Glass shower cabins: varieties, selection criteria and care rules

Glass shower enclosures are functional and comfortable... Many people think that they are better and more practical than baths, which makes them key elements in the arrangement of bathrooms. In this article, we will consider the types of glass shower cabins, note their advantages and disadvantages, and also dwell on the selection criteria and care rules.

Glass shower enclosures have a number of advantages. Unlike bathrooms you can wash in them right away, without waiting for water to fill up. In addition, a weighty argument is the absence of the need to climb over high sides: their pallets are usually low.

It is also noteworthy that the cabins may have holders and even seats. The movements of the user in the booth are unlimited, their size is sufficient for washing both a child and an adult. Less water is consumed here, and rinsing is more efficient in comparison with a bath. With a careful approach to the choice, shower cabins can not only replace the bathtub, but also complement it.

In addition, glass shower cabins have other advantages. For example, they:

• have visual weightlessness, which is why they bring lightness and airiness into the interior;
• fit well into the interior of a bathroom of any style, since glass is combined with different materials and textures;
• they are distinguished by aesthetic appeal, they can "stretch" the status of even ordinary budget design;
• waterproof, do not deteriorate from water or fumes, do not corrode, and therefore retain their aesthetic appeal for a long time;
• characterized by a high surface density, due to which they allow frequent cleaning without destroying the texture;
• they are chemically resistant and inert, so they can be cleaned with different detergents;
• are made of durable glass, resistant to mechanical damage;
• differ in the variability of the texture and in different shades, due to which you can choose an option for any color scheme of the bathroom interior.

Today shower cabins can be ordered individually according to a special design project for a particular bathroom. They delimit the functional areas of the room, prevent water from entering the area outside the shower.

Along with the advantages, glass showers have several disadvantages. For example, one of them is the constant need for cleanliness. Any dirt and streaks are visible on the glass surface, it has to be washed daily, otherwise it may become covered with a whitish coating. If you delay cleaning, the bathroom looks untidy.

The disadvantages include the cost: a good shower stall is expensive. And if it is purchased, then the remaining elements of the arrangement must correspond to it in status. Otherwise, the interior loses its appearance.

Someone attributes to the disadvantages of shower cabins the inability to relax in a standing position. When using them, a lot depends on the water pressure: if it is weak, this affects the effectiveness of the hydromassage and steam bath.

Modern brands that manufacture glass shower enclosures offer customers a wide range of products for every taste. Today you can buy products not only in the form of the usual shower boxes. In addition to them, you can choose options-monoblocks without a ceiling or lightweight structures.

Products can be conditionally divided into 2 types: open and closed. Open cabins are simple and relevant for small bathrooms. They consist of walls and a pallet, they do not have a roof. These are prefabricated models, they are assembled on site, installed in a corner or against a wall, often installing equipment for hydromassage.

Closed cabins have walls and a roof, they are sealed and multi-mode. Hydroboxes are considered to be more advanced types of designs. They combine the functions of a bath and shower. There are options for hydromassage, baths and even saunas.

By the mechanism of opening and closing, glass shower cabins are swing, pendulum, sliding and folding. Each subspecies has its own characteristics. For example, swing cabins are considered one of the most popular and affordable. They need a door frame and space to open the door freely.

Pendulum-type analogs are considered an interpretation of swing modifications.... The door opens inward or outward, although there is no need for a box here. Such cabins are inexpensive, often have transparent glass, creating the effect of weightlessness. They do not need to install a special dome or pallet. The disadvantage of the designs is the periodic spontaneous opening of the door.

On models with a sliding mechanism, the door is opened by guide rollers. Such cabins are bought in small bathrooms in order to save space. Folding options are similar to screen sashes. They are bought less often than other varieties, they are more complex in terms of installation. Curtain doors work silently and softly, they are comfortable and airtight.

Most often, buyers purchase cabins from two walls, which look quite impressive in the interior of the bathrooms of most city apartments.They are located in the corner or in a specially equipped niche. In general, the number of enclosing walls can vary from 2 to 5. In this case, the glass can be ordinary transparent or tinted, matte or printed.

