Choosing the correct size shower which will work within your bathroom space is critical. Follow the steps below to help with your selection –
Choosing the correct size shower which will work within your bathroom space is critical. When selecting a shower it is important to consider –
1. If you are replacing an existing ACRYLIC shower, how do you accurately measure the existing unit?
All acrylic cubicles should be rebated approx. 10mm INTO the wall linings. Measure from the inside corner of the shower liner to the outside edge of the liner, then add 10mm. For example, if you measure as 890mm along one wall, and 890mm along the other, then you will actually have a 900mm x900mm tray. Our trays work in exactly the same manner.
2. Have you taken into account the room you will need around the outside of the shower?
Remember that its no good to have the biggest shower if you simply cannot move around in the rest of the bathroom! This may seem obvious but sometimes it is difficult to lay out a new bathroom whilst all the old fixtures are in place. We recommend downloading our BATHROOM PLANNER. When completed this will give you a good idea of how much room there is to play with.
3. Have you allowed enough room between the shower and the neighbouring fixture?
We recommend at least a 50mm GAP between the shower and a wall or fixture to allow for cleaning. Any smaller and it makes it difficult to clean dust and grime, and this will be visible from the inside of the shower.
Next Steps
- Chosen an Equal Size Shower, e.g. 900x900mm ? GO TO STEP 3
- Chosen an Unequal Sized shower e.g. 1200 x 800mm ? GO TO STEP 2
If you’ve chosen an unequal sized shower such as a 1200 x 800mm, you’re going to be faced with getting the configuration of the shower correct. This is where the largest mistakes in ordering are made as these showers, unlike equal sized showers, are not reversible. Please download our simple guide to better understand how to choose the correct shower configuration.
OK you’ve chosen an equal sized shower such as a 900 x 900mm. These are easy showers to select as they can be fitted in any configuration. At this point it is good to remember that you need to check the waste outlet position required for the tray. Once that’s done, you need to decide on if you are going with a sliding, pivot or stacker door. Remember there are pros and cons for all types of doors…
Round Sliding doors
Pros – The doors slide easily within the showers footprint so they do not need any space around the outside of the shower to hinge into. They are easily removed from the bottom of the frame for ease of cleaning.
Cons – Some customers don’t like any rollers in a shower at all. Whilst our rollers are hard wearing and durable, if rollers aren’t your cup of tea, then we suggest a pivot door.
Pivot Hinging Doors
Pros – Pivot doors are one piece glass meaning no seals down the middle. This overall looks cleaner but they are also a little easier to clean as there is no overlap of glass at the trailing edge of the door and seals to clean. In terms of installation, pivot doors on an equal sided shower are easy as they can be “flipped to fit” meaning they can hinge from either the left or right hand side, and the door and return panel can be swapped from side to side.
Cons – They do require space outside the shower to open out to. They also make the floor wet when the door is opened as the water from inside the shower runs down.
Stacker doors
Pros – Stacker doors offer a great space saving option on a square equal sided shower as they “stack” upon themselves, meaning that they slide back and stack away when opened. They do not require any space outside of the shower to open, and keep all the water inside the shower when opened.
Cons – Depending on opinion they can look a little old fashioned, and also they are harder to clean as the glass panels overlap each other.
With the tray and door chosen, you now have to choose the wall liner. We have two options for wall liners:
Flat Wall
This is high gloss white liner material which perfectly matches the white of the shower tray. Our particular shade of white material also suits most common white bathroom products. Our flat walls are super easy to clean with no joints, just smoothly folded corners. Having a flat wall liner not only is cost effective but also provides you scope for a large number of storage options.
We have a large range of storage options available. This includes stainless steel caddies and baskets and glass shelving. Made from NZ Standard Safety Glass, our shelves are safe as well as practical. Most of the storage options are designed to be installed in the corner of the shower so they provide large storage capacity which is out of the way. There is also a Hanging Shower Caddy which is designed to attach to the shower glass for a storage option that is easy to remove.
View our range of storage options
Moulded wall
We also offer a moulded wall option on one side of the liner if required. This does however cost more, but is also an effective way to store products in your shower.
The last step is to choose the correct Easy Clean waste for the plumbing job. An Easy Clean trap not only provides a sufficient “trap” to stop odours rising from the plumbing system, but also makes cleaning the drain easy. It features a “hair-claw” so when the lid is removed it grabs long hairs which reduces blockages in pipes.
We have two types of Easy Clean wastes available:
Side Outlet
If you are installing a shower into a concrete bottom ground floor you will need one of these, as the pipework will run into the side of the waste.
If you are installing the shower onto a wooden floor and there is access underneath this waste is an option, but it will depend how much clearance you have for pipework between joists etc.
Bottom Outlet
Usually the best option for a wooden floor installation with access underneath. The trap allows the pipework to be dropped down below joist with an additional elbow.