Shower Tray and Shower Enclosure Installation

Making the decision to install an additional shower in your home takes some careful planning and the first consideration is where you plan to install the new shower unit.

If you are not using the existing space where the bath tub presently resides then the location of the new shower must facilitate the plumbing in order to leverage adequate water flow and waste, otherwise the project becomes two folded as new pipes will have to be installed and routed.

• Selecting the right shower tray

Depending on available space and budget there are numerous shower enclosure and shower tray options to choose from. Shower trays come in an array of dimensions from square, rectangular and quadrant for corner units with coinciding shower enclosures to ensure conformity in the bathroom. Purchasing a shower tray made from acrylic filled with heavy weight stone cast resin is one of the best choices, since they are durable and quality produced these trays are free from shrinkage and cracking. Their practical design offers a skid resistance base and provides ample standing room when showering.

Water drainage from the shower tray should also be taken into account at the design stage since the shower tray sits at floor level means the waste hole will need to be recessed. To make the installation less labor intensive it is recommended that you either seek the advice of a professional or hire a contractor to install the primary plumbing.

Keeping in mind when it comes to installing the shower tray it is always best to fit the shower tray first before purchasing the shower enclosure since tiles and sealants can alter the size of the shower tray. Furthermore, never comprise value and quality when it comes to sealing the shower tray. It is extremely crucial to use a watertight sealant around the shower tray; improper application of silicone sealant may cause your shower to leak causing extensive water damage in the bathroom. Also, depending where the shower is located, water can seep through the floor, destroying the ceiling to the room situated below the shower unit which could lead to expensive repairs.

• Installing the shower enclosure

Once the shower tray has been installed only then should you choose a matching shower enclosure. Today’s top trends in shower enclosures are easy to maintain frameless glass designs and since there is no frame there is less chance of lime scale or dirt build up in these styles of enclosures. Prior to selecting the shower enclosure, make sure proper measurements haven been take to allow for the additional height of the shower tray to balance out with ceiling space, this is extremely important especially if your have a low ceiling. Before the actual installation of the shower enclosure, carefully examine it for solid construction, placing the enclosure on the tray only to later find out there may be design flaws in the unit will lead to double duty and frustration. Testing the enclosure for leaks is suggested, according to shower manufacturers, spay bottle testing is one of the best methods to test for leaks. By simply spraying between the glass and the adjoining frames will determine if in fact there are any water leaks, at which time the unit is returned in exchange for a new one, preventive measures prevent additional work.

By Shelley Murphy

Shower Door Leak

I have responded to a lot of calls to look at leaky showers over the past 13 years. Almost all of the showers that I have inspected have leaked at the door or metal track that holds the glass. The leak itself is not always noticeable, but the damage it causes over the years is obvious.

The result is rotted baseboards, water damaged Sheetrock, and mold where the shower meets the floor just outside the glass door. The good news is that when faced with signs of water damage isolated to outside the shower door, almost all leaks have been the result of an original installation error. The error is in the way the shower trim was sealed with silicon caulk. The mistake is compounded over the years by handymen and DIY’ers adding more caulk to the inside of the shower as a repair or part of home maintenance. Don’t worry, it is a common impulse to keep adding caulk to the shower in anticipation that the leak will eventually stop. Not only is this installation error common, I have witnessed it in 100% of showers with the same water damage pattern.

The most important lesson when sealing with caulk is “less is more.” As it is very important to thoroughly caulk the outside of the metal shower trim, it is equally important not to caulk over the “weep holes” inside the shower. These are little drain holes in the bottom of the metal track inside the shower and on pre-made acrylic shower pans. These holes allow the condensation and water inside the metal track to drain back inside the shower instead of being trapped and eventually finding an alternative escape route. For the system to drain properly, I also suggest not caulking inside the track at the corners. The faster the water can flow down the track and out to the shower drain, the quicker the shower will dry. This reduces the chance of mildew and mold growth tremendously.

The type of caulk you use is also key to a long lasting sealed shower trim. 100% silicone caulk is the only caulk that has stood the test of time for me. It doesn’t shrink or crack unless it is in direct sunlight, and it stays flexible for a long time. Acrylic caulk hardens, cracks, and is less successful in keeping out mold and mildew. As a rule of thumb, it’s easier to match clear silicone to the metal trim and plumbing fixtures while white or grout color matched silicone is easier to match the corners of walls, shelves, and benches inside the shower.

