Guide: Bath to shower conversion – What should you consider?
Martin Schaepermeier, application engineer and instructor at KALDEWEI Iconic World, reveals the best options and what to consider when choosing and planning a floor-level shower surface.
What shower surface suits me best?
The choice of floor-level shower surfaces is wide. KALDEWEI has a portfolio of more than 100,000 solutions just for designing a shower area for longevity. It can, therefore, be overwhelming and it’s not always easy to make the right choice, but, thankfully help is at hand. The KALDEWEI website provides bathroom planners with the tools to explore their options and get inspiration from the bathroom trends and guide pages or even complete an online test to determine their type. This gives you an initial idea of your style preferences for the bathroom. Once you have decided on a model, the Product Configurator will take you step by step to your custom shower surface. For added convenience, you can also check for bathroom showrooms near you that feature your preferred model.
What optional extras add the perfect finishing touch?
KALDEWEI shower surfaces can be supplied with a choice of non-slip surface finishes, ensuring additional safety in the shower. As well as anti-slip and full anti-slip enamel, KALDEWEI offers the Secure Plus as a virtually invisible finish. The result is a smooth material surface that guarantees complete and lasting safety and comfort underfoot. But today’s modern, barrier-free bathrooms are no longer designed with purely functional aspects in mind; they must be a place to relax and unwind. Coloured shower trays, such as the enamelled shower surfaces in the matt shades of the Coordinated Colours Collection, work exceptionally well with wood or natural stone surfaces, - bringing tranquillity and harmony to the bathroom.
Is it possible to install a floor-level shower surface in my bathroom?
Today, modern waste systems combined with enamelled shower surfaces enable flat installation of floor-level showers in almost any bathroom. If the building structure hampers your plans, there are always nearly flat solutions – if in doubt, speak to a professional! A qualified fitter can tell you whether a particular installation situation can accommodate a floor-level shower surface. Initially, the dimensions of the enamelled shower surface, the required size of the floor opening and the structural height of shower surface, installation system and trap are determined. The current structural height is quickly established simply by drilling all the way down to the base concrete. The convenient fitter search on the KALDEWEI website helps the bathroom planner quickly locate a professional close to them.
How do I know if a fitter is reputable?
Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to this question. It’s advisable to contact a registered specialist or a member of the builders’ guild, in the UK, it’s the Federation of Master Builders. Bathroom professionals know their products and often have years of valuable experience. Many specialist companies are specially trained in floor-level showers and are KALDEWEI-certified “floor-level experts”. It’s advisable to request a personal consultation and ask relevant questions.
Source: Franz KALDEWEI GmbH & Co. KG. Copy requested.
