How do I measure for a replacement shower pan or base?

Measure the opening the new pan will sit in rather than the old pan itself: the length and width of the alcove or corner at the framing, and the distance from the center of the existing drain pipe to the framing of the back wall and of the nearer side wall. Those figures tell you whether one of Ella's standard 30 by 60, 32 by 60 or 36 by 60 inch bases fits and whether its drain lines up, or whether a custom rectangle is the answer, and What Sizes Do Ella Shower Bases and Shower Pans Come In? lists every size the factory makes.

What a Shower Base Is

A shower base, also called a shower pan, is the floor of the shower. An Ella base comes out of a mold at the factory as a finished acrylic piece with the slope, the threshold and the drain already molded in. It is the walking surface as shipped, it is supported from underneath rather than built up on top, and it must not be tiled over, because tile needs a rigid absorbent substrate that acrylic does not provide and a layer of tile would bury the molded slope that moves water to the drain. Can You Tile Over an Ella Acrylic Shower Base? explains why the base you order is the finished floor you get. Ella also offers cultured marble shower bases in three sizes; these are molded solid, heavy, and take at least two people to install.

Because the shape, the drain position and the threshold are all settled before the base is molded, measuring is the step that decides everything. Nothing can be trimmed or moved once the pan arrives.

The Measurements to Take, in Order

1. Get down to the framing. The base sits against the framing once finish materials are removed, so measure to the studs where possible rather than to the face of old tile or drywall.
2. Measure the length and width of the space. Note the longer dimension separately, because on a custom base the threshold goes on the longer side.
3. Note the layout. Custom bases are made for three-wall alcoves and for corner installations, and the team asks which you have so the drain and edges are placed correctly.
4. Find the drain. Have your plumber measure from the center of the existing drain pipe to the wall framing behind it and to the framing on the nearer side wall.
5. Decide the entry. Choose between a curb-less roll-in edge, a zero threshold that sits flush with the floor, or a raised threshold of about 3 inches.
6. Share all of it with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, along with the drain position you want: left, right or center.

Matching Your Numbers to a Size Ella Makes

What the table means for your tape measure: if the opening is 60 inches long and 30, 32 or 36 inches wide at the studs, start with a standard base and check its drain position. Anything else is a custom rectangle, which covers a great deal, from a 58 by 30 pan to a 38 by 80 one, but has hard limits. A 53 by 76 inch request cannot be produced, and only rectangles are offered; angled or curved edges are not available, so a space that needs a clipped corner is not a fit, as Does Ella Make a Neo-Angle Shower Pan With a Curb for Corners? explains. Who makes custom shower pans for odd bathroom layouts? walks through the odd shapes a rectangle can still solve.

Checking the Drain Before You Order

The drain is where most replacement pans go wrong, so compare your two drain measurements with the Specification drawing for the exact model and drain position you plan to order. Every Ella base has a dimensioned drawing that shows the outside dimensions, the threshold and the drain location measured to the center of the drain opening, and it is the document the support team reads from. The numbers change with the drain position: as two examples, one right-drain base lists the drain center 15 1/2 inches from the back wall and 9 1/2 inches from the front, while one center-drain base places it 19 inches from the back wall and 24 inches from the side wall. Always say which drain position you mean when you ask for a figure.

If your measurements match the drawing within the tolerance your plumber is comfortable with, the base can be set over the existing line. If they do not, there are two choices: a licensed plumber relocates the drain line, which is routine when the floor is open, or you ask about a custom base with the drain placed to suit your line. On a custom base the drain must sit at least 9 inches from each wall; a drain only 7 inches from the threshold edge is not possible. Shower Drain Rough-In: How Far the Drain Sits From the Back Wall and Side Wall covers how to read the drawing.

Threshold, Walls and the Edges of the Pan

The entry edge is part of the measurement because it is molded in. Roll-in bases have no threshold to step or roll over and ship with a self-adhesive collapsible rubber dam. Zero threshold bases sit flush with the surrounding floor. The 3 inch step-in base and a typical custom base carry a threshold of about 3 inches. On a custom base that threshold goes on the longer side, so note which long edge faces the room when you measure a corner.

Plan the wall finish at the same time. A custom base has a tile flange, so it works well where the walls will be tiled; the wall finish comes down over the edge of the pan so water runs onto the base rather than behind it. The base itself stays bare acrylic. If the base you measured for does not match the look you want, choose a different base rather than covering one.

Related Guides

• What the Ella Acrylic Shower Base Is Made Of and How It Is Installed
• Custom-Size Shower Bases: Size Ranges, Threshold Options, Drain Placement Rules, Construction, and How to Request One
• Shower Base Sizes and Thresholds Compared: AcrylX Barrier-Free, SMC Linear-Drain, Molded-Seat and Cultured Marble Bases

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