Rectangular shower trays: differences in size and

How to choose a shower tray

In this article we will look at which tray is best to choose for a shower enclosure or niche, regardless of whether it will be used in an apartment or a house.
“Do not confuse shower corners with cabins; these are two completely different types of plumbing fixtures.
The former come with only a tray, fencing and doors, while the latter are a completely finished unit with a roof, built-in faucet, mirror and many other options. Many people call corners cabins, but this is fundamentally wrong.”

What to look for when choosing a shower enclosure

Fencing sheets are made using safety glass. Their thickness should be 4 - 8 mm. The surface is always covered with a special anti-dirt layer. This makes cleaning corners easier and faster.

The type of glass, profile color or hinge shape does not become an obstacle - you can choose them to your taste. An economical option is available when shower enclosures have fences made of special plastic.

Plastic shower corner

Shower enclosures consist of a tray, a siphon, a frame with doors and accessories. There are on sale a profileless corner or a cabin with a recessed tray. It is designed for families with young children, when the hygiene room allows you to choose only a corner without a bath.

Installation of a shower corner

• Most high pallet corners suitable for the rhythm of life of young people, when they have to bathe a child in a deep shower tray. It is completely safe, and, importantly, is considered an economical option compared to a bath.

  
  Shower corner with high tray

• Shower enclosures with low tray more suitable for older people, since climbing over high sides will be more difficult for them.

  
  Shower corner with low tray

The larger the tray, the more convenient and comfortable the shower will be. It is better to select the size of the pallet for the fullest member of the family. The most optimal pallet size is 80x80 cm.

If your hygiene room is small, you can install open shower enclosures (without a ceiling or part of the walls) with a free entrance or glass designed specifically for such baths. They will cost much less than booths. Installing such corners is not difficult, so assembly will take a little time.

Outdoor shower enclosure

If there is space in the bathroom, or the decoration of the room may be damaged by excessive humidity, you can install closed shower cabins - with a roof and their own walls on all sides.

Closed shower stall

Buy a shower corner, taking into account the existing water pressure in the apartment. The prices of shower enclosures depend on the quality of the material from which the tray is made.

Shapes and sizes of shower trays

Information on existing shower tray shapes and their most common dimensions can be found in the following table.

Table. Shapes and sizes of shower trays

Knowing the dimensions of the washing room, you can choose the most optimal size shower tray.

Helpful advice! If possible, choose the most spacious tray, especially if you plan to install a lockable shower stall, taking into account the particular furnishings of the room and its area. Make sure you can move your arms freely, bend your knees, and generally feel comfortable while showering in the stall you choose.

If possible, choose the most spacious pallet

Types of shower trays

Having decided on the need to install a shower tray, you should move on to the specifics of choosing the appropriate model. What to look for:

• material of manufacture: the most popular trays are made of acrylic, but there are bowls made of steel, cast iron, ceramics, natural and artificial stone on the market;
• Dimensions: the most important characteristic of shower trays, especially when it comes to limited bathroom space;
• configuration: the shapes of pallets come in a wide variety, but from the point of view of practicality, square and semicircular bowls have proven themselves to be the best;
• height: for the convenience of consumers, shower trays are available in three types: low, medium-height and deep.

Let's now look at each of these characteristics in more detail, because the average service life of an acrylic tray is from 10 to 15 years, and during this time you and your family should be comfortable taking water procedures.

Material for making shower trays

Why most buyers choose acrylic pallets is not difficult to understand if you know the main characteristics of this polymer. Acrylic is an environmentally friendly, absolutely hygienic material, aesthetically attractive and, with proper care, quite durable. When purchasing an acrylic shower tray, you will immediately appreciate its undeniable advantages and benefits:

• a pallet made of acrylic is lightweight compared to analogues made from other materials, which greatly simplifies installation work and eliminates the need to reinforce floors;
• another important function of an acrylic tray is to create a heat-insulating “substrate” during washing, which cannot be said about cast iron and ceramics, which do not heat up immediately;
• trays made of steel and ceramics are quite “noisy”; you will have to wash to the loud accompaniment of streams of water;
• Despite their high strength, ceramic trays are susceptible to mechanical damage and crack from falling heavy objects. In this sense, acrylic benefits from its maintainability;
• The acrylic base of the shower cabin is very easy to care for, only without the use of abrasive cleaning products. Steel and cast iron bathtubs with enamel coating do not have this advantage; they tend to peel off and accumulate dirt.

