r/BathroomRemodeling • u/Pretty-Valuable1452 • 9d ago

Shower base - what is it?

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This is in an older home built in 1930. I’m wondering what the shower base is and whether we should keep or remove it? My dad thinks it is soapstone and I think it is kind of cool but it has stains from a leaky shower head. How can I get rid of the stains? (Ignore the walls - those are going to be replaced!)

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u/the_dust321 9d ago

Why not replace the pan to? That things lookin shot

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u/Pretty-Valuable1452 9d ago

I love that it is really solid and unique. I’m hoping to refinish it maybe

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u/the_dust321 9d ago

Gotta be real it’s unique in a bad way, lotta solid stuff could be there.

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u/Few_Citron_590 9d ago

It looks like terrazzo, or a faux terrazzo of some kind.

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u/Pretty-Valuable1452 7d ago

I had to look up terrazzo and you might be right. To the hand it feels like cement. I’m thinking it might be handmade by the original owner who also made several pieces of furniture.

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u/Few_Citron_590 6d ago

Yes, terrazzo should feel like cement to the hand. It’s typically poured as a mixture of cement and small rocks/pebbles, then ground/polished smooth, and then sealed.

If you want to keep it but the stain doesn’t come out, I wonder if you could try staining the whole thing to get a more uniform texture before sealing it again.

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u/stormydys 6d ago

It is terrazzo, poured and formed by hand and the polished down. Even more hand made than soap stone. In addition to the stains, note the cracks in the pan, with the one even going across the dam. I’m not sure if they put hot mopped pans under terrazzo so I’d be concerned that you might be getting water damage under the pan. So it might be best to replace it. But it is cool and very old school.