Settling on a shower tray might seem straightforward until you start comparing two of the UK’s most respected bathroom brands. Both Merlyn shower trays and Tissino shower trays are built from stone resin, carry premium guarantees, and look the part in any modern bathroom. So what actually separates them?
Having worked with both ranges across hundreds of UK bathroom projects, we can tell you the differences are real but they’re not always where you’d expect. This isn’t a spec-sheet comparison you could pull from any manufacturer’s website. Instead, we’ve put together an honest, side-by-side guide covering material quality, sizing, surface finish, installation practicalities, and long-term durability.
Whether you’re fitting out a compact en suite, planning a spacious walk-in shower, or converting a loft bathroom into a wet room, this guide will help you decide which brand suits your space, your budget, and your expectations.
Stone Resin vs Acrylic: Why Both Brands Chose the Same Material
Before comparing Merlyn and Tissino directly, it’s worth understanding why both manufacturers build their trays from stone resin rather than acrylic. A stone resin shower tray is made from a composite of natural minerals – typically marble or calcite powder -bound with high-performance resin. The result is a tray that feels solid underfoot, resists flexing, and holds its shape for years.
Acrylic trays, by contrast, are vacuum-formed plastic shells reinforced with fibreglass. They’re lighter and cheaper, but they flex under body weight. That flexing causes sealant to crack around the edges, which leads to leaks the single most common cause of shower tray failure reported on UK trade forums. One Mumsnet user put it bluntly: “don’t get plastic it will crack at some point and go yellow.”
Stone resin eliminates that problem. It’s rigid enough to sit directly on a properly prepared floor without a leg-and-frame kit, and it won’t discolour or warp with age. Both Merlyn and Tissino have committed to stone resin across their entire shower tray ranges, which tells you something about where the UK market has moved. The question isn’t whether to choose stone resin it’s which stone resin tray to choose.
The Ranges: Merlyn Truestone and Touchstone vs Tissino Giorgio2
Merlyn: Two Tiers for Different Budgets
Merlyn splits its shower tray offering into two distinct lines. The Truestone is their flagship a a 30mm low-profile tray with a textured slate finish, available in five colourways: White, Fossil Grey, Graphite, Black, and Sandstone. It’s designed for flush-floor installations and comes with a Lifetime Guarantee when registered within 28 days (5-year standard without registration). For UK bathrooms where a seamless, contemporary finish matters, the Merlyn Truestone shower tray is hard to beat on aesthetics.
The Touchstone sits at a more accessible price point. It’s still stone resin, still low profile, but with a smoother surface finish and a slightly reduced colour palette. Both the Merlyn Truestone and Merlyn Touchstone shower trays cover the most popular UK shower tray sizes, from compact 800x800mm squares up to large shower trays at 1700x1000mm.
Tissino: One Range, Refined
Tissino takes a different approach. Rather than splitting into tiers, they’ve concentrated everything into the Giorgio2 a single, comprehensive range of stone resin trays. The Tissino Giorgio2 features a matt slate-effect surface, sits at a low 30mm profile, and is available in White Slate, Black Slate, Graphite Slate, Grey Slate. If you’re after a black shower tray specifically, both the Truestone and Giorgio2 offer genuinely dark finishes rather than the dark-grey-marketed-as-black that cheaper brands tend to produce.
Where Tissino’s strategy differs is in size coverage. The Giorgio2 range includes rectangular, square, and quadrant shower tray options, with rectangulars available up to 1800x800mm. If you need a large shower tray for an open walk-in enclosure or a deep shower tray for a fully enclosed cubicle, both brands have options but the specific dimensions differ, so check your measurements carefully.
