DIY shower in a small bathroom

In modern sanitary rooms, instead of traditional bathtubs, showers are often installed. Owners of large apartments also sometimes put cabins, only in a spacious bathroom are they additional equipment. A do-it-yourself shower cabin in a small bathroom is almost the only opportunity to rationally use the room. You will learn how to install it from the article.

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What is a small bathroom?

Before you put a shower in a small bathroom, let's figure out which bathroom can be considered small. When designing and building, various norms and rules apply, which determine, among other things, the size of the premises. For example:

• In a modern apartment, the combined bathroom cannot be less than 4 square meters. m
• If it is separate, then even the smallest room with a bath and a washbasin covers an area of ​​3 square meters. m
• The toilet in these apartments is much less lucky - it can be only 1.3 square meters. m

Important! That is why the owners of separate bathrooms often demolish the partition and turn the much-needed part of the apartment into a combined one - this is sometimes much more ergonomic, and there are much more opportunities to show design abilities. In short, a bathroom in 3 square meters can be considered small. m or a combined bathroom with an area of ​​4 sq.m.

Things are much worse in Khrushchev. When they were built, sanitary and construction standards were completely different. So in the houses built in the 50-70s, you can easily find very tight bathrooms with an area of ​​2 square meters. m. What should residents of such apartments do? There are few options:

• choose the right plumbing equipment;
• maximize the use of all space;
• choose good lighting.

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It all starts with plumbing

In sanitary ware stores you will now find bathtubs, toilets and washbasins of various models. Selection criteria, in addition to color, style and price, include:

• view;
• form;
• the size.

In a small bathroom, separated from the toilet, you won’t be particularly scattered, you will have to do with the necessary minimum and put:

• washbasin;
• bath or shower.

There are no special problems with washbasins, they come in a variety of sizes, so choosing the one that fits your pipes is convenient in height and does not take up too much space. Things are much more interesting with bathtubs. If, of course, you do not belong to the category of people who cannot live without lying for several hours in warm water every evening, select a smaller-sized plumbing:

• a sitting or corner bath;
• shower stall.

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Criteria for choosing showers

Having decided to abandon the traditional font, you will certainly come across the question - by what criteria should I choose a shower in a small bath? There are only three of them:

• practicality;
• attractive appearance;
• convenience.

Practicality

If we talk about practicality, then the shower cabin should be easy to care for, it should not be covered with mold and break quickly. And it is better if it will be mounted without any problems, then you can quite easily install it yourself.

Appearance

Attractive appearance means that the shower stall is like, and also matches the style. At the same time, it is better for the owner of a small bathroom to opt for the simplest model, which can easily fit anywhere even the most modest bathroom.

The convenience of use

Of course, the cabin should be convenient to use. It is very bad if you have to squeeze through it through a narrow gap, and no less badly when you have to stand on tiptoe or bend into three dooms to turn the water on or off.

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Benefits of Showers

The most important advantage of a shower cabin in a small bathroom is that you can choose a model that perfectly matches the parameters.

Important! It should be noted that the cabin will in any case take up less space than even a tiny sitz bath. And for an adult, a small font is not suitable, it is still normal not to wash and get pleasure from the process.

There are other advantages of a shower cabin in a bathroom:

1. You can choose a small booth with a wide range of functions.
2. Almost all models have adjustable jet power.
3. Some advanced products have, for example, a sauna mode.
4. In the shower, you can have a good time combining washing with listening to discs and radio programs.
5. Even among models equipped with various additional devices, you can find one that turns out to be cheaper than a quality bath.
6. The cost of installing a cabin is lower than replacing a bathtub, and in many cases it can be mounted without the help of plumbers from the public utility service.
7. The design of almost any modern model is such that water does not overflow over the side, no splashes appear on the walls, and the floor remains dry anyway.
8. This is a fashionable element of the interior that looks much more modern than a traditional bathtub; moreover, it wonderfully fits into an interior made in almost any style.
9. When installing a bathtub, even a sitting one, in the smallest apartments you have to abandon the washbasin, but if you choose a shower, the sink will fit in any case.