Acrylic pallets with a corrugated bottom are not inferior in terms of safety even to natural stone and porcelain stoneware. You can wash in the shower calmly, without fear of slipping in the soapy suds under your feet.

Shower tray dimensions

Bathrooms in most apartments are small, and in addition to the shower, you need to leave room for a sink, cabinet and often for a washing machine. However, in order to save space, take the most compact pallet, which means it’s not worth taking the cabin. Focus on the “largest” member of the household: he should wash himself comfortably, bending down, not lean against the wall behind his back and not hit his hands on the cabin panels.

As practice shows, the optimal or universal dimensions of a pallet are 900 x 900 and 1000 x 1000 mm.

Shower tray configuration

The shape of the shower tray can be round, rectangular, multi-faceted and even oval. However, square and semicircular bases are most in demand. These are ideal options for small-sized premises, equally appropriate both in an apartment, cottage or bathhouse, and in washrooms of commercial and public institutions. After all, practicality and convenience are more important to you, so there is absolutely no point in overpaying for pallets of complex geometry.

Shower tray height

With the exception of flat bases, which we will not consider due to their extreme impracticality, shower trays have different depths:

• low: 170 mm;
• medium: 310 mm;
• high: 450 mm.

The tray guard is not only decorative, but also a barrier function, preventing accidental spills of water on the floor. The 17 cm high bowl is well suited for families with older people who find it difficult to step over a higher threshold.

A tray height of 31 cm is considered universal. Such models are chosen by young families, using the shower cabin in the future as a bath for a growing child.

The 45 cm high tray is, although small, almost a bathtub. If the family has a dog, a shower with a deep tray will allow you to wash your pet without any problems. Of course, on a special silicone mat. Some housewives, by the way, use deep bowls to soak laundry without caustic powders and hand wash delicate items.

Now you know what types of shower trays there are, and you can choose the appropriate option taking into account the interests of the family and the characteristics of the bathroom.

Form

When choosing a shape, you should also not forget about the area of ​​the bathroom. With small sizes, square or rectangular shapes fit well, ideally a corner cabin. If there is enough space, you can choose the shape of any geometric figure, based only on the taste of the apartment owner.

Conditions when choosing a pallet shape:

1. Buyer's desire.
2. Interior Design.
3. Bathroom dimensions.

Shower tray shapes:

1. Angular (radial) – ¼ circle shape. Ideal for a very small bathroom.
2. Oval. Should be placed in the center of the bathroom, which should help expand the space and create specialized communications.
3. Polygonal. Place it in the corner of the room or against the wall.

Sizes and shapes

All existing shower trays differ in three main parameters:

Pallet differences

Next, we will take a closer look at all the possible options.

Forms

As for the shape of the pallets, the choice is not so great. All of them can be divided into two types:

• Rectangular and square. These booths are suitable for spacious bathrooms. They are easy to use, but take up a lot of free space in the room;

Square and rectangular pallets take up a lot of free space in the room

• Angular. Designed for installation in the corner of a room. They are great for bathrooms where space is limited.

Corner shower tray saves space in a small bathroom

Corner pallets come in two types - triangular with an arched one edge or pentagonal. Small pallets are usually made pentagonal. Rounded pallets can be either shallow or deep.

It must be said that corner pallets with a rounded edge can be either symmetrical, i.e. in the form of an isosceles triangle, and asymmetrical. The latter are more like a rectangle with one corner rounded.

The asymmetrical pallet can be selected individually to suit the room parameters

Height

One of the most important parameters of shower trays is the height of the side. The functionality of the plumbing fixture and ease of use depend on it.

