How to Cut a Resin Shower Tray (and Why Made-to-Measure Wins)

The tray arrives, you set it down in the alcove, and there’s a good three centimetres of overhang against the wall. It happens more often than you’d think. And the question is always the same: can you actually cut a resin shower tray without ruining it? The short answer is yes. The longer one is that there are a couple of things worth knowing before you reach for the grinder.

Can mineral-filled resin be cut?

Mineral-filled resin isn’t a tile and it isn’t a slab of marble. It’s a dense, compact material, but it does work with you. With the right tool it takes a clean trim, especially if you only need to shave off a few centimetres to fit the tray into the alcove.

The thing to understand is what you’re actually cutting. Inside there’s a rigid mineral mix; on the outside, a gel coat layer that gives the colour and the finish. That outer layer is the part that suffers most when the cut isn’t done carefully, and it’s exactly the part you can see.

The right tool and the right side

If the job falls to you, forget the jigsaw or any blade meant for wood. What works:

An angle grinder fitted with a continuous-rim diamond blade (not segmented), the kind used for porcelain or stone.
A slow, steady feed, no forcing, letting the blade do the work.
Cooling, or at the very least working in short passes so the material doesn’t overheat.
Masking tape laid over the cut line: it cuts down on chipping of the gel coat.

And one detail plenty of people miss: always cut from the side opposite the drain. The fall of the tray is calculated so water runs towards the waste. Trim the drain side and you wreck that geometry, and the water stops draining properly. Take the material off the far edge instead.

Tip: before you cut anything, measure twice and mark with the tray sitting dry in the alcove. The most expensive mistake is trimming off too much.

The risks of doing it yourself

Cutting works, but it isn’t free. These are the real problems you can run into:

Chipped edges. The gel coat flakes easily if the blade is wrong or the feed is rough. You’re left with a ragged edge right where you’ll see it.
Lost slip resistance along the cut. Our trays come with a Class C3 anti-slip treatment from the factory. That treatment lives on the original surface; the trimmed edge has none of it.
An unsealed edge. Cutting exposes the bare mineral fill. If you don’t seal that edge properly, over time it can take on moisture. You’ll need a suitable sealer and a neat finish against the wall with neutral silicone.
Dust. Lots of it. It’s a messy cut, best done outside the house and with a mask on.

None of this is impossible to handle if you’re handy and have the kit. But it all adds work, risk, and a finish that rarely matches the original.

Why made-to-measure from the factory works out better

Here’s the honest part. We make the trays ourselves, so when you order the exact size, the tray comes out of the mould at those dimensions. No cutting afterwards, no edge to seal, no half-done anti-slip.

And the bit that surprises most people: it costs the same. On the product page you pick any size between 60×60 and 100×200 cm and see the price straight away. A made-to-measure 70×140 tray isn’t dearer for being bespoke; you pay for your size, nothing more.

What you gain over trimming at home:

Clean, straight moulded edges, with the gel coat intact all the way round.
Anti-slip across the whole surface, right up to the walls.
A fall to the drain calculated for your actual size.
A warranty on the whole tray. A tray cut after the fact loses that cover.
Zero dust, zero grinder, zero Sunday lost to the job.

It arrives ready to fit, with the waste trap and grille included at no extra cost, and shipping across Europe.

Finishes and colours, also made to measure

Going bespoke doesn’t tie your hands on looks. Pick the Smooth finish if you want a continuous, understated surface, the Elite with a more pronounced texture, or the Slate if you like the feel of natural stone. All three in white, cream, ash, anthracite or black.

So you choose size, finish and colour in one go, and the tray fits the alcove without you having to touch it afterwards.

So, cut it or order to measure?

If you already have the tray and only a couple of centimetres are in the way, a diamond blade, some patience and a well-sealed edge can do a tidy job. It’s doable.

But if you’re still in time to choose, ordering it at the exact size saves you the cut, the risk and the iffy finish, for the same price. If you’re unsure about your bathroom’s dimensions, drop us a line on contact and we’ll lend a hand before you order a thing.