Last but not least, check to see if all of the rubber seals are still in place and in good shape around the glass, the sides of the shower door, and the sweep at the bottom of the shower door. These are there to help shed water down the inside of the shower and help keep splashing through any gaps in the door to a minimum. These items can be inexpensively replaced at a glass supply shop.

By Chad Walker

Shower Curtains VS Shower Doors

The benefits and disadvantages of shower curtains or doors go beyond their outward appearance. While they contribute greatly to the overall look of your bathroom, they will also have an effect on the function. Some of the factors to take into consideration are your personal maintenance preferences, budget, and long term plans.

Shower curtains are affordable and easy to replace. They are available at almost all department stores and many other places. They come in a vast array of colors, textures, and styles. If you are looking to change the theme of your bathroom, the right curtain can definitely contribute to the look that you want. You can even custom make your own curtain to match the style of your bathroom fixtures.

If you want your bathroom to look neater when houseguests visit, the shower curtain can be closed to hide the bath tub or left open to show off the brilliantly gleaming porcelain. Unfortunately, curtains need to be thoroughly maintained in order to prevent mold and mildew from breeding on their surface.

When carelessly left outside of the bathtub, curtains can also drip on the floor and make a mess. They also aren’t considered to be as innovative or as fashionable in a modern bathroom as shower doors.

Studies also show that vinyl curtains that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contain chemicals that are extremely detrimental towards human health and the environment. New vinyl curtains release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), DEHP (a suspected carcinogen), and organotins into the air. These toxins can cause headaches, nausea, respiratory problems, and damage to the kidneys, liver, and central nervous system. Developing young children are especially sensitive to these chemicals.

While many major retailers have completely discontinued selling PVC curtains, some still stock them alongside non PVC alternatives. It is best to check the label or ask an employee before purchasing a shower curtain from any store.

Non-PVC curtains can be made out of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) which is healthier, but still made out of polycarbonate based plastic and detrimental towards the environment. Fabric curtains are an even better material. They are machine washable, so maintenance is fairly easy. Hemp is an ideal material for fabric shower curtains, for it is naturally resistant to mold and mildew. Glass doors are also a good alternative to PVC curtains.

Though it is not often seen, glass doors can still be used on combination bathtub showers. There are many advantages associated with shower doors. They are usually made out of extremely sturdy glass and don’t need to be replaced for several years.

This makes up for the cost and tedium involved in replacing glass doors. They are also easy to clean and don’t attract as much mold as curtains. When they do get dirty, shower doors can be wiped down with some window cleaner and a rag. While doors aren’t as colorful or as versatile as curtains, there are still different types and style available depending on your needs and tastes.

It is strongly advised that you use a complete enclosure if you have a steam shower instead of an ordinary one, for the heat and moisture from a steam shower can ruin paint jobs and wallpaper.

By Allison Ryan

Tips Regarding Having Shower Enclosures Installed

Shower enclosures have come a long way since the advent of modern showers, where many people started to have them installed - due to convenience as well as being stylishly modern. There ease of use makes the bath look pretty archaic - although many of us still enjoy a good soak in the tub.

For many of us, the shower room and associated shower enclosure has become one of the most important rooms in the house; if we’re having friends or relatives staying over for the night then we like to know that our shower facilities are pleasant and stylish to be it in. Modern shower enclosures are quite often dazzling in their modernity, providing quality workmanship and usability as well as giving a sense of contemporary design that is likely to make any visitor green with envy.

What can be most impressive about shower enclosures is the fact that you hardly notice them there - they simply provide a transparent barrier as you shower. They go hand in hand with other elements of the modern wet room - clean, contemporary tiles, and carefully installed wet-proofed flooring.

There are many companies around the UK that provide this kind of contemporary shower enclosure installation. It is worth checking the credentials of any firm that offers this service - as deciding to have a shower installed can be an expensive affair, and you need to have the peace of mind that your money is being well-spent.