Head-to-Head: Merlyn Truestone vs Tissino Giorgio2
Rather than burying the key differences in paragraphs, here’s a direct comparison of the two flagship ranges the Merlyn Truestone and the Tissino Giorgio2. These are the two trays most commonly weighed up by UK homeowners shopping for a premium stone resin shower tray.
| Feature | Merlyn Truestone | Tissino Giorgio2 |
| Material | Stone resin composite | Stone resin composite |
| Profile Height | 30mm (ultra-low) | 30mm (low profile) |
| Surface Finish | Natural slate texture | Matt slate effect |
| Colourways | 5 (White, Fossil Grey, Graphite, Black, Sandstone) | 5 (White Slate, Black Slate, Graphite Slate, Grey Slate, Soft Taupe) |
| Shapes | Rectangular, square | Rectangular, square, quadrant |
| Size Range | 800×800 to 1700x1000mm | 800×800 to 1800x800mm |
| Waste Size | 90mm fast-flow | 90mm standard |
| Guarantee | Lifetime (registered) / 5-yr standard | 10 years (no registration) |
| Best For | Statement wetrooms, flush installs | Contemporary bathrooms, clean lines |
The most frequently asked question we hear is about the 1200×800 shower tray size it’s the UK’s most popular for standard shower enclosures and both brands stock it. If your bathroom design calls for something less conventional, like an offset quadrant to tuck into a corner, Merlyn’s Touchstone range offers more quadrant options than the Giorgio2.
Anti-Slip, Surface Finish, and the Cleaning Trade-Off
Slip resistance is one of the most debated topics on UK bathroom forums. A Screwfix Community Forum thread titled “non-anti-slip shower trays good, or very bad?” ran to dozens of replies, with fitters and homeowners split on whether textured surfaces are essential or just harder to clean.
Here’s how it breaks down for these two brands. The Merlyn Truestone’s natural slate texture provides inherent grip, but Merlyn themselves recommend applying a separate anti-slip treatment for additional safety. If you’re specifically searching for a slip-resistant shower tray in the UK, be aware that neither tray carries a formal DIN anti-slip classification. The Tissino Giorgio2’s matt surface offers moderate slip resistance out of the box, though it doesn’t carry a specific anti-slip rating.
The trade-off is real. Textured surfaces that grip feet also grip soap scum, limescale, and shampoo residue. A slip-resistant shower tray requires more regular cleaning than a smooth one a soft brush and non-abrasive bathroom cleaner every week, rather than a quick wipe-down. If easy maintenance matters more to you than maximum grip, the Touchstone’s smoother finish may be the better choice. If safety is the priority particularly for older family members or young children the Truestone’s natural texture combined with an aftermarket anti-slip kit gives you the most secure footing.
Installation, Durability, and What Actually Causes Cracking
Stone resin trays are strong, but they’re not indestructible. Forum threads on Screwfix and Houzz UK reveal a recurring theme: cracked stone resin trays are almost always caused by poor installation, not poor manufacturing. The most common mistake is leaving unsupported gaps beneath the tray. One Mumsnet user reported their resin tray cracked within months, then solved the problem by “putting timber underneath to support it every 20cm.”
Both Merlyn and Tissino require their trays to be fully bedded on a continuous, level surface either a mortar bed or a purpose-made support cradle. If your installer uses a leg-and-frame kit without proper support between the legs, you’re creating stress points that will eventually crack the resin. This isn’t a brand-specific issue; it’s a universal rule for stone resin.
Where the brands differ is in guarantee coverage. Merlyn backs the Truestone with a 20-year guarantee one of the longest in the UK market. Tissino offers a 10-year guarantee on the Giorgio2, which is still above the industry average. Both guarantees are conditional on correct installation, so keep your fitter’s invoice and any photographs of the bedding process. If anything goes wrong two years down the line, you’ll need proof that the tray was properly supported.
One practical tip: confirm your waste trap position before ordering. The Truestone uses a 90mm fast-flow waste, while the Giorgio2 uses a standard 90mm waste with a slightly different trap depth. If your floor joists sit close to the waste location, you may need a shallow trap -something your plumber should check before the tray arrives on site.
Which Should You Choose? A Decision Framework
After handling both brands extensively, here’s our honest take on who each range suits best.
