topic Re: Walk In Shower Question in Home

Walk In Shower Question

ScrapHappy — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:18:55 GMT

Considering doing a walk in shower to the bathroom on the main level of our house. It has it's own bedroom. It's mainly used for guests. My Mom and my husband's Mom. Both up their in age so I thought a walk in shower, which is level to the floor, would be a good idea. Right now it does have a bathtub, but I'm not too concerned about loosing it because I have a total of 4 full bathrooms and 2 half bathrooms in my house. If I do this, I'd still have 3 tubs. My main concern is the construction of it all. How does the water stay within the shower area and not the rest of the floor? Also worried it will be a nightmare with the construction and end up with problems. Has anyone done this? Would appreciate input/advice. Thanks.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

godi — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:25:58 GMT

With a shower open like that there is only a lip at the bottom, a shower curtain will billow and you will get water on floor. If you get glass slide doors there is a mold and mildew problem, hard water spots also. You can get the inside glass treated for these issues, it lasts 10 years. To clean this stall well you need to get down on knees to do it. I have two of these showers and to me they will be easier when older but the cleaning is just a nightmare for me. Make sure you get a seat built in, in case it’s needed.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

sunshine45 — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:27:48 GMT

we have a walk in shower, but there is a "step over" of tile that roughly three to four inches.....so not totally flush with the floor. we never have any problems. ours has a glass door with a rainfall design on it. we also added a bench to sit on that is also made of tile and also added a hand held lower shower head so that if you sit on the bench it can be accessed easily. it also has a regular rainfall showerhead.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

Mz iMac — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:28:14 GMT

I live in a 55+ community. My unit has a walk in shower. There is an upper edge at the shower entrance to keep the water in. Also, the bottom of the shower curtain goes inside when showering.

The shower itself has a built-in cushioned seat that folds up against the shower wall. Personally, I've never used it. Forget it's there. My 93 yr old mother uses it when visiting. Maybe something to consider for your elderly in-laws & parents?

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:33:51 GMT

We had a walk in fiber glass at our old house and the house we are building is walk in. No problem at all with water getting out. The lip on the one at our old house was like 1/4 inch. At the new house we recessed it so it is allmost flush in my shower. My parents recessed there’s to. Theirs is tiled and you walk in and turn the corner. No curtain or door.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

Annabellethecat66 — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:33:10 GMT

I also have 3 and 1/2 bathrooms. In the master bedroom, I have a walk in shower. I also have one in another guest bedrooms.

The walk in showers I have have a low lip on them about 3 or so inches high. I had installed sliding doors. That way you don't have to worry about curtains billowing, etc.

On one of the bathrooms I have sliding doors (with full length glass on the outside). It works great because it's installed on the tub.

When my girls were older (it's a Jack and Jill (called) bathroom, they could soak in the tub without getting cold. Plus the full length glass is great for giving yourself one more check before going out the door.

So, get one with a very small lip on the bottom and have shower doors installed. The one I have over the tub is a three part one. It's wonderful.

They (2 and 3 part) open very wide with even a very heavy person able to get in and out.

It came in handy when I had double knee replacement in May. I didn't have to hop over a tub and I felt very safe. Just to be sure in the shower alone for a few weeks I put in a small stool (made for being in the shower) and then I took it out. It's all good....you'll see.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

Mz iMac — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:34:42 GMT

@godi

I don't get down on my hands & knees. I use a long handled sponge/scrub brush. Same gets in corners too. No bending at all. I got mine from BBB.

Now the cleaning girl gets on her hands & kness even though she knows I have a long handled brush.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:37:37 GMT

A sliding shower door will not work if the elderly person ever has to use a walker. I can guarantee that since I use one. And getting over the track of a sliding door is a lot for someone who is disabled or elderly.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:41:19 GMT

Forgot to mention I use a shower curtain in my walk in.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

AuntG — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:42:03 GMT

I've used them in hotels and got the floor wet. Sure, there is that small ledge (and a slight floor angle towards the drain) but the shower curtain did not contain all the water.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

sunshine45 — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:42:09 GMT

@ccassaday wrote:
A sliding shower door will not work if the elderly person ever has to use a walker. I can guarantee that since I use one. And getting over the track of a sliding door is a lot for someone who is disabled or elderly.

