Choosing a shower cabin

When renovating bathrooms, baths are often replaced with showers. They take up less space, which means more space for appliances, especially in a small bathroom. To choose a shower stall, you have to learn to understand some of the intricacies. And armed with knowledge, you will make the right choice and will not regret your choice.

It's good when there is a bathtub and shower

Types of shower cabins

Showers can be divided into two main types: open and closed:

• Open models. An open box without a ceiling that can be built into any space.
• Closed. Models with a one-piece, sealed design.
• Combined. These models have a bath instead of a pallet.

Based on this, shower cabins can be of different configurations:

• Shower corner. This is usually a pallet and doors. Doors and watering can are attached directly to the wall. This is an economical option, but very functional and convenient. There are options for shower enclosures with plastic walls, but in any case, there is no roof. Therefore, such installations are also called "open showers".
• Shower box or enclosed shower cabin. This is a completely isolated space with its own stacks and ceiling. Such installations usually have a large number of additional functions, in addition to those related to water, various showers, water massage, sauna, maybe a lot of others - built-in radio, telephone. For the most part, these are rather expensive devices, although there are simple models without unnecessary frills.

Shower cabin open (left) and closed (right) type

• A big plus of combined devices is convenience. You can take a shower or a bath.

Each option has its own pros and cons. For example, by choosing a hydrobox (closed shower cabin), if you wish, you can rearrange it to another place or even a room. You just need to disconnect from communications. When installing open cabins, all parts are fixed directly to the walls or to the floor, so that they cannot be moved. But shower enclosures cost much less and can be very modest in size. Therefore, it cannot be said that an open or closed shower stall is better, they are simply different.

Pallets

The shower tray is one of two compulsory components. The dimensions of the shower tray determine the dimensions of the shower cabin, and its quality determines the level of comfort during use. In principle, there are cabins without a pallet at all, if the floor is equipped with a drain. Then they simply put walls that prevent splashes from scattering, and all the water goes into the drain. Such shower cabins can only be made in the course of a major overhaul and the drain is immediately embedded in the floor screed.

Shower cabin without pallet and walls

Acrylic or composite

For the manufacture of shower trays, they mainly use sanitary acrylic. To make the product more durable, it is made reinforced, and a fiberglass mesh is poured with acrylic. Sometimes there are reinforcing layers, maybe two, three or even four. These shower trays, of course, are reliable and durable, but they are expensive. First, plumbing acrylic is expensive in and of itself. Secondly, multi-layer reinforcement requires a significant period of time, which also affects the cost. It turns out that some shower enclosures with acrylic bathtubs cost a lot of money. But they serve for a long time.

To save money, some manufacturers make their products from ABS plastic. Outwardly, it is very similar to acrylic, but it has a high hygroscopicity, therefore, normal companies do not use it. Cheap Chinese shower enclosures are made of ABS plastic.To prevent moisture from being absorbed into such pallets, the topmost layer is poured from acrylic, but its thickness is about 0.5 mm. Such pallets are called composite pallets and if you say in the description that the pallet is composite (suddenly an honest manufacturer got caught) - feel free to pass by. A thin layer of acrylic is erased very quickly, as a result, the pallet begins to leak and you will have to change it.

Steel bathtubs are durable when used carefully and are lightweight. The disadvantages include chips on impact or peeling of enamel with poor fasteners, as well as a large noise of falling water.

The fastening system must be strong and reliable

When choosing a shower stall, pay attention to the shower tray mounting system. Usually it is a metal frame with legs. The frame is attached to the pallet with self-tapping screws, the more attachment points, the less likely the pallet will bend. In the attachment points on the back of the pallet, there should be thickenings so that the screws have where to screw in. And in general, the frame itself must be strong and reliable, it is on it that all the load falls and the constant - the mass of walls and doors, and the variable - the weight of the washing person.

If necessary, a leaky pallet can be replaced, and not only with a similar acrylic one, but also with any one that fits in size. In this case, the choice is quite wide, you can take a pallet made of cast iron or ceramics. This applies to factory-made products, but there are also homemade ones. The pallet can be made independently, out of bricks, and then tiled with tiles, about what was written on site pages

Depth

In addition to the material, shower trays differ in depth. It is not difficult to choose a shower cabin for this parameter. If you do not have a bathtub, a deep container with a side height of about 50 cm is most likely more suitable for you (there is also more). If the dimensions are also suitable, the tray can be used as a bath.

If half a meter is too deep, choose the middle option with sides 20-30 cm high. To soak up, as in the bathroom it is impossible, but it will turn out to bathe the child.

Deep tray can be used as a bath

Showers with a low base are good if you have a bath or do not like these procedures. This is the most economical option and the installation is easier. How to install a shower stall read here.

Sizes and shapes of shower cabins

The shape of shower cabins can be:

• square;
• rectangular;
• trapezoidal;
• in the form of a sector of a circle.