Waterproofing your wet room / shower enclosure is essential in order to prevent any unwanted leaks going into rooms beneath or adjacently. You should ask exactly how this process is carried out and how much experience the company involved has - you don’t want a leak to develop just a few years after having your shower room wet proofed. Often this process is referred to as ‘tanking’ - which does actually require a high degree of skill in order that it is done properly.

Foul air traps or simply ‘traps’ are also another very important aspect of making sure that shower enclosures provide the most satisfying experience for those taking a shower in your wet room. These devices are important because they, as the name suggests, prevent any undesirable odours from developing and ruining the showering experience.

These are just a few hints regarding shower enclosure and the apparatus and process of having them installed properly. Once you have your properly fitted, you can go about the business of having a luxurious shower experience.

By Gino Hitshopi

Working with Plastic Bathtub and Shower Enclosures

Some of these plastic shower enclosures use extremely thin materials and you will need to be extremely careful when handling them. I’ve seen them crack, chip and break and when this happens, you need to either return the damaged product, or purchase a new one.

Most home improvement centers have nice displays or nice pictures of plastic shower enclosures in their stores. Their displays, often look great and even the pictures on the boxes that the products are enclosed in, seem to give a look of elegance to most plastic bathtub and shower enclosures.

You go down to your favorite home improvement center and purchase one of these products that looks easy to assemble and requires very few tools. Before you leave the store, make sure that you have purchased the proper adhesives and bathtub or shower enclosure backing.

Most home improvement center representatives or house plumbing supply warehouse workers can help you, all you need to do is ask. I don’t recommend purchasing a gypsum based product that isn’t mold resistant or water resistant, for your backing board. For those of you who don’t know what a backing board is, it’s the building material that will nail or screw onto your bathroom wall framing. The plastic shower or bath tub enclosure will be attached to this backing.

One last thing I would like to say when working with plastic bathtub or shower enclosure products, would be, to be careful, if you have to cut them. Most of these products will suggest using a razor knife, but I have actually chipped off and cracked sections of these enclosures, when using a sharp utility knife.

I recommend using a pair of scissors, I have had great success and would suggest testing the scissors first, by cutting a section of the plastic enclosure that you won’t be using.

By Greg Vandenberge

Functionality of a Modern Shower Enclosure

The trend of the day is to bifurcate the bathroom into different parts having different functions. The function of the shower enclosure is to prevent other parts of the bathroom from getting wet by disallowing running water spill out of the shower area.

The shower cubicle consists mainly of three parts, namely, the shower cabinet with its attached faucet and spray, the enclosure along with the door and the water tray underneath to collect and dispose off the waste water. Due to the fact that there is no spill over, this enclosure can even be installed in the corner of a bedroom, if somebody likes it that way.

Available in all sizes and colors, shower cubicles have caught the fancy of the rich and the not so rich alike because its addition in a bathroom betters the aesthetic and visual effect of a bathroom.

The enclosures can be installed anywhere in the bathroom, but in order to save space and installation costs, it is advisable to have them tucked away at a corner of the room or a recess made for the purpose. However, it makes more sense to fit them along a flat wall, because it will be easier for the owner to shift the shower cubicle to another part of the room if installed in this way. “D” shaped and “U” shaped cubicles, purposely made for installation against a flat wall have made inroads into many a people’s bathrooms.

The walls of the cubicle are made of waterproof and easy to clean materials. Shower doors are also of equal importance. They usually come in two forms, the framed and the frameless types.

Shower cubicles can be installed easily. With proper care, they can be easily maintained too. Some cubicles even feature an inbuilt sauna facility. Even though they are more expensive than conventional modes of bathing, shower cubicles can compromise the additional expense with the ambience they provide and the long life and low maintenance costs they offer.

By Jitesh Arota

Shower Enclosure Buying Guide-DiVapor Shower Advice

A shower enclosure will be a part of your bathroom for years to come and buying one will be an investment into your house. Therefore, before buying a shower enclosure it is important to take into consideration the following, to ensure your new shower cubicle will last the test of time.

General Shower Enclosure Checks

Size, Shape and Height

There are many shapes of shower enclosures: square, rectangle, oblong and quadrant enclosures. Don’t make your bathroom feel like it is cramped, choose a shower enclosure which gives you the feeling of space inside while showering and one which gives your bathroom the sense of space.

