can go over. According to the video, they can be glued over drywall, plaster, painted walls, Durock or even existing tiles. That makes this option worth a look when you want to freshen up a shower without taking the old wall surface down first. Your contractor still decides whether the existing wall is sound enough to build on.

How to See Finishes and Plan Your Shower

Because styles and finishes vary, the best first step is to ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to see samples and confirm which option fits your bathroom. They can help match the base, walls and surround to your space, including the threshold style and how it fits with your existing plumbing rough-in.

You can also see the products before you decide. Ella's Bubbles does not send staff to a home to give a presentation or take measurements. Product presentations are handled live over video, and the Chicago showroom is open for in-person visits or a live video tour. Some dealers also offer a shower builder page on their own website, so you can visualize a shower design.

If you are a contractor or remodeling company looking for a wall panel line to offer your own customers, two programs apply. The Ella's Bubbles Dealer Program includes the three-piece acrylic wall system and custom acrylic shower bases made to fit specific project needs. The Ella's Bubbles Reseller Program is for companies that sell and install Ella walk-in tubs and showers, and approved resellers receive catalogs, including a custom catalog with their own logo and contact information.

Related Guides

• What are acrylic shower walls, and how do they hold up?
• Cultured Marble Shower Wall Panels: Stock Sizes, Cutting to Fit, and Finishing the Edges
• How do you install or attach Ella shower wall panels and surrounds?

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