These are standard options, but there are also unique complex shapes. These models belong to the category of "premium" class, for them you need to pay a decent amount.

Choosing the shape of the shower

It is not difficult to choose a shower cubicle by size, it basically all depends on the available space. If we are talking about a standard apartment, then they are not happy with the size of the bathrooms. Even after combining the toilet and bathroom, the room remains small. Therefore, the shape and size are selected based on the existing conditions. Most often, the shower stall is placed in the corner. In this case, the best option is with a rounded front wall. But it is worth considering that rounded doors are more expensive, which means that the shower itself will be more expensive.

The smallest shower cubicle has dimensions of 80 * 80 cm. But keep in mind that a slender person can hardly turn around in such a space. You can't wave your hands much, sitting down is also a problem. You can feel more or less free if the walls of the shower stall have a length of at least 90-100 cm, and it is quite good at a distance of more than a meter. So, if there is an opportunity to choose a shower cabin for comfort, take at least a meter with the sides.

The most popular shapes and sizes of shower cabins

The height of the shower cubicles is designed for different ceilings. It can be from 170 cm to 250 cm. Just keep in mind that if you are going to install a closed type shower, the ceiling height should be at least 15–20 cm higher. From above, tropical showers and ventilation are connected, and for them it is necessary to lay communications, and even to work in some way it is necessary.

Shower doors

Most often, the doors of shower cabins are made of glass, less often of plastic. They also differ in the way of opening, there are sliding and swing ones. For swing doors, the fittings must be of high quality, the way of opening is inside the booth or outside.

Hinged doors in the shower. Accessories should be made of stainless steel

Sliding or swinging

Sliding doors take up almost no space, but the mechanism must be chosen carefully. It is best if the "wheels" on which the sliding doors travel are located both above and below. In this case, it is less likely that they will come off the guides, and this can happen if the blade is simply hung on the upper guide.

The sliding door mechanism must be reliable even in appearance

And also attention should be paid to the presence and quality of seals responsible for the tightness at the joints, so this is a very important detail. They should be made of elastic rubber, they should not have creases or cracks.

Plastic or glass

Glass shower doors are made of tempered glass, so it is difficult to break them. Visually, such booths look good, they are easy to fit into any interior - they are neutral, almost weightless and invisible. The disadvantage is the complexity of cleaning, and also the high price.

Plastic is a more budget option

Plastic doors are a more economical option. But there are many different textures and colors, so choose a finish for any interior. Another positive point, plastic can be opaque, since transparent doors in the shower stall do not please everyone.

Modes and additional functions

When choosing a shower cabin, you still have to decide on the function that it can perform. The simplest models have a conventional watering can and a mixer. More complex ones have many different functions:

• Hydromassage. A popular option that is provided by the nozzles built into the walls. The option itself may be good, but it doesn't always work. To obtain a normal massage effect, the water pressure should be high, depending on the mode, 2-3 atm or 4-5 atm. The second point is the quality of our water.The nozzles have small holes; if the water is hard or contains a lot of iron, the nozzles will become clogged. It is difficult to clean them, it is necessary to change them.

Hydromassage works normally only at high pressure

• Contrast or rain shower. This is a watering can, fixed at the top, through which hot and cold water is alternately supplied.
  

  Rain shower - a large volume of water pours from above

• With the function of a sauna or Turkish bath (hamam), there are models with infrared emitters. Not a bad option, but in this case a separate supply line is required. If it is a sauna or hamam, then a solid power must be allocated, which is also not always possible.
  

  Showers with a sauna belong to the premium segment

• Backlight or chromotherapy. Colors change according to a certain pattern, which has a positive effect on the mental state.
  

  Lighting while taking a shower

• Telephone and radio. Radio has long been there even in cheap Chinese cabins. Whether you need these options, or you can live without them, decide for yourself.

To choose a shower stall, you have to decide whether you will have only a shower or some other function. Just when choosing functionality, think carefully about how much you need them. Each option is a solid increase in price, and most of them are simply not used. In general, when choosing, read the description in the passport for the shower room, and if the budget is limited, it is better to take a booth with only a shower, but of good quality.

Which company to choose

Which company to choose a shower cabin is no less important question, if you want it to serve you for a long time and without any complaints. Both in Europe and in Asia there are firms specializing in the production of such products. Hueppe, CRW and Hyber are popular among German shower cabinet manufacturers. In Italy - Jacuzzi and Cerutti. Finnish company Ido will have excellent quality. These are expensive options.

Having an average income, feel free to be guided by the Czech Luxus, Polish Cersanit. The excellent and affordable Chinese brand Appollo is a good choice.

Inexpensive budget options can also be found among Czech Luxus models, as well as Chinese Appollo and Aquamarine. When doing this, just pay attention to the quality of the components.