Right, so you're thinking about a Mira shower tray? Blimey, that takes me back. I remember helping my mate Dave with his bathroom redo in Clapham last spring – what a saga that was. He'd ordered this gorgeous-looking tray online, all glossy in the photos. Turned up, and it was about as sturdy as a biscuit tin. The installer took one look and just sighed. "That's not going to last the year, mate," he said. And he was right. Cracked near the waste hole before Christmas. A proper nightmare.
Choosing the size, that's the first head-scratcher, innit? It's not just about the space you've got. You've got to think about who's using it. Is it for a quick rinse or a proper, soak-your-tired-muscles kind of shower? My aunt's place in Bristol, she went for this dinky 700mm square thing because her en-suite is tiny. Looks neat, but try shaving your legs in there – it's like a balancing act on the Tube during rush hour! You want room to bend down without your backside hitting the cold tiles behind you. Measure your space, sure, but then tape it out on the floor with some newspaper. Stand in it. Do a little shampoo dance. Seriously, it helps.
Then there's the shape. Square, rectangular, quadrant… that last one's a lifesaver for a corner. Saved my sanity in my old flat in Hackney. The rectangular one though, if you've got the length, it feels downright luxurious. Like having your own little runway.
Now, the material. Oh, this is where it gets interesting. That cheap acrylic tray Dave bought? Felt warm underfoot, I'll give it that. But one dropped shampoo bottle – bang! – a dent you could see from space. Stone resin, now that's a different beast. Much heavier, solid. Feels cool and smooth, like a proper pebble beach. My cousin got one for her wet room up in Edinburgh, and it's like a rock. But crikey, the price. And if you don't have a perfectly level floor, you're in for a world of fitting hassle.
I've got a soft spot for good, solid steel trays, personally. The one in my current place? Found it in a reclamation yard in Battersea. Chipped enamel, a bit of character. Ice cold in the winter, I won't lie, you hop about a bit first thing. But you could park a car on it. Never a worry. Mira do some lovely ones, by the way, with their non-slip surfaces. Clever stuff.
See, it's all about your life, really. Busy family bathroom with kids launching toys? Maybe avoid the thin acrylic. Dream spa retreat? Stone resin screams quality. Rented flat? Something sturdy but maybe not your life's investment.
The best tip I ever got was from this old plumber in a pub in Camden. He said, "Forget the brochure. Ask yourself two things: What does it *feel* like to stand on? And what's behind the panel when no one's looking?" He meant the structure, the support. A good tray shouldn't flex. It should feel… inevitable. Like it's always been there.
Anyway, don't overthink it to death. But don't just click the prettiest picture either. Get your hands on a few if you can. Give 'em a knock. Imagine a decade of your mornings with it. That's the real test.
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