Swanstone Shower Base Review

Hey! This site is reader-supported and we earn commissions if you purchase products from retailers after clicking on a link from our site.

It’s all too easy for a bathroom to look dated, considering how much we use our bathrooms throughout the day – especially our showers. If you do have a shower in your bathroom, you’ll know that water will splash everywhere.

Sure, most of it will go down the drain but some of the water won’t and it’s surprising how much this can age your shower and make it look dirty. 

The simplest – and cheapest – solution to this problem is to install a good wall kit and center drain shower base to protect your shower from further water damage. The right bath fixtures can give a bathroom a new lease of life without expensive renovations. 

But where do you start on looking for a new shower base? Well, we think Swanstone is a good place to start! Below we’ll be telling you all you need to know about Swanstone, including what it is, how to clean products made from Swanstone, as well as reviewing a Swanstone shower base and wall kit.

What Are Swanstone Shower Bases Made Of?

Swanstone is a compression-molded, thermoset material made of a blend of polymer resins, fillers, and reinforcement additives.

This blend of materials helps to make Swanstone products extremely resistant to heat, impact, as well as expansion and chemical reactions. 

Swanstone Veritek Center Drain Shower Base

The Swanstone Veritek Center Drain Shower Base is a solid shower base that couldn’t be easier to install in your bathroom. It’s available in four sizes and can be custom-fabricated for filling a specific space. 

We recommend bringing in a professional to set this shower base up in your bathroom to make sure it’s installed properly, and installation should take about 5-6 hours.

The overall construction of this product makes it a super reliable shower base, and it’s sure not to flex or bend even after years of regular use. Thanks to the fact it doesn’t come with an additional coating, it’s also slip-resistant. 

By eliminating the likelihood of waterlogging or wet floors, it really gives the bathroom a clean, minimalist look, and the molded-in fit-flo center drain ensures that the water is easily drained out.

This shower base also has a non-porous surface, which reduces mold and mildew growth and makes it even easier to clean.

Try to avoid using too abrasive cleaners as it can damage the flooring and make your warranty void. Overall, the incredible quality and sleek design of this product makes it value for money.

But is there anything that could be improved with this shower base? Well, it is a considerably bigger investment than a fiberglass or acrylic shower base, and it isn’t the most lightweight shower base.

Pros

• Crisp, white, elegant design.
• Backed by a lifetime warranty.
• Simple installation.
• Easy to clean and maintain.

Cons

• Bulky.
• More expensive than acrylic or fiberglass bases.

Cleaning Your Swanstone Shower Base

Swanstone is manufactured by Swan Corporation and their products are made of durable, high-quality materials with innovative technology to ensure you’re not spending all your time cleaning them!

However, it’s crucial to do your part to regularly maintain your showe base to make sure it’s as sparkling as it was the day you bought it. 

Below, we’ll share a couple of tips with you so you can clean a number of Swanstone products.

To clean Acrylx products, avoid using harsh, abrasive cleaners or gritty scouring powders and instead use a household liquid detergent with a soft sponge cloth and warm water. 

Persistent stains such as paint or tar can be removed with naphtha or mineral spirits. You can also remove excess plaster by scraping it with a sharpened soft wood stick. You should also avoid wire brushes, metal scrapers, or tools. 

You can also restore areas that have become dull in color by rubbing them with an automotive type body cleaning compound. 

To clean Swanstone shower bases or walls, occasional scrubbing with abrasive cleaners ensures that they’ll look as good as the day you installed them.

You can also use scale removers on hard water stains, and abrasive cleaners can also be used with a nylon brush or pad to remove build up on the shower floor. Metal-scouring pads and wire brushes will damage the surface, however.

Leave-on cleaning products like automatic spray shower cleaners should also be avoided.

This is because prolonged contact with harsh chemicals could have a negative effect on the surfaces over time and cause discoloration. You should also avoid cleaning agents that caution their use on acrylic, polyester, or plastics.

