Many of us dream of a shower cabin, but not everyone can embody their dream into life, because a shower or hydrobox - is not a cheap pleasure. Prices for more or less acceptable models begin from several tens of thousand rubles. In addition, there is not a place in each bathroom in order to place besides the bath also a shower cabin.
This problem has one remarkable solution - you can build a shower cabin on your own. Even using expensive building materials, you will spend less money than a ready-made shower cabin from leading manufacturers, and there is no point in buying another, since cheap models quickly fail. As a result, you will receive a shower cabin that meets all your requirements: in shape, size and equipping. You will be confident in its quality characteristics, and she will last for many years.
Shower Cab: all "for" and "against"
If you allow the size of the bathroom, you do not have to choose between the bathroom and shower, so you can enjoy the advantage of both plumbing devices. If Square meters dictate their conditions, then, in order not to make a mistake with the choice, we suggest to consider all the advantages and disadvantages of shower cabins. This will help you decide whether you are ready to exchange a familiar bath on a modern shower room.
Proponents of shower cabins usually lead the following arguments:
- For people leading an active lifestyle, a shower cabin seems to be the best option. It allows you to perform hygienic procedures literally on the run, without being distracted by, constraining movements, high sides and curtains that constantly strive to stick to the wet body.
- If there are elderly in the house, they will be much more convenient to wash in the shower, especially if you install a bench there. Go to a shower cabin and get out of it will not be any difficulty for them. But to overcome the high sidelights of the bath grandparents, you often need help.
- A shower cabin is usually a more or less closed space and therefore heats up faster than the entire bathroom. It is possible to warm up the cabin, it is simply allowed to warm water for a few minutes, and then, already at a comfortable temperature, you can begin hygienic and cosmetic procedures.
- A shower cabin takes less space than a bath. On a saved square meter, you can install the bidet, washing machine or wardrobe. In addition, a beautiful shower cabin, no matter what, bought or done, can become a real highlight of your bathroom.
Opponents of shower cabins indicate the following flaws:
- For many people, taking a bath is a real ritual, which is accompanied by fragrant foam, butter, candles, pleasant music and even champagne. Not everyone is ready to give up this pleasure that helps to fight stress and fatigue.
- Little children love to splash in the water. Rubber toys and special bath paints are able to occupy them for a long time. In the shower cabin such entertainment, unfortunately, is not available.
- In the bath it is convenient to wash large things that are not placed in a washing machine or clothing requiring delicate hand washing. Of course, there are showers with a deep pallet that partially solve this problem.
- Installing the finished closed cab does not require preparatory work, but if you decide to make a shower room with your own hands, you will have to take care of waterproofing.
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Choose installation location and shape
In principle, the shower cabin can be installed anywhere in the bathroom, but only if you started planning the decoration finish at the final stage of construction, when the sewer pipes have not yet been carried out. In this case, you can make a laying of sewage at your own discretion, based on the location of sanitary devices. If you just decided to replace the old bath on the shower, you need to install it as close as possible to the sewage riser, that is, on the place of the bath. Of course, the sewer pipes can be extended independently, but it is not always possible and, moreover, is unsafe.
As for the shape of the shower cabin, it will be entirely dependent on your skills in construction and repair. Beginner masters are better to stay on a rectangular or square cabin. This cabin is easy to enter an angle, so it will take less construction work and materials. More advanced repairmen can recommend a shower cabin of a rounded form or even in the form of a shell.
We are determined with the pallet
There are two options for the base of the homemade shower.Ready shower pallet
This is the easiest and most obvious solution. You will not spend a lot of time and effort on its installation and, moreover, you do not have to bother with floor hydroizing.
One "But": the high-quality shower tray will cost you much more expensive than the homemade floor, and there is no sense to buy a low-quality version of the way. Acrylic and faienced shower pallets are most popular. They look great and keep warm well, but these are quite fragile products.
More durable and durable - cast-iron pallets, but because of their weight, they gradually go out.
The optimal option is shower pallets from a kvaril or artificial marble. They combine the excellent appearance and thermal conductivity of acrylic and faience with durability and durability of cast iron. But for such an acquisition will have to lay out a rather large amount of money.
Inclined floor
This is a more reliable, but more time-consuming solution. It involves the creation in the shower cabin of uneven sex with an angle of inclination by which the water will go in stock. You can make such a floor alone by knocking down several centimeters of the floor from the walls of the shower cabin towards her center. Then the floor is laid out with a non-slip tile in compliance with the slope. It is important to add special composition to the tile glue against the formation of fungus and mold. Shakes with walls Treat a sealant for the bathroom.
