Where Can I Buy Cultured Marble Shower Walls, and Is Acrylic Better?

Ella's Bubbles cultured marble shower wall panels are ordered through your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850, and you can review the current wall lines on the shower and accessories pages at ellasbubbles.com before you decide. Whether cultured marble or acrylic is the better choice depends on the look you want, how the panels need to reach your bathroom, and how you plan to cut and finish them. The stock sizes and the cutting method for the marble panels are covered in Cultured Marble Shower Wall Panels: Stock Sizes, Cutting to Fit, and Finishing the Edges.

Where to Buy the Panels

Shower products are sold per item rather than as one bundle, so a wall surround is put together from the panels you need. Measure each wall at the top, middle and bottom, use the largest figure, and note any windows, valves or niches the panel must be cut around. Then confirm the selection with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before placing your order. Availability of each wall line changes over time, so check the current shower and accessories pages on ellasbubbles.com or ask the team. Contractors and remodelers who expect to buy regularly can apply for the dealer program and look up shower products in the dealer portal.

What the Cultured Marble Panels Are

The video shows the cultured marble travertine shower walls. They are made from a natural quartz and granite composite with a gel coat surface, which gives a natural stone look and feel that is durable and easy to clean. The multi-piece surrounds come as eight, six or four panel sets, can be carried and installed by one person, and glue over drywall, plaster, painted walls, Durock or even existing tile. The edges are factory finished for seamless joining, but the panels can be trimmed for a custom fit.

Because each panel comes out of a mold, sizes are fixed at the factory. The back panel tops out at 60 inches wide by 96 inches tall, and side panels are molded 30, 32, 34 and 36 inches wide. Order the size equal to or slightly larger than the wall and trim the excess. Cultured marble cuts with a masonry blade in a standard circular saw, and a cut edge is finished with a bead of caulk or covered with a 2 inch trim piece. Ella carries a 1 inch corner trim in 96 inch lengths and a 2 inch by 3/4 inch flat trim for the gap at the tub.

How the Acrylic 3-Panel Kit Compares

The acrylic kit has one back panel 60 inches wide and two side panels 40 inches wide, in a 98 or 105 inch height. The panels are 0.118 inch thick ABS and PMMA composite with a glossy, warm-to-the-touch sanitary acrylic surface described as waterproof, impact and discoloration resistant, and repairable. They glue to drywall or over existing tile, can be cut to fit, and are finished at the edges with molding or caulking, with trim strips or sealant coming from a tile or building supply store since Ella does not supply custom edge pieces. The three flat panels roll and ship in a 24 by 24 by 61 inch box at 81 pounds. Finishes include solid white gloss, CNC engraved patterns and printed marble and stone looks. A shorter 40 by 48 by 60 inch version is offered as a walk-in tub surround. All wall systems are listed side by side in Wall Kit Sizes at a Glance.

Which One Is Better for Your Bathroom

• Look. Cultured marble gives the look and feel of natural stone from a quartz and granite composite. Acrylic offers white gloss, engraved patterns or printed marble looks on a warm, glossy surface.
• Handling. The cultured marble surround is multi-piece and can be carried by one person. The acrylic kit is three flat panels that roll into a single box.
• Cutting and edges. Cultured marble cuts with a masonry blade and Ella carries a few trim pieces for the cut edges. Acrylic cuts to fit and its cut edges take trim or sealant from a building supply store.
• Fit rule. Neither is molded to one tub model. Whatever you choose must match the tub footprint exactly and overlap the tile flange and deck so water stays in front of the wall, as explained in Wall Panels and Surrounds for Walk-In Tubs.

Watch: Transform Your Shower with Cultured Marble Wall Surround | Ellau2019s 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
• How Shower Wall Edges Are Finished: 2-Inch Bends on White CNC Walls and Trim Options
• How to Get Pricing and Order Ella Grout-Free Shower Wall Tiles: Measuring Your Walls and Estimating Boxes

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