we have a hinged glass door that opens both in and out, not a sliding glass door. it is frameless.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

Kachina624 — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:48:09 GMT

My parents had the usual sliding glass doors but mom always used a shower curtain inside to keep from having to do so much cleaning.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

KentuckyWoman — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 23:49:47 GMT

We have a walk in shower. The floor of the shower has a four inch curb which prevents the water from running out on the bathroom floor. I decided to go with an 84 inch high shower curtain installed on a curved shower curtain rod. I use a grade A polyester shower curtain liner and a water resistant decorative shower curtain. Both are weighted at the hem. We had it installed six years ago and never once has water overflowed onto the bathroom floor. I also find that by using the curved shower curtain rod, the liner and curtain do not billow in and out at all. You can also install glass shower doors. Some are frame-less which makes it easier to clean. I prefer the shower curtains since I can take them down once a month and toss them in the washer and dryer. Just my preference.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:03:46 GMT

The only water that has ever gotten on the floor of my fiber glass walk ins was from me holding the hand held awkard. As I have bad hands. The walk in we had in the house was in our dining room as we turned that room into a shower room for me. Never had it go out and always drained properly. The tracks could become a tripping hazard for a disabled person or elderly person.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

Meowingkitty — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 00:14:54 GMT

We just replaced our bathtub in the master bedroom last July. It has a maybe a two inch step in, two hand rails, and a seat. We did this for three reasons. One, we never used the tub, two it was 30 years old and we hated it and three I was having knee replacement and we thought it would be better than trying to get into a tub. I wipe it down after every shower, the doors have a rainfall design that is treated to avoid spots and the track is modernized to avoid getting gunked up like old fashioned ones. Best decision. Love it.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

millieshops — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:42:31 GMT

My 2-bath condo has one tub and one walk-in shower. The tub gets close to no use - just occasional guests. My walk-in is as long as a tub and I love it.

I've never had a water mess nor mold and find cleaning it easier than doing a tob although I'm not as fussy about spots on the shower door as some are.

There's just a small step down that protects the rest of the room from flooding.

I have been in European hotel rooms with no step- just a slant of the tiled area so the water runs right to the drain. That works as long as the person in the shower doesn't plug the drain. I would not want that kind of set-up!

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:48:45 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
My 2-bath condo has one tub and one walk-in shower. The tub gets close to no use - just occasional guests. My walk-in is as long as a tub and I love it.

I've never had a water mess nor mold and find cleaning it easier than doing a tob although I'm not as fussy about spots on the shower door as some are.

There's just a small step down that protects the rest of the room from flooding.

I have been in European hotel rooms with no step- just a slant of the tiled area so the water runs right to the drain. That works as long as the person in the shower doesn't plug the drain. I would not want that kind of set-up!

At our old house the makeshift shower we did had to have a pump. One time the circuit breaker went out and yes that can create a mess because it won’t down the drain without the pump working. But that was just because we put a shower in a spot there was no plumbing so had to use a pump. Otherwise just with a curtain it went right down the drain.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

151949 — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:49:44 GMT

I believe now a days they make most walk in showers so they are several feet long and you kinda turn a corner into them. The shower part is at the other end. The entry is flush and the floor slightly tilts in toward the drain.

As we are looking for a new home here in Florida we see most new homes have this type shower.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

ccassaday — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 02:03:23 GMT

@151949 wrote:
I believe now a days they make most walk in showers so they are several feet long and you kinda turn a corner into them. The shower part is at the other end. The entry is flush and the floor slightly tilts in toward the drain.
As we are looking for a new home here in Florida we see most new homes have this type shower.

This is correct. My parents is exactly like this. Mine is just a 5x3.5 foot fiberglass shower.

Re: Walk In Shower Question

godi — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 10:34:31 GMT

Mz iMac thank you for that recommendation, I have wondered if that brush works. Do you replace the head or whole brush when cruddy? This could be amazing! Thanks again. ❤️👍