What’s New in the Shower? Full Slabs and Invisible Drains 

Showers are getting clean—clean lined, that is. We’re seeing bigger slabs in the shower, fewer grout lines, and nearly invisible shower drains. 

Rather than tiny tiles with heavily grouted shower floors, larger marble and granite slabs are what kitchen and bath designers are implementing into today’s new baths and shower remodels. We’ve been seeing natural stone slabs used on shower walls more often, but the look is trickling down to the shower floor, too. One factor driving the trend is the availability of barely-visible shower drains from kitchen and bath manufacturers. The look is clean, not to mention easier to clean. 

California Faucets, for example, offers a couple of different options for concealing the shower drain. CeraLine is an award-winning channel drain that features an adjustment system that ensures level and flush installation. The product’s Custom version lets you inlay matching marble, granite, Colorquartz, Neolith or whatever your shower covering of choice may be, creating the illusion of water magically disappearing into the shower floor. 
Similarly, StyleDrain Tile lets you inlay the same natural stone your using for the floor right into the drain cover. With no visible grate, the water appears to just vanish into the floor. 
Another material that’s highly effective for creating a streamlined shower is Neolith. Ultra slim, lightweight, and waterproof, Neolith comes in slabs up to 144-inches long and as thin as 3 to 5 millimeters, which make it very easy to create long runs without seams. Neolith is scratch, stain, UV, cold, heat, and fire resistant, plus it stands up to harsh cleaning agents and can easily handle high traffic areas and abrasion. This makes Neolith ideal not only for shower walls but for shower floors too. 
If you’re opting for a slab shower base, keep in mind that wet natural stone can get quite slippery. We recommend choosing a honed finish or having your fabricator place some very small grooves in the slab for traction. Also, depending on the layout and threshold, you might want to consider installing two drains to help remove the water faster. 

Here at Marble & Granite, Inc., we’d love to help you select a slab just right for your bathroom project. Give us a call at 877-39-STONE. You can also visit any of our northeastern showroom locations where our experienced stone experts are ready to answer any question you might have about showers, natural stone surfacing, and more.