Microcement bathrooms: what designers think

Microcement costs about $200 to $500 per square metre plus GST to install, according to hipages. It is not waterproof on its own: in a shower it sits over a waterproofing membrane that meets AS 3740, and under a sealer.

What it is

A cement-based coating trowelled by hand in layers over walls, floors and vanities, with no grout lines. Because it is only about 3 mm thick, hipages notes it can often go over existing, well-bonded tiles.

The yes-buts

• Waterproofing is separate. hipages is plain: microcement itself is not waterproof. The waterproofing comes from a compliant membrane, the layered system and the sealer.
• The installer is everything. Problems usually come from skipped waterproofing, a moving substrate or a poor sealer; never DIY a microcement shower.
• Walls cost more than floors. Corners, fixtures and vertical trowelling push the price up.
• Reseal over time. hipages puts a well-installed microcement shower's life at 15 to 20 years, with resealing as needed.

Where it shines

Vanity tops with integrated basins, curved walls and small bathrooms, where the seamless surface makes the room feel larger. The HIA's 2026 Australian Bathroom Design winner, Studio Minosa, used microcement as a tactile, low-maintenance finish with large-format porcelain in the wet areas.

What to ask an installer

hipages suggests asking how many layers they apply, which sealer they use (and whether it is UV-stable), and whether the price includes preparing the existing surface.

Common questions