Do you know that the bathroom is one of the “favorite” rooms that can trigger a real estate sale? For a rather reasonable budget compared to other works, it can be brought up to date or brought up to date, in particular thanks to the hard-to-replace walk-in shower!
Other elements can provoke the crush, in particular the countertop basins, the waterfall taps, the massage jets, or even the combination of wood with white or anthracite. But back to our shower, and more specifically to the receiver. The shower is a design element as a whole today, and the choice of its receiver takes its place there. There is no good or bad, everything will depend on the space to be equipped, the style of the room, your budget, your needs and your desires. Here are some tips for choosing the right equipment.
Clearly define the space to choose the right size
The space you have is obviously the first criterion to take into account when choosing your shower tray.
For the smallest spaces, square models of 70 x 70 cm exist, but practicality does not always go hand in hand with comfort. Depending on your build, this type of receiver, which is already very cramped, can quickly become a real constraint. The classic and more acceptable format corresponds to the 80 x 80 cm that will generally be found in “turnkey” accommodation.
The 90 x 90 cm square models also exist but are less common because they take up more space. In this case, we would prefer the rectangular model 120 x 80 cm, which is probably the best compromise between comfort and optimization of space. On rectangular formats, you will find less frequently all the same the 180 x 80 cm tray, which is well suited when it comes to refreshing a piece of water with the replacement of a bathtub by a shower.
Which shape to choose?
Let’s remember the walk-in shower mentioned earlier. Apart from the fact that it is very trendy, and has been for a few years now, it also has the great advantage of not having to step over a step or a bath rim. During development or redevelopment work, we generally have a thought for “and in 20 years? »: welcome grandma home, and if I break a leg or myself, I take a little bottle. If the bathtub appeals more to families with young children for baths, the shower satisfies more households over 50 years for its aesthetic and practical aspects. Two receiver models exist.
- The receiver to ask : this is the most traditional model and the easiest to install. It has the advantage of being placed directly on the ground if the connections converge below, or on a base, which makes it the preferred element in renovation since no masonry work is to be expected. It has been modernized over the years, and some are only 3 to 5 cm thick, which allows an “almost” single storey for little work;
- The receiver recessed into the floor : Obviously more modern and more stylish, this is the “real” walk-in shower tray. Perfect on one level, it still has the constraint of requiring heavier masonry and plumbing work. If this is not a problem on new, it can become on renovation. It will be necessary to clear a space on the ground to embed it, while taking account of the evacuations and maintaining a sufficient slope for the water to evacuate correctly. On the other hand, if it can very well remain in the state, it can also be covered with a particular material which will give it a style or a decoration. This can be a special shower floor tile, mosaic, mineral resin, pebbles, etc.
The choice of material
By becoming a “favourite” room, the bathroom has been able to reinvent itself. The traditional enameled ceramic of the shower tray has given way to new materials that were not previously found in these water features. Anyway, whatever material you choose, it will be essential to ensure that it is non-slip to avoid accidents in the home. We promise you, design can go hand in hand with safety!
The enamelled stoneware tray
Also called ceramic, it is very easy to maintain but, however, very cumbersome to install. It is also preferable on a ground floor or at least on a resistant floor. Generally white, it remains relatively classic for a cost ranging between 200 and 800€;
The acrylic receiver
Lighter than ceramic, it has the advantage of being bright with its shiny and generally white appearance, of coming in various square, rectangular or rounded shapes. However, for the most artistic, modernist or futurist at heart, it only offers so-called “standard” formats. For originality, we will move on to the next material. As for its cost, count between 100 and 300€ depending on the quality and the format chosen;
The receiver to be tiled
Very fashionable, it has the advantage of being able to be cut to the desired size, which can allow some eccentricities. Creatives will be able to have a field day by covering it with tiles or mosaic tiles, which also gives room for imagination here. An important point of vigilance, however, not to be overlooked: Beware of water stagnation in the joints. It will be necessary to think about these options to scrape your shower very regularly, ideally after each wash, just like the glass walls of the walk-in shower if you want them to remain bright!
The mineral resin tray
Also called synthetic resin, this tray is probably the favorite of modern and architectural homes. Extra-flat and very solid, it has the advantage of being able to imitate raw materials such as wood, concrete or stone, which can bring a new decorative element to the water feature, or even combine floor/wall materials /receiver between them. Obviously, the modern qualitative has a price: count between 500 and 1000€ all the same for this type of receiver.