The Benefits & Weaknesses of Curbless Showers
Curbless walk-in showers are trending in bathroom design today. They are attractive, and have many other advantages, but should you get one? Below are some of the benefits and weaknesses we have identified for having a curbless walk-in shower, and some tips for making it work if your heart is set on having one.
Benefits
Clean Less
This one is our favorite benefit. Shower doors are just another thing to clean, and in a curbless shower, this can be eliminated. Scrubbing down a small corner shower can be a problematic and potentially injurious situation. Without the curb, the shower is open and therefore a lot easier to clean.
One Shower For All
Health care costs continue to rise, and aging parents living under the same roof as their children is more common for many American families, and having a bathroom that works for everybody makes life a little easier. A 4-inch tall shower curb which is a breeze for a teenager to step over can be impossible for their grandparents. Getting rid of a curb makes the shower an accessible space without sacrificing style.
Show It Off
Regular showers don't lend themselves to presenting any intricate or attractive tile or stonework in your bathroom. An open shower affords a view of the whole bathroom, which can enlarge the room, and offer an unimpeded view of any stone or tile work you may have had installed.
Use every inch
Curbless showers are a fantastic upscale option for maximizing every square inch of space in smaller bathrooms.
Weaknesses
No Privacy
This is self explanatory, but can easily be remedied by using a frosted glass barrier or a traditional shower curtain with a rod.
Limited Water Control
A challenge with a curbless shower is there is no curb to hold the water into the wet area. This makes getting your feet dry just a tad challenging.
Tips
Shower Barriers
There are a couple different types of shower barriers on the market now that can help with directing the water toward the drain:
A curved glass shower wall – The bend in the glass will direct the water away from the rest of the bathroom.
A pivoting shower screen – This pivoting door can be slightly turned to the inside to keep water in.
Showerheads
A Rain Head - It keeps the water in a more concentrated spot.
A Hand Held Shower Head - It makes cleaning easier, and also keeps water directed where you want it.
Radiant Flooring
There is no door or full cover for a walk-in shower, so heat escapes faster than with traditional showers. Heated floors, or radiant flooring, is a way to minimize this issue.
Do you like curbless showers? Would you install one in your home? If you are looking to install one in your home, contact us today for your free consultation and estimate.
