Erin, do you have a contractor for this job? If so, what advice are you getting?

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I do. He suggested a low maintenance option such as acrylic. What about onyx? I know it’s quite expensive but are there many cons for that option!

Mrs Pete, I very much appreciate your feedback and advice! Thank you!

Nothing is superior to a Corian shower wall.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC - quick question for you. I’ve been postponing my master bathroom remodel for a couple months due to my indecisiveness re: materials. I really wanted to have a marble hexagon mosaic shower floor/marble field tiles on shower wall/slate tiles for rest of bathroom floor (heated). I have the 4”x12” slate (Vermont) tile (to be installed in a herringbone pattern) - but I have to finalize other tile selection this weekend. I‘ve read about marble re: staining/etching with respect to countertops (I’m also redoing my kitchen/refinishing wood floors/two other bathrooms/etc) - but I’ve now run across your post above after reading about marble discoloration issues on shower floors (MANY are hexagon mosaic tiles).

I have to admit that I am a bit of a “perfectionist” - if my shower floor has some of the issues I’ve seen recently on Houzz, I would be unhappy. I don’t mean typical etching/patina that comes with use/aging - I’m referring to the threads where BIG portions of tile become discolored basically immediately after installation.

I thought about maybe trying to find a slate mosaic tile for the shower floor, but not sure about it due to (i) not being the ”look” I’ve had set in my mind for awhile, and (ii) reading that some people don’t recommend slate inside a shower stall due to the “smell” it has naturally when wet + wear issues (I think that may be limited to cheaper slate tiles?).

My question for you is with respect to using a solid shower pan vs. tiled shower floor. I hadn’t really considered using a solid surface in my shower for walls or floor. Are there nice looking solid surface shower pans that you would recommend? I would still like to use marble field tiles (I think!). Do you have any specific recommendations on what I should consider/not consider?

I am actually going to look at some photos of Corian shower walls - I’ve never seen that and have no idea how it would look.

I appreciate any insight/advice/recommendations. Thanks!

Google grifform for shower pans please. They are superior to any tiled pan. Not a lot of guys install solid surface shower walls. Rummage around at www.isfanow.org please.

Kohler makes some nice cast iron pans. They also have a solid surface material for walls; I don’t think the color/pattern is solid through, though. The “white” is quite off white. Swanstone makes shower walls as well. Corian is beautiful.

Joseph Corlett... "superior to any tiled pan"? .... respect your knowledge of solid surfaces for those that prefer them for sure. But "superior" is a relative term and tiled versus solid surface are apples to oranges. Tiled showers have been around for centuries and not going away anytime soon. And some of them last for a lifetime if installed correctly. It's all about consumer preference, quality installation, etc. There is a client base for everything. We haven't had a client in 37 years that wanted the solid surface. Doesn't mean it doesn't have a perfectly acceptable place. But "superior" is a subjective opinion.

@Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc. - I didn‘t realize until yesterday that there were solid shower pans other than the inexpensive ones until yesterday. I really want to install my marble hexagon mosaic tiles - but the water discoloration posts I read yesterday have caused me to question whether installing them are a good idea.

What has been your experience with marble shower floors? If using marble isn’t a good idea, which type of tile would you suggest to coordinate with marble field tiles and a slate bathroom floor? Thanks!

dmac1108, Hate to highjack someone else's thread but in response, the most important thing you can do is hire a "qualified" tile contractor who is experienced with marble showers. We've been installing marble in showers for decades. I'll be honest that even excellent installers have had problems with marble moisture discoloration. There has been research that helps explain the importance of using specific installation methods. You need to discuss all this with your professional installer to determine their experience and recommendations. If you do not have an installer yet, here are a few places to search: https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/find-certified-tile-installers and https://www.tile-assn.com/search/custom.asp?id=2759