Glass showers: varieties, selection criteria and rules for care

Glass showers are functional and comfortable.. Many people think that they are better and more practical than bathtubs, which is why they become key elements in the arrangement of bathrooms. In this article, we will consider the varieties of shower cabins made of glass, note their advantages and disadvantages, and also dwell on the selection criteria and the rules of care.

Glass showers have several advantages. Unlike bathrooms they can be washed immediately, without waiting until the water is typed. In addition, a weighty argument is the lack of the need to cross high sides: their pallets are usually low.

The fact that in the cabs there may be holders and even seats. The user's movements in the cabin are unlimited, their size is sufficient for washing both the child and the adult. Less water is consumed here, and rinsing is more effective than a bath. With a careful approach to the choice of showers can not only replace the bath, but also complement it.

In addition, shower cabins made of glass have other advantages. For example, they:

• possess visual weightlessness, due to which they bring lightness and airiness to the interior;
• successfully fit into the interior of the bathroom of any style, since glass is combined with different materials and textures;
• they are distinguished by aesthetic appeal, they can “stretch” the status of even ordinary budget design;
• water-resistant, do not deteriorate from water or fumes, do not lend themselves to corrosion, and therefore retain aesthetic appeal for a long time;
• characterized by a high surface density, which allows frequent cleaning without destroying the texture;
• differ in chemical resistance and inertness, which is why you can clean them with different detergents;
• made of durable glass, resistant to mechanical damage;
• They are distinguished by variability of texture and different shades, due to which you can choose the option for any color scheme of the bathroom interior.

Today, showers can be ordered individually according to the special design project of a particular bathroom. They distinguish between functional areas of the room, prevent water from entering the area outside the shower.

Along with the advantages, glass showers have several drawbacks. For example, one of them is the constant need for cleanliness. Any dirt and leaks are visible on the glass surface, it must be washed daily, otherwise it may become covered with a whitish coating. When delayed with cleaning, the bathroom seems to be untidy.

The disadvantages include the cost: a good shower is expensive. And if it is purchased, then the remaining elements of the arrangement should correspond to it in status. Otherwise, the interior loses its appearance.

Someone considers the inability to relax in a standing position as a disadvantage of shower cabins. When using them, a lot depends on the pressure of the water: if it is weak, this affects the efficiency of the hydromassage and the steam bath.

Modern brands engaged in the production of glass showers offer customers a wide range of products for every taste. Today you can buy products not only in the form of familiar shower boxes. In addition to them, you can choose options-monoblocks without a ceiling or lightweight designs.

Conventionally, products can be divided into 2 types: open and closed. Open cabins are simple and relevant for small bathrooms. They consist of walls and a pallet; they do not have a roof. These are prefabricated models, they are assembled in place, installed in a corner or against a wall, often mounting hydromassage equipment.

Closed cabs have walls and a roof; they are airtight and multi-mode. Hydroboxes are considered more advanced types of structures. They combine the functions of a bathtub and shower. There are options for hydromassage, baths and even saunas.

According to the mechanism of opening and closing, glass showers are swing, pendulum, sliding and folding. Each subspecies has its own characteristics. For example, swing cabins are considered one of the most popular and affordable. They need a door frame and space for the door to open freely.

Analogs of the pendulum type are considered an interpretation of swing modifications. The door opens inward or outward, although there is no need for a box here. Such cabins are inexpensive, often have transparent glass, creating the effect of weightlessness. They do not need to install a special dome or pallet. The disadvantage of the designs is the periodic spontaneous opening of the door.

In models with a sliding mechanism, the door opens with guide rollers. Such cabins are bought in small bathrooms in order to save space. Folding options are similar to the casement of a screen. They are bought less often than other varieties, they are more complicated in terms of installation. Shutter doors work silently and gently, they are comfortable and airtight.

More often, buyers buy cabins of two walls, which look quite impressive in the interior of the bathrooms of most city apartments.They are placed in a corner or a specially equipped niche. In general, the number of enclosing walls can vary from 2 to 5. In this case, the glass can be ordinary transparent or tinted, matte or printed.

