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Transform your bathroom into a sanctuary of style and functionality with Cook & Bathe's premium range of shower bases. Experience the pinnacle of design and performance, as each shower floor seamlessly merges with your bathroom aesthetics, ensuring every step you take is grounded in luxury.

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The Perfect Foundation: Shower Base Excellence

When it comes to laying the groundwork for your dream shower, choosing the right shower base is paramount. At Cook & Bathe, we understand the balance between form and function. Our collection promises durability and slip resistance, all while exuding an air of sophistication.

Elevate Your Shower Floor Experience

Don't just shower; indulge in an experience. The beauty of a Cook & Bathe shower floor lies not just in its visual appeal but also in its tactile allure. Each step on our bases feels secure, comfortable, and refined, turning ordinary showers into spa-like retreats.

Why Trust Cook & Bathe for Your Shower Bases?

Expert Craftsmanship: Our years in the industry reflect in the precision and artistry of each shower base. Superior Quality: We never compromise on the durability and safety of our products. Our commitment is reflected in every shower floor that bears our name. Versatility in Design: Whether you're aiming for a contemporary vibe or a classic touch, our range caters to every aesthetic aspiration.

Step into a world where every shower becomes a rejuvenating experience. Choose Cook & Bathe's shower bases and let elegance be the foundation of your bathroom. Because with Cook & Bathe, every detail matters.

Explore our range of Marbletrend shower bases & Domus-Living shower bases

Shower bases - a comfortable and durable shower surface

A shower area should fulfil the task of allowing you to shower safely and comfortably, and ensuring effective drainage of water. In a high-use area like a bathroom, you also want to ensure your shower surface will be easy to keep clean.

Preformed shower bases offer a great solution for shower areas. Not only are they easy to install, but they’re designed with drainage in mind. They ensure water travels in the right direction, and that your bathroom doesn’t become drenched. In addition, modern shower bases are made from sturdy materials that are built to last, so are a good investment.

Let’s look in more detail at shower bases, why you would choose to install them over tiles, and what shower base options are available. We’ll also cover shower floors, which are similar to a shower base, except they sit flush with the floor, don’t include lips, and are designed to offer a more streamlined, tile-like appearance in modern bathrooms.

Preformed shower bases vs tiles

When building a new bathroom, or renovating an existing one, you’ll be faced with the decision of whether to tile your shower floor, or choose a preformed shower base. Let’s look at why you might choose a shower base over tiles for your bathroom.

A tiled bathroom can look very stylish, however installing tiles comes with some drawbacks. For a start, tiles can be quite pricey. You don’t want to make any mistakes when you’re cutting or laying them. Add to that, laying tiles on a slope—required for drainage—is challenging, particularly around the shower trap outlet. Getting it right can take a lot of time, and mistakes are costly.

In addition to the cost of tiles, you need to ensure that the floor is properly waterproofed before you lay the tiles, and ensure that the waterproofing membrane and any grout you choose are the right kind, and mixed to the right consistency. All up, the tile laying process is expensive, complex, and best left to professional installers.

Using a shower base at the shower trap outlet is a good alternative to using tiles. A shower base is reasonably easy to install compared with laying tiles. Waterproofing is still required, but it’s a little easier.

Of course, you can still use tiles in your bathroom floor design, and lay them around the shower base, but since the shower base does the work of capturing and draining out the water, you needn’t worry about the tricky task of laying tiles on a gradient at the outlet. Shower bases come with a preformed fall, meaning water will always drain toward the shower trap outlet.

To mention an ongoing use benefit, shower bases don’t include groutlines, meaning you don’t need to deal with mould and dirt buildup in grout. The shower base is smooth and easy to keep clean. Different shower bases come with different types of surfaces, however in general, they are very durable and difficult to damage.

Shower floors

If you’re looking for an alternative to tiles in your shower, but a shower base isn’t quite right, you might consider shower floors. These are flat and sit flush with the floor (they don’t include a built in lip). Shower floors appear a little like a large tile with the outlet built in. They offer a streamlined look, and work well in modern bathrooms. (See our Domus shower floors, available in a variety of colours.)

Features of a shower base

A shower base provides a safe, slip-resistant surface to stand on when you’re showering. In addition, it collects the majority of the shower water, and directs it towards the shower trap outlet. Oftentimes, people will build an enclosure around the shower base, or a shower screen on one side. This helps ensure the water stays within the vicinity of the drain and means your bathroom doesn’t get drenched.

Many of the shower bases available at Cook & Bathe are polymarble, a durable material resistant to scratching and other forms of damage. This scratch resistance means there’s less likelihood of bacteria and mould growing on the surface, which results in a shower base that’s easier to keep clean.

We also stock shower bases made from Torbex—a high strength long glass fibre composite material designed and developed specifically for use in shower trays—and Bette shower bases that use BetteGlaze®—a titanium steel surface glazed with a heat and chemical resistant material.

Shower Bases in your bathroom design

Size and shape

Cook & Bathe have shower bases available in a wide range of sizes and shapes to suit your bathroom design, so if you need a square, rectangle or corner shape base, there’s an option available.

Lips

Some of our shower bases have lips on all sides, and others have two or three lips.

Shower screen compatibility

Many of our shower bases are compatible with a range of shower screens, making the job of fitting your bathroom out easy. Some fit only with their own brand of screen.

Colour

Our shower bases in general come in white. If you are particular on your bathroom design and would prefer a more uniform look in terms of colour, explore our shower tile trays and shower floors for more colour options.

