Polycarbonate is a polymer plastic material that hasA unique texture, manufactured by extrusion of granules. This technology production of the material makes it possible to keep its size unchanged. It is possible to melt this kind of plastic, after which you can give it a new shape. Other advantages include the following:
- The material can withstand temperature changes from -35 to +110 degrees.
- Polycarbonate has a high plasticity, which makes it possible to create structures of almost any geometric shape.
- The material has a light weight. Therefore, it is easy to work with him even one.
- Reliable sound and heat insulation.
- This is a very durable material, making it difficult to break and capable of withstanding heavy loads.
- This type of plastic is easy to clean due to its resistance to cleaning agents and chemicals.
- Environmentally friendly material.
How to make a shower cabin of polycarbonate
Choosing a placement
If you decide to install a shower in your area, the first thing you need to decide on is the type of construction. So, you can build a simple summer shower with an ordinary tank, and perhaps make a more fundamental and complex construction with heating. Whichever design was chosen, you need to rationally choose a location for the future shower cubicle. In order to do it correctly, there are some recommendations:
- So, the place should be protected from strong winds.
- To ensure that in the future there are no problems with how to divert waste water, the booth space should be on a hill.
- In addition, the area for the shower cubicle should be kept in the light for as long as possible during the day. It is desirable that it is hidden from prying eyes.
- In addition, the place for the summer shower cubicle of polycarbonate should be quite spacious. You also need to provide for free electrical supply.
Preparatory work
The drain for sewage water can be made in different ways: it can be a depression, drainage, compost or septic tank. Drainage and septic tank use is not recommended because of the unpleasant odor that appears with time. When the best place for a shower cubicle is found, you can start designing important building nuances.
To facilitate the task, it is recommended to make a drawing of the shower cubicle that you want to design in advance. The diagram should indicate the main size and location of the building on your site. The finished drawing, in particular, will speed up erection of a skeleton on which polycarbonate panels will be fixed, and also a tank for a shower. This design should be done with the calculation of the weight of the panels, the tank and the amount of water that can fit in it.
As a material for the frame it is recommended to use pipes with a size of 60 × 40 mm. Intermediate connections for the shower for a dacha made of polycarbonate can be made from pipes of a smaller size.
Elements of the frame can be:
- Vertical racks in the size of 2.3 m - 6 pcs.
- Horizontal supports of 1.5 m in size - 6 pcs.
- Side horizontal supports 1.2 m in size - 4 pieces.
- Slanting supports at 2.35 m - 4 pcs.
- Slanting supports of 2.5 m - 2 pieces.
Profile selection
The profile, in fact, is called the frame, on which the sheets of polycarbonate are attached. Depending on what the host wants to obtain as a result, as well as on some other factors, different materials can be used to make the profile:
- This can be steel, which has a high resistance to corrosion and strength.
- Profile can be made from PVC, if practical, light weight and sound insulation is important. In addition, light and high-plastic aluminum can be used as the material for the profile. This material is selected if the durability of the frame is important.
- The frame is often made of wood. This material provides ample opportunities for processing. At the same time it is environmentally friendly.
- An affordable replacement for natural materials for the profile is MDF.It is well tolerated by low temperatures and exposure to sunlight.
Construction stages
Work order:
- After completion of the frame preparation, it is possible to tackle the foundation, in which it is necessary to provide a drain. After that, the racks are installed. The first to dig the supports vertically into the ground to a depth of about 500 mm. These racks should be fixed with concrete. If the frame is made of wood, then on the ends going to the ground, it is necessary to apply special antiseptics, which will prevent rotting. In addition, it is recommended to wind the wooden racks with a ruberoid.
- When the vertical racks are installed, you can go horizontal. Vertical supports step by step to be fixed to horizontal. This is done in different ways. For example, this can be done by welding, bolting, cornering, or using special couplings.
