Best material for a shower base (pan)

Have to replace my shower pan because the finish is totally worn and I cannot get it clean any longer. It is made of some type of acrylic, and I understand that it is not possible to refinish this. Would appreciate your advice on what material is the most durable. Is cast iron better than the acrylic pans? Many thanks.

A properly made tiled shower can last a lifetime...how long do you want it to last? A cast iron porcelain glazed one could last a long time as well, but would need some texture to keep you from sliding all over. Some of the textures applied wear out and are difficult to keep clean. If you drop something in there, you can chip it, then it can rust. You do NOT generally want to use anything abrasive to clean these things...if you do, you'll wear the surface off. My mother has done that to her cast iron tub over the years (cleanser was more abrasive a long time ago than it is today, but still), and is a pain to keep clean because it is rough...the color is still there, and no bare metal is showing, though.

There are some solid surface ones, but they can lose their shine.

If you want to think about tiling, check out www.johnbridge.com.

Thanks for the prompt response. From the quotes I got tiling is very expensive. Therefore, would rather go with a prefab that should hopefully last at least 20 years or so. I am not clear about what to look for to distinguish the durability between the different materials of shower pans. Any specific brands that perhaps are better than others?