The shape of the pallet can be rectangular, oval, triangular (angular version). They are made of plastic, acrylic, steel, cast iron, faience, and ceramics. Models without a pallet are bought when it is not needed. For example, these are options for people who find it difficult to step over the side. In addition, it is an excellent choice for arranging bathrooms of a small area.

Everyone decides what type to choose, based on the general concept of the style of the bathroom. Some people prefer a cabin with opaque walls without a picture, others pick up glass options in the bathroom interior with a transparent or combined texture (for example, with partially frosted glass). Someone prefers models with a floral print on a matte basis, others like a dark finish.

Glass for the shower is different (patterned, stained glass, matte, red-hot, triplex). According to some indicators, water-repellent plexiglass is not inferior to tempered glass, it is also tested for strength and undergoes factory tests. However, glass cabins are less susceptible to abrasion, they are more reliable and durable.

Patterned glass is made by photo or sandblasting. Such glass looks aesthetically attractive, it can make the cabin a key element in the interior of the bathroom. Photo printing, unlike sandblasting, is a complex technology. In this case, the print is ordered individually.

Stained glass created by gluing multi-colored glass pieces with the creation of a specific pattern. It looks beautiful, but it is not suitable for every interior style. Such glass is often made to order, it is expensive. Professional artists take part in its production.

Frosted glass is obtained by sandblasting. It looks in the interior stylishly, expensively and effectively. This is a practical solution: the frosted surface of the glass shower encloses the washable. This is true if the bathroom in the apartment (private house) is combined. However, this texture must be protected from oil, fat-containing products and preparations containing acetone.

Bent or curved glass obtained by heating at temperatures above +600 degrees. Heated glass is bent according to the template, giving it the necessary shape. After cooling, the glass becomes more durable. It costs more than the usual options, it is valued by buyers higher and is in great demand.

Faceted glass characterized by the presence of a beveled polished edge (transparent or matte). Facet is not only concise direct, but also curly. Such glass is considered safe in operation, it has an attractive appearance.

A good buying option would be product with tempered glass, which is 1-1.2 cm thick. It is shockproof, heat-resistant, safe; when broken, it does not crumble into fragments with sharp edges. In addition to it, tinted dark glass also looks beautiful in the interior. It gives design a high status.

The sizes of glass shower cabins can be the most various. They are selected based on the area allocated for the installation. The smallest version of the shower is 70x70 cm at a height of 185 cm. In a small bathroom, you can buy small-sized cabins with parameters from 80x80, 90x90, 100x100, 110x110 cm.

Models with a base of 120x120, 140x140 and 150x150 cm are bought for spacious bathrooms. Usually large cabins are produced in limited series or made to order. Rectangular modifications can have dimensions 80x100, 90x100, 90x110, 100x150 cm.

Hydroboxes are considered more advanced showers.Their sizes range from 800x800x2050 to 1500x1750x2050 mm. The height of the cabin is from 185 to 245 cm (the higher the product, the larger). The option with a height of up to 2 m is considered low, models starting from 2.1 m are considered high. For people with standard and high growth, options with a height of 2 to 2.1 m are suitable. As for the height of the pallet, it varies from 8 to 60 cm.

The design of the shower can be different. Depending on the shape of the wall-mounted shower tray, it is rectangular, square, semicircular, multifaceted and asymmetric. In addition, on sale you can see the shapes in the form of an ellipse and trapezoid. As a rule, products for spacious bathrooms have the correct shape. In small bathrooms, models are purchased in the form of a quarter or half circle.

The products differ in the height of the pallet: it can be either flush with the floor, or towering, resembling a bath. Models can have tinted, colored glass, furniture with different shapes and designs. They can be decorated due to the finishing material of wall ceilings.

The walls inside the cabin may differ, but the shower frame can be contrasting (for example, it can be metal, white, black). Against the background of tinted or tinted glasses, this makes the interior a special mood. Pallets can be light, almost flat, embossed with different patterns. Their color varies and can be white, black, gray, sand. The texture is also different: it is frosted or glossy.

