Tiled versus plastic shower tray

[eejitt]

We're planning a bathroom refurb. Our first floor bathroom currently has a tiled shower tray. Since moving in 5 years ago, it has leaked through the rceiling below 3 times - firstly on the day we moved in (I suspect the cleaner removed mouldy sealant without telling us), secondly due to a cracked tile, and thirdly due to my son creating a puddle outside the tray against an unsealed edge. Maybe it was just a bad installation, but I'm thinking a walk-in shower with a plastic tray will give me more confidence. But are they less fashionable? I'm rubbish with home improvement and decor decisions, and want the room to appeal to future buyers, not just me, so if you have strong opinions either way, please let me have them!

I can't picture what you mean when you say a tiled shower tray.

I've never heard/seen anything about plastic shower trays being unfashionable or outdated. I'd opt for that for peace of mind anyway - seems like tiled trays are a bloody nightmare.

Might you be able to get a low-rise one which would look a little more sleek?

This is what I mean when I say low-rise shower tray

With your experience of leaking tiled shower bases I would go with an acrylic or some other material tray. Sounds as though whoever fitted the last shower didn't tank the space correctly or seal anything properly.

If it's done correctly you shouldn't have issues with a leaking shower tray. Make sure whoever does it uses a proper (sloped) tanking system. I would add however that I work in construction with specialists who did this job and even they manage to still produce leaking showers. So a shower tray is your safest "fool-proof" bet.

Whatever does it matter whether a shower tray is fashionable? Surely you would choose what you like best? I've got a resin shower tray which has lasted 30 years so far and is still as good as new.

We had a plastic tray , old, it flexed.
Had a 6” ‘step over’ to get into it as builders too lazy to plumb the waste properly.

We replaced it with an acrylic resin Mira tray like this
www.screwfix.com/p/mira-flight-low-rectangular-shower-tray-white-1000-x-800-x-40mm/5739x

Fitter replaced the floor under the new tray with marine ply , plumbed in the waste pipe properly and now we have a 1” step into the shower.

As it has no legs to sit on and isn’t a plastic mould, there’s no flex.

I'd definitely go for moulded reason over tiles.

🙄🙄

I mean resin of course!

Thanks all. This is what we currently have. (The tape in the corner is where the tile cracked - we had the original cracked tile replaced but then it cracked again. It's in a vulnerable spot where everyone steps).

Ah, I see. I'm not keen on it, sorry. I'd definitely go for a low-profile plastic or resin tray. You've got a huge shower, it'll look absolutely fabulous!

Go for acrylic, low profile (resin bound aggregate) it's still plastic though.

just did bathroom recently and was told never go for a tile tray as the grout will constantly deteriorate and the tiles over time will let water through too.

I have a white slate tray and it looks great, it can also be cut to custom size whereas most other materials can’t. Meant I could make my shower space as big as possible rather than adhering to the set sizes.