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Home Building Bathroom Showers
ou can really make a big moist environment of the
splash when it comes to bathroom.
designing your shower.
Unlike the old days when Types of Shower Surrounds
manufacturers offered a only few
standard stalls or tub/shower Prefabricated surrounds are
combinations - now you can choose available in fiberglass, acrylic,
all your shower fixings, vinyl, plastic laminate, or
including valves, doors, shower synthetic stone. They’re
heads, handle bars, jet sprays available in one-piece and
and much more to create a multipieces surround kits.
one-of-a-kind shower.
Solid-surface materials are made
Shower Surrounds with a smooth acrylic surface
that makes it easy to clean and
Any surface material for a tub or it’s a material that will last a
shower surround should be applied lifetime. Solid-surface materials
on top of water-resistant or start from $40 to $75 a square
waterproof wall material. The foot installed.
most common type is
water-resistant drywall, Ceramic tile is waterproof,
sometimes called "greenboard" durable, and easy to maintain,
because of its color. A more but has one drawback - the grout,
durable and water-resistant which if not properly cleaned can
product is a cement-board. grow mildew. To save on the cost
Cement-board products may be more of installation you can get small
expensive than greenboard, but mosaic tiles (which measure about
the added expense affords you the 1 inch square) that are bonded to
peace of mind of knowing that sheets of 1x1-foot or 1x2-foot
your walls can stand up to the fiber mesh. These sheets go up
faster than loose tiles, because efficient) way to enclose your
you don't have to set each piece shower you can opt for a shower
individually - but for many curtain. While you may like the
that’s half the fun - creating a idea of being able to change them
masterpiece in the master - say seasonally - for a new
bathroom. Tiles are priced from look, you’ll probably be changing
17 cents to 40 cents a tile (not them more frequently because they
including installation) , but can to get dingy looking and can
easily escalate in cost. easily rip or tear. If you’re not
careful about fully and properly
Fiberglass is waterproof, (use those magnets) closing the
durable, and simple to clean. curtain - water will easily
Many companies manufacture three- escape.
and five-piece shower/tub
surround units in various sizes. All your water problems can be
These are the cheapest units on solved by installing a fixed door
the market with a range of $200 - which thanks to new styles and
to $400. materials are very eye catching.
Shower Doors There a many configurations to
choose from depending on the area
When installing any type of they’re intended to cover, like
shower, your first priority the opening over a tub, the open
should be to make sure the water side of a one-piece enclosure
stays in the shower area. This (shower stall) or the doorway to
can easily be done by using a custom shower. They open and
either a shower curtain or shower close by either sliding, swinging
door. or a combination of both. Keep in
mind the layout of your bathroom,
For a quick (but not always when you choose how your door
will operate. reversible for right or left
access.
Sliding doors are the most common
and use the least amount of space Swinging Doors are made as wide
because they glide in a track, as 48", but rarely are they more
which is either mounted to the than 36" in width, because they
tub or the floor in a stand-alone need to clear the other fixtures
shower. They’re available in two in your bathroom. These doors can
or three sections, but because of be hinge-mounted or pivoting and
the track can be difficult to are secured with magnetic
clean. catches.
Bi-Fold / Curved Doors are made Glass Options
in folding sections that open
like an accordion and use minimal Glass is offered in a variety of
space, while providing full styles, but they generally come
access to the shower. The clear or opaque. For a more
downside to using this door is unique look you can get a glass
that it can bind up in the track door that is obscure, fluted,
after excessive opening an etched, beveled and even stained.
closing and it’s difficult to
keep clean. Like the bi-fold Don’t vent about ventilation
door, curved shower doors offer Whether you’re soaking in your
the advantage of "zero clearance" tub or enjoying a nice hot shower
and are the perfect solution for - you should have peace of mind
corner installations. The door knowing that a properly sized
itself is a curved glass panel ventilation fan has been
attached to a frame at both the installed to eliminate
top and bottom for stability and condensation, which will
smooth operation. The door is eventually damage your decor.
There are many different styles spray, strong concentrated spray,
and sizes to choose from - just concentrated pulse spray and a
be sure you choose one. mixed spray that’s strong and
pulsating.
Shower Sprays
Custom Showers
The most common type of shower
sprays are the fixed showerhead, While traditional single-spray
handheld and body spray. A showerheads are still widely used
showerhead installed in a fixed for a single-purpose shower
position on the wall or ceiling enclosure, or as part of a
and may have adjustable water tub-shower combination, the new
direction and spray styles - trend is using showerheads with
depending on the manufacturer. multiple spray patterns and
Handheld sprays are very multiple valves. Current
versatile and have a hose state-of-the-art shower systems
connection (in varied lengths). are quite elaborate, so they
You can mount them to a shower require a lot of additional
wall or sliding bar and they plumbing. If you want to have a
usually have two or more high tech shower installed in
adjustable spray styles. A body your new home, you must decide
spray is usually installed below this before construction begins
your shoulder and in groups of and discuss your plans in detail
two or more. The direction of the with your plumber. Be sure your
water and the amount of spray water supply and pressure is
styles varies from each unit. plentiful, because these units
Spray styles vary with each use up a lot of natural
product, but you’ll get to choose resources. Note: Some well and
from a soft-aerated spray, septic systems can’t handle these
strong, deep massage spray, pulse units.
can add a showerhead. Most spas
Basically custom showers are and carwash showers use about 80
multiple-head showers that gallons of water per minute
consist of valves, water outlets, (that’s more than the combined
volume controls, shower heads, delivery of 25 standard
handheld showers, or body sprays. showerheads).
There are two main types of
custom showers - full body spas If you like steam, then you can
or carwash showers and shower add a steam generator to your
towers. system, but be sure your
electrician knows about this in
Carwash showers/Full body Spas advance so he can include the
additional wiring when laying out
Full body showers consist of a your bathroom.
dual array of vertically mounted
spray nozzles, designed to spray Shower Towers
the body from head to toe under
adjustable volume and pressure. These mighty fountains are an
'His-and-her' temperature-control integrated one-piece custom
valves and arrays of as many as 6 shower that combines valves, body
or more water sources are common. sprays, handheld sprays, and
water jets using a single water
You can choose a body spa, which line connection. Multiple units
is a re-circulating stand up can be installed to create a
whirlpool with a waterfall, or unique and luxurious custom
you may prefer an electronically shower, without complicated
controlled shower system that plumbing design considerations.
consists of pulsating and
pivoting body sprays to which you
About the Author:
http://www.thehousedesigners.com are independent architects and designers who joined together to provide you the best house plans at the best price.
Read more articles by: Tammy Crosby-Editor, Dream Designs
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