Positioning

If your new shower enclosure can be installed where your old shower used to be then this will save a lot of preparatory work, hassle and money as the hot, cold and the waste water pipes will already be in the correct place making them easy to attach to your new shower cubicle.

Shower Enclosures: With or Without Tray?

It may be preferential to choose a shower enclosure that comes with a tray. Due to the fact that the tray has been designed specifically for the given shower enclosure it will fit properly and will have less chance of water leakage.
Tiling

The inside walls of the shower enclosure will need to be tiled. Therefore, plan ahead to what tiles you want and then tile the area before installing the shower cubicle.

Testing

Corrosion Testing - Have you ever seen chrome plating that has chipped or peeled off? It spoils the finish of your new showers. This is why it’s important to buy quality if you want your shower enclosure to look good. Buy from a company who has done anti-corrosion salt tests on all of their metal fittings.

Door Rollers - Maybe not one of the things you think about when buying a shower enclosure, but the shower door rollers are very important for the longevity and quality feel of the shower enclosure. The door runners which Di Vapor uses for their shower enclosures have been tested for over 100,000 consecutive uses: that’s a lot of showers!

Water Leakage - A good seal, often with magnetic strips on the shower doors is important to keep water inside the shower. Good seals also make the shower enclosure more aesthetically pleasing.

Door Handles and fixings - Door handles which are solid metal are much higher quality than their chrome plated plastic counterparts. These plastic handles are weaker and can give a cheaper feel to the shower enclosure.

Delivery and VAT - A shower enclosure may seem reasonably priced and of good quality, however it may not include delivery. Watch out for hidden extras like V.A.T and delivery. These extras can add a significant amount to the final buying price of your shower enclosure.

Acrylic Tray

Reinforcement - Ensure the shower enclosure tray you choose uses pure acrylic. Even if a company says the tray is acrylic it doesn’t mean it will be acrylic all the way through. The company may have acrylic PMMA sheets on the outside and ABS on the inside resulting in a poorer quality, less sturdy shower tray.

Check its Colour - Some acrylics have very bright white finishes. This is a tell tale sign of a poor quality acrylic. High quality acrylics are flame retardant and don’t have a brilliant white colour which often clashes with the other sanitaryware in your bathroom.

Acrylic Price - There isn’t just one grade of acrylic, there are many varying grades available. Some companies use a very cheap, low-quality acrylic to create and sell their products at low cost, therefore sacrificing quality and the longevity of the shower enclosure tray. Some factories use acrylic that costs £777 per tonne and others which costs £971-£1,035 per tonne. However, Di Vapor uses a very high quality grade which costs £1618 per tonne. The higher quality acrylic will make your shower enclosure tray last longer and will fade less over time.

Fibreglass and Reinforcement - On the bottom of most acrylic shower trays there is fibreglass for strengthening. Be watchful for companies who use too much resin and not enough fibre. This is low quality fibreglass that discolours and weakens over time. All the bases of Di Vapor’s shower enclosure trays use 3-4 layers of fibreglass whereas many manufacturers only use 1-2 layers of fibreglass reinforcement.

Tempered Glass

Thickness - In general it is best to have tempered safety glass of 5-6mm for your shower enclosure: the thicker the better.
Edge Protection - Glass which does not have a protective framing can be easily chipped and broken. A shower enclosure with strong aluminium framing will support the glass in the shower doors and keep it well protected.

Break Test - There are standards to which tempered safety glass must reach. A piece of glass 120mm by 120mm should break into a minimum of 45 pieces, less than this is deemed unsafe as the shards of glass are too big and could cause injury. Di Vapor’s tempered safety glass breaks into 60 little pieces; the more pieces the better.

Shower Enclosure Aluminium Framing

Are they aluminium? - Some companies use a profiling on their shower enclosures that looks like aluminium but is actually plastic. This framing not only looks and feels cheaper, it also doesn’t protect the glass on the shower enclosure as effectively as aluminium profiling.

What is the profiles thickness? - A shower cubicle may look the part with aluminium profiling, but it may not be the quality which you expect. To cut back on costs some company’s use aluminium profiling which is only 0.5mm thick. This is significantly weaker and more prone to denting than the 1.2-1.6mm thick aluminium which Di Vapor uses.
 