Choosing a good model of a shower cabin to equip your bathroom, you need to pay attention to a number of parameters. For example, a product must be not only functional, but also correlated with the design of the bathroom. In order for the interior to look holistically and statusfully, at the initial stage of repair they make up a design project, where they select an approximate style and dimensions of the cabin.

Someone is difficult to determine the type of door. In reality, you need to choose the option that does not require a lot of space to open. For example, folding models open inward, they are bought in small bathrooms. Swing varieties need more space to open, although they open the opening as much as possible.

As for the choice of glass, it is necessary to pay attention to strength and weight. A good option is heavier than others, it is stronger and safer (for example, it is worth considering triplex or tempered glass). The price of the product depends on its functionality and installation features. For example, if this is a custom-made option for mounting in a niche, it can cost more than standard options.

Today, even simple models are equipped with LED cab lighting, as well as a radio. The backlight in the constructions does not work from batteries, but from the energy of water. It is durable, easy to install and safe for users. Depending on its variety, it can change the shade of the light flux, which allows you to create the most relaxing atmosphere in the bathroom.

Modifications of the closed or combined type are equipped with electronic control (console and digital LCD). Management is done by pressing the appropriate buttons.

In the struggle for the attention of buyers, manufacturers supply their products with various functional additions. For example, it can be a cascading shower with a powerful and uniform flow, Charcot's regime, which provides for washing the body with jets of water from different sides. Many shoppers love the rain shower option, which resembles the rain of tropics. The steam generation function, which creates the effect of a bath, is also noteworthy, which improves blood circulation.

For those who need maximum relaxation, an aromatherapy option is provided.Premium lines, in addition to the basic set of functions, are equipped with telephones and even multimedia players. However, the more and more complex their functionality, the higher the price. Therefore, when buying, you have to start from the budget.

• If you need an option just for washing, take the product with a standard cab with a basic set of options.
• When you need the option "bath-shower", buy a combined model with a high pallet. It is suitable not only for washing, but also for wellness treatments.
• A model with sliding doors is bought in a small bathroom. The height of the pallet may be small.
• In the bathroom area of ​​7-8 square meters. You can purchase any model (standard, non-standard, closed, combined).
• In an apartment where there are small children, it is worth taking the option with a deep pallet. He will replace the bath when bathing children.

Special attention deserves the purchase of a shower in an apartment on the top floor. When buying, you need to be interested in the minimum necessary water pressure for the cab. If the pressure is weak, functioning may be inferior.

It is important to pay attention to compactness, manufacturing material, ease of installation. To buy a good and durable option, you need to buy a model from a well-known manufacturer in the store of an official supplier.

You must select the correct size of the shower cubicle, correlating it with the footage of the existing room. If it is small-sized, and a full person lives in the house, it is better to take the standard version of the shower, removing the bath. In order for the product to fit harmoniously into the designated place, the layout is thought out in advance. You can use niches, select the type of arrangement in special programs that allow you to see the rational arrangement of the arrangement elements.

The shape of the shower in a small room should be rounded: such a product will last longer, it will not cause injury to households. To implement a design project in a large space, you can resort to installing a custom-designed cab.

Care for the glass shower will consist in regular cleaning of the surface. To do this, you can use a cleansing aerosol with a spray (for example, "Mr. Muscle"). It is sprayed onto a glass surface and cleaned to a shine. It is undesirable to use abrasive pastes for cleaning: with constant use, they can worsen the appearance of the surface.

To clean hard-to-reach spots it is necessary to use brushes. Wash pallets (if any) with no abrasive. Typically, a detergent is applied to the surface, left for several minutes, and then washed off with warm water and a soft sponge. Chrome surfaces are cleaned with a sponge with soap or dishwashing detergent. After cleansing, they are washed with water, wiping dry with a soft cloth.

On how to choose the right glass showers, see the following video.