Shower box with bathroom: features, selection and installation

Advantages of a shower box with a bath are obvious - you can soak up in it, lying in hot water, make a whirlpool or swim quickly. Hydrobox is an excellent solution for a small bathroom, so in recent years, more and more townspeople prefer to change old cast-iron baths to modern showers with high sides. This article will help you find the best option for a shower box with a bathroom for your apartment.

Bath or shower: two in one

What to choose - a classic bath or shower with various hydromassageattachments? This question is rather scrupulous, and sooner or later it arises in the head of every owner who has planned a major overhaul.

Today, shower boxes are in apartments around 30-40% of the country's population, but this is due not to low popularity, but to the fact that this plumbing invention appeared on the domestic market relatively recently. On the contrary, the demand for such products is growing every year. There are several reasons for this - convenience, variety, fashion, good quality and durability.

But the main factor of choice in the opinion of psychologists is the accelerated pace of life of modern people - rarely when an extra hour and a half is given out to soak up the bathroom with foam. Acceleration of the rhythm of life can be observed in the household appliances that are already familiar to us - the microwave oven allows you to quickly prepare or warm up food, the coffee maker makes a fragrant espresso in a minute, the new generation freezers cool food and drinks almost instantly. The progress made it to the bathroom, equipping it with various modern water dispensers so that you can quickly refresh yourself before work or relax after a hard day.

Bath-shower boxing wins not only in terms of time savings, but also in terms of comfort. If a large family lives in the house, then each of its members has its own preferences and habits, and a shower box with a bathtub can satisfy any of them. A beautiful half of humanity loves to lie in the bathroom more, and it is more convenient for men to quickly wash in the shower.

In order not to go into unnecessary details, we note the main advantages of shower cabins with a bathroom:

• space saving in the bathroom;
• an abundance of built-in additional functions( bidet, hydromassage, etc.);
• water is consumed more sparingly than in a conventional bath;
• saving personal time;
• easy operation.

Types of constructions

Shower cabins with baths differ not only in the presence of certain functions, but also in dimensions, design features, shapes, etc. We decided to identify the most popular options used in recent times.

Shower box

This is not a compact "standing" structure, where you can hardly turn around, not that you feel comfortable, but rather large boxes combining the shower cabin itself, a sitting bath and many additional functions. To save space, this solution is best, and although the bath is inadequate, but it can comfortably relax, bathe a child, wash clothes, etc.

Such shower enclosures usually have the following functions:

• tropical shower;
• built-in dispenser for shampoo, shower gel or liquid soap;
• Turkish bath;
• mixer with different operating modes;
• hydromassage jets;
• mirror;
• shelves for bathroom accessories;
• automatic siphon;
• in some modern shower boxes even have a built-in waterproof telephone and radio.

Combination bath

This miracle of the sanitary industry is a combined version - a spacious bathroom in which you can lie, and a shower cubicle located in the corner part( adjacent to the walls).So, if necessary, you can close the cockpit door and take a shower or take a bath and relax.

This is a simplified aesthetic version of the fusion of the two most common designs - baths and cabins. At the same time, you save free space in the bathroom. Even an ordinary old bath can be improved and turned into a kind of combined. To do this, plastic "curtains" or glass panels are attached to the corner. Of course, such a corner shower box with a bathtub will not have all the features inherent in a full-fledged design, but if it's about economy and comfort - this is the right solution.

For those who crave more comfort there are all kinds of removable installations - stands, nozzles on the mixer, seats, headrests, etc. They can be purchased separately and installed in a self-made bathtub with a cabin.

Recommendations for the selection of

The price of a shower box with a bathroom should not be the main criterion for choosing sanitary engineering. There are cases when even the most expensive designs were sent for repairs under the guarantee in six months or a year. To avoid this, you need to know what to look for when choosing a shower cubicle with a bath.

If you are planning to buy a shower box with a bath, pay attention to the following details:

