Shower trays come in all shapes, sizes and materials these days…. @UK_Bathrooms

Shower trays come in all shapes, sizes and materials these days…. @UK_Bathrooms

Square, rectangular, quadrant, offset, pentagonal…acrylic capped stone resin, steel enamel, solid stone resin, ceramic, acrylic…the choice in shower trays these days appears to be endless and can be overwhelming.

Shower trays have developed slowly since their conception with the shower bath in Victorian times. But now stylish shower trays can really influence the look and feel of your bathroom. Sophisticated shapes, natural materials and ingenious designs abound in the marketplace but the choice of shower tray still depends on the size and layout of your room.

A useful aid to buying a new shower tray is the new buyers guide to shower trays from UK Bathrooms, as it explains all of the options available.

Square shower trays are no longer as popular as they used to be, still great though if you want a small tray to fit into a tight corner, a perfect example is the April 45mm Square Stone Resin Shower Tray.  When you have more space in your bathroom a rectangular tray is often the best choice, they can be used as part of a walk-in shower enclosure too.

A quadrant shower tray used to be the most popular shower shape in the UK, whilst this is no longer the case they are still in demand because they’re often the best choice when size of room is compromising. The pentagonal shower tray also maximises space and can be more visually attractive.

As well as being available in a number of different shapes and sizes shower trays are now also available in a range of materials, the most popular at UK Bathrooms being acrylic capped stone resin shower trays, these are heavy and durable but with the same finish as an acrylic shower tray. A solid stone resin tray is also a popular choice, stone resin is very durable being a tough, composite material, they are also a great looking shower tray and can beautifully complement your walk-in shower design. Simpsons 25mm stone resin shower tray with linear waste is a great example.  Acrylic shower trays have the same finish as stone resin, smooth but are very light, these shower trays work well for ground floor shower rooms where they are usually sat on a solid floor. Another option are steel enamel shower trays, these are basically made from a mix of steel and glass so the tray is solid, harder wearing and resilient.

Traditionally shower trays were very deep, being some 80mm+ – due to their conception from the Victorian bath shower. This depth was required because the waste for the shower struggled to remove the water as it filled up, a deeper tray allowed the water to sit inside whilst water was removed. Modern trays have eliminated this issue and are now from 10mm upwards, almost flat some of these trays can sit into the floor for a flush finish. With todays fast flow vortex waste the water is emptied almost as soon as it hits your shower tray.

From a basic acrylic tray to a stunning designer option such as Villeroy and Boch’s ViPrint, an innovative printing technique which provides numerous options for designing your bathrooms the choice in shower trays, today is vast.

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