docket, I received your email, but apparently cannot reply to it because you have not enabled the email option. Here's what you wrote: I am seriously considering going with cast iron. I like the fact that it strong, I do not want to worry about leaks. It seems that w/ acrylic it is prone to get damgaged. Tile you have to worry about the grout getting black. The picture looks great how is the feel. Is is slippery? You still happy with your decsion to go w/ cast iron. Why did you go cast iron did you look at other options? We've been using the guest bathroom for some months now while work is being done on our MB and hall bath, so can tell you first-hand about the Kohler shower pan. It's very nice! Feels nice and solid underfoot, and not slippery at all. We recently installed two Toto cast iron tubs (one in each of the other two bathrooms); one bathroom is functional. I've been showering in there daily and the tub is very, very nice also. I really like it. Also, not slippery. We chose the cast iron because we liked how it looks, we liked the sturdiness and durability, and we liked the heat retention for which cast iron is known (and it was cheaper than a tile shower floor, which for a guest bathroom, was a good place to save a few $). We originally ordered a Kohler acrylic pan, thinking it was fiberglass. When it arrived though, we discovered not only was it acrylic, but it had no non-slip grips, which was a deal-breaker for us. We returned it for the cast iron pan. I really wasn't interested in a solid surface material (e.g. Corian, Swanstone), so never looked into those. Two things to note. One, cast iron can be a bit colder than other materials initially, but once you runs some warm-hot water, it warms up right away. Our guest bathroom is on the ground floor, on a slab, so it was a little chilly to the touch back in March (when we started using it daily). But, like I said, it warmed up quickly. The second thing, is that the non-slip grips can and do discolor. Regular cleaning with Lysol Basin, Tub, and Tile cleaner doesn't seem to remove the discoloration (at least not too well), however, the Magic Eraser (I use Mr. Clean original Magic Erasers) cleans them with little to no effort. They clean up so well, the first time I used it to clean mine, I thought I had scrubbed away the non-slip grips they were so clean and white! If I can help with any other questions, let me know.

Also an issue of cost. When you get into larger or unusual sizes, cast iron is either not available or much more expensive than solid surface. We went with a cultured granite 38" neo-angle showerbase & 2 surround walls, from a cultured marble company (they're basically the same thing, but the CG is a very good ringer for Swanstone & Corian - three different contractors couldn't tell the difference.). Love it - my DH still calls it the best thing we did from a 2003 remodel of kitchen and 2 bathrms! Sooo easy to clean.

My bathroom is 5' x 10'. We will be replacing the 5' acrylic shower surround with a Kohler cast iron shower pan and tiled walls. The measurement from the back wall sheetrock to the edge of the shower surround is 34". I'm trying to fit in the 36" Salient pan, which attaches to the studs, but the toilet creates a problem. The toilet center is 17" from the shower curb. Toilet center to vanity is 18", giving me a 35" toilet space. With the 36" pan, the toilet center would be 15" from the curb so it would not be centered in the toilet space. I am looking at the Kohler San Souci compact elongated toilet, which has a width of 16 1/2" at the tank, 3" narrower than our current toilet, to make the toilet feel roomier if I lose 2" to the shower pan. I also want to use a stationary glass shower panel alongside the toilet and a hinged door. The alternative is to use the Kohler 34" Bellwether pan, which is the perfect size, but I don't like it as much as the Salient.

Just as a cast iron pan can be handed down through the generations, so could this chain mail scrubber. It would make sense though, to test one before buying, or to have the word of a trusted friend that it is really worth the money. If you are used to paying $1.98 for a scrubber and throwing it away to buy a fresh one, the $20 might seem too steep.