The shower enclosure exists at a low price or in a luxury version, all-in-one or in kit form. So many good reasons to choose your shower enclosure and enjoy an installation at the right price, with the right dimensions and with the right design! So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn some of the things you need to know about shower enclosures.

1. The different types of shower enclosures

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Because there is not only one type of shower enclosure, it is best to start by defining your needs:

  • A full shower enclosure is a ready-to-install enclosure. It is the simplest to install (with a plumber) since all you have to do is connect the drain and the water inlets, whether the walls are waterproof or not. It can therefore be installed almost anywhere, as long as the inlets and outlets are provided.
  • The shower enclosure kit is composed of separate elements to be assembled: at least a shower tray and a structure for the doors. If a waterproof coating does not cover the wall(s) against which it is to be installed, it can have walls that will be placed against the walls. It is, therefore, more complicated to install but also more customizable since each element can be chosen separately and is less massive.

2. What shape for the shower enclosure?

Choosing a shower enclosure also means choosing a shower shape, which is more a question of available space or the configuration of the bathroom than aesthetics. The first option is the corner shower enclosure, with a rounded or right-angle closure. This is the most common but not the only one: there are also cylindrical shower enclosures that can be applied against a single wall.

In most cases, unless you are considering major renovations, the water inlets’ location determines the shower’s shape… or the size. There are ultra-compact shower stalls, ideal for studios or small bathrooms, as well as models for two people.

3. How to choose the doors of your shower enclosure

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Once again, the shower enclosure doors must be adapted to the configuration and the available space, determining the direction and the opening system. This is one of the most important elements of choice for optimizing the bathroom. At the same time, we also think about the materials of the shower enclosure doors: glass is heavier, more expensive, more durable and chicer. Acrylic is lighter, more affordable, less durable and more difficult to clean:

  • There are pivot shower doors, similar to classic doors… simple and elegant, but beware of the space needed in front of the enclosure to open the door to 90°. They are available as swinging shower doors, in other words, two swinging doors opening outwards, each on one side. This means that you have twice the clearance in front of the shower.
  • Another option is the sliding shower door: the enclosure is divided into several parts that slide over each other to create an opening. They do not require any clearance outside the shower enclosure but reduce the width of the opening due to the fixed parts, and they are not always easy to clean.
  • Folding shower doors are often the least expensive, preferred in small shower enclosures to optimize space: they are less qualitative, but they completely free the shower opening and do not require any clearance in front.

4. What options for a shower enclosure?

As long as you’re installing a shower stall, you’d rather have it with its own faucets… and the options vary greatly!

  • As far as faucets are concerned, the basic old-fashioned mixer tap hardly exists anymore. We generally choose between a simple mixer, a handle to turn to adjust the temperature and to lift to turn on the shower, or a thermostatic mixer, more precise, which has two distinct handles, one for the temperature and the other for the flow.
  • As for the shower head, you can choose between a simple fixed head or a head with a flexible shower. As for the luxury models, there are hydromassage shower cabins with a host of massaging water jets and even an integrated sound and light therapy system!

Looking for help?

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Casa Glass provides various types of glass door designs and structures for multiple uses. Serving both homeowners and businesses in Miami, we provide glass products for kitchens, bathrooms, and any other interior living spaces. Our range of glass doors is built with aluminum framing in different styles, and the choices in laminated glass and colors are endless.

Our glass door systems include glass sliding closet doors, barn doors, bi-folding doors, and more. We also offer mirrors, glass backsplash, and vanities, amongst others. So, what are you waiting for? Give them a call today or visit their website for more information about their services.