1. The tropical shower in many boxes is quickly clogged, especially if the water is too hard. Buy a cab with rubberized holes in the shower. And if the shower box with the bathroom is 150x70, then the "sunflower", from where the water flows, should be as much as possible to cover the maximum area.
2. Choose models with foot hydromassage - this function will quickly remove the load and relax tired legs after work or training. Hydromassage restores blood circulation in the legs and prevents the occurrence of varicose veins. In Chinese ancient medicine has long been practiced impact on the points of the feet, corresponding to certain organs of the body. General massage of the feet will have a positive effect on well-being, strengthen immunity and even improve the mental state.
3. Check the strength and stability of the shower tray. Its strength depends on the thickness of the acrylic layer and the way of reinforcement( the quality of the legs under the box).Also strength should be chosen, based on the weight and composition of the tenants of the apartment.
4. The bottom of the bath must be embossed so as not to accidentally slip during bathing.
5. Feel free to try out the height and position of the seat for comfort - sit down and lie down in the bathtub as if you were at home.
6. The height of the pan( the walls of the bathroom) also plays a big role. To make the bath in the hydraulic box was pleasant and convenient, the height of the walls should be at least 35-37 cm. If you choose a design in an apartment where elderly people live, a shower box with a high pallet may not be very comfortable, so it makes sense to look for options lower.
7. Find out if there are spare parts for the selected model in case something needs to be replaced or repaired. In the "risk group" are models that appeared on the market recently( on sale less than 2 years), and models that have long been withdrawn from production.
8. The appearance of the accessories is a matter of everyone's taste, but it is better to take the handles of the shower cabin into 2 holes than one( it's more convenient and practical).
9. The upper rollers on which the sliding doors slide must be double - this will distribute the load more evenly and extend the life of the cab. The doors will open smoothly and with minimal noise.
10. Do not choose a bath-shower box with a monolithic hydromassage panel switch - it must be disassembled so that you can replace the cartridge if necessary. The rear side of the switch should look like brass( necessarily brass) tubes connected to each other with a fork into hot and cold water.
11. If you chose a hydrobox with a bright colored skin, it is better that it is satin and rough, and not glossy, then the profile will not notice scratches, scuffs and other defects that inevitably appear during use. In addition, the sateen does not crack and does not peel unlike the pigmentation pigments. It perfectly feels in an atmosphere of high humidity and is ideal for a bathroom.
12. Be sure to find out the length of the warranty period provided by the manufacturer and distributor. It should extend not only to electronics, but also to the pallet and other details.

Installing the shower box

Installing the hydromassage cabin with your own hands is not so difficult if you follow the step-by-step instructions and carefully read the connection diagram. If you are not sure about your capabilities or do not have the necessary tools, it is better to use the services of professionals, especially since they are often provided with the purchase of hydroboxes.

The installation of a shower box with a bath in place of the old bath will not require any permission, since you do not make any significant changes to the BTI plan. Since in most cases, the layout of apartments compels buying and installing corner booths, we will describe the installation of this particular design.

All models have the same set of parts:

• pallet;
• cover;
• wall;
• doors;
• vertical racks;
• apron or screen that covers the legs and bottom of the pallet.

For work you will need the following tools:

• screwdrivers;
• adjustable wrench;
• construction level and plumb line;
• drill;
• tow;
• silicone sealant;
• corrugated hoses.

Useful advice: very often when assembling a shower box, it is found that there are not enough fasteners - nuts, bolts, screws, etc. It is better to take care of this in advance and buy all the necessary fasteners.

The whole installation work can be divided into two parts - the assembly of the cabin and its connection to the water supply system.

Procedure:

1. It is better to assemble the shower box-box in the open space. Make a preliminary complete assembly without using a sealant. So you get an idea of ​​the installation technology and remember the sequence of attaching the parts, find out what is missing, you can check the integrity of the design.
2. Install a water drain / drain system using corrugated hoses. Ideally, the drain hole of the pallet should be located directly on the outlet to the sewer, but rarely when it can be achieved.
3. Disassemble the cabin and assemble again at the site of subsequent operation. First install the pallet on the pedestals( legs).
4. Align the position of the pallet with a plumb and construction level by tightening the adjusting locking screws.
5. If the pallet is not equipped with pedestals, it must be installed on the cementitious screed and aligned until it is frozen. Screed tile with ceramic floor tiles.
6. For installation of acrylic pallets, use the cross on the back and the center leg. If such a design is not provided, it should be created independently or put the cabin on a concrete pillow.
7. Fill all connections with silicone sealant and wait for it to solidify.
8. Before switching on the water, check the tightness of the connections. To do this, cover the drain hole in the pan and fill it with water.
9. Check that the hose is reachable to the sewage system and located at an incline of 150 to 200 mm per 1 sq. M.m.
10. Install the fence by placing it on the glue or roller shutters. Carefully watch where the sliding doors have the top, and where - the bottom( there are more fasteners in the upper part).
11. Determine the upper and lower guides: the upper ones are usually wide, and the lower ones are much thinner and with figured cutouts.
12. Insert the glass on the guides, pre-lubricating all joints with silicone. Tighten the screw on the presser foot.
13. Self-tapping screws fix the guides to the stand in the upper and lower parts and fix the seal on the glass so that the water does not get wet under them.
14. In the last turn, attach the back panel, then cover with silicone all joints.

Useful tip: when sealing it is important not to allow the filling of depressions intended for draining water.

Do not tighten all screws at once and tightly - it often happens that the holes for the fasteners do not match, so you need to leave small gaps to adjust the design. Too much to twist it is not necessary - the metal parts of the cabin are rather soft and fragile.

After installation, be sure to check the operation of all electrical functions - radio, telephone, lighting, etc. With the test, the new clothes will have to be postponed - the sealant will dry up from 24 to 48 hours.

Bathroom with shower, photo: