Steel shower trays: features, varieties and choices

Nowadays, more and more owners of houses and apartments are opting for showers instead of traditional bathtubs. One of the main elements of this design is the pallet, which is made of a variety of materials. Steel pallets are very popular: they are practical, durable, presented at retail outlets in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and at the same time they have a fairly budget cost.

Steel trays for shower cabins are considered quite popular in the plumbing market. Such designs are made of steel sheet with a thickness of 1.5-3 mm. In factory conditions, the sheet is cut into blanks of the required size so that it is possible to make a container of the given dimensions from them.

The vast majority of the proposed models are made in square form with parameters of 70x70 or 90x90 cm, rectangular models are much less common, most often their size corresponds to 120x90 cm.

The preforms are heat treated, then pressed, in parallel forming the sides.

Upon completion of stamping, the edges of the sides are carefully cleaned, then the entire surface of the pallet is covered with an anticorrosive composition. Enamel is most commonly used, but some manufacturers prefer zinc passivating agents.

At the final stage, special fasteners are welded to the pallet for mounting the legs, as well as upper guides - they are necessary to strengthen the enclosure of the cabin as a whole.Products without legs can only be installed on a perfectly flat surface, while steel pallets with legs allow you to adjust the position of the booth. The output is a durable and stable product that is quickly assembled and can easily withstand even intensive use.

The popularity of steel pallets is due to their significant advantages.

The steel pallet is quite durable, so it cannot be destroyed the way ceramic structures break. Steel is not cracked as it is used, as is the case with acrylic models.

Due to the low cost of steel and technological simplicity of production steel pallets are much cheaper than acrylic. The cost of products of Chinese and Russian manufacture starts from 800 rubles. However, the price tag for some models of German brands may be higher than 17 thousand rubles. This price difference is largely due to the warranty period - for Chinese products it is only 1 year, while for the Germans it is 30 years.

Steel pallets are lightweight - they are durable and exhibit enhanced anti-vandal performance.

Steel pallets are often installed in public places: in the showers of railway stations, as well as dormitories and sports complexes.

Despite such impressive advantages, the material has its drawbacks. Most often, users indicate the loud noise that jets of breaking water make when they come in contact with a metal surface.

However, this is by no means the only negative material. Such shower trays are produced by cold pressing. With this approach, it is impossible to make legs to it in order to place a drain pipe with a siphon under it, so users are forced to additionally purchase a stand or legs separately. This greatly increases the total cost of equipment, and often the kit is more expensive than the pallet itself.

Steel has a high thermal conductivity, therefore it retains heat very poorly - being in a similar design with bare feet, if heated water does not pour into it, is not entirely comfortable.

For pallets, 0.8 mm thick sheet metal is often used. Under normal conditions, it is impossible to break it, but with constant exposure to increased loads, the material undergoes deformation — this leads to a change in the configuration of the entire cabin and its quick exit from the working state.

Two types of steel pallets are distinguished: from stainless steel and enameled models.

Enameled covered with a protective layer 0.2 mm thick - this treatment protects the material from corrosion processes, and in addition, increases the aesthetic appearance of the structure. However, under mechanical action, the enamel is often destroyed - if, for example, a shower head falls on the surface, chips and cracks can appear.

Pallets made stainless steel they have much higher anti-vandal parameters, but at the same time they are much more expensive - the price tag for them starts from 9 thousand rubles.

In depth, all shower trays can be shallow (up to 20 cm) and deep (more than 30 cm).

Depending on the shape, steel pallets are conditionally divided into sector (represent 1/4 circle) or rectangular (square models also apply). Each of the options is optimal for showers of various types.

As for the dimensions in general, they usually coincide with the main parameters of typical shower cabins. Most often on sale you can find products with dimensions of 80x80 or 90x90 cm, models 100x100 and 70x70 cm are also in demand, models 60x60 cm can be made to order. For non-standard showers use options 120x80, 70x90 and 90x100 cm.

When choosing a steel shower tray, first of all, pay attention to the equipment - it is extremely important that the set has a mixer with a siphon, otherwise you will have to spend a lot of time and effort on the purchase and installation of additional equipment.

Decide on the height of the sides in advance, they can be small (1-3 cm), medium (4-7 cm) or deep (up to 60-80 cm). The choice of a particular model directly depends on the features of the use of the design.

So, for cabins with a hermetically closing sash, the depth of the pan does not matter, but complete with a water-repellent shutter, pallets with low sides will not work - water will fall onto the floor and flow into the bathroom.

If you need a cabin exclusively for washing, a shallow tray will be sufficient. In order to soar your feet and even soak your wearables, you should make a choice in favor of models of medium height. If you often plan to bathe a child or a large pet, you can not do without a deep-bottomed pallet.

When choosing the dimensions of the pallet, you need to proceed from the parameters of the room itself. The optimal size for one person is considered to be 90x90 cm, you can use small pallets only in conditions of extremely limited space, it will be completely inconvenient to bathe in them. If you plan to take a shower together - you should pay attention to the 120x100 cm model.

Analyzing user reviews of steel pallets left on a variety of thematic forums and sites, we can conclude that the product is popular with people whose budget for installing a bathroom is somewhat limited - steel models have an affordable price. And also the model is in demand for installation in dachas and in places of temporary residence.

Users recommend reinforcing steel pallets with additional reinforcement, otherwise, after a couple of years, you will find deformation of the structure and the need for its complete replacement.

Reviews indicate that stainless steel models are more practical - their original appearance remains unchanged throughout the entire period of use, while on the enameled surface over time, traces of splashes and dirt become noticeable.

The most popular among users are corner pallets with dimensions of 700x700, 800x800, 900x900, 1000x1000, as well as 1200x800 and 1200x900 mm.

As for the manufacturers, then a significant segment of the market belongs to products manufactured in Russia, the highest quality are pallets made in accordance with applicable GOSTs. Demand and models of Chinese manufacturers. Further, according to experts, the rating includes pallets of Polish, German, Spanish and Czech production.

About what features of steel shower trays exist, see the following video.