Shower trays take constant foot traffic, standing water and the impact of dropped items. Chips, cracks and scratches in shower trays are common — and repairable in most cases without the disruption and cost of full shower tray replacement.
Types of Shower Tray Material
Acrylic Shower Trays
Acrylic shower trays are the most common type in UK bathrooms. They’re lightweight, warm to the touch and relatively affordable. Acrylic is also repairable — chips and scratches can be filled with flexible, colour-matched repair compounds that accommodate the expansion and contraction of acrylic in daily temperature changes. Small cracks in acrylic trays can also be repaired in many cases.
Stone Resin Shower Trays
Stone resin trays (sometimes called stone or mineral trays) are heavier, more rigid and have a textured, stone-like surface. They’re more durable than acrylic but less flexible. Stone resin tray chips can be repaired using colour-matched stone repair compounds. Because of the texture and aggregate content of stone resin surfaces, achieving a seamless finish requires care in matching both the base colour and the surface texture.
Fibreglass Shower Trays
Fibreglass (GRP) shower trays are less common in modern bathrooms but still found in older properties. They’re relatively thin-walled and can crack or flex. Fibreglass tray damage is repairable using GRP repair compounds — similar to fibreglass boat repair products but with surface finishing appropriate for a bathroom context.
When Is Shower Tray Repair the Right Choice?
Repair is appropriate for: single chip damage, cosmetic scratches, small cracks (under ~5cm). Replacement may be necessary if: the tray has multiple large cracks, significant structural flex, deep mould contamination or widespread surface deterioration. We’ll advise honestly at assessment.