The shape of the pallet can be rectangular, oval, triangular (angular version). They are made from plastic, acrylic, steel, cast iron, faience, ceramics. Models without a pallet are bought when there is no need for it. For example, these are options for people who find it difficult to step over the side. It is also an excellent choice for furnishing small bathrooms.

Which type to choose, everyone decides independently, based on the general concept of the style of the bathroom. Someone more like a cabin with opaque walls without a pattern, others choose glass options for the bathroom interior with a transparent or combined texture (for example, with partially frosted glass). Someone prefers models with a plant print on a matte base, others like a dark finish.

Shower glass can be different (patterned, stained glass, frosted, red-hot, triplex). In some respects, water-repellent plexiglass is not inferior to tempered glass, it is also tested for strength, undergoes factory tests. However, glass cabins are less prone to abrasion, they are more reliable and durable.

Patterned glass is made by means of photo or sandblasting. Such glass looks aesthetically pleasing and can make the cabin a key element of the bathroom interior. Photo printing, in contrast to sandblasting, is a complex technology. In this case, the print is ordered individually.

Stained glass created by gluing multi-colored glass pieces to create a specific pattern. It looks beautiful, but it is not suitable for every interior style. Such glass is more often made to order, it is expensive. Professional artists are involved in its production.

Frosted glass is obtained by sandblasting. It looks stylish, expensive and impressive in the interior. This is a practical solution: the frosted surface of the glass shower encloses the washable one. This is true if the bathroom in the apartment (private house) is combined. However, this texture must be protected from oil, fat-containing products and preparations containing acetone.

Curved or curved glass obtained by heating at temperatures above +600 degrees. The heated glass is bent according to the template, giving it the required shape. After cooling, the glass becomes more durable. It costs more than the usual options, is more appreciated by buyers and is in great demand.

Beveled glass characterized by the presence of a beveled polished edge (transparent or matte). The facet can be not only laconic straight, but also curly. Such glass is considered safe to use, it has an attractive appearance.

A good purchase option would be product with tempered glass, which is 1-1.2 cm thick. It is impact-resistant, heat-resistant, safe, and when broken, it does not crumble into shards with sharp edges. In addition to it, tinted dark glass also looks beautiful in the interior. It gives design a high status.

The sizes of glass shower cabins can be very diverse. They are selected based on the area allocated for the installation. The smallest version of the shower is 70x70 cm with a height of 185 cm.In a small bathroom, you can purchase small-sized cabins with parameters from 80x80, 90x90, 100x100, 110x110 cm.

Models with a base 120x120, 140x140 and 150x150 cm are bought for spacious bathrooms. Usually large cabins are produced in limited series or made to order. Rectangular modifications can have dimensions of 80x100, 90x100, 90x110, 100x150 cm.

Hydroboxes are considered to be more advanced showers.Their sizes range from 800x800x2050 to 1500x1750x2050 mm. The height of the cab is from 185 to 245 cm (the higher the product, the larger). The low version includes the option with a height of up to 2 m, models starting from 2.1 m are considered high. For people with standard and tall stature, options with a height from 2 to 2.1 m are suitable.As for the height of the pallet, it varies from 8 to 60 cm.

The design of the shower cabin can be different. Depending on the shape of the wall-mounted shower tray, the shower can be rectangular, square, semicircular, multifaceted and asymmetrical. In addition, elliptical and trapezoidal shapes can be seen on sale. Typically, products for spacious bathrooms are well-formed. In small bathrooms, models are purchased in the form of a quarter or half of a circle.

Products differ in the height of the pallet: it can be either flush with the floor or raised, reminiscent of a bath. Models can have tinted, colored glass, fittings of different shapes and designs. They can be decorated with the finishing material of the wall ceilings.

The decoration of the walls inside the cabin can differ, but the shower frame can be contrasting (for example, it can be metal, white, black). Against the background of painted or tinted glass, this brings a special mood to the interior. Pallets can be light, almost flat, embossed with different patterns. Their color varies and can be white, black, gray, sand. The texture also differs: it can be matte or glossy.

