Steel shower trays: features, varieties and choices

Nowadays, more and more home and apartment owners are choosing showers instead of traditional baths. One of the main elements of this design is the pallet, which is made of a wide variety of materials. Steel pallets are very popular: they are practical, durable, presented in retail outlets in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and at the same time have a fairly budgetary cost.

Steel shower trays are considered to be quite popular in the sanitary ware market. Such structures are made of steel sheet with a thickness of 1.5-3 mm. In the factory, the sheet is cut into blanks of the required size so that a container of specified dimensions can be made from them.

The vast majority of the offered models are made in a square shape with parameters 70x70 or 90x90 cm, rectangular models are much less common, most often their size corresponds to 120x90 cm.

The workpieces are heat-treated, then pressed, forming beads in parallel.

Upon completion of stamping, the edges of the sides are carefully cleaned, then the entire surface of the pallet is covered with an anti-corrosion compound. The most commonly used enamel, but some manufacturers prefer zinc passivating agents.

At the final stage, special fasteners for mounting legs are welded to the pallet, as well as upper guides - they are necessary to strengthen the cab fencing as a whole.Products without legs can only be placed on a perfectly level surface, while steel pallets with legs allow you to adjust the position of the booth. The end result is a durable and stable product that is quickly assembled and can easily endure even intensive use.

The popularity of steel pallets is due to their significant advantages.

The steel pallet is quite strong, so it cannot be destroyed like ceramic structures. Steel does not crack with use, as is the case with acrylic models.

Due to the low cost of steel and technological simplicity of production steel pallets are much cheaper than acrylic ones... The cost of products made in China and Russia starts at 800 rubles. However, the price tag for some models of German brands can be higher than 17 thousand rubles. This difference in price is largely due to the warranty period - for Chinese products it is only 1 year, while for Germans it is 30 years.

Lightweight steel pallets - they are durable and exhibit enhanced anti-vandal characteristics.

Steel pallets are often installed in public places: in the shower cabins of train stations, as well as dormitories and sports complexes.

Despite such impressive advantages, the material also has its drawbacks. Most often, users indicate to the loud noise that jets of beating water emit when they come into contact with the metal surface.

However, this is by no means the only drawback of the material. These shower trays are produced by cold pressing. With such an approach, it is impossible to make legs for it in order to place a drain pipe with a siphon under it, therefore users are forced to additionally purchase a stand or legs separately. This greatly increases the overall cost of the equipment, and often the kit is more expensive than the pallet itself.

Steel has a high thermal conductivity, so it retains heat very poorly - to be in a similar structure with bare feet, if heated water is not poured into it, is not entirely comfortable.

For pallets, sheet metal with a thickness of 0.8 mm is often used. Under normal conditions, it is impossible to break through it, but under the constant influence of increased loads, the material undergoes deformation - this leads to a change in the configuration of the entire booth and its rapid exit from the working state.

There are two types of steel pallets: stainless steel and enameled models.

Enameled covered with a protective layer 0.2 mm thick - this treatment protects the material from corrosion processes, and in addition, increases the aesthetic appearance of the structure. However, under mechanical action, the enamel is often destroyed - when, for example, a shower head falls on the surface, chips and cracks may appear.

Pallets made from stainless steel, have much higher anti-vandal parameters, but at the same time they are much more expensive - the price tag for them starts from 9 thousand rubles.

In depth, all shower trays can be shallow (up to 20 cm) and deep (over 30 cm).

Depending on the shape, steel pallets are conventionally divided into sectorial (they represent 1/4 of a circle) or rectangular (this also includes square models). Each of the options is optimal for shower stalls of various types.

As for the dimensions in general, they usually coincide with the main parameters of typical shower cabins. Most often, on sale you can find products with dimensions of 80x80 or 90x90 cm, models of 100x100 and 70x70 cm are also in demand, a 60x60 cm model can be made to order.For non-standard shower rooms, options 120x80, 70x90 and 90x100 cm are used.

When choosing a steel shower tray, first of all, pay attention to the complete set - it is extremely important that the set includes a mixer with a siphon, otherwise you will have to spend a lot of time and effort on the purchase and installation of additional equipment.

Decide in advance on the height of the sides, they can be shallow (1-3 cm), medium (4-7 cm) or deep (up to 60-80 cm). The choice of a specific model directly depends on the features of the use of the structure.

So, for cabins with a hermetically sealed sash, the depth of the pallet is not of fundamental importance, but pallets with low sides will not work with a water-repellent curtain - water will fall on the floor and flow into the bathroom.

If you only need the booth for washing, a shallow pallet will suffice. In order to steam your legs and even soak worn clothes, you should opt for models of medium height. If you plan to bathe a child or a large pet frequently, you cannot do without a deep-bottomed shower tray.

When choosing the dimensions of the pallet, one must proceed from the parameters of the room itself. The optimal size for one person is considered to be 90x90 cm, small pallets can be used only in conditions of extreme limited space, it will be completely inconvenient to swim in them. If you are planning to take a shower together, you should pay attention to the 120x100 cm model.

Analyzing the feedback from users of steel pallets, left on various thematic forums and sites, we can conclude that the product is popular with people whose budget for equipping a bathroom is somewhat limited - steel models have an affordable cost... And also the model is in demand for installation in summer cottages and in places of temporary residence.

Users recommend reinforcing steel pallets with additional reinforcement, otherwise in a couple of years you will face deformation of the structure and the need to completely replace it.

Reviews indicate that more practical are stainless steel models - their original appearance remains unchanged throughout the entire period of use, while on the enameled surface, over time, traces of splashes and dirt become noticeable.

The most popular among users are corner pallets with dimensions of 700x700, 800x800, 900x900, 1000x1000, as well as 1200x800 and 1200x900 mm.

As for the manufacturers, then a significant segment of the market belongs to products made in Russia, the highest quality pallets are considered, made in accordance with the current GOST. Models from Chinese manufacturers are also in demand. Further, according to experts, the rating includes Polish, German, Spanish and Czech pallets.

For more information on the features of steel shower trays, see the next video.