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Can you paint a shower tray, and when should you replace it?
A tray that is sound but stained or dull can sometimes be refinished with a coating made for shower trays, applied to the maker's instructions. A tray that is cracked, flexing or leaking needs repairing or replacing, because paint will not stop water getting underneath.
Last reviewed:What do people mean by shower tray paint?
Usually one of three things:
- A DIY coating kit. A paint or two-part coating sold for refreshing baths, basins and trays, brushed or rolled on at home.
- Professional resurfacing. A firm cleans and prepares the tray, repairs small chips and sprays a new finish on site.
- A touch-up product. A small kit for filling a chip or a scratch on one spot, rather than coating the whole tray.
All three only change the surface. None of them fixes a tray that moves, cracks or leaks.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. This page helps you decide whether a coating makes sense for your tray.
Which trays can be refinished?
It depends on what the tray is made of and how it has worn:
- Acrylic or plastic-faced trays can scratch and dull. Some coatings are made for them, but check the pack.
- Stone resin trays are heavier and stiffer. Surface stains may clean up without any coating at all.
- Ceramic or enamelled trays can chip. Chips can sometimes be filled and refinished.
Before you choose a product, try cleaning the tray thoroughly with a cleaner suitable for its material. Limescale and soap film can make a sound tray look worn out.
When is a coating the wrong answer?
A coating will not solve these problems:
- Cracks. Water can pass through a crack and soak the floor beneath.
- A flexing tray. If the tray moves or creaks when you stand on it, it is not properly supported, and new paint will crack too.
- Leaks at the edge. A failed seal between tray and wall needs resealing, and sometimes the wall behind needs repairing.
- Water that will not drain. A tray that holds puddles may be sitting out of level, or the waste may be partly blocked.
- Soft or stained floors around the tray, which suggest water has been getting underneath for some time.
In those cases, ask a fitter whether the tray can be repaired or should be replaced. Replacing a tray is a different job, covered in fitting a shower tray.
What matters if you do refinish it?
Follow the product instructions closely, as they vary. In general:
- Preparation decides the result. Most products need the tray thoroughly cleaned, dried and keyed so the coating can grip.
- Ventilate the room. Coatings can give off strong fumes. Open windows and run the extractor fan if there is one. The Planning Portal says that when a bathroom is refurbished, any existing extract ventilation must be kept or replaced [S2].
- Allow the full cure time before the shower is used.
- Think about grip. A smooth new finish can be slippery when wet. The NHS suggests a non-slip mat in the bath or shower to help prevent falls [S1].
- Reseal the edges once the coating has cured, so water cannot get behind the tray.
What should you ask a resurfacing firm or fitter?
Ask each business the same questions:
- Is my tray suitable for resurfacing, or would you replace it?
- What coating do you use, and does it suit the tray's material?
- Do you repair chips and reseal the edges as part of the job?
- Can you add a slip-resistant finish?
- How long until the shower can be used?
- What happens if the finish fails or peels?
Citizens Advice says to get quotes in writing and to get them from at least three traders [S3].
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Acrylic shower tray is stained and dull but sound. Please quote to resurface it and reseal the edges."
- "Chip in the corner of a ceramic shower tray. Looking for someone to repair and refinish the area."
- "Shower tray creaks and the floor beside it feels soft. Please quote to replace the tray and check the floor."
Get quotes for a shower tray
Describe the tray, what it is made of if you know, the problem and how long it has been there, with photos if you can. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See our bathroom fitters page and plumbers page. For a bath rather than a tray, see bath tub paint. For a full refit, see what changes the cost of a bathroom.
Questions about shower tray paint
Can ordinary paint be used on a shower tray?
No. Wall and woodwork paints are not made for standing water, soap and feet, and they tend to peel quickly in a tray. If you want to refinish a tray, use a product sold for shower trays or baths, check it suits your tray's material and follow the instructions on the pack.
Will a painted shower tray be slippery?
It can be, especially if the coating is glossy. Ask whether the product or the firm can add a slip-resistant finish. The NHS suggests using a non-slip mat in the bath or shower to help prevent falls.
How long before I can use the shower again?
That depends on the coating. Many need time to cure before water touches them, and using the shower too early can spoil the finish. The product instructions or the resurfacing firm will tell you how long to wait.
Is it worth painting a cracked shower tray?
Usually not. A crack can let water reach the floor below, and a coating over it will not stop the tray flexing. Ask a fitter whether the tray can be repaired properly or should be replaced, and check the floor underneath for damage.
Does QuoteZila check the businesses who quote?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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Related pages
- Standard Bath Height: How Rim Height Is Set. How bath height is measured, what changes the rim height of a new bath, how to choose a height that suits the people using it, and what to ask a fitter.
- Brick Spalling: What the Face of the Wall Shows. Brick spalling is the outer face of a brick breaking away. In Cheshire, ask whether the wall still resists weather, and check listing before major work.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Falls, NHS. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/falls/
- S2: Kitchens and bathrooms: need for additional ventilation, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/kitchens-and-bathrooms/building-regulations-need-for-additional-ventilation/
- S3: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/