SOLID SURFACE SHOWERS

Solid Surface Shower Remodels In Houston

If you’re looking for an attractive, easy-to-clean alternative to tile… this is it!

We’ve built solid surface showers since 2014, and many of our Houston clients LOVE it. With no grout, and no sealing required, solid surface saves time and hassle on maintenance, while looking great and feeling, well – solid.

Solid surface has a few other benefits as well:

Solid surface shower remodels can be built up to 50% faster.

Because it installs faster, solid surface has a lower price point (even though the material is often more expensive than tile).

Solid surface lasts forever. This is NOT true of most tile showers – except, of course, those we build.

Selections are easier, and you don’t have to go to a tile store. We’ll bring samples to you, and help you coordinate with the rest of your bathroom.

Here are some key details about this product, and a few photos of solid surface showers we’ve completed in Houston.

What Is Solid Surface?

In short, solid surface is a thick, non-porous building material (hence, the name “solid” surface) that is ideal for bathroom remodeling. The non-porous nature of this product keeps microorganisms, dirt, and grime on top of the material, versus allowing them to embed inside the surface, as more porous materials do. In addition, for most shower remodels, each shower wall can be made from a single slab of solid surface, which cuts down on seams.

The solid surface product we work with is made by The Onyx Collection, a family-owned manufacturer, right here in the USA.

It is formulated with a base of 63% alumina trihydrate, along with 37% polyester resins, and other ingredients. This is the same base ingredient as DuPont’s Corian®, which you commonly see in kitchen and bath countertops. And while Corian is great, Onyx’s solid surface is easier to clean and has a better guarantee. This is why we install and recommend Onyx.

Solid surface is not a layered or printed material like acrylic, porcelain slabs, and Kohler’s Luxstone® (formerly known as Choreograph). If damaged, printed surfaces are not repairable. Instead, solid surface is the same material all the way through. Onyx makes its product with a factory-applied gelcoat on top, which makes your daily cleaning much easier, and allows most scratches to be buffed out.

Onyx solid surface shower walls are almost 3/8″ thick, which is three times thicker than the beefiest acrylic shower walls. The bases are also made with much, much thicker construction than acrylic bases. This is partly why acrylic showers can be installed in a day or two, where this product can not.

Solid surface materials provide firm and substantial shower surfaces, without the “give” common to acrylic and fiberglass shower trays and wall surrounds.

If properly installed and maintained, you’ll never need to replace this type of shower. The hard water we experience in Houston, along with soap scum, body oils, etc., are not a problem for this material.

Solid Surface Shower Options

Onyx solid surface comes in over 60 colors, with everything from whites and creams, to grays and tans, and even black. The lighter colors have been more popular recently, but we often build two-tone Onyx showers with a darker base and lighter walls.

Shower walls can be ordered in smooth, or with one of four grooved tile patterns (subway, 12″ x 12″ stone tile, shiplap, or “wavy” tile). Due to the gelcoat, all Onyx products have a glossy finish, as you can see in the pictures.

Onyx shower bases are available in three different threshold heights, or ramped for wheelchair access, in both custom and standard sizes. Bases always include a non-slip texture, and drains can be located almost anywhere we need them.

This material is versatile and suitable for a variety of shower remodel situations: shower replacements, safety and accessibility showering, tub-to-shower conversions, and large walk-in showers.

There are three ways to go about having solid surface materials installed in your shower:

Complete Shower

The most requested solid surface showers we build are complete systems, with solid surface shower walls and bases, and no tile whatsoever. This is for best those who want a clean break with all tile, and the lowest possible maintenance. This option offers the best price point and the fastest possible installation time.

Hybrid System

The next most common solid surface showers are designed and built as hybrids of both tile and solid surface. A splash of tile for some added jazz, usually in the form of an accent stripe or custom soap niche, can be very attractive, without adding a ton of maintenance. In the shower featured at left, we added both a vertical tile accent stripe and two custom tile recessed niches, framed in solid surface. This shower is part of a secondary bath that gets used by a variety of guests, some of whom have safety concerns. For this reason, it also has a folding bench and grab bars.

Shower Base Only

This option is popular with our clients who lean more towards tile, but don’t want the hard maintenance of a tile shower floor. These showers, like the one you see here to the right, have a solid surface base, while the walls and any other surfaces are constructed from tile. We often use a low-maintenance grout that does not require sealing, which helps keep overall maintenance with these showers lower. For some of our clients, this is the best of both worlds. You get the varied and customized look of tile walls, plus an easy-to-clean and solid shower floor. These bases look sharp. They can be color-coordinated to pair with any type of tile design, or, you can even install thin stone or porcelain slab shower walls with them.

Hybrid Solid Surface Shower With Trench Drain, Teak Seat, & Tile Accents – Fulshear, TX

Tile Shower Remodel With Solid Surface Base Only – Richmond, TX

Here are a few options we offer with solid surface showers:

Custom glass to enclose the shower

Many varieties of soap dishes, niches, and shelves, including custom recessed niches, with or without LED lighting

Real tile stripes or inlays, or solid surface stripes or inlays (for those who want some color pop but without any tile)

Hand-held showers, jets, rain shower heads, additional valves, and other special plumbing features

Trench drain / line drain shower bases

Decorative crown molding, inside corner trim, and chair rail trim

Finish upgrades to matte black, brushed nickel, or bronze

Accessories such as bench seats, fold-down seats, grab bars, towel bars, foot rests, and the like

We can also install a coordinating, or matching, solid surface countertop to go with your new shower or tub remodel.

Onyx Solid Surface Custom Corner Shower – Houston, TX

Oversize Onyx Collection Shower With Tile Accent Stripe And Dry-Off Area – Energy Corridor / 77077 area

What Does A Solid Surface Shower Cost?

Our pricing includes materials, labor, ancillary items, project management, plus our insurance and warranty. With these factors in mind, the smallest possible solid surface shower we can build, with the most basic options, starts at $10,000.

When you account for sizing, features, options, and a glass enclosure, the final price to build a solid surface shower in Houston varies. We will discuss your unique situation when you call us.

Solid Surface FAQs

Is this a prefabricated product?

No, you would not consider this a prefabricated product. The solid surface shower bases, countertops, tub decks, and wall slabs we install are made to order in whatever size, color, and configuration you pick. They are not sitting on a shelf in inventory waiting to be bought. As mentioned above, this product is heavy, and does not have the flimsy feel and cheap look of prefabricated, one-piece plastic showers, and most acrylic shower walls.

Also, your solid surface walls do not arrive ready to install; our team has to cut, modify, and set each wall carefully, for your unique application.

Do you install waterproofing behind your solid surface walls?