Does the walk-in tub include surround walls, and what colors are offered?

No. Surround walls are a separate kit, not part of the walk-in tub package, so a listing photo that shows finished walls is showing an installation rather than the contents of the crate. When panels are ordered together with a tub they ship on top of that tub order. Ella's wall systems are white based: solid glossy white, a Carrara White marble look and CNC engraved patterns on the acrylic kits, a glossy white subway pattern on the SMC kits, a travertine look in cultured marble, and color beyond white only in the grout-free tiles, as What colors, patterns and heights do Ella shower wall panels come in? lays out.

What Is in the Crate and What Is Not

The tub crate holds the tub. None of Ella's wall products is a tub-specific surround molded to one model. They are wall systems that you cut and fit to your space, so whatever you choose must match the tub footprint exactly and overlap the tile flange and deck so water stays in front of the wall. There is no ceiling panel in any finish. Because the panels are their own line on the order, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to confirm the walls are on the order if you want them, and expect them to arrive with the tub when ordered together. The families and how each one goes up are described in Wall Panels and Surrounds for Walk-In Tubs: Acrylic 3-Panel Kits, Cultured Marble, and PVC Tiles.

Colors, Patterns and Sizes You Can Order

The table lists each wall product, whether it comes with the tub, and the looks and sizes published for it. Where a cell says not listed, confirm the figure with your Ella dealer before ordering.

What the table means: the tub is white and so are the wall systems, so a matched white alcove is the default outcome whichever kit you pick. Pattern comes from the engraved acrylic kits, the Carrara White marble look, the subway pattern on the SMC kits or the travertine look, and a real color choice exists only in the click tile and the gray marble panel tile. If you want a wall color other than white around the tub, the tiles are the route. The molded shower stalls and shower base wall panels come in white only, and beige is not available on any of them, as Does the Ella shower come in other colors, and are the walls smooth? explains.

Which Kit Suits a Walk-In Tub Surround

Two kits are sized for a tub surround that does not need floor-to-ceiling coverage: the 40 by 48 by 60 inch acrylic 3-panel version and the 6-piece SMC kit at 48 inches high. The taller acrylic kits at 98 or 105 inches and the 12-piece SMC kit at 96 inches, a full 8 feet, are for a shower alcove or a tub wall carried to the ceiling. The acrylic panels are a 0.118 inch thick ABS and PMMA composite with a glossy, warm-to-the-touch sanitary acrylic surface, and the Carrara White panels are 1/8 inch thick, which What Does Acrylic Look Like on a Tub or Shower Wall? describes. The cultured marble travertine panels, shown in the video on this page, are made from natural quartz and granite composite with a gel coat surface, come as 8, 6 or 4 panel surrounds, can be carried and installed by one person, and glue over drywall, plaster, painted walls, Durock or existing tile, with factory finished edges that can be trimmed for a custom fit. The grout-free tiles are the only wall products sold by the box, and How Many Wall Tiles or Panels Come in an Ella Box or Kit? gives the coverage figures to plan from.

Patterns Change over Time

Colors and patterns on the wall kits change over time, and the pattern on a given engraved kit may vary from the picture, so a name you saw on an older listing or a dealer page may no longer be the current one. The knowledge base does not track which patterns have been retired, so the way to check whether a specific pattern or stone color is still offered is to look at the marble and stone acrylic kit page at ellasbubbles.com/showers/three-panel-kit/marble-stone-acrylic-shower-wall-kits/ and then call (800) 480-6850 with your tub model to confirm what is current for your order. Availability of every wall line changes, so make that check before ordering rather than after the tub arrives.

Fitting and Finishing the Panels

• Panels are trimmed on site for a close fit, including around an odd-shaped alcove or a window, and the cutting video for the acrylic panels is on the wall panels and surrounds page.
• Cut edges are finished with trim strips or sealant from a tile or building supply store, since Ella does not supply custom edge pieces.
• The kits go up with a glue-only method. SMC panels go bottom row first on 100 percent silicone with overlapping flanges, so there are no grout lines.
• Every wall must overlap the tile flange and the deck so water runs back into the tub.

A local contractor does the cutting, gluing and sealing. Have your tub model, the alcove dimensions and the kit you are considering ready when you ask about an order, and the team can confirm the walls match the tub footprint.

Watch: Transform Your Shower with Cultured Marble Wall Surround | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Acrylic 6-Piece Wall Panel Kit: Size, Shelves, Thickness and How It Compares to the 3-Piece Surround and SMC Panels
• Cultured Marble Shower Wall Panels: Stock Sizes, Cutting to Fit, and Finishing the Edges
• How to Get Pricing and Order Ella Grout-Free Shower Wall Tiles: Measuring Your Walls and Estimating Boxes

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