The photo shows a flat tray built into the floor

Depending on the height of the side, pallets can be divided into three types:

• Low. Their height does not exceed 100 mm. Such models look stylish and modern. In addition, they are convenient to use, since you do not need to step over the high side. Therefore, a low tray can be recommended for older people. However, one must keep in mind that these pallets are built into the floor, so it is not always possible to install them;

A medium-height tray can hold a small amount of water

• Average. The height of the side is in the range from 100 to 200 mm. These models are installed above the floor, and at the same time the side is not very high. If necessary, you can even collect a small amount of water for household needs;

A deep shower tray can replace your bathtub

• Tall. These models are inferior to others in ease of use, but they are much more functional. In essence, a deep tray is a mini-bath. In such a container you can collect a large amount of water to wash things, buy a baby or for other household needs. Keep in mind that deep shower trays should not be purchased by older people or people with disabilities.

The high tray is inconvenient for people with disabilities and the elderly

Low pallets can only be used if the house has a reliable sewage system with high throughput. Therefore, they should not be installed in old houses.

Thus, in order to choose the height of the side, you need to decide on the tasks that will be assigned to the plumbing fixture, as well as the requirements for it in terms of ease of use.

A small pallet can have dimensions of 700x700 mm

Dimensions

Depending on the size, shower trays are divided into three types:

1. Small ones. The length of the sides of such trays can be less than 80 cm. As a rule, they have a rectangular shape, since it is not convenient to use small corner shower stalls. The minimum size of the sides of a pallet is 70 cm. Sometimes there are products with a side of even 60 cm, although they are difficult to find on sale. It only makes sense to purchase them if the size of the bathroom is very limited;
2. Average. The length of the sides of these pallets is in the range of 90-110 cm. These dimensions are quite enough to comfortably take water procedures;
3. Big ones. The size of the sides of these products exceeds 110 cm. Such pallets are used either in spacious bathrooms or in cases where a shower cabin replaces a bathtub.

1200x900 - common dimensions of a large rectangular pallet

The most common pallets come in the following sizes:

Optimal size

Before moving on to recommendations for choosing the size of a shower tray, it is worth talking about the standards for specifying width and length. In rectangular and square models, the exact size is indicated.

In other shapes (quarter circle, radial, etc.) the size is rounded up and this is important to take into account. In particular, the length and width are calculated as for a rectangle, despite the presence of fillets on one or more sides.

For oval pallets, the diameter of the narrow side is taken as the width, and the diameter of the wide side as the length. For round ones, the length and width are equal to the diameter.

Which shape to choose - square, round, triangular?

Shower pan replacement is usually associated with minor bathroom renovations or shower stall replacements. To ensure that everything fits and matches, it is advisable to choose products from the same company. This is especially important when choosing a semicircular tray; its radius must correspond to the radius of the cabin. As a rule, when decorating a bathroom, they buy ready-made sets: a washbasin with a cabinet, a tropical shower combined with a shower stall, a cabin with a tray. If you have to buy each of the elements separately, there is a risk that nothing will fit. How to avoid mistakes when buying plumbing equipment?

When thinking about shape, it is important to think about the space that the cabin tray you like will occupy.

The choice of forms is quite large:

• square;
• round;
• oval;
• pentagonal;
• irregular shape.

First of all, you need to consider square and rectangular trays; they have standard dimensions and are combined with the rest of the bathroom furniture, forming a single whole with the interior. Square and rectangular models are considered universal and take up the least amount of space, unlike semicircular ones.

Corner semicircular cabin models are often chosen, which visually fit better into small bathrooms. If the room is small, you need to save space, it is advisable to choose a corner model - semicircular, square.

When purchasing a semicircular model, you need to make sure that its radius matches the radius of the shower stall.

Rectangular models provide more space and free swimming.

There are non-standard cubicles used in large bathrooms. Unusual models are great for creating a unique interior; they are made to order. A shower enclosure does not have to be limited by the size of the shower tray. The dimensions and colors of the cabins give complete freedom in arranging the bathroom interior.

Side height

When choosing the height of the tray, you should proceed from your own preferences for taking water procedures. There are three height categories for shower bases:

• deep - from 25 to 45 cm;
• medium - from 5 to 20 cm;
• flat – up to 4 cm.

If the pallet will be used by older people, then you should not purchase very deep models. Deep models are often equipped with special seats that make bathing much easier.

We have examined all the main types of shower bases and now, depending on your preferences, the size of the bathroom and the interior design, you will competently choose the most suitable option in the store. Or maybe you decide to make a SPA corner out of brick, decorated with patterns of glossy tiles or openwork mosaics.

