Do composite shower pans outperform mud beds long‑term, or just shift failure modes?
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Factory-sloped composite pans dodge typical mud bed troubles because they’re consistent and non-porous. This means no saturation or cracked grout like you might get with a badly made mud job. Still, they can leak at seams or drains, and flexing can crack the finish, making repairs a pain. Basically, the weak spots move from the sloped area to the joints and pan supports.
In terms of long-term performance, composite shower pans may outperform mud beds in certain aspects, such as waterproofing, maintenance
Composite shower pans typically reduce issues like cracking and uneven slopes seen in mud beds, but they can introduce different failure modes such as liner leaks, support sag, or bonding problems. Long term, they perform well if properly installed, but they don’t completely eliminate risk, they mostly shift it.