A warm and comforting shower can help to loosen all the knots on your shoulders and make you relaxed after a stressful day. Adding natural stone elements to your bathroom can accentuate the space and give you a more comfortable and serene bathroom.

But the question here is, which stone is best for your shower wall? In this article, we’ll discuss just that: “what is the best stone for shower walls?”

Different factors contribute to the type of materials for our homes including durability, aesthetics, and maintenance. When it comes to choosing the best stone for shower walls, there are many options you can pick from, all with their pros and cons. Read on!

Marble for Shower Walls

Marble is always attributed to luxury. This luxurious stone has many features that can be used in the bathroom. It is popularly known for its soft, light coloring and interesting defining patterns. Marble is one stone that can serve you better in the bathroom for almost a lifetime.

Natural stone marble is porous and one of the most important factors in selecting a stone for the shower wall is that it must be watertight. Only a few types of marble can stain over time and that’s if it’s not given proper attention by the homeowner.

Also, some marbles have a high iron content which means that when it’s constantly exposed to water, they can rust or discolor. However, it can be avoided if it’s properly sealed.

With the use of a penetrating sealer, you can protect your marble stone from moisture damage, discoloration, or stains.

You must know that marble isn’t recognized as a high-maintenance stone, which might be a source of concern for some homeowners. However, regardless of the material on the bathroom, it will require a little TLC to protect it from moisture damage, discoloring stains, and mold.

Pro Tip: The vein composition in marble can be susceptible to moisture damage. To mollify this, then go for high-grade marble with fewer inclusions and minimal veining.

Granite for Shower Walls

Granite is a popular choice of natural stone in the home. It has many features which include that it’s durable, easy to maintain and there are different colors and patterns. Granite can help you beautify your bathroom to your greatest imagination.

Granite has a dense composition which makes it more durable. This means that it’s not susceptible to moisture damage. However, just like marble, granite will need to be sealed and resealed to be watertight to prevent staining, mold/mildew growth and moisture damage.

Homeowners interested in adding a darker color scheme to their bathroom design will discover a lot of options in granite. Regardless, there are still different shades of lighter ones too, in case you may be interested in that too.

Pro Tip: Homeowners that want to install natural stones on their shower floors, can opt for a slip-resistant natural stone finish.

Quartzite for Shower Walls

Quartzite is one of the best and hardest surfacing materials. This makes it perfect to be installed in the bathroom or kitchen because it can withstand any wear and tear. Quartzite has a Mohs hardness of 7 while marble has a 3 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Although quartzite is hard, it can still be penetrable which means it requires sealing too. But once sealed, you don’t have to repeat the process regularly until after 10 years or when you discover that it’s absorbing water. This happens sometimes but it’s a rare case with quartzite.

Quartzite can be easily maintained and easy to clean too.

You’ll find most quartzite in white or light color due to its quartz content. But other materials included in the manufacturing can cause it to produce vivid colours. If you’d prefer light colors in your bathroom, quartzite would be your best choice.

Porcelain for Shower Walls

Although porcelain is not a natural stone, it can still be considered for use on shower walls. A porcelain slab doesn’t require much maintenance, it can survive wear and tear and it’s available in several colors and patterns.

It can be cleaned easily, preferably with household cleaning products. It’s also a slip-resistant product which means it’s safe for bathrooms too. Some porcelain is even antimicrobial and antibacterial.

If you love how marble looks and feels but you also prefer a low-maintenance option, then you can opt for porcelain that looks like marble. Porcelain can now be made to look and feel like marble, thanks to an advanced engineering process.

Also, note that they may be cheaper to purchase than natural stones but installation costs might be on the higher end due to the experience required to install them.

Contact Us for Your Stone Shower Wall Needs

If you have any inquiries about what stone is best for your shower walls or bathroom areas, contact Mirage Marble and Granite at 623-606-7610. We’re well-experienced and our team will always be there to help. You can also take a look at some of our completed shower walls in our shower remodeling gallery.