Bathroom Shower Enclosures – Tips For Renovating Your Bathroom

If you’re starting the process of renovating or building your bathroom, you will need to consider how the bathroom shower enclosure will work into the space that you have. While many people still use the shower of the bathtub (especially in bathrooms where space is limited), the separate bathroom shower enclosure is becoming more and more popular.

If this is the first time you’ve fitted out a bathroom or it’s been many years since you renovated, it may seem like a daunting task. But to get you started here are the first 3 decisions that you will need to make. You will first need to decide on the materials/finish you would like to use in your bathroom. Then an important consideration is the type of the shower enclosure, this will be determined by the size and shape of the space that you have to work in. And then you will also need to decide on the type of fittings that you will use in the shower enclosure.

In the bathroom marketplace there is a huge array of materials for you to choose from. It’s just a case of knowing what your preference is and then fitting it in to your budget! Of course the major consideration when choosing materials for your bathroom, is that the material needs to be resistant to almost constant use and in a damp/wet environment. For this reason, tiles are one of the most popular choices in the bathroom. They are impermeable and come in a huge range of colors, shapes and patterns. They are versatile enough to use throughout the whole bathroom including the wet areas of the shower and bath. Visual warmth can be added to the bathroom by the use of wood. Almost any wood can be used as long as it been appropriately treated for use in the bathroom. Another popular choice is marble and it is both waterproof and a lovely elegant material for any bathroom.

The type of shower enclosure that you use will be determined by the size and shape of your bathroom and the positioning of the current plumbing. Your plumber will be able to tell you if any pipes will need to be moved and this can be quite an expensive task. Whether you have a shower over the tub or a separate shower enclosure, I recommend having a look at the frameless shower enclosures. These make cleaning so much easier and they give your bathroom a clean, simple look. This is particularly good if your bathroom is small.

There are many options to choose from but basically the type of the shower fittings you use will depend on your current plumbing. You can choose almost any style of tap, but how the hot water is delivered to the shower head can be by one of four main methods. The most popular type of shower unit is the electric shower which is wall mounted and works off cold water mains. The thermostatic pumped shower uses a thermostatic valve to maintain a constant shower temperature and requires a hot and cold water feed that must be gravity fed with equal pressure. Panel showers are the ultimate in showering as they have a 3-function diverter to select between fixed head, hand spray and rain bars. It has a multi-function fixed head and hand spray for different spray patterns with adjustable rain bars to direct water either inwards or outwards. And you also have mixer showers which are wall mounted and thermostatically controlled.

For many people, renovating the bathroom can be a stressful time! But by going through a methodical process of choosing your desired materials/finish, and the type of shower enclosure you would like and then the shower fittings, you will alleviate the decisions about the major part of your bathroom, shower enclosure.

Want to find out more about where to find your local shower supplier, then visit Michelle Rudge’s site on how to choose the best bathroom shower enclosures for your needs.