A quadrant shower enclosure gives a space-saving solution that makes the most of the layout of small bathrooms and adds a hint of modern design. They feature a curved front which helps create the impression of more space while the area inside the enclosure isn’t compromised. It removes the issue of potentially kicking/clipping corners whilst walking past the shower which you would get with a square or rectangular one.
Quadrants are when both sides are an equal size, and an offset quadrant is when one side is longer. There are many sizes available with matching size trays. Door options including single or double hinged or sliding doors (which work well with tighter spaces as they don't open out into the room). Different glass thicknesses range from the 6, 8 up to 10mm for a more robust build. Normally as you get thicker the height increases and you can get a more frameless/minimalist design as the glass can structurally support the enclosure. Most brands offer easy clean glass treatments which reduce the build up of limescale & grime with a ultra smooth glass finish. The rollers usually are sprung loaded so they can be popped out of the runners for easy cleaning. The quadrant shower could be just what you need for your perfect bathroom.
Hinged doors are fixed to the wall or frame normally with a pair of hinges on the vertical side of the glass door and are a very robust shower door. A Pivot door is very similar but will pivot on two points at the top and bottom normally slightly further away from the wall compared to a hinged. A pivot door normally has a shorter opening distance/entrance gap which is useful if there is something nearby on the outside of the shower that could come into contact with the glass door. This is also very handy if you are planning to fit a heated towel rail behind the door as when fully opened there is usually a decent sized gap between the wall and the door.
For a recessed shower enclosure, all you need is a door but if it is in a corner of a room then you can get matching side panels in various sizes. If required there are a few models that are 3 sided which fit to just one wall and have 2x side panels. Most doors and side panels come with adjustment so that you can get that perfect fit. Doors normally go up to a maximum width of 1m but if you require longer then there are ranges with Inline panels which are a fixed glass panel that the hinges fit to to help extend it to cover large gaps. The glass is usually available in thicknesses of 6, 8 up to 10mm and the thicker you go the more robust and minimalist the enclosure can be. Bespoke sizes to fit any gap can be ordered with various glass finishes (such as frosted or black tint) and selection of shower fixings finishes (such as matt black, nickle, brushed gold). Most brands offer easy clean glass treatments which reduce the build up of limescale & grime with a ultra smooth glass finish.
If you are very tight on space outside of the shower enclosure with a toilet or basin nearby where a conventional outward opening door would clash then a Bifold or Infold might be a perfect solution. A Bifold door is consists of two equal sized panels that are hinged in the middle and when the door opens these panels fold inwards upon themselves usually with a runner track to guide them. Some sleek looking frameless versions are available but these don't have the runners at the top or bottom to guide the door when opening.
A fairly new alternative is a Infold door where these look like a hinged/pivot door that are sometimes preferred over a bifold as it is more minimalist with less seals and easier to clean. They work slightly differently as the single door has a clever roller and arm mechanism meaning the door can open half in and half out which can usually be enough to miss any obstacles outside the door.
Both ranges are available in 6 or 8mm glass and have adjustment for out of plumb walls. You can also get matching side panels if it is in a corner and some offer inline panels if the door gap is over 1m wide. Most brands offer easy clean glass treatments which reduce the build up of limescale & grime with a ultra smooth glass finish.
A walk in shower refers to a shower that has no door. This means you can move in and out of your shower enclosure easily without any restrictions while the airy glass screen enclosure making your entire bathroom feel larger. A walk in can just have walls but be careful if you are building a stud wall instead of a glass screen as although this can add some privacy this will be take up more space (as the wall is thicker than glass) and will restrict the natural daylight. Plain glass panels have no moving parts or doors which makes them relatively maintenance-free and easily accessible. If you are short on space and therefore have to have a relatively short glass panel don't worry about water splashing onto your floor as you can also add a short hinged or fixed bypass panel (200-400mm) that usually sits at 90 degrees to the larger panel and reduces splash by the entrance. Single piece Curved glass can have the same benefits. Available in 8, 10 or 12mm glass thickness you have a choice in different glass finishes (including textures and colours) and different fixing finishes (including matt black, nickle & brushed gold).
These glass panels can usually fit onto either a shower tray or a wetroom tiled floor so they are very versatile. We usually recommend a minimum of 1300-1400mm in shower base length for a Walk-in shower and would probably require a bypass panel up until around 1700mm length shower base. A gap or around 500-600mm is suggested for the entrance to allow easy access. Side panels can be added at the far end of the shower to reduce splash and even 3 sided models are available. If you have the space (usually a minimum of around 2.2m in shower base length) you could opt for a double entry shower where the glass of wall is freestanding in the centre of the space with two bracing bars allowing for entrance/exit at either end. For a contemporary feel and a minimalist look, you can’t go far wrong with a walk-in shower.
Straight Sliding door shower enclosures are a great option if your showering space is wider than 1m and you have basin or toilet directly in-front where a pivoting door would clash. They normally consist of one fixed panel (half the width) and a door (the other half of the width) that slides behind the fixed panel. There are usually rollers at the top and bottom which are sometimes spring loaded to allow for quick release for ease of cleaning. The doors are adjustable to fit a wide range of gaps and if you don't have a recess then you can install one with a matching side panel to fit into a corner and even some ranges can fit onto just one wall with 2 side panels. They are normally reversible so you can pick if you have the entrance on the left or right hand side. Glass thicknesses range from the standard 6, 8 up to the chunky 10mm which are robust and can be more frameless and minimalist looking. You can also get a few different glass finishes including black tint and frosted. Most ranges come with an easy cleaning treatment on the glass which is an ultra smooth surface to reduce the build up of limescale.
These are five sided shower enclosures with an angled door on the front corner. They can be useful when there is a toilet or basin either side of the shower and corner access is preferable. Usually it is a hinged door but you can get models with a bifold door if the opening swing of the door is an issue. All glass versions will give the most space and natural daylight but you can also get wetroom kits with the sidewalls being tiled and just a hinged door on the corner. This wetroom version gives more privacy and this allows any boxing/shelves to butt up right against the outside of the shower as it is tiled.