Aluminium Quality - Some companies use recycled aluminium or a composite of aluminium and other metals to cut back on costs therefore increasing its susceptibility to damage.
 
Structural Frame Support - Under the acrylic tray there is a frame which gives the shower enclosures strength and support. Ensure that this frame uses a metal such as stainless steel as opposed to a wooden support which is significantly weaker.

Types of Showers: Glass Enclosures and Doors

If you’re redesigning your bathroom, you have a lot of choices when it comes to your new shower. Sure, you can go with the common shower-and-bath combination with a shower curtain. But your shower can be more than just a practical place to wash up: it can also be a showpiece.

Here’s a breakdown of your options: the types of shower doors and enclosures available, and the spaces in which they work best.

Shower Enclosures: Shapes and Sizes

Showers often dominate the bathroom space. Even with a small bathroom, you can make a dramatic statement with a unique-looking shower enclosure. Here are the most typical types you’ll find on the market.

Square showers. A square shower is a great space-saver in a small bathroom. It will fit in a niche with only one side exposed, a corner with two sides exposed, or it can be exposed on three sides. The corner and niche positions are the most common, however; most people with enough space to leave a square shower exposed on three or four sides usually opt for a bigger enclosure.

A glass door is an excellent choice for a square shower. In a small space, the glass makes the bathroom look larger than it would with an opaque shower enclosure. Glass showers also look stylish and luxurious, giving a smaller bathroom a more exclusive feel.

Rectangular showers. The rectangular shower is often paired with a bath to make a shower-bath combination. Many people don’t have room for a separate shower and bath, so they opt for the shower-bath combination instead. If you prefer showers to baths, however, a rectangular enclosure can still be a great choice. It gives you enough space for a shower for two—try doing that in a square shower.

Quadrant showers. Quadrant showers have two squared ends that fit perfectly into a square corner. The part of the shower that faces the room is rounded instead of square. This design gives you a more efficient use of space than a square enclosure in the same corner position, as you don’t have a corner that juts into the room. The curved surface of the glass looks dramatic, and you save space in a small bathroom as well.

D-shaped showers. The shape of this enclosure resembles a capital D, with the curved part of the letter facing the room and the straight part against the wall. You’ll need a bit more room with a D-shaped shower than you would with a quadrant, as you’ll need to allow three sides of the enclosure to be exposed and uncluttered by sinks and toilets.

A D-shaped shower is dramatic and stylish, but it’s not a common choice. That’s because these are usually smaller, one-person showers. Most people who have the space opt for a larger rectangular design. Those with a smaller bathroom usually choose a square or quadrant shower to make better use of their space.

Types of Shower Doors 

Glass shower doors come in several different designs, and each suits a different type of space. Here are the most common options on the market.

Pivot doors. These doors swing outward into the room. They’re often used in recessed showers, but they can also be used in combination with stationary side panels in rectangular enclosures, or in other combinations. They give a wide door opening, but they do need some clearance in the room to swing open.

In-fold doors. These consist of two panels hinged in the middle that fold into the shower space to provide an opening. They’re a good choice in bathrooms where space is an issue and you don’t want a door that swings out into the room.
Frameless doors. Frameless shower doors are a bit more solid than pivot doors; they also swing out into a room, and require some space to do it. They provide a wide opening and are usually made of a single pane of glass.

Sliding doors. These are usually installed on rectangular, D-shaped or quadrant enclosures. They’re preferred because they make a wide opening without swinging out into the bathroom or into the shower enclosure. You don’t need a lot of space to accommodate them, but they aren’t effective on small square enclosures.

There are plenty of shower enclosures and doors to suit every bathroom layout. No matter your plans for your redesign project, you’re sure to find a shower that complements it perfectly.

By Ray Dobson

What are the Benefits of a Shower Enclosure

Bathing in many ways is a reflection of the lifestyle of the individual; the selection of a shower enclosure is thus very paramount in the process of bringing out the intricate personality values of the individual. The enduring beauty of the enclosure is the key to most of the well furnished building around. Shower enclosures have an advantage in the sense that it can be created by the usage of the simplest materials around.