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Connecting to water supply and sewage
An important part of the independent creation and installation of the shower cabin is to connect it to the system of sewage and water supply. In order to do this correctly, be sure to consider the following points:
- To connect a shower cabin to tap pipes, you need to use special flexible hoses. Choose hoses a little longer than necessary.
- The pipe that connects the drain with the sewage must be held at a low angle. In the future, it will save drain from the formation of blockages.
- The sewage pump is necessary if the shower cabin is far from the sunset.
- In order for the shower cabin to fit, install pumps with magnetic valves.
- In order for water to do not accumulate in the pallet, choose the position of the siphon so that it is above the drain.
- Sewer pipes should be held below the level on which the drain siphon is located.
- When connecting the shower cabin to the water supply, be sure to use sealing gaskets and, if necessary, silicone sealant.
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Electrician
If you are not going to equip your shower cabin with additional features, such as hydromassage, steam bath or sauna effect, then electricity will be required to you only in order to organize lighting and forced ventilation (using a fan that runs from the mains). Close contact with water involves ensuring increased safety of electrical appliances. Wiring electricity is better to do on the outer part of the shower. Do not forget to install a protective shutdown device that will save the electrical network from overload. If a socket is provided next to the shower cabin, make it a corresponding class of protection against moisture and dust.
If it is possible, it is better to entrust the wiring of electricians by a professional electrician in order to be confident in your own safety and security of all family members.
Finishing materials for walls and floor
The optimal option for finishing the walls and floor of the shower cabin is a tile. Plastic panels can be installed on the walls, but it is only a temporary and not very reliable solution. For walls, you can choose any ceramic tile - with a pattern or without a glossy or matte, flat or embossed. It all depends only on your preferences and from the rest of the interior of the bathroom. It looks great in the decoration of shower cabins - mosaic coating.
With the choice of facing tiles for the floor, you should be careful: it is easy to slip on a smooth tile and fall, and the tile with too relief pattern can cause corns and microtrams in the footsteps. In order to protect yourself, bed on the floor of the shower cabin Special rubber rug.
Equipment
Having finished with the main components of the homemade shower cabin, you can proceed to solve minor issues. First of all, it is necessary to solve the issue with the additional walls of the shower. Someone can do without them, but in our opinion it is not entirely convenient, especially if the bathroom in the apartment is combined. The most fiscal option is to close the shower cabin with ordinary bath curtains from the waterproof material. However, in order to give the shower of a truly beautiful and finished look, we recommend installing transparent flaps.
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The shower shutters are usually made from glass, fiberglass or acrylic. Glass sash - it is definitely beautiful, but extremely impractical, because they can give a crack or they can be crashing even after a non-shock. You can, of course, get tempered glass, but it is expensive. The same story and fiberglass - for our purposes, it is not enough durable.
The best solution is a polycarbonate sash. They can be of any color, transparent or matte, with a pattern or without. Cut sheets can be independently or ordered in specializing in this company. Polycarbonate sheets can take any form, you can even use them to create a rounded or spiral shower cabin. With the help of special construction equipment, the polycarbonate sheets can be bent at home.
Plumbing equipment: mixers, shower watering cans and so on - installed at the plot of the shower cabin to the water supply. There are several options for shower slabs - with a hose, static, which is attached to the wall and ceiling. For more convenience, we recommend combining two types of shower slabs, for example, the usual with a hose and ceiling for the adoption of a tropical shower procedure.
The shower cabin is needed not only in order to contain a body clean, it can also be carried out to carry out health and beauty procedures. In a large store plumbing, look at the department where the equipment for shower cabins is sold. There you will find hydromassage panels, devices that create the effect of the tropical shower or shower of Charcot, steam generators, equipment for sauna and infrared warming up.
Also do not forget about accessories: rubber mats, handrails, benches and other important trifles.
Creating a shower with your own hands: Nuances and possible errors
Summing up our conversation about self-assembly of the shower cabin, we will give the following recommendations, which, if possible, must be observed:
- First you need to decide on the size and shape of the future shower. Based on this data, decide whether you will buy a pallet or make an inclined floor. In the same stage, it is necessary to determine the size and number of sash, for example, if the corner cabin, then two sufficient;
- Before proceeding directly to work, with the help of the construction layer, determine whether the walls are in the place where the shower will be located, a straight angle. It matters only if the cabin is located in the corner of the bathroom, and most often it happens.
- Do not forget about tightness. First of all, it concerns the inclined gender: Observe the correct proportions of the aligning mixture concrete screed. Treat all joints with silicone sealant.
If you do everything right, then the shower cabin, created by your own hands, will become the subject of your pride, as well as the object of admiration and envy of your guests.