Choose the Merlyn Truestone if you want the longest guarantee in the UK market, a genuine natural-slate aesthetic, and the widest colour range. It’s ideal for statement bathrooms where the tray is visible walk-in wetrooms, frameless glass enclosures, and open-plan shower areas. The 25mm low-profile shower tray sits lower than almost any competitor, making flush-floor installations cleaner.
Choose the Merlyn Touchstone if you want Merlyn’s build quality at a lower price point, or if you need quadrant and offset-quadrant sizes that the Truestone doesn’t cover. It’s a smart choice for en suites, guest bathrooms, and rental refurbishments where durability matters but a slate finish isn’t essential.
Choose the Tissino Giorgio2 if you prefer a single-range approach with no tiering to navigate, want a matt-finish tray that looks sophisticated without the pronounced slate texture, or need specific rectangular sizes that Merlyn doesn’t offer. The Tissino Giorgio2 review scores from UK bathroom forums consistently highlight its clean lines and understated elegance.
Whichever you choose, the non-negotiable is proper installation. The best stone resin tray in the world will fail if it’s sitting on an uneven base with gaps underneath. Invest in a competent fitter, insist on full bedding, and your tray will outlast the rest of the bathroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a stone resin shower tray really worth paying more than acrylic?
Yes. Stone resin is rigid, doesn’t flex under body weight, and won’t yellow or warp over time. Acrylic trays are cheaper upfront but prone to cracking at sealant joints due to flexing, which causes leaks the most common shower tray failure in UK bathrooms. A quality stone resin tray from Merlyn or Tissino should last 15–20 years with correct installation, making the higher initial cost a sound long-term investment.
Are Merlyn and Tissino shower trays anti-slip, or do I need to add grip separately?
The Merlyn Truestone’s slate texture provides natural grip, though Merlyn recommend adding a separate anti-slip treatment for maximum safety. The Tissino Giorgio2’s matt surface offers moderate resistance but carries no formal anti-slip rating. If slip safety is a priority particularly for elderly users or young children consider a textured tray plus an aftermarket anti-slip kit for the most secure footing.
Can I use a low-profile Merlyn or Tissino tray in a wet room or walk-in shower?
Both brands are well suited to low-profile shower tray installations. The Merlyn Truestone sits at just 25mm, making it one of the slimmest options for flush-floor wet room setups. The Tissino Giorgio2 is slightly deeper at 30mm but still low enough for most walk-in configurations. Your installer will need to ensure adequate drainage fall and proper tanking around the tray perimeter, regardless of brand.
What sizes do Merlyn and Tissino trays come in will a 1200 x 800 fit my bathroom?
The 1200x800mm size is the UK’s most popular shower tray dimension and both Merlyn and Tissino stock it across their ranges. Merlyn covers sizes from 800x800mm up to 1700x1000mm in rectangular formats, plus quadrant options. Tissino’s Giorgio2 ranges from 800x800mm to 1800x800mm. Always measure your available space and check joist positions before ordering a 50mm difference in tray width can determine whether it fits without structural modification.
Do stone resin shower trays crack? How do I make sure mine lasts?
Stone resin trays can crack, but the cause is almost always poor installation rather than material defect. Unsupported gaps of 3–5mm beneath the tray create flex points that lead to stress fractures over time. To prevent this, insist your installer fully beds the tray on a continuous mortar base or manufacturer-approved cradle, with no voids underneath. Keep your installation invoice both Merlyn’s 20-year and Tissino’s 10-year guarantees require proof of correct fitting.
Ready to Choose Your Shower Tray?
Both Merlyn and Tissino manufacture excellent stone resin shower trays the right choice depends on your bathroom layout, design preferences, and budget. If you’d like advice on which range suits your specific project, our team at Best Quality Bathrooms is here to help. Browse the full Merlyn collection or Tissino collection online, or call us on 0114 322 5787 for specialist guidance.
This guide was written by James Carter, bathroom specifications adviser at Best Quality Bathrooms. James brings over six years of UK bathroom industry experience spanning product specification, trade consultation, and bathroom design across residential and commercial projects. He works directly with brands stocked by Best Quality Bathrooms to ensure every recommendation is grounded in verified product data and real-world installer feedback.