These materials can be easily found and at a very low cost. There are materials like glass that are economically friendly without forgetting the question of hygiene. The beauty of glass is that they create a bath that is not only elegant but at the same time it is easy to maintain. It can be easily washed at the same time maintain its aesthetic and durability features. In addition it can withstand very high temperatures.

It is very important to get more information about the location of the showers so as to have a suitable enclosure to use because they come in different sizes and shapes. Enclosures do not only bring the beauty and comfort in the bathroom but at the same time it prevents the sprinkled water from falling on the floor and ruining the texture of the floor. This is among the main aim of the enclosures and it is very vital to have the necessary materials and tools to avoid the inconvenience of water leakages. Every luxurious bathroom starts with the enclosures one uses.

By Jitesh Arora

Why Choose a Quadrant Shower Enclosure for my Bathroom?

Quadrant Shower Enclosures are one of the most popular shower enclosure on the market. There are a number of reasons why people choose to install a quadrant shower, and one of the most popular is to save space in the bathroom. Quadrant enclosures are cleverly designed to utilise minimum bathroom space and provide maximum showering area. These units come in a range of sizes, commonly including 800mm, 900mm and 1000mm (with various configurations).

Another reason for their popularity is the enclosure’s curvaceous, minimalistic design.  Quadrant shower enclosures are a modern, striking addition to the bathroom. Aluminium shower door frames are widely available in white, silver and chrome, and seamlessly complement most bathroom colour schemes. The glass doors also have different options: there’s clear glass, patterned or frosted, depending on your design or requirements.

Three major suppliers of shower enclosures in the UK are Manhattan Showers, April Shower Doors and The London Water Closet Company (LWCC). These distributors’ products can be found in many UK bathroom stores or in bathroom shops online.

Popular Shower Enclosures

The “Uno” by Manhattan is a single door enclosure, measuring 800×800mm or 900×900mm, and requires its own bespoke tray. The Uno Quadrant Shower has a right or left hand option which can be tailored to the configuration of the bathroom. The Uno comes with a “click ‘n’ clean” system, which consists of front-operated bottom guides, making the shower door easier to fit, clean and maintain. Another benefit of the Uno Quadrant Shower Enclosure is its smooth running sliding door, as opposed to pull-out door type, which saves the hassle of annoying water drips when entering and exiting the shower.

Uno’s sister product is the Manhattan “Duo” enclosure, available in various sizes but most popular being 1200×900mm. As its name suggests, the Duo has two smooth-running sliding doors which meet in the middle and a choice of left or right hand side configuration. Similar to the Uno, this product also has the “click ‘n’ clean” system. All Manhattan’s products have a lifetime combination guarantee, offering a greater peace of mind. Manhattan Shower Enclosures include a combination lifetime guarantee when purchased with a Manhattan Duralite® shower tray.

The April Shower Door collection also has a range of products, including Identiti (standard/mid range) and Prestige (premium range). A popular April Shower Enclosure is the Identiti² Bow Fronted Quadrant Shower 900×900mm, which has concealed fixings and quick-release doors for safety. The Bow Front Quadrant Shower is also wet room compatible. Also in the Identiti range is a free-standing Identiti² U-Shaped Quadrant Shower Enclosure (also known as D-Shaped or U-Shaped Quadrant Shower Enclosure). This unit requires a small amount of wall space and a dedicated shower tray.

LWCC offers its best-selling budget Quad Shower, available in a chrome finish. The LWCC Quadrant Shower Enclosure has a sleek simple design with smooth running doors which slide either way. It has clear glass and fits elegantly into almost any bathroom style. The quality and price make this one of the most competitive Quadrant Shower buys on the market.

Shower Trays

There are two main types of trays to suit the Quadrant Enclosure: Slimline and Standard. The minimalist slimline is generally between 40-45mm high and the standard tray is around 100-110mm in height and made of a stone resin mix.

The Manhattan Quad Shower Doors can be installed with a Duralite® tray, which has superior durability and fast draining abilities. The tray has a patented concealed waste, draining water at a speed of 24 litres per minute. The trays have a smooth tread, are easy to clean (with a handy removable hair trap) and all trays come with a 25-year guarantee.

By Lindy Holman