Shower Ideas For Your Bathroom - The most common bathing arrangement found in homes is a shower. The shower stall or cabinet, which occupies less floor space than a tub, is most often found in the second bathroom of a home. A quick shower in the morning is a way of life for many people. Some find a shower a convenient way to wash their hair. A shower is used in conjunction with swimming pools and saunas.
In many instances, the shower unit is integral to a bathtub. In other bathrooms, the shower is a separate stall or compartment, or a portion of the toilet may be tiled for use as a doorless shower area. When the shower unit is combined with the bathtub, the wall surface from the top of the tub to the ceiling, or almost to the roof, must be finished in a moisture-resistant material. Plastic laminates, ceramic tile, cultured marble, and fiberglass-reinforced plastic are some of the materials that can be used. It is essential that this wall surface be installed correctly, for considerable damage can be caused behind the surface if joints are not water-resistant.
Some manufacturers of bathtub and shower combinations solve the installation problem by having the shower walls of fiberglass-reinforced plastic integral with a fiberglass tub. The entire unit is installed as one fixture.
Another manufacturer provides what is known as a "surround," three pieces of fiberglass-reinforced plastic that fit in the area around the top of the bathtub. The sheets of fiberglass are sealed together and to the top of the tub so that water cannot leak through to the wall.
Some shower units are constructed of metal and finished with vitreous porcelain enamel or sometimes baked enamel. The receptor at the bottom is usually formed of one piece.
In providing a shower for a vacation cabin or other area limited in space, it is probably easiest and most economical to purchase the complete packaged shower unit. But for convenience in the shower stall, it generally does not pay to buy the smaller sizes unless space requirements make it necessary. It is much easier and more enjoyable to take a shower in a unit 40 or 42 inches wide than in a smaller unit.
A type of shower that is gaining acceptance in this country is the personal shower unit used in Europe. The shower head is attached to a flexible metal tube and held in hand for washing and rinsing. Or an attachment can be provided on the wall over a tub so that the shower head can either be held in hand or secured in a fixed position like any other shower head.
One kind of shower assembly available has shower heads at two different heights. The shower heads may be used singly or together. The lower shower head permits showering without wetting the hair. Part of the assembly contains a storage chamber for a small private shower unit on a flexible tube.
Accessories for Safety and Efficiency
Install a grab bar about 48 inches from the shower floor for safety. Make specific the shower door operates efficiently and will not break. Any lighting fixture used above a shower should be vapor-proof. An exhaust fan will aid in removing moisture and vapor. The receptor should have a nonskid surface.
Thermal mixing valves make it easier to get the desired water temperature. Once you have found the setting you like, you only have to turn the handle to that setting again to obtain the exact water temperature in the shower. Fixtures are available that allow you to dial the temperature you want.
Fiberglass-reinforced plastic shower units can have soap dishes, ledges, towel racks, and seats molded into the structure during manufacture. Even a dome with a lighting fixture can be provided in these fiberglass units.
Another innovation in shower-tub units is a storage recess covered by a hinged tray that can be swung down over the tub to serve as a pedicure board or to hold bath aids and lotions. A book in a rack can be placed on the hinged cover for those who like reading in the bathtub.
Outside Showers
Showers located outside the house are particularly convenient if there is a swimming pool on the property. They also are useful after work in the yard, and they are helpful if there are active children in the household. An outside shower generally is located near the plumbing runs for an inside bathroom or kitchen to reduce the plumbing installation costs. If small children use the shower, it is a good idea to have it where the mother can easily watch them. A single-handled control lever is most accessible for children to operate.
The receptor of an outside shower can be a simple piece of concrete slabbing or even a large flat stone. The amount you expect the shower to be used will determine whether you think you need a drain installed.
The degree of privacy required will affect the location chosen. Occasionally, portions of fencing or vines growing on lattice work will make adequate concealment. If the shower is primarily for pre-pool use, then privacy is not a problem.
A simple outside shower can be fashioned from a garden hose attached above the head on a fence or a house wall. A showering fixture can be attached to the end of the hose, or a regular garden hose nozzle can be adjusted to give a spray effect. Hot and cold water cannot be mixed in such a shower unless a special provision is made.