Shower wall panels: benefits, types, and materials

Choosing the type of shower wall panels to cover the wall of a house is not always easy. It must be adapted to the needs, characteristics, and conditions. Thus, choosing the right wall covering for your shower tray will be an important choice when renovating or designing a bathroom.

In this article, we tell you which types of materials offer the best performance for the shower area and which are best avoided.

What are the benefits of shower wall panels?

Installing shower wall panels has numerous benefits. In short, they are completely waterproof, easy and quick to install, easy to clean and prevent mould growth. At the same time, a shower wall panel can easily be fitted over tiles.

If you need more reasons, think about the practicality of not having to clear your shower every day when you or your family are in a rush; shower wall panels avoid making a mess if you shower and start your busy day.

How to clean shower wall panels

Is there anything vinegar can't clean up? It’s one of the most natural solutions to clean shower wall panels. Dilute it with water in a spray bottle and apply directly. An alternative would be washing up liquid with some added water. You can also help yourself with a mix of a small cup of baking soda with salt. Wipe the panels dry with a microfibre cloth after rinsing them.

Types of shower wall panels

Nowadays, there are different materials and finishes to coat the shower wall, a very demanding area in terms of performance since, due to the room's humidity, it needs resistant and completely waterproof materials. The following stand out:

Ceramic tile coverings

Ceramic products offer renewed proposals adapted to today's needs. You will find options for generating textured and geometric surfaces on your shower wall. However, they are not as durable and resistant as other current materials.

Natural stone coverings

The naturalness and personality of natural stone continue to be one of the favourite options for covering the shower wall. And there is no need to worry about its porosity since treatments can protect the stone very efficiently. 

This is the case of Sensa by Cosentino®, the innovative line of natural stone with anti-stain protection and excellent resistance that prevents liquids from penetrating the stone while allowing it to breathe.

Natural wood coverings

Although it is not a material specially designed to withstand the humidity and resistance that this area of the bathroom demands, wood can be used to cover small details and thus multiply the feeling of warmth and comfort in the bathroom. However, remember that wood does not have the best characteristics to be in contact with water and humidity.

If you are looking for a material capable of providing the warmth of natural wood but with greater performance, the ultra-compact surfaces of Dekton's Wild Collection series will be your best choice. Thanks to the Valterra shades, you will obtain a finish inspired by the wood grain but with high resistance to scratches, stains, heat, abrasion and cleaning products.

Continuous shower coverings and without joints

In the past, tiles were the only option for covering an area as specific as the shower wall. Technology has made it possible to develop different materials and alternatives. Do you prefer a continuous, seamless surface for your shower? At Cosentino, we offer different materials that are completely waterproof and resistant to dampness, limescale and mould.

Opting for a continuous surface will give your bathroom a more spacious feel. Thus, choosing the right wall covering makes it possible to renew the room's aesthetics, gain performance quality and achieve a greater optical effect.

Undoubtedly, choosing large-format materials that reduce joints (such as those by Cosentino) is an unbeatable option to enlarge rooms and turn the space into a more modern and up-to-date place.

Our favourite shower coverings

In a space like a bathroom, designed for personal care and to find relaxation in specific moments, it is necessary to consider each material's beauty, resistance, and durability.

In an area as unique as the shower, we need a material capable of providing resistance to water, humidity and contact with chemical substances. Silestone and Dekton are two of the best current alternatives on the market because, in addition to their infinite design possibilities, they have high characteristics and performance for this delicate area of the house.

In fact, Dekton Slim, Dekton's new ultra-lightweight product, is the perfect choice if you want to create a harmonious space and a sense of continuity. In addition, creating spaces with fewer joints favours the hygiene and cleanliness of the area.

With a thickness of 4 mm and large formats of 3200 x 1440 mm, Dekton Slim is the perfect choice for those looking for the highest quality together with a visual beauty where continuity and visual harmony predominate. Dekton Slim is a real revolution in both the construction and architectural sectors thanks to its properties that offer a much lighter format, easy to handle and thin.