How to choose the shower box

When renovating a bathroom, the choice of the shower is as important as that of the floor and walls' covering and of the sanitary ware.

However, before buying a new shower, it is important to consider some key elements, ranging from the shape to the materials, from the design to the type of opening. Below is a short guide to help you choose among the numerous existing offers.

The shower box: elements to consider

The first element to consider when buying a shower is practicality. Where will the shower box be placed; how many times will it be used? For example, the guests' bathroom will definitely be used less frequently than the master bedroom's bathroom, and it will therefore be furnished differently.

Similarly, when furnishing a smaller bathroom, it will be necessary to take careful measurements and, in order to save space, to install a smaller, perhaps angular, shower box. The issue of having limited space also implicates the type of opening.

How you use the shower box is also important when choosing the model and accessories: if you want to relax, it will be necessary to buy a multifunctional shower cabin complete with chromo-therapy, hydromassage accessories, sauna and more.

The budget available should not be forgotten either, as this influences the choice towards more basic models instead of showers made with more refined materials and equipped with more accessories.

Finally, when choosing a shower box, you must also take into account your personal tastes in regards to the design, and also evaluate the aesthetic result.

Shower tray or floor shower?

When you have very clear ideas of the position, the measurements, the materials and the budget, you can move on to the choice of the shower itself.

What is better: a floor shower or a shower tray? This is the first question to consider when installing a new shower box.

Certainly the shower tray is the cheaper and more practical solution. It also has considerable advantages, such as a smaller risk of water infiltrations and, therefore, of the formation of mould. Ranging from standard measurements (70x90cm) to personalised ones, the shower tray can be made of ceramic, acrylic or stone, and can have a higher or shorter edge, according to personal tastes or needs.

The shower flush with the floor has a much more interesting visual impact and completely eliminates any architectonic barrier. It requires minimal maintenance, no water stagnation, and has a wide variety of choice in terms of materials: from glass, to wood, to ceramic, to resin. If you love minimalistic solutions, you can even choose to pave the shower's floor using the same tiles of the bathroom's floor, thus creating an elegant and refined shower. Unlike the shower tray, which can be replaced at a later time, the shower flush with the floor has to be installed whilst building or renovating the bathroom.

Acrylic, tempered glass or crystal shower?

Another dilemma to consider is that of which materials to use for the shower-box. In the past acrylic was widely used thanks to its much lower costs, but nowadays this trend is disappearing. Among its disadvantages, in addition to being less secure, acrylic also tends to yellow with time, creating an unpleasant aesthetic result.

Nowadays people prefer tempered glass or crystal for their shower cabin. Both are very resistant to impacts and thermal shock, and are much more elegant and refined aesthetically. According to your personal tastes and needs, you could also opt for a satin or smoked-glass finish. This is a transparent glass coloured in black, which is particularly popular among the lovers of contemporary style.

Sliding door or hinged door?

Among the questions to ask yourself there is that of which type of opening to choose. If the bathroom is small, it would be better to choose an opening with sliding doors, as these are less cumbersome. However, they have the disadvantage of not being very easy to clean, due to the overlapping glass panes. The tracks will be more or less visible according to the type of door chosen.

Hinged doors, on the other hand, are aesthetically more beautiful to look at, and are easier to clean, but are more cumbersome. Furthermore, when opening the door, it drips on the outside. Folding doors were very popular in the past, but are no longer very used. Nowadays, so-called walk-in showers are very popular, in particular in luxurious environments. These are showers with a fixed glass pane and opened on one side, making them accessible to everyone, not very cumbersome and requiring minimal maintenance.

Shower-boxes can be personalised according to your tastes and needs, and relying on professionals in the sector allows you to get advice from experienced and qualified personnel.