When choosing a good model of a shower cabin for arranging your bathroom, you need to pay attention to a number of parameters. For example, a product should not only be functional, but also correlate with the design of the bathroom. In order for the interior to look holistic and status-conscious, at the initial stage of the renovation, a design project is drawn up, where the approximate style and dimensions of the cabin are selected.

It is difficult for someone to decide on the type of doors. In reality, you need to choose the option that does not require a lot of space to open. For example, folding models open inward, they are bought in small bathrooms. Swinging varieties need more space to open, although they open the opening as much as possible.

As for the choice of glass, you need to pay attention to strength and weight. A good option is heavier than others, it is stronger and safer (for example, it is worth considering triplex or tempered glass). The price of the product also depends on its functionality and installation features. For example, if this is a custom-made option for installation in a niche, it may cost more than standard options.

Today, even simple models are equipped with LED cab lighting, as well as a radio receiver. The backlight in the structures does not work from batteries, but from water energy. It is durable, easy to install and safe for users. Depending on its type, it can change the shade of the light flux, which allows you to create the most relaxing atmosphere in the bathroom.

Modifications of a closed or combined type are equipped with electronic control (console and digital LCD display). The control is carried out by pressing the corresponding buttons.

In the struggle for the attention of buyers, manufacturers supply their products with various functional additions. For example, it can be a cascade shower with a powerful and even flow, Charcot mode, which involves washing the body with jets of water from different sides. Many buyers love the rain shower option, which is reminiscent of tropical rain showers. The function of generating steam, which creates a bath effect, which improves blood circulation, is also noteworthy.

For those who need maximum relaxation, there is an aromatherapy option.Premium lines, in addition to the basic set of functions, are equipped with phones and even multimedia players. However, the larger and more complex their functionality, the higher the price. And therefore, when buying, you have to build on the budgetary possibilities.

• If you need an option only for washing, take a product with a standard cabin with a basic set of options.
• When you need a "bath-shower" option, buy a combined model with a high base. It is suitable not only for washing, but also for wellness procedures.
• They buy a model with sliding doors for a small bathroom. Pallet height can be small.
• The bathroom is 7-8 sq. m you can purchase any model (standard, non-standard, closed, combined).
• In an apartment where there are small children, it is worth taking the option with a deep pallet. It will replace the bathtub when bathing children.

The purchase of a shower for an apartment on the upper floor deserves special attention. When buying, you need to be interested in the minimum required water pressure for the cab to work. If the pressure is weak, the functioning may be defective.

It is important to pay attention to compactness, material of manufacture, ease of installation. To buy a good and durable option, you need to buy a model from a reputable manufacturer in the store of an official supplier.

It is necessary to choose the correct size of the shower stall, correlating it with the footage of the existing room. If it is small, and a full person lives in the house, it is better to take the standard version of the shower, removing the bathtub. In order for the product to harmoniously fit into the allotted place, they think over the layout in advance. You can use niches, select the type of arrangement in special programs that allow you to see the rational arrangement of the elements of the arrangement.

The shape of the shower in a small room should be rounded: such a product will last longer, it will not cause injury to household members. To implement a design project in a large space, you can resort to installing a non-standard cabin shape.

Caring for a glass shower will consist of regularly cleaning the surface. To do this, you can use a cleaning spray with a spray bottle (for example, "Mister Muscle"). It is sprayed onto a glass surface and cleaned to a shine. It is undesirable to use abrasive pastes for cleaning: with constant use, they can deteriorate the appearance of the surface.

Use brushes to clean hard-to-reach areas. The pallets (if any) are washed with non-abrasive products. Usually, a detergent is applied to the surface, left for a few minutes, and then washed off with warm water and a soft sponge. Chrome-plated surfaces are cleaned with a sponge and soap or dishwashing detergent. After cleansing, they are washed with water, wiping dry with a soft cloth.

For information on how to choose the right glass shower enclosures, see the following video.