Outlet

We have shower bases with a centre shower trap outlet, and others with a rear outlet. Some outlets are round, square, and there are even long, rectangular stainless steel channel grates available.

Some outlets have visible drain points, and others come capped.

Surface

The surface material on most shower bases offers some inherent grip, however there are shower bases available with an additional anti-skid surface.

Considerations when choosing a shower base

Threshold Height

The threshold, or curb, of a shower base is crucial for containing water. Traditional bases typically feature a raised threshold of 10-15 cm, but low-threshold and zero-threshold options are becoming increasingly popular, especially for accessibility. Low-threshold bases have curbs of 5 cm or less, making entry easier, while zero-threshold designs create a seamless transition from the bathroom floor to the shower area. These designs require careful planning to ensure proper drainage and waterproofing.

Drain Placement

Common drain placements include:

Rear outlets: This allows ample space for your feet as you shower, with the drain outlet being on the rear edge of the shower base.
Centre outlet: The water drains through an outlet in the centre of the shower base.

In both cases, the shape of the shower base includes an inbuilt fall that drains towards wherever the drain outlet is situated. When selecting drain placement, consider plumbing configurations and desired water flow.

The fall

The fall is basically the angle at which the water drains from a shower surface into the outlet. You can choose a shower base or shower floor with a steep fall, or with a mild fall.

Something to consider when choosing the fall is the size of your bathroom. In small areas, you will likely want a steeper fall, so that you can be certain the water drains efficiently and quickly, and doesn’t flow out to other parts of your already small bathroom. In a large bathroom, you can afford to have a milder fall, as there’s more room for water on the floor, and more time available for it to flow out.

Another consideration is whether or not you use a shower screen. A shower screen will aid in trapping in the water that splashes up after hitting the floor. Without it, the water can splash out into other areas of the bathroom. Depending on your bathroom, this could be problematic.

Texture and Slip Resistance

Having a safe shower surface is important, especially if children and older adults are using the shower. Most shower bases feature anti-slip coatings, so your feet can grip to the wet surface. You might even consider an anti-skid surface for your shower base, if slipping is a particular concern.

Shower Base Maintenance

Aside from cleaning your shower base regularly, there’s not a lot of maintenance you need to worry about. Clean with pH-balanced cleaners, and non-abrasive products and tools. Avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals, and if anything appears damaged, repair quickly. Finally, ensure you have good ventilation in your bathroom to prevent mould growth. Adequate ceiling fans are imperative.

Cook & Bathe Shower base & shower floor options

Marbletrend Shower Bases: The Flinders Square Shower bases are made from Polymarble – a hard-wearing, solid, fully-moulded material ideal for bathroom surfaces. There’s no grout or joining to worry about, so they’re easy to clean. All of the shower bases in this range are compatible with Flinders shower screens.

Johnson Suisse Daintree Polymarble Shower Bases: Johnson Suisse Polymarble shower bases offer a solid, hard-wearing and self-supporting base. They feature extra protection against leaks with built-in lips. Again, there’s no grout or joins to worry about, so cleaning is a breeze. These bases are compatible with the following shower screens: Kimberley, Flinders, Daintree Square, Barossa Slider, Barossa Semi-Frameless, Barossa Frameless, Corsica Slider, Corsica Bi – Fold, Tivoli Frameless.

Domus Living shower floors: Made with Domustone, a special material made using a blend of natural minerals and resins. This hard material allows for the creation of ultra slim shower trays that are well suited to modern, industrial or minimalist environments. These floors are anti-slip, stain and scratch resistant, and easy to clean.

Bette Shower Trays: These shower trays are made from titanium steel, glazed with the BetteGlaze® finish. This makes them robust, hygienic, and resistant to heat and chemical damage.

Akril TORBEX SMC Shower Bases: These are made from Torbex, a high strength, long fibreglass composite material. It is very lightweight and is resistant to chemicals. Torbex is said to be more durable than polymarble.

FAQs

Do I need to waterproof under a shower base?

It is recommended that you waterproof beneath and around a shower base. Waterproofing helps to ensure that water doesn’t escape into areas where it could do damage, such as into the walls and floors. Though a shower base will enable water to drain directly into the outlet, it is still important to ensure waterproofing in surrounding areas.

Check with your local council’s regulations before commencing a shower install, and also carefully read the recommended instructions that come with your chosen shower base or floor when it comes to safe installation.

Can I DIY a shower base install, or is it better to get a professional installation?

A professional installation is usually the most time efficient solution when it comes to preparing a shower area. An experienced professional is more likely to ensure that your shower area is properly waterproofed before they install the shower base and surrounding tile work. They will have the right equipment, know the appropriate products to use, and be more adept at achieving quality results.

Of course, you should be careful about which professional installer you choose. Make sure you check online reviews, and during installation, check with the installer to ensure they are using appropriate products as part of the installation.

Shower Bases

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The Perfect Foundation: Shower Base Excellence

Elevate Your Shower Floor Experience

Why Trust Cook & Bathe for Your Shower Bases?

Shower bases - a comfortable and durable shower surface

Preformed shower bases vs tiles

Shower floors

Features of a shower base

Shower Bases in your bathroom design

Considerations when choosing a shower base

Cook & Bathe Shower base & shower floor options

FAQs

Do I need to waterproof under a shower base?

Can I DIY a shower base install, or is it better to get a professional installation?

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