What Is an Acrylic Shower Base and How Does It Work?

An acrylic shower base is the finished floor of the shower: one molded acrylic pan that arrives with its slope, threshold and drain molded in, so it is the walking surface as shipped and needs no tile on top. It works by carrying the water that lands on it down the molded slope to the drain, while the wall finish comes down over the edges of the base so water runs onto the pan rather than behind it. The base styles Ella offers are introduced in Shower Bases, Walls, and Filler Pieces, and this page explains what the part is and how each feature does its job.

What an Acrylic Shower Base Is

In Ella's guides the terms shower base and shower pan are used for the same part, the floor unit that the rest of the shower is built around. Ella's Bubbles manufactures its own acrylic pans, and every one is finished acrylic. The surface you see when the carton is opened is the surface you stand on, and the base is ready to use once it is installed. Nothing goes on top of it: no tile, no thinset and no waterproofing membrane.

An Ella shower kit is built around this base. The base carries the drain and the threshold and, on some models, a molded seat. Wall panels attach above the base to form the sides of the enclosure, and the open side is finished with a curtain rod, a glass door or a screen, depending on the package you select. The enclosure stays open to your bathroom ceiling, a point covered in Does Ella Offer a Dome, Ceiling Panel or Light for Its Showers?. On installation day the division of work is simple: your contractor sets the base, connects the drain and finishes the walls around it.

How the Base Moves Water to the Drain

Three molded features do the work, and all three are part of the shell as shipped rather than pieces added on site.

• The slope. The floor of the pan is molded with a slope, and the base relies on that slope to move water to the drain. This is the main reason nothing should be layered over the floor, because a covering would bury the slope.
• The threshold. The front edge of the base is its threshold. On a step-in base it is a slightly raised entry, and on a zero threshold base it sits flush with the surrounding floor for a barrier-free entry.
• The drain. The drain is part of the base and sits in a set position: left or right on the standard roll-in sizes, and left, right or center on a custom base. That position has to match the drain line in your floor, so it is chosen when the base is ordered.

The edges matter as much as the floor. The base meets the walls along its edges, and whatever wall finish you choose comes down over that edge, so water running down the wall lands on the pan instead of slipping behind it. It is the same principle as the tile flange on a walk-in tub. A base that feels solid underfoot gets that feel from below, because the shell is supported from underneath rather than stiffened with a layer on top.

That is also why tile does not belong on the base itself. Acrylic is a smooth finished surface that does not accept thinset, so tile laid over it would not bond reliably and could trap water underneath with no path to the drain. If you love a tiled look, plan it for the walls above the base, as explained in Can You Tile Over an Ella Acrylic Shower Base?. If a base does not match your design, the answer is to choose a different base rather than cover one.

Threshold Styles, Sizes and Drain Positions

How a base works for you day to day depends mostly on the threshold. Ella's pages describe these styles:

• Barrier-free roll-in bases. The wheelchair accessible roll-in base comes in three standard sizes, 30 x 60 inches, 32 x 60 inches and 36 x 60 inches, each available with a left or right drain. These are curb-less pans that a wheelchair can roll straight into, and roll-in and barrier-free bases ship with a self-adhesive collapsible rubber dam.
• Step-in bases. For anyone who prefers a slightly raised entry instead of a barrier-free design, a three-inch step-in threshold is offered.
• Custom bases. Custom rectangular bases go up to 44 inches wide by 80 inches long, and they are made for three-wall alcoves and for corner installations. The drain can sit left, right or center, but it must be at least 9 inches from each wall. A custom base typically has a threshold of about 3 inches. Only rectangular sizes are made, so angled or curved edges are not offered.

If one of the standard sizes fits your opening, it is the simplest choice because the drain sits in a set position for that size. The size and drain rules for made-to-order pans are covered in Who Makes Custom Shower Pans and Bases for Accessible Showers?.

How the Base Pairs with Acrylic Walls, and Ordering Walls on Their Own

Acrylic shower walls are the partner to the base. Ella offers large acrylic wall panels, including 98 by 60 inch back walls and 36 to 38 by 96 to 98 inch side walls, along with three-piece acrylic wall systems in white, CNC and digital print finishes, with ADA accessories available. The panels attach above the base, and their lower edge comes down over the edge of the pan in the way described above.

Shower products are ordered per item rather than as one bundle, so a complete shower is put together from the base in your size and drain position, a wall system sized to the base, and accessories such as grab bars or a shower door. Because each piece is its own item, wall panels can be requested without an Ella base. The wall system is sized to the base, though, so share the dimensions of the base or floor you plan to use and confirm the fit with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before you order. The same advice applies in reverse: if you want tiled walls over an Ella base, confirm the wall detail with your dealer and your tile installer before work begins, so the joint between tile and base is sealed correctly.

Where a base stops short of an adjoining wall or fixture, Ella offers an L-shaped filler piece. It is a plastic accessory that measures 8 inches wide, it comes with brackets for installation, and because it is plastic it can be trimmed down if the piece is too large for the space.

Other Base Materials You May See

Acrylic is not the only material in the Ella shower range. Ella's pages also list SMC seamless showers, and Ella presents cultured marble shower bases in three sizes. The cultured marble bases are molded solid, finished in a glossy gel coat with a slip resistant textured floor, and they are heavy enough to require at least two people to install. If you are weighing one material against another, your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can tell you which lines are currently available for your size.

What to Have Ready Before You Order

1. The finished size of your opening, since choosing a base starts there.
2. Where the existing drain line sits in the floor, so the team can confirm which drain position matches your size.
3. Whether the space is a three-wall alcove or a corner, which matters for a custom base so the drain and edges are placed correctly.
4. The threshold style you want, barrier-free or step-in.
5. Any walls or accessories you want with the base.

With those details in hand, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850, or speak with your Ella dealer. The ordering side is walked through in Where can I buy accessible shower pans and bases?.

Related Guides

• What the Ella Acrylic Shower Base Is Made Of and How It Is Installed
• How do you install or attach Ella shower wall panels and surrounds?
• Does an Ella Shower Base Need a Mortar Bed to Keep Its Warranty?

Common Questions