As a part of the bathroom, the shower enclosure can separate the wet and dry parts of the bathroom to prevent the elderly and children from slipping, keep the bathroom dry, reduce bacteria breeding, reduce heat dissipation in autumn and winter, keep heat preservation and moisture-proof, reduce fog, and extend the service life of bathroom appliances. With the continuous development of science and technology, there are more and more types of shower enclosures. The humanized choice, comfort and safety are the standards that can not be ignored. So, how to choose the shower enclosure that suitable for your home in the decoration is also a problem to be considered. With so many options available, we are here to guide you through, ensuring you find the best shower enclosure that meets all your needs. 

How To Choose The Best Shower Enclosure For Your Bathroom - Shower Enclosure Buying Guide

Our shower enclosure buying guide is designed to make choosing the best enclosure easy and enjoyable from start to finish. We’ve written this guide to aid you with your decision and help you choose and buy the correct shower enclosure for your bathroom. if you don't know where to start, look to below tips and discover the main types of shower available, and which is best suited to your home’s water system.

Also Read | Senior's Bathroom Design Tips - How To Create A Safe & Comfortable Bathroom For The Elderly

What Kind Of Situation Is Suitable For Creating A Shower Enclosure

1. The bathroom has more than 900×900mm space, which will not affect other equipment. If it is smaller than this size, there is no need to make a shower room. Although there is an ultimate size of 800mm wide, it is easier for the elbow to touch the glass when taking a bath, so it is more convenient to hang the shower curtain.

2. Dry wet separation is required. The normal height of the shower is 2.1 meters, and the height of the shower room is basically more than 1.8 meters, so as to ensure that the shower water does not splash on the top of the head. The height of shower enclosure can be selected according to the tallest family member.

Select Your Enclosure Shapes

Rectangle and Square

Rectangular shower enclosures are one of the most common shapes, and can offer a spacious amount of bathing room with a variety of door style options. Square enclosures, on the other hand, offer a clean-lined look for a smaller space or corner.

Diamond shower enclosure

Some bathroom area is limited, the square right angle may be close to the toilet, more cramped. Cut off the right angle into a diamond shape, the shower enclosure external channel can be more relaxed, and there is room to open the door.

Quadrant shower enclosures

A quadrant shower enclosure is similar to a pizza slice shape and designed to save space by utilising the corner of a bathroom. This shower enclosure is a very popular shape especially in smaller bathrooms, but it is still used heavily in various sizes of bathrooms and shower rooms because of its modern appearance.

Pentagon shower enclosure 

Similar to a quadrant enclosure, a pentagon enclosure is the perfect space-saving option. Installed in a corner, it resembles a square with one corner removed enabling you to free up valuable space in a small bathroom. Unlike a quadrant, pentagon enclosures come with multiple door styles offering greater flexibility.

What Affects The Cost Of A Shower Enclosure

Glass Thickness 

The common thickness of glass is 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm. The family can use 6 mm and 8 mm generally. 10 mm and 12 mm are much more expensive, because the thicker the glass is, the heavier the strength of other parts should be strengthened, so the cost will be higher. The shower room must use toughened glass, good tempered glass should at least look transparent, no impurities, no bubbles, no ripple, the surface is flat, tap a few times, the sound should be relatively clear.

Water Bar

Because the weight of glass is mainly hung on the frame or track, the water bar is not a load-bearing component, so it does not need to have high strength. PVC or artificial stone can be used which are easy to process. It can be made into square and arc-shaped water blocking strips according to the shape of the shower room, as well as various patterns and colors of imitation stone.

Profile 

The frame is like the skeleton of a shower enclosure. It should have enough strength, otherwise no matter how good the glass is, it will not fall down. There are mainly aluminum alloy and stainless steel profiles. The strength and durability of stainless steel are better, and the price is usually higher.

The thickness of shower enclosure profile for family use should be at least 1.2mm. A brand must be divided into high, middle and low grades. There may be 1.2mm to 2.0mm and 3.0mm. The thicker the brand is, the stronger it is, and the higher the price is.

All aluminum alloys have been polished, some of which are bright or matt. Normally, the surface should be smooth without trachoma, and the handle should be smooth. Shower shops generally have cut-out samples, and the cross-section and inner side can be seen, which should be smooth and smooth.

Accessories

Having additional shower enclosure accessories will obviously alter the cost. Although these will also increase practicality in most cases and make your shower experience perfect for you. Things like handles and shower wastes can increase the cost of a shower enclosure if you want something extra special.

Types Of Shower Doors

Shower doors come in a wide range of sizes to suit any bathroom, and they can be fitted between two walls or into a corner with a side panel to form a full shower cubicle. Types of shower doors include bi-fold, sliding, pivot and hinged.

• Sliding shower doors help to save space, and look great when fitted into a recess. One panel is fixed to the frame, while the other slides back behind allowing for easy access.

• Hinged Shower Enclosure Doors - A square-shaped shower enclosure or rectangular enclosure will usually benefit from hinged shower doors. The door will swing outwards so it may not be ideal for confined spaces.

• Bi-Fold Shower Doors - Bi-fold doors are a great addition to square shower enclosures and rectangular enclosures. The join in the middle allows the bi-fold door to fold in on itself which is a great way to save on space. Great for smaller rooms with less space.

• Pivot doors, also referred to as swinging doors, open outward in one smooth motion. These are another great option for small spaces, and especially for a small shower entrance that isn't wide enough to fit the panels of a sliding door. Because of the small hinges attached to the shower bottom and top, all-glass shower enclosures often feature pivot doors for a clean-lined, modern look.

Shower Enclosure Installation Tips 

The water bar is the first one to be used. When the bricklayer lay the floor tile, it is embedded without glue. In this way, one is solid and stable, the other is tile with a certain drainage slope, but the water retaining strip must be horizontal and cannot be placed on the bathroom floor tile. So you should choose a good shower room before tiling.

If you can't catch up with the tile before embedding the water bar, you can only glue on the tile to fix the water bar. The glue must be of good quality, otherwise the glue will gradually age after a long time, and the water in the shower room will seep out.

After installation, check whether there is any damage to the glass, especially the four corners of each side of the glass, which are weak and easy to break. It also depends on whether the edges and corners are smooth and whether the chamfering is round.

How Do You Clean A Shower Enclosure

Cleaning a shower enclosure isn’t the best of jobs, but unfortunately, it’s something that needs to be done on a regular basis. Shower enclosure glass can soon become clouded with soap and shampoo deposits, taking away its shine. To keep your enclosure looking its best, make sure to follow these four top tips.

• Clean shower glass regularly to prevent the build-up of limescale.

• Use a shower squeegee to wipe clean and help dry off surfaces. This will help remove hard-water deposits.

• A glass cleaner will help keep shower glass sparkling clean.

• White vinegar is also ideal for keeping shower glass sparkling.