How to choose a shower tray - recommendations from our editors

When choosing which shower tray is best, consider the following:

1. Evaluate the design of the room and choose the model that best fits into it.
2. Assess the area of ​​the room and select the appropriate size of the pallet, taking into account that it should not interfere with the placement of other furniture and equipment.
3. The size of the tray is selected taking into account the anthropometric characteristics of the owner.
4. It is important that the bottom of the container has a texture that provides an anti-slip effect.
5. It is advisable that the tray be additionally equipped with a siphon.

The design of plumbing fixtures must match the style of the interior

Useful tips

The size of the shower stall also affects the level of comfort. For maximum convenience, you need to choose the most spacious pallet possible. The size of the pallet is the main factor taken into account when choosing. Otherwise, a lot of problems will arise, because some family members (if chosen incorrectly) will not be able to use it.

The surface of the pallet should not be smooth - this is too dangerous. Pallets with a relief pattern are convenient, but it is best to choose pallets with an anti-slip coating.

Check the package when purchasing a pallet. If the kit includes a siphon or something else, it will make your life easier. The front screens with which the pallets are equipped are either fixed or removable. Removable screens are good if you need to reach plumbing fixtures, so if you are not sure about its reliability, buy models with removable screens.

Shower trays of non-standard sizes

To choose the right shower stall, you need to take into account the comfort of the model you like and estimate how it will stand inside the bathroom, as well as the features of its installation.

It is possible that you will need a shower tray whose dimensions differ from the standard ones. Don't worry, such pallets are available for sale.

Where are shower trays of non-standard sizes appropriate?

The list of cases when it may be necessary to install a shower tray of non-standard sizes:

• a standard size shower does not fit into the design of the room;
• you want to create a custom design in your bathroom;

Custom sized pallets in a public shower

• the need to install a high-height shower tray. It is safer for people with disabilities;

Cabin with shower tray of non-standard sizes

• if there are problems with the rate of water drainage.

Features of bathroom design with custom shower trays

A barrier-free shower tray installed directly into the floor will fit perfectly into the design of a cramped bathroom, while saving space.

Barrier-free shower tray

If the bathroom has a niche of sufficient size, then you can install a shower stall directly in this niche - thanks to the selection of a non-standard size of the tray. This interior solution looks original: the shower seems to be hidden in the wall.

Shower corner, located in a niche, with a tray of non-standard sizes

You don’t have to limit yourself to the standard rectangular and rounded shape of the pallet. Shower trays with non-standard sizes also have non-standard shapes.

Classification of non-standard shower trays

Pallets are distinguished by shape:

• radial;
• triangular;
• rectangular;
• pentagonal (pentagonal);
• semicircular;
• square;
• round;
• complex shape;
• snail shape.

Pallets are classified according to the material they are made of:

• Acrylic - due to the peculiarities of the material, a shower tray of almost any shape can be made from it; it is elastic and smooth to the touch. The surface is non-porous, making the acrylic tray easy to clean. This material also has good thermal insulation properties.
• Ceramic (sanitary ware). Shower trays of non-standard sizes are not made from this material, only standard dimensions.
• Made from artificial stone. They are distinguished by exceptional dimensional accuracy and are also made to order. They are durable and easy to maintain.
• Steel, cast iron. The rarest option, usually used when creating original design projects.

Classification by cost:

• Economy class: from 3,000 - 8,000 rubles.
• Average level: 8,000 - 18,000 rubles.
• Elite class: 18,000 - 85,000 rubles.

The cost of a shower tray may vary depending on:

• technical characteristics;
• material;
• design.

Custom Size Shower Trays: A Brief Overview

Standards for shower tray sizes are regulated by GOST 18297-96. We will look at a review of pallets of non-standard sizes from various online stores.

Best Selling Custom Size Shower Trays

The top place in the ranking of the best-selling shower trays of non-standard sizes is firmly occupied by trays made in China. Yes, they are not the highest quality, but they are the cheapest - this is the reason for their popularity.

If you evaluate shower trays not by the number of sales, but by their quality, then European manufacturers will be in the lead.