Sentrel vs. Acrylic

Better Materials; Better Quality

Grout-free shower systems are being chosen more and more often by homeowners each year as they realize the massive benefits that easy-maintenance and lifetime warrantied materials bring. Two of the largest and most popular of these systems are Sentrel (a PVC composite material created by Design Imaging) and Acrylic (An ABS capped acrylic panel produced by many manufacturers). Unfortunately, not all shower systems are created equal.

Here at Oasis Bath Solutions, we strongly believe that Sentrel offers a superior value than acrylic for tub to shower conversions, walk in showers and bath remodels.

Let's start with some quick aspects that they share in common:

1. Both are 100% waterproof and 100% non porous, easy to clean and resistant to the growth of bacteria.

2. Both systems come as large panels that can be fabricated to any size on site, and use silicone to seal the seams between panels.

3. Both come in a variety of colors and styles and offer a line of matched accessories.

When we examine the differences between the systems, Sentrel’s superiority begins to stand out:

1. Sentrel is twice the thickness of acrylic products. Acrylic panels on the market are ⅛” thick, Sentrel is a full ¼” thick.

2. The image quality on Sentrel’s panels is vastly superior to that of Acrylic, in fact the stone or marble pattern is an 800 megapixel image!. This is due to Sentrel’s manufacturing process wherein super high resolution scans are taken of real natural stone slabs which are then printed onto the panels; this results in the truly authentic look of natural stone (see photo below).

   

Looking deeper into the system and parts we find more differences:

1. Sentrel’s parts and accessories are built of a superior quality. Corner shelves in a Sentrel system are screwed into the wall and then siliconed on, whereas acrylic shelves are held up solely by silicone limiting the weight they can bear (see photos below).

2. If you order a custom pan from Sentrel, it is constructed out of solid PVC and is extremely rigid, it will never bow or bend; whereas, depending on the installation method, acrylic pans may not be as sturdy. 

3. Sentrel is always installed with a Quad-lock system meaning there are multiple layers of waterproofing to ensure a leak proof installation.

   

Summary:

Choosing Sentrel provides a massive amount of benefits and quality over any acrylic shower system. You get a much higher quality image, with more durable parts and accessories. The best part is, Sentrel is often the same price or even less expensive than acrylic! 

If you are a homeowner looking for a tub to shower conversion in Seattle, or other bath remodeling services, give us a call at (206)-972-1479 for a no cost consultation.