Best Material for Shower Bench: Wood, Plastic or Marble?

A bathroom or a shower can incorporate many accessories, all of them to make the showering experience more enjoyable and more comfortable. One of these accessories is a shower bench. It can serve many purposes like storage, for relaxation, part of the design, and convenience. A shower bench is, especially for people who can’t stand while they are in the shower. Are you wondering what the best material for your shower bench is?

For most medical shower chairs used by seniors and handicapped, plastic in combination with metal is common. But if you don’t have any special needs and wants to add a shower bench for other purposes, you can have beautiful and durable chairs made from wood, for example. When done right shower, seats can be stylish and adds a little bit of personality and class to the bathroom.

I have found the answer to the question, and I am glad to share it with you. Read on so you won’t need to stress about figuring out what material to use for your shower bench in the future.

Plastic + Metal Shower Benches

A straight forward shower bench is excellent for reducing the risk of fall, particularly for the elderly and disabled individuals. It is usually made with plastic seat and aluminum or stainless steel for its legs.

Shower benches are great for people who have strength, endurance, and balance issues. It is beneficial for people who are not capable of lifting their legs over the side of the tub or standing in the shower for too long.

Another excellent benefit from plastic and metal materials are they are durable in wet areas. It is also versatile as you can use them in the shower and the tub. If the handle and the backrest are movable, you carry it to the different showers and bathtubs.

There are simple plastic shower chairs without any special features. These are very affordable and would be an excellent choice if you are looking for a shower bench for shaving your legs or when you want a relaxing shower. As a bonus, they are easy to clean too.

Wooden Shower Benches

Lately, wooden shower benches are something that has come into vogue. From the concept of shower benches as an ideal accessory for people with handicapped, the idea of putting benches inside the shower became a must.

However, their purpose departs from the usual support it lends to the user but instead extends its use to storage or relaxation with the steam. A classic U-shaped shower bench from wood covered with resin is now a common sight.

When we see wood, it is an element that represents nature. There are many types of wood that we can use for shower benches.

We will go into the details of these materials in the succeeding sections of this article.

Teak

The density and weight of the teak wood give it a timeless and luxurious look which can complement the earthy tones of the bathroom or can provide contrasting texture and color of modern designs. It is also known for its durability and water-resistant qualities aside from being beautiful.

Because teak wood is now grown in plantations, they are more susceptible to color change from exposure to UV compared to old and naturally grown teak.

However, the color change does not affect its durability. Another great feature of teak wood is this wood is resistant to damage and mildew.

For shower benches, the color change is gradual because the bench is not exposed to sunlight. Regular coats of teak oil are needed to keep their appearance and durability.

The wood produces a natural patina when they are exposed to water that acts as a protective glaze and adds to the durability. It also does not chip, cracks, or flake easily.

Even if you use teak in the bathroom, it has a remarkably long life span. This is due to its high water-resistant property. The rich natural oil it produces gives it protection from bugs, which often thrives in the humid environment of the bathroom.

There are two disadvantages when you use teak for your shower bench. First, you need to maintain it regularly using teak oil. Second, you need to clean it regularly.

If you want to check them out, you can read our article about the best teak shower stools right here.

Bamboo

[su_note note_color=”#f3e0dc”]Bamboo is building material that is less expensive than teak and can be made into shower benches. They are not cut from a big tree, but instead, the bamboo trees are tall and slender.[/su_note]

When the bamboo is cut, it is laminated into sheets and planks before turning into different kinds of wood products.

This type of wood does not have its natural oil. You need to treat the bamboo shower bench with mineral oil, teak oil, or any other kind of wood treatment to maintain them.

When bamboo is continuously exposed to water from the shower, it can cause mildew to form. This is more evident if your bathroom remains humid due to poor ventilation.

Another downside of using bamboo is it tends to grow and shrink over time. It can only mean one thing; they are not as durable as other types of wood.

The bolts that keep the bench together may loosen, so you need to check them regularly and tighten. You also should not wet the bamboo seat when cleaning the bathroom if you want to keep them longer.

For most people who are deciding which shower seat to choose when they have a strict budget, bamboo seats provide the cheaper option. Bamboo has a lower price, but it requires more maintenance and has a shorter lifespan.

In this article, you’ll be able to find some of the best bamboo shower benches.

Cedar

Cedar is an attractive redwood that produces a pleasant smell when new. It is also an excellent choice for the bathroom, but you have to seal it first. Sealing is a process that protects the wood from various kinds of damage.

Although it is a very sturdy wood, the high-moisture condition of the bathroom can get into the pores of the wood, which can cause it to swell.

Later on, it will expand and lose its durability when you use them as a shower bench. The dampness of the shower can also cause the wood to rot and decay quickly.

It is said that cedar is an excellent choice for shower benches since the density is the lowest and can also heat the least, but they can cost higher.

Marble

Marble is beautiful, but they can be expensive and high maintenance too. It is a porous stone, so it means that it can absorb the water quickly.

If you want to use marble as your shower bench, you need to have it properly sealed. The sealant can wear over time too, so it needs resealing from time to time.

It is also water and mold resistant and can withstand the humidity inside the bathroom.

However, it can also have its drawback. First, it is expensive but can last a lifetime. When you think about it, you can have two to three wooden or plastic shower bench in the same period and therefore can save you money.

Second, it is fixed as it should be built-in the bathroom. Aside from taking space, you cannot move it around.

Marble can also be hard and cold during a hot shower. You can put a seat cushion to remedy this, but that is sacrificing the beauty of the marble.

Conclusion

There you have it, your options for the best material for your shower bench. You have a wide range of choices depending on the factor that you consider a priority. Will it be price, aesthetics, durability, or purpose?

Tell us what you think by writing your comments down below. You can also write down if you have comments, questions, or needs more info.

Want to know which is the best material for the shower bench? We compared the most common materials like teak, bamboo, and plastic, to see which one is better.