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Remodeling Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Shower wall slab: porcelain vs. quartz

masterbathroom909

5 years ago

I had been looking at 5’x10’ porcelain slabs for our shower walls, but just learned that quartz can also be used for this. Are there downsides to using quartz here vs. porcelain? Is one much more costly than the other?

Featured Answer

Tam Glunt

3 years ago

@kindertina I ended up purchasing 1.2 cm slabs of Silestone Calacatta Gold about a week before the stay at home order was issued in CA. I haven’t yet started construction because some of my fixture are on backorder bc of shutdowns in various states. :( I’ll post pictures when I finally get my shower remodel completed.

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Comments (13)

PRO
Lauren Jacobsen Interior Design
5 years ago
Porcelain slabs are very hard to cut vs quartz. They can also chip, so for example; you have a handheld in the shower and it slips out of your hand and swings over and hits the porcelain wall, it could chip the wall.
masterbathroom909 thanked Lauren Jacobsen Interior Design
GreenDesigns
5 years ago
Both require highly skilled fabricators, and precise prep. And are significantly more expensive than Corian.
masterbathroom909 thanked GreenDesigns
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PRO
D Old Granite LLC
5 years ago
Both manmade surfaces are very challenging to fix in case there is a small chip or damage. Because engineered quartz is a resin based surface, and there are thousands of manufacturers, and the % of resin is not clearly disclosed by most manufacturers, I would be skeptic about any engineered quartz in the long run, exposed to lot of humidity and hot temperatures.
masterbathroom909 thanked D Old Granite LLC
masterbathroom909
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you! D Old Granite, what if we do our due diligence on the Quartz manufacturer and feel it is high quality? The one we’re looking at is 93/7%. Is quartz still just not as durable as porcelain for a shower?
Tam Glunt
4 years ago
@masterbathroom909 - I’m planning on using the 1.2cm quartz slabs from Silestone for my shower walls. Have you decided on porcelain or quartz yet? Have you heard of cracking concerns relating to the thin quartz slabs after installation? I haven’t, but am trying to find out if cracking is a concern.
kindertina
3 years ago
@Tam Glunt, what did you end up using?
kindertina
3 years ago
@Tam Glunt that would be wonderful! And if I may ask, what will be your backing? (I am in CA too.)
Tam Glunt
3 years ago
@kindertina I think the contractor said we’re using floating cement.
tartanmeup
3 years ago
Surprised to read that both large slab porcelain and quartz are more expensive than Corian for a shower. What waterproofing method will your contractor be using, Tam Glunt?
deesg
3 years ago
I was discussing whether to go with 12 mm porcelain slab or not for my shower walls with the fabricator. The fabricator told me that the porcelain slabs on walls with shower niche will have at least 4 seams, 2 seams on each side of the shower niche to prevent it from chipping/cracking during installation. Not sure if this is true or if my fabricator lacks the experience and or tools to install porcelain slab on shower walls. Hoping someone here knows.

Also, does anyone have experience with porcelain slabs on shower walls? Any chips at all especially around shower niche or shower bench?
Nan Kni
last year
Light quartz can yellow when exposed to certain things.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
"Certain things" would be the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

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