Choosing a Shower Enclosure
There are almost as many shapes and sizes of shower enclosures as there are bathrooms to put them in. If you’re planning a new bathroom and trying to decide on the perfect shower for you, the choice can be baffling. There are however some basic guidelines and choices which can help make the buying process a lot more straightforward.
Where are You Putting the Shower?
In many bathrooms, the natural place to put a shower is in the corner. This is especially true in smaller rooms. If you’re thinking of doing the same, look at a quadrant shower tray rather than the standard square or rectangular. A quadrant shower tray has a curved edge, and can maximise your showering space. If you are lucky enough to have a large bathroom, don’t compromise on the size of the shower enclosure; go for a large double enclosure if you have the space. In other bathrooms with a recessed alcove for a shower space you may not even need side panels for a shower cabinet, just the shower tray and the doors.
Styles of Shower Doors
There’s also a huge choice of different doors to match with your shower. Most shower trays and doors are sold together and it makes a lot of sense to buy a new shower in this way as it guarantees a perfect match. Shower doors can slide one behind each other, pivot open into the room from a hinge, or fold in on itself to allow access. There are no rights or wrongs, or better or worse. It’s all about finding the right style for your room, taking into account the space you have available and how easy it is to get in and out of the shower. It’s worth making a trip to a large bathroom display room, where you can see lots of doors, trays and enclosures in different sizes and styles. This can be a great way of narrowing down your options, even if you don’t make a final buying decision at that point.
Other Things to Look For
If you’re shopping for a shower enclosure for a family bathroom, another thing to look for is safety glass. All shower enclosures sold in the UK have to conform to minimum standards of safety. This means using 4mm safety glass as a minimum. Some manufacturers go above and beyond and use thicker glass in their shower doors, either 6mm or 8mm. Many manufacturers also use special coatings on their glass to make it easier to clean, or to resist the build-up of limescale or soap sludge.
Frameless Enclosures
If you’re going for a very modern wet room look in your home, then a frameless shower screen could be the best option. This style of screen gives both a modern feel and can also make a smaller room seem bigger as there are no frames to distract the eye. It’s a very sleek look, and this style of enclosure is available in a very wide range of sizes.