- To strengthen the structure, in addition to vertical and horizontal racks, it is also necessary to use oblique bearings. This will allow the shower cubicle to be more resistant to wind and other weather phenomena with polycarbonate hands. In addition, this will help maintain the weight of the tank filled with water.
- Now you need to do the roofing. In this case, you must carefully follow the instructions attached to the materials.
- The next step is to install the tank. It is usually located in the center of the roof and at the same time its weight should be evenly distributed to all the body supports. And the easier the frame, the smaller the volume of the tank. It is desirable to fix it by welding or use special staples for this purpose.
- Attachments for the tank must be provided in the structure's ceiling. It is important that the overlap can withstand the weight of the full tank. In addition, it is necessary to rigidly connect the overlap and the anchors, embedded in the brickwork.
- To reduce the time of heating the water in the tank, it is possible to make underneath it a simple structure made of rails and polyethylene.something like a hothouse. Thanks to which it is possible to heat the water by 7-11 degrees. Even faster the water heater heats up.
- For a tank it is desirable to provide a float to know the water level in it. In addition, it helps to collect the warm water from above. This will also allow the movement of water to heat the cold liquid located in the lower part of the tank. This is especially true in the last months of the summer or on cloudy days when the sun can not properly heat the tank.
- As for the tank itself, it is best to use flat models. The advantage of such tanks is that the water in them heats up faster. In addition, they tend to be more stable. A flat tank after installation will make a self-made shower cubicle of polycarbonate not much higher, so that the shower will stand firmly on the ground.
- Then you need to fix polycarbonate panels on the frame. Their width should preferably be 85-170 mm. And for the roof better to take a transparent, and for the walls matte panels. When installing sheets with profiles and aluminum tape, you must completely isolate the air channels. For this purpose, a transparent sealant can be used. If the air ducts are not insulated, the surface will gradually change its color and lose its appearance.
How to choose the
fittings When creating a shower of polycarbonate an important stage is the choice of components. When installing partitions, in order to qualitatively perform all the necessary work, the following additional materials are needed: fasteners, profiles, thermowells, sealing tape, and sealant.
Thermal washers will serve not only for fastening and sealing of parts, but also as a thermal expansion of the material. Sealing tapes are needed in order to protect the ends of the structure from the ingress of dust and humidity from the environment, and this, in turn, increases the period of its operation. With regard to gaskets, their task is to ensure the tightness of all connections and to provide material with temperature expansion.
What determines the cost of the
structure The prices for polycarbonate partitions for the shower depend on several important parameters. The following parameters are taken into account:
- The required number of components.
- Variant of construction.
- The size of the booth.
- The complexity of manufacturing and further installation.
- Material type and number of layers.
- Use and appearance of decorative design.
- Quality and thickness of facing sheets.
Due to the fact that shower partitions are usually made according to individual sizes, the cost for each case is usually the same. So, for example, if you do not take into account the top guide, the price of materials for a cubicle of 1 sq.m.will be approximately from 2100 to 3200 rubles. Booth with the area of 2 sq.m. Will cost already at a price of 2600-3950 rubles. If you also plan to install a guide, then to the total price you should add an amount equal to 135 rubles per meter of material.
Rules of operation
One of the important advantages of shower cubicles from cellular polycarbonate is that they do not require any special care. Most impurities are easily washed off with a jet of clean water. Nevertheless, there are still some recommendations for operation and maintenance.
- So, do not rub the panels hard with a rag. The fact that this can cause scratching, which, in turn, lead to the destruction of the material, and therefore the integrity of the cabin.
- If you want to use for cleaning some special means, you should first make sure that they do not contain substances that can destroy the polycarbonate panels. This information is usually on the packaging.
Polycarbonate shower cubicles today are the most practical, modern and profitable ways to create a place for taking a shower in the suburban area. It is important that such a design can be easily built with your own hands. To do this, it is enough to follow the instructions and recommendations. If everything is done correctly, then the shower can serve you for many years. You can not point out the attractive appearance of the material itself, so that shower cabins can easily beautify the garden area.