Important! For washing in the shower, water requires much less than for a full bath - this will be especially interesting for those who have meters installed.

Let's talk about the cons

Perfection, as you know, in the world there. Even the best equipment has a certain set of disadvantages that must be considered when choosing and installing. So what are the downsides of showers?

1. Not all models have additional functions, so you have to analyze what features you need and which ones you can completely do without.
2. If there are small children in the family who need to be washed daily, not every cabin is suitable - you need to choose a model with a low pallet.
3. Such equipment often seems uncomfortable for elderly people, but here you need to find out if your mother or grandmother really can’t get in the pan or if they are just used to bathing.
4. On the partitions, drips and plaque from shampoos, soaps, and also from bad water appear quite quickly - if this bothers you, choose shower cabins with frosted partitions, the plaque is almost invisible on them.
5. Relief partitions are not very good for a large family - it’s difficult to clean them, and they get dirty quickly, but nothing prevents you from buying a model from smooth materials.

Important! Showers are not suitable for homes where the water pressure is below the standard.

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Where to put a shower stall?

Before you start choosing a cabin, nevertheless specify what space you have:

1. Measure the area of ​​the bathroom.
2. Think about what else should stand in this room - as a rule, it is a wash basin and, possibly, a washing machine.
3. Outline a rough plan - you can do this even on a computer.
4. Determine the approximate dimensions of the items that will stand in the room, check the catalogs, whether there are such in nature.

Important! When drawing up an approximate plan for the location of a shower cabin and other plumbing in a small bathroom, consider the location of water and sewer pipes - it is better to put the equipment so that you do not have to shift them.

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Choose a cabin

In general, the range of showers is quite large. In stores and catalogs you can find devices:

• angular;
• unilateral;
• open;
• closed;
• the most bizarre form - from rectangles to cylinders and hexagons.

Important! Of course, the hexagonal prism looks extremely impressive, but think about whether you can put it - such equipment can only stand somewhere in the middle. In a small room it is better to use corners, so the best option is a corner or one-sided cabin without a roof. They are comfortable, take up little space, are very ergonomic, they can be arranged so that you do not have to shift pipes. There is only one minus - you need very high-quality waterproofing of the walls, but to make it much easier than changing the location of the sewer.

Do I need a mirror?

A bathroom without a mirror is not a bathroom. The mirror gives it completeness, and in addition, it is convenient. But where to hang it? Sometimes it is placed on the door of the shower, but this is not the best option. From constant contact with water and detergents, the mirror surface will lose its effective shine and lose some of its functions. So it’s best to place this much needed item opposite the front door of the cabin.

Rounded or angular?

Having looked through the catalogs of plumbing equipment, you can easily see that the models there are very different, and even corner showers can be very different from each other. For example, they can be:

• rounded
• with right angles.

Important! Rounded comfortable in every way. They not only provide the opportunity to maximize the use of the room, but also safe.

Doors

With the exception of fully open models, showers somehow close. And here you need to be especially careful. The owner of the adjacent bathroom will not be particularly pleased when he enters the room, for example, to use the toilet, and gets hit by the door of the cabin, because the second occupant of the apartment at the same time decided to leave it. If the bathroom is a separate, poorly selected door, it can prevent the opening and closing of the front door, so instead of convenience and ergonomics, you will get an additional annoying factor.

Cabins are:

• with hinged doors;
• with sliding doors;
• without doors at all.

Those with a spacious bathroom can choose any option. Owners of small bathrooms should prefer sliding doors or models without doors.

Important! There should be a small distance between all objects in the bathroom - at least 30 cm. This applies not only to the washbasin or washing machine, but also to the front door.

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How to be a pallet?

