New Homes | 01.25.2023

Shower Walls: Tile vs Cultured Marble

If you’re going through the process of designing a shower for your dream home, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options on the market. Acrylic, fiberglass, tile, cultured marble, and glass are all popular options, but how do you know which one is right for you? Arive Homes, the premier home builder in Salem, is here to give you suggestions about our favorite materials for shower walls.

How to Select the Shower Wall Option That’s Right for You

  • Price

    Your budget is perhaps the most significant factor in determining the best shower wall for you. After all, if it isn’t in your budget, it probably won’t work. However, there are plenty of great options for nearly any budget, so there are a few more elements to consider when choosing shower walls.

  • Aesthetics

    Ask yourself, what do you want your shower to look like? Do you want something traditional or something more modern? Do you want to lean into trends or go for something completely classic? When choosing the best shower wall, consider the bathroom’s overall aesthetic and plan accordingly.

  • Durability

    Shower walls require high durability to keep out water, dirt, and grime. Make sure the material you choose creates a water-tight seal, locking out any moisture from the interior of your walls and floors.

  • Maintenance

    No one wants a shower that is hard to maintain. Consider choosing an option that is easy to clean with basic household cleaning supplies.

Our Most Popular Picks

Tile

Tile showers are common, and for a good reason. Often made from ceramic, porcelain, glass, or baked clay, they come in square, rectangular, octagonal, or other geometric shapes that are joined together with grout. Tile is a staple material in bathrooms and generally has a more upscale and classic look than other shower walls. As a home builder in Salem who is committed to creating showers that you’ll love for years, here are a few reasons why we suggest tile for showers:

  • Customizable Design

    If you’ve ever been shopping for tile, you know that the options are seemingly endless. Tile is the best option when you’re planning your shower design and want something truly customizable. Not only are the tile options endless, but when you go with customizable patterns, you can create a unique final effect for your shower.

  • Durable

    Porcelain and ceramic tiles are both incredibly durable. In addition, should one tile break or crack, it can easily be replaced without needing to redo the entire shower.

Cultured Marble

Cultured marble shower walls are another design staple. As a type of engineered stone, cultured marble is made by mixing crushed natural stone with an adhesive. Cultured marble slabs are different from tiled walls, but they share the same benefits:

  • Many Beautiful Options

    Nothing offers the same kind of elegance and sophistication quite like the look of marble. Luckily, there are many cultured marble slabs on the market. With many colors and styles to choose from, you’re sure to find a beautiful option that fits right into your aesthetic.

  • Low Maintenance and Easy to Clean

    Because cultured marble is non-porous, it’s generally easier to clean than other types of shower walls, such as tile. And because there is little grout with cultured marble walls, you’ll spend less time scrubbing. Cultured marble is easy to clean, though you may have to be careful of the cleaner you use. Some types of cultured marble can be scratched by more abrasive cleaners.

Make Your Choice at the Arive Homes Design Center

Arive Homes is the home builder in Salem that makes choosing materials for your new home easy. Throughout your home building experience, we welcome you to our design center to browse our material options and chat with our design team. We guide you through each selection, helping you make the choice that works with your aesthetic and budget. Arive Homes is a Utah home builder dedicated to building a beautiful, unique home that you’ll love. To learn more about our building and design process, contact us today.