Building an Open Shower

Open showers, or showers which lack any sort of traditional door, are also known as walk-in showers. They are far larger than the traditional 3-foot-square or corner shower, or showers that are part of a bathtub, and instead feature wide, open spaces that are generally longer than 6 feet or feature custom walls. They are normally reserved for master bathrooms, where there is plenty of space available.

Space Availability

You cannot build an open shower unless you have sufficient space. Splashback and drainage are two important elements to consider when designing and building an open shower, because if there isn’t enough space, the water from your shower head will be splashing off the walls and all over the floor of your bathroom. As a general rule, six feet is the minimum acceptable distance from the door of the shower to the plumbing wall to be able to consider an open design.

Disabled Access

Open showers are especially valuable if you are a disabled individual who needs special access, or if you are building one for a disabled person. Since open showers have plenty of space, you have room to include grab bars, benches and a sufficiently wide opening. You can also include benches and grab bars in a regular shower designed for people without handicaps, but open showers are optimal for this purpose.

Design Elements

Open showers can be seen by anyone entering the room, unlike traditional showers, which are often hidden by a shower curtain or a door of some kind. As a result, the design of your shower is just as important as the functionality. Including special elements such a patterned tile wall increases the aesthetics of the design. If the open shower will be visible from the open doorway to anyone who walks by, and if the doorway to the bathroom itself is in a visible area of the home, take special pains to create an attractive, elegant design.

Plumbing and Drain Location

While the plumbing wall needs to be far enough away from the entry to avoid splashing water out into the bathroom proper, you also have to consider the location of the drain. The center of the shower is usually the best choice, because with this location you can gently slope all of the floors to the same point. Putting it in a corner will create a drastic slope one on side and longer slopes on the other. It’s up to you which method you choose; just make sure the drain isn’t near the opening of the shower.

About the Author


Photo Credits

  • Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
bibliography-icon icon for annotation tool Cite this Article