These days, walk-in showers are all the rage; they’re sleek, contemporary, spacious, and just plain cool. However, knowing how much room you need before installing one is crucial. Before enjoying the walk-in shower experience, you must ensure it will fit in your bathroom.
The standard dimensions for a walk-in shower are 60″ x 30″ (152 x 76 cm) for a rectangular bathroom and 42″ x 42″ (106 x 106 cm) for a square bathroom. These dimensions are ideal for comfortably accommodating an adult without feeling cramped.
In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss the factors that determine the dimensions of a walk-in shower. I’ll also cover the features of walk-in showers so you know what they entail. Keep reading!
Factors That Determine Walk-In Shower Dimensions
The standard dimensions of walk-in showers are in line with the International Building Code’s stipulations which recommends that showers must be at least 30″ x 30″ (76 by 76 cm).
This means you can vary these dimensions to fit your needs, provided you don’t go below the 30″ x 30″ (76 by 76 cm) requirement.
Some of the factors that determine the dimensions of walk-in showers are:
1. The Bathroom Size
The Size of your bathroom is critical in determining your walk-in shower dimensions.
You’ll need to be more conservative with your shower size if you have a small bathroom.
Conversely, you can afford to go bigger with your shower size if you have a large bathroom.
The shower should not overtake the bathroom space as this will create a water mess all over the place.
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, slips and falls are the most common causes of bathroom injuries caused by slippery floors.
Thus, you want to strategically fit your shower in line with the bathroom’s dimensions to prevent such incidents.
RELATED: How Do You Fix A Low Spot In A Shower Floor?
2. The Number of People Who Will Use the Shower
If you live alone, you won’t need as much space in your walk-in shower as someone who lives with a partner or family.
Moreover, if you have children, you may consider getting a shower with multiple showerheads so that your kids can shower simultaneously without feeling cramped.
3. Overspray Barrier
Overspray barriers are crucial in walk-in showers as they help contain water within the shower area.
These barriers are significant if your bathroom doesn’t have a door to separate the shower from the rest of the room.
Although essential, an overspray barrier is not a compulsory gadget in your walk-in shower.
However, its presence or absence impacts the dimensions of the walk-in shower.
It’s safe to have a smaller walk-in shower area if you have an overspray barrier.
In this case, the barrier will prevent water from spilling outside the shower area, even if the shower is small.
On the other hand, you need a larger walk-in shower area if there’s no overspray barrier.
This is because you’ll risk flooding your bathroom with each use. In such a case, your walk-in shower space should be at least 72 x 72 inches (1.83 by 1.83 meters).
ADA Dimensions for Walk-In Showers
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides requirements for individuals with disabilities in all public places, including bathrooms.
According to ADA, walk-in showers should be less than 42 inches (1.07 meters) to accommodate persons living with disabilities.
In line with this provision, any walk-in shower ranging from 30 by 30 inches (76 by 76 cm) and not exceeding 42 inches (1.07 meters) is deemed accessible.
It’s essential to note that the ADA requirements are for public places and not private residences.
This means you’re not obliged to have an ADA-compliant walk-in shower in your home.
However, you should adhere to these regulations if you want to make your shower accessible to persons with disabilities.
Features of Walk-In Showers
The size of a walk-in shower is not the only thing to consider when planning to get one.
Other factors like shape, style, and design come into play. Below are some features you should look for in a walk-in shower:
1. Shower Heads
The number and type of showerheads in a walk-in shower vary. You can have single or multiple showerheads depending on your needs and preferences.
Multiple shower heads are convenient if you want to save time when taking a shower.
For instance, you can have a rain shower head installed at the center with two other handheld units on either side.
Shower heads also come in different styles, such as wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted.
Wall-mounted ones are common as they’re easy to install and use. Ceiling-mounted units, on the other hand, provide a more luxurious look to your walk-in shower.
RELATED: Why Does My Shower Head Leak Randomly?
2. Shower Controls
There are three main types of shower controls:
- Manual. They have a knob that you need to turn to start the water flow and adjust the temperature.
- Thermostatic. These are a bit more advanced as they allow you to set the temperature of the water. This shower control is ideal if you want to avoid sudden changes in water temperature, and it works well in smart homes.
- Pressure-balance. These are the most sophisticated types. They maintain consistent water pressure and temperature, even if someone else is using water in the house. This shower control is perfect if you want to avoid scalding yourself with hot water.
3. Shower Enclosures
The type of shower enclosure you choose will impact the size and shape of your walk-in shower.
There are three main types of shower enclosures:
- Square. They have the same length on all sides. Square enclosures are ideal for small walk-in showers as they don’t occupy much space.
- Rectangular. They are longer, thereby giving the user more room. You can use a rectangular enclosure if you have an irregular bathroom.
- Quadrant. These have a curved front and are placed in the corner of the bathroom. They’re ideal for small bathrooms as they don’t occupy much space.
Final Thoughts
Although there are standard dimensions for walk-in showers in different countries, you can adjust the dimensions to match your needs.
The key is to ensure your chosen dimensions are in line with the International Building Code’s provisions.
Cheers, tools owners!