Meanwhile, Veritek products can be cleaned regularly with common household liquid cleaners and a sponge or soft cloth. You can also use scale removers on hard water stains. To protect their finish, apply any fiberglass wax or automotive paste wax.

Again, avoid cleaning agents that caution use on acrylic, polyester, or plastics. Abrasive cleaners and scouring pads should also be avoided, as well as leave-on cleaning products like automatic spray shower cleaners. 

Repairing A Scratch In Swanstone

According to the Swan Corporation, Swanstone products can withstand up to 450 degree heat, but while they are incredibly durable, they can occasionally sustain a couple of scratch marks that affect the overall finish.

Doing nothing about these scratches may lead them to expand and for grime to build up. Luckily, Swanstone has a renewable surface that makes removing blemishes easy.

What you will need:

• A rag.
• 220-grit to 400-grit sandpaper. (Anything below 220-grit sandpaper is too harsh for Swanstone).
• A scouring pad.
• All-purpose cleaner.
• A sponge.
• A cloth.

First, wipe dust away from the scratch with a clean cloth. Use your finger in the cloth to dig deep within the scratch to remove any dirt. 

Next, rub a 220-grit to 400-grit sandpaper over the scratch. Place the sandpaper at one end of the scratch, and lightly glide it up and down over the blemish. Do this about three to four times and then check the scratch. 

Now brush residue from the scratch with the rag. If the scratch is still there, keep rubbing with the sandpaper and check it again after two to three swipes. Keep doing this until the scratch vanishes.

Then rub a scouring pad with medium pressure over the area to smooth out the surface. Finally, spray the area with an all-purpose cleaner. Wipe the area with a damp sponge and dry it with a clean cloth.

Veritek 5-Panel Bathtub Wall Kit by Swanstone

Shower wall panels don’t only look great, but they’re durable too. These Swanstone shower walls from Veritek come in white and bisque and look like standard tiles, but without the grout line that requires constant cleaning. 

This kit has two side panels with a pair of molded-in convenience shelves, as well as two corner panels, a back panel with a molded-in soap dish, and two apron strips.

Not only do these walls have plenty of convenient features, but having plenty of shelves to put your shampoo, conditioner, shower gel – and whatever else you bring in the shower with you – reduces damage like cracks or scratches on the surface coating of your base. 

Just like the shower base we have reviewed above, these walls are easy to install. You don’t need much DIY skills to set it up, but we would recommend enlisting professional help to make sure everything is fitted correctly. 

The design of the wall kit elevates the look of your bathroom, as well as prevents the build up of mildew or mold.

The surface is moisture-proof and the seams are well-sealed. This wall kit is great if you’re just looking to spruce up your bathroom, or if you’re renovating your bathroom completely.

We love the number of convenient shelves this wall kit has for storing all your toiletries, and since it’s Swanstone you’ll know you’re getting a quality product. It has incredible impact strength, it’s heat resistant and, of course, durable.

The color and sleek finish of the wall kit also help to make your bathroom look more elegant and feel more luxurious. 

All that being said, is there anything we would like to see improved? Well, the wall kit does not come with any adhesive, just a tub of sealant that may not be sufficient.

This is worth noting as you need to be very careful with the quality of adhesive you’ll be using for pasting the wall strip. Make sure to carefully follow the instructions to ensure you are using the right sealant and adhesive to prevent voiding the warranty. 

Pros

• Easy to install.
• Patented design that prevents the showerhead spray from aiming towards the seams.
• Luxurious and elegant look.
• Sealed seams and edges.
• Moisture-proof and prevents mildew.

Cons

• Quality adhesive and sealant needed to make the wall kit more durable, but this does not come with the wall kit.

Is The Swanstone Shower Base Worth It?

No matter what your budget is, these Swanstone bathroom products prove that a well-designed bathroom with a luxury feel is possible without breaking the bank, or resorting to a costly renovation. This shower base and wall kit are easy to install and durable enough to last for years.