Shower tray - tips for choosing

The high pace of modern life and the desire to save time and money makes us take a new look at the question of equipping the bathroom with sanitary equipment. And if for a small room bathroom replacement of the bathtub with a shower enclosure - is an opportunity to significantly expand the usable area, but in large bathrooms installing a cabin shower due to the desire to save time on taking water procedures and reduce costs for water charges.

In this article, we will tell you what parameters you need to consider when choosing a shower tray, because it is the base of the entire structure and carries the maximum load during operation.

If you start making repairs from scratch, even before the stage of supplying water and sewage pipes, then you can place the shower tray anywhere in the bathroom. In this case, carry out the connection of sewer and water systems will need to take into account the location of the plumbing.

If the pipes are already installed, then the choice of location for the shower enclosure is limited, as it must be located as close to the sewer and water pipes. However, the latter are much less of a problem, because to pull the water supply to the right place is quite possible and yourself. With sewage pipe such experiments are not always possible, so it is necessary to focus on it, including be sure to take into account its slope during installation of the shower tray. When choosing where to install the shower tray, its size also plays an important role.

Determining the size of the shower tray, you must consider two important factors: the area of the bathroom and the size of the people who will use the shower.

The standard dimensions of square shower trays are as follows:

• 0.8x0.8 meters;
• 0,9x0,9 meters;
• 1x1 meter;
• 1.2x1.2 meters.

The smallest shower tray will fit perfectly even in a tiny bathroom in a "hruschevka".

Choosing the shape of the tray also depends largely on the size of the room. For owners of small bathrooms an excellent solution will be a square and rectangular trays, and the best option - a corner shower tray, it is also called a radial, as in shape it is a quarter circle.

If you have a little more square meters at your disposal, you can choose not only from the right geometric shapes. In stores you will find a huge selection of trays of different shapes - round, semicircular, pentagonal, spiral and in the form of more complex, irregular shapes. "Curvilinear" shower trays look, of course, very unusual, but also partitions for such trays will have to make to order, or buy immediately in a set.

In the manufacture of shower trays are used mainly the same materials as for the manufacture of bathtubs. Consider the most popular of them:

• Acrylic products Buyers love it for the pleasing to the eye radiant whiteness, by the way, white is not the only possible color of acrylic sanitary ware, low weight, excellent thermal conductivity and ease of care. Minus of the acrylic tray is that it is quite fragile and often needs additional reinforcement.
• Cast iron sanitary ware pleases us for many decades, but in recent years its popularity is falling. This is due to the fact that cast iron products are very heavy and the installation process does not do without outside help.
• The steel tray - The most inexpensive. Steel sanitary ware is famous for its durability and reliability, but it is not without its drawbacks. The enamel coating is prone to damage and therefore loses its appearance rather quickly. In addition, the level of noise insulation in cast iron products is extremely low.
• Sanitary ware Today, you can find it in almost every bathroom. Not only toilet bowls and sinks, but also shower trays are made of earthenware. They have excellent characteristics: very aesthetic appearance, stability and durability. The disadvantage of earthenware is the same as that of acrylic, namely fragility.
• Trays made of artificial or natural stone will give you a pleasant tactile sensation, in addition, you can choose from a variety of options for shapes and colors. In addition, such trays perfectly absorb the noise of pouring water.
• Quarryl is the newest of the presented materials. It is an alloy of quartz and acrylic. Quaral shower tray has all the advantages of the acrylic product, but gets rid of its disadvantages. The only disadvantage of such a tray is the high cost.

In addition to the described materials for the production of shower trays, in the market of sanitary ware you can find products made of tempered glass, wood, as well as combined models.

Height, or depth of the shower tray - an important characteristic that should not be ignored.

It is possible to distinguish:

• deep,
• low shower trays.

The height of the trays usually ranges from 4 to 25 cm. It does not depend on the availability of space in the bathroom, but depends on many other nuances:

• Height of ceilings and height of shower partitions. Here everything is very simple: the main thing is that the design, which you ended up with, freely fit between the floor and the ceiling of the bathroom.
• The design of the drain trap. When choosing the depth of the tray, you need to remember that under it will be located a siphon. It is important to mount the tray so that at any time you can get to the siphon to repair or replace it.
• The physical health of all family members. If the family is elderly or people with disabilities, it is better to buy the smallest tray, so that entering and exiting the shower was not difficult for them.
• The presence of small children or animals. Children love to splash in the bathtub, which can successfully replace a deep tray. In such a tray is also convenient, for example, to wash the dog after a walk.
• The presence or absence of a bathtub in the house. If there is no bathtub, it is better to opt for a deeper tray, because it can perform some of its functions. For example, if the washing machine broke down, a deep pan is quite possible to wash laundry in.

If you have already had experience with plumbing equipment, then the installation of the shower will not be difficult for you. Beginner builders will be helped by our recommendations.

• Shower trays are available with and without legs. If you are not sure that your bathroom floor is absolutely level, buy a model with legs. Adjustable legs will help to give the tray an exact horizontal position.
• Pay special attention to the connection of water and sewer pipes. Check the quality of connections, if necessary, seal them. In the future, it may save you and your neighbors from the unpleasant consequences of burst pipes.
• If the tray is mounted near the wall, be sure to treat the gap with a special sealant for the bathroom.
• After installing the tray and connecting it to the sewer and water pipes, run the water and check the tightness of the entire system. Repair any leaks you find.
• If the design provides for the enclosing partitions, you can begin to install them. First, using a construction level, draw a marking on the wall. Then mount the metal profiles in the appropriate places.
• Insert the partitions into the profiles, usually made of tempered glass or fiberglass, and secure them.

Your shower cabin is now ready to use.

Watch the following video on installing a shower tray.

The bathroom is one of the most traumatic rooms in the house. Who hasn't slipped on a wet tile floor or hit the rim of a bathtub? There is also a risk of bruising or more serious injury in a shower stall. In order to avoid this, opt for a tray with an embossed pattern. If you did purchase a pallet with a smooth surface, to protect yourself, you can use special anti-slip stickers or rubber mat, placed on the bottom.

If there are elderly people in the house, do not forget to equip the shower enclosure with a handrail that will help keep on your feet and avoid falls. Grandparents, as well as small children, will definitely like the seat installed in the shower stall. Even a small bench will make the process of washing much easier and more comfortable for them.

If you still can not find in stores shower tray that meets all your requirements, or presented models seemed to you too expensive, we recommend making a shower tray with your own hands.

• On a concrete screed, previously placed on the floor of the bathroom, put wooden bricks, on which install the device drain and drainage pipe. Such supports will provide the necessary slope of the water pipe.
• Lay out the walls of the future tray with bricks or cement blocks.
• Put another layer of concrete screed on the bottom of the tray. Try to do this in such a way that a slope is formed, along which the water will flow into the drain. It is not necessary to lay the concrete flush with the drain, leave room for tile.
• Allow the screed to dry, then prime the resulting pan. After the primer dries, treat it with sealant.
• Next, you need to do tiling of the walls and bottom with tiles. Use a special tile adhesive for this purpose.
• Treat the seams between the tiles with grout.

Congratulations, you managed to make a shower tray by yourself!

So, in order to make the right choice, you need to decide on the size and shape of the tray and the material of which it is made. These factors depend on the size of the bathroom and the composition of your family - the age categories are important, as well as the height and weight of each of its members.

Choosing a shower tray, do not forget to take care about how safe it is for your housemates, and, if necessary, buy additional accessories. And those who do not recognize ready-made solutions, armed with our article, can build a shower tray with their own hands.