This is a very important point! Manufacturers offer a variety of materials:

• steel;
• acrylic;
• faience;
• pottery.

What should be preferred when choosing a shower cabin for a bath?

• Most buyers now prefer ceramics. It is durable, easy to care for, and besides, water jets do not rattle as much as where steel pallets stand.
• Earthenware models are found, they cost less and are much less noisy than steel ones, but buyers do not really like them, because they fight fast.
• Acrylic is a popular material for the manufacture of a variety of plumbing equipment. It does not cost as much as ceramics, it holds heat much better than steel and is much stronger than faience. The only negative - this material at first emits an unpleasant odor, which both owners of shower cabins and owners of bathtubs encounter.
• Finally, the steel traditional for such products is durable, cheap, lasts a long time, is easy to clean, but the water is very noisy, and cools down pretty quickly.

Important! You can choose a model without a pallet, but then the floor will need to be laid out with embossed tiles - not to mention the need for perfect waterproofing.

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What else should you know?

A shower can be ordered in the workshop or even made by individual standards. Models may be:

• wireframe;
• frameless.

For frame cabins, an aluminum profile is bought - it is sold in any hardware store, and of all varieties and types. This material perfectly tolerates high humidity, and also weighs very little, because it is one of the lightest metals.

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What to make walls of?

For walls of a shower cabin are used:

• glass;
• plastic;
• polycarbonate.

Glass booths look more presentable. For their manufacture, both transparent and frosted glass are used. Designers also offer options with a picture. Such models cost more than plastic ones, although not all panels can endure mechanical stress without damage, so you need to choose them very carefully and carefully. But cleaning them is a pleasure, the usual plaque for showers and traces of spray leave instantly with the most ordinary wipers.

Plastic is cheaper, it can be washed well, but plaque forms on it faster, and it is more difficult to remove. Finally, polycarbonate is the cheapest material. It may look good, but its quality is inferior to glass.

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Start mounting

So, you have already chosen what you need:

• cab model;
• type of door;
• materials from which you will make it.

Perhaps you have already cut the profile and future panels. It is best to do this in the workshop - there you will definitely be cut out the glass as it should, without chips and cracks, because there is special and rather expensive equipment that is not in every house. You have already cut the profile - this can be done not only by yourself, but also in the hardware store. Well, it's time to start installing a shower cabin with your own hands:

1. Correct the sewerage connection, if necessary.
2. Prepare the floor - it is necessary to level it as much as possible and make good waterproofing in compliance with all building codes.
3. For a model without a pallet, install the podium by mounting the drain in it.
4. If it is intended to install a pallet, lay the pipe from the drain to the outlet into a common sewer pipe.
5. Place the pallet so that the height is sufficient to connect to the sewer.
6. Tile the tray.

Wall mounting

The frame structure for a small bathroom that you design yourself is in many ways preferable. It is easier to mount, and it holds more securely. The profile is already ready and cut, it remains to fix it on the wall, for which we need:

• building level;
• drill;
• self-tapping screws;
• pencil.

Installation of the profile is carried out strictly according to the markup. Moreover, you need to carefully monitor the vertical and horizontal lines:

1. At the corner where the pallet is already standing, set aside the height of the cab.
2. Draw horizontal lines along both walls.
3. Mark on them the parameters of the shower.
4. From the ends, draw vertical lines down.
5. On the floor from the marks, draw perpendiculars to both walls.
6. Attach a profile.
7. At the intersection, install a rack from the same profile.
8. You have a wireframe on which the panels are attached.

But it’s too early to fix the panels. The cabin should somehow open, that is, in this case, move and move apart. For this, guides are placed - they are easy to buy at any plumbing store.

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Stock footage

If you bought a finished booth, installation is carried out on the same principle. But each model comes with an instruction that must be read carefully. The advantage of ready-made models is that all the elements are already ready for installation, they can only be assembled. Thus, the most important thing is to choose a model and carefully calculate the dimensions.