6 shower home design and style faults that specialists see much too generally |
7 min read
A shower space can – and ought to – be a sanctuary. But that will not be the case if yoga moves are expected to maneuver into your enclosure, you live in worry of slipping on a soaked flooring, or you stand below your ‘rain shower’, only to be met with a pathetic dribble of drinking water. Regretably, it’s all far too easy to make shower area style mistakes that lead to the above if you don’t heed the information of bathroom designers and industry experts.
So when you’re putting those people shower place tips on paper, it really is prudent to feel further than the assertion tiles and extravagant brass fittings. A very good lavatory structure could be the difference concerning shower space good results and failure, when not taking into account your water tension, or skimping on top quality, could also land you in style very hot water, as our experts explain…
1. Shower door positioning
(Impression credit: Long term/Dan Duchars)
At any time wrestled to get previous the cubicle door into your shower? You are not by itself. ‘Shower cubicle configuration is an area that requires careful consideration when you are coming up with a rest room. The positioning and opening of the shower door can have a big impact on the overall toilet house,’ says Paul Bailey, solution management chief at rest room maker Grohe (opens in new tab). ‘It’s ideal to make certain the shower doorway can open freely without the need of impacting other important spots of the room these types of as the vanity or bathroom location.’
In the US, the Intercontinental Residential Constructing code (opens in new tab) states that any hinged shower door need to open outward into the lavatory, with unobstructed clearance of at minimum 22 inches in width. In other text, the door opening must be at minimum 22 inches vast with nothing at all in its way. This is so, should really any individual slip or tumble in the shower, it remains effortless to accessibility them while inside of the cubicle.
You will, even so, be equipped to choose for a sliding door, and can specify whether or not the doorway opens on the still left or proper-hand side.
2. Bad flooring choices
(Picture credit: Stone & Ceramic Warehouse)
Deciding upon the incorrect product for your bathroom surfaces can be a pricey error,’ warns Jo Oliver-Singh, director at The Stone & Ceramic Warehouse (opens in new tab). ‘The one most vital point to think about when selecting a bathroom tile is ‘is the tile match for purpose?’
‘Tiles have a variety of finishes and unique amounts of anti-slip which will all influence their suitability. When on the lookout at tiles for a bathroom floor, we would advocate a single with a slightly textured surface, and if it is a shower enclosure or moist space even extra texture once more. This will guarantee that they are anti-slip and safe.’
‘A really polished porcelain tile would be unsuitable for a bathroom floor, as they are incredibly slippery when damp,’ says Jo. But which is not to say you should really rule out porcelain completely. ‘Many of our porcelain slabs come in unique finishes, that means you could have a polished marble impact tile on bathroom walls and a more textured marble outcome tile on the floor, for an anti-slip flooring solution.’
In reality, porcelain is a excellent non-slip toilet flooring decision if you get the amount of texture suitable. ‘Good top quality porcelain tiles are great for use in wet rooms and stroll-in showers,’ states Jo. ‘Firstly, they are impervious to water, making them an ideal answer for daily use. They also will not be damaged by detergents or any of the other substances we often expose our shower surfaces to.’
3. Badly positioned shower heads
(Picture credit: Upcoming PLC)
Even with the most straightforward of shower space setups, the position of the shower head can prove problematic. Placed at the erroneous height or angle, it can damage your shower practical experience, not to point out risk soaking components of the place you have no intention of having wet.
When positioning an angled showerhead, it can be greatest to intention the spray so that it hits either a tiled wall or a mounted panel of a shower cubicle. Never goal it towards the shower doorway, or you’re probably to experience leaks. This is in particular essential if you choose a ‘tower’ model shower with a number of system jets.
‘If opting for an exposed shower model, it is significant to remember that the shower hose and rail will restrict the positioning of the shower head, with the top needs currently being very important,’ states Paul Bailey, leader of product management at Grohe. ‘Be confident to check that the shower head place will make it possible for loads of space for all family members customers to shower easily and love a total system shower spray.’
If you might be hunting for a shower that is a good match for a loved ones lavatory, we would endorse a dual-head model that presents a rain shower overhead, then a individual hand shower on a vertical bar that can be adjusted increased or decreased for your little ones.
4. The top quality of fittings
(Image credit: Dan Duchars)
‘Showers, like all lavatory fittings, must be as large top quality as you can afford to pay for,’ Emma Joyce, Model Supervisor at Dwelling of Rohl. ‘Cheaper units can establish defective valves, plastic handles can turn into brittle and snap off, and shower heads may well corrode or fur up.’
When it will come to where by to expend in a new rest room, the shower valve is a vital component and really worth an investment. A excellent 1 ‘should supply dependable h2o temperature and stress and be easily and precisely altered,’ in accordance to Emma Joyce. ‘Riobel’s Riowise valves, for example, stabilize h2o force for constant temperature overall performance even in the function of a 50% drop in stress.’
‘Every Riobel shower valve has a one control for movement and temperature, so there is no want to plumb in a separate shut-off or diverter valve, and the structure is stored sleek and very simple.’
‘It truly is critical to check with the issues to the retailer on which shower is most reliable when building a new acquire. It is also really worth taking into consideration which brands supply a lifetime guarantee like Riobel does, as it proves they have self-assurance in the quality of their solutions.’
5. Not looking at your drinking water strain
(Impression credit: Leanne Ford Interiors / The Albion Bath Co)
Far too quite a few situations, we’ve listened to tales of dissatisfied homeowners who have signed up for a drenching rainshower, only to have it set up and be fulfilled with, very well, drizzle.
‘Water force can seriously restrict the h2o flow to your shower so that you close up having an inefficient and unsatisfying knowledge,’ warns James Lentaigne, innovative director at Drummonds, who endorses that right before you even start off selecting a shower, you ‘check your home’s movement force – a builder or plumber can assistance you with this. Then question your bathroom expert which shower will conduct most effective. Fitting a pump will aid the water move if your force is not enough.’
‘Water units slide into three main categories Gravity – which generally suffers from lower strain, Mix boiler – often superior force but can deficiency h2o movement, or a pressurized program with a storage tank,’ adds Phil Etherden, taking care of director at The Albion Bathtub Organization. ‘This previous alternative can blend great move and stress and is the favored technique for superior showering. Locate out what you have and choose a shower method to match.’
‘The easy rule-of-thumb is reduce pressures require a scaled-down shower head. Go way too large for your pressure and you will get a disappointing dribble from the center of the head.’
6. Inadequate waterproofing
(Picture credit: Foreseeable future/Colin Poole)
If you are looking at an open-prepare, stroll-in shower style – in other words, a shower devoid of an enclosed cubicle – it can be critical that the room is waterproofed, or ‘tanked’. This requires masking both equally the walls and flooring in a waterproof membrane prior to you cover them in your preferred tiles or composite surfacing.
If you fail to water resistant the place, not only will you see staining on surfaces, you are probably to lead to extensive-term structural injury to the cloth of the developing?
Specialists CCL Wetrooms (opens in new tab) recommends that ‘floors need to be waterproofed to at least 1 meter further than the shower place in all instructions to assure that drinking water spray is fully contained. Splash from a conventional shower head can arrive at up to 1200mm from the centre of the showerhead and an open up prepare wetroom without having a glass monitor or 50 percent-height wall will do little to comprise the drinking water.’
It also advises that ‘walls should really be waterproofed using FWM (flexible wall membrane) to a least peak of 2200mm on all wall surfaces inside the shower area.’
