Shower Baths

What's the difference between a shower bath and a standard bath?

Our range of shower baths have been specially designed to accommodate a shower over the bath, usually at one end or the other. Many have been made with additional space at one end of the bath, or to accommodate a shower screen along the sides. Although it's possible to add a shower over any standard bathtub, getting a shower bath won't take up much more space than a standard bath, but will make using the shower a lot more comfortable.

Different shapes of shower baths

Letters of the alphabet are often used to describe shower baths and, this refers to what the baths look like when viewed above. L-shaped baths have a square section at the tap end of the bath, and P-shaped baths are similar, but with a more rounded top section. Most shower baths are described as either right or left handed, and this refers to the side of the bath with the extended section - you'll need to think about where you're placing the bath in your room to make sure you get the right configuration.

What to think about when choosing a shower bath?

Our range of shower baths is so extensive that it can be difficult to know where to start. There are however a few issues to think about, which should help to make the choice of bath easier.

• Shape of your room: The first thing to decide is where in your room you want to put your new bath. Once you've decided which wall you're going to put the bath against, you can look out either left or right handed shower baths. It's usually better to work with the shape of your room - additional plumbing and construction can be expensive. 
   
• Which style of bath do you need: the rounded style of P-shaped shower baths might fit in better with a more traditional design scheme, and if your interior design is more contemporary, then the squared off L-shaped baths might be more appropriate. No one style is better than the other - just think about how it will tie in with everything else in your bathroom. 
   
• What material is the bath made from: Most shower baths are made from acrylic, which is hard wearing, lightweight and easy to keep clean. Another option is steel, which retains heat better and can last longer than acrylic, but is much heavier and difficult to move. In addition, steel baths may be more expensive than acrylic. The manufacturer Carron also construct their baths using Carronite which is a type of reinforced acrylic, renowned for its exceptional strength, durability, and heat-retaining properties. We stock an impressive collection of Carron Baths if the extra protection was something you were considering. 
   
• Which Shower screen is best for your bathroom: This style of shower bath needs a screen to complete the installation. A P-shaped bath will require a curved screen to mirror the shape of the sides of the bath, whereas an L-shaped shower bath screen has straight sides. Usually its best to buy your bath and screen at the same time to get a perfect match rather than trying to mix and match screens at a later date. 
   
• Do you need a Bath Tap or a Shower?: You can use whatever type of shower you want with a shower bath, whether than be electric or a thermostatic one which runs off your boiler. You'll also need to source taps for your bath, and as many shower baths are pre-drilled with tap holes so if you prefer a mixer tap rather than two individual taps, choose your taps accordingly.