9 shower bases in 4 different materials that could be great for midcentury bathrooms

Shower bases, also called shower pans or shower receptors — whether made from terrazzo, enameled cast iron, or another solid surface — are a popular alternative to tiled shower floors for midcentury homes. In this story, I’ve rounded up a collection of shower bases you can find new today in a variety of sizes, shapes, materials and price points. These could work well in a restoration, remodel or built-from-scratch midcentury style bathroom.

Terrazzo shower bases

Above: Terrazzo shower bases by Fiat come in 29 shapes and sizes — MSRPin from $434-$1033 depending on size and style.

Above: Terrazzo shower bases by Stern Williams — are terrific for midcentury homes and also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Here’s a new one I just discovered: Florestone terrazzo shower bases come in a wide variety of sizes from 30″x30″ to 60″x36″ and have been produced by the California company since 1958.

Another discovery:  Terrazzo-Ware shower bases are available through Grainger and priced from $360-$582, these shower bases come in a few shapes and sizes.

Enameled Cast Iron shower bases

We are fans of cast iron and steel shower bases because these also would have been used back in the day. Kohler makes enameled cast iron shower bases in four different styles with 13 different sizes:

Above: Kohler Bellwether seems to have the most sizes. Wethinks folks are liking that, with this design, they don’t have to stand on top of the drain.

Above: The Kohler Kathryn cast iron shower base is simple and sized at 48″x36″ — available in seven neutral colors and starts at $1,067.70.

Above: The Kohler Purist cast iron shower base has a sleek design and is available in a  48″x36″ size. It comes in 14 colors and retails for $1,067.70

Above: The Kohler Salient cast iron shower base comes in two sizes 60″x30″ and 60″x36″ and is available in 14 colors. Prices range from $966.90-$1,11.70.

Porcelain on Steel shower bases

Bootz offers two affordable porcelain-on-steel shower bases starting at just $159 and available through Home Depot.

Custom shower bases

If you like the look of terrazzo but can’t quite find the right size in a prefab shower base, consider having a custom shower base fabricated for you out of Corian “Silver Birch,” a terrazzo look alike. Thanks for this great tip from super-contributor ineffablespace.

Of course there are alway also fiberglass shower bases or Swanstone shower bases or other such prefab shower bases that can be purchased easily and inexpensively through big box home improvement stores. Pam used Swanstone in her bathroom remodels about 13 years ago. But she says that if she knew then what she knows now she likely would have gone with either the Kohler cast iron.

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