Walk In-Shower Enclosures: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

A shower enclosure can be a defining feature in your bathroom, with everything from the size to the shape of the design playing a key part in the room's overall aesthetic. Walk-in shower enclosures are an excellent option for those who want to combine style and practicality into a lavish shower space.

While the large, frameless glass panels of walk-in shower enclosures are highly in tune with modern bathroom stylings, they are also incredibly versatile. With their minimalistic design and easy setup, these enclosures are perfect for a variety of bathroom sizes.

In this guide, we’ll provide you with everything you need to find the right walk-in shower enclosure for you.

What is a walk-in shower enclosure?

Walk-in shower enclosures are doorless shower spaces made of solid glass panels. Depending on your preference, these panels are installed either directly onto a wall and floor or a shower tray.

As with quadrant and corner entry enclosures, walk-in showers tend to be situated in the corner of your bathroom. In the absence of a shower door, the glass panels serve as the main partition between the shower space and the rest of the bathroom.

With only some glass panels and a bit of space required for installation, walk-in enclosures are a fantastic option for those who want a larger, more luxurious shower space. These enclosures are equally suitable for smaller bathrooms, with their simple design perfect for those who want to bring the contemporary feel of three-sided shower enclosures to a more compact area.

With the modern-day clamour for frameless, showroom-style showers higher than ever, walk-in showers are one of the most efficient and easy ways of creating that slick, spacious bathroom aesthetic. In particular, Aquadart is a leading brand that offers a range of excellent walk-in shower enclosures.

Additionally, when installed on a level-access floor, these showers are an excellent choice for people with limited mobility. Read more about the best shower enclosures for reduced mobility.

What are the different types of walk-in shower enclosures available?

Walk-in shower enclosures are available either as a standard walk-in enclosure or as a wetroom. The main difference between a standard walk-in structure and a wetroom is the flooring.

We’ll go through the main characteristics of both below:

Wetroom

A wet room has an entirely open-plan set-up, with floor alterations required to allow the water to flow through a drain on the floor.

While wet rooms typically include a glass panel for separation from the rest of the bathroom, the floor design enables them to work well without any tray or panels. For those who prefer to have a shower tray, however, there are wetroom shower trays available that can be sunk into the floor of your wetroom.

While this style is typically associated with larger showers, it’s just as possible to assemble a smaller wetroom if you’re looking to be more economical with your bathroom space.

Wetrooms can be the perfect choice for those who want to create a shower space that’s both stylish and spacious.

Standard walk-in shower enclosure

A walk-in shower enclosure requires no alterations to the bathroom floor to work effectively. As such, this type of enclosure relies on a shower tray and one or two glass panels to prevent flooding and damage to the rest of the bathroom.

Walk-in showers are perfect for those looking to create the wetroom aesthetic without the budget to alter the bathroom floor. As with wetrooms, these showers are an excellent way to bring comfort and style to bathrooms of all sizes, with Lakes being highly renowned for their high-calibre walk-in shower enclosures.

What are the main things to consider when buying a walk-in shower enclosure?

As one of the most customisable shower enclosures available, there are many features to choose from to ensure you get the most stylish, practical design for your bathroom.

We’ll cover these key aspects below:

Size

There are numerous factors to consider when determining the right size wetroom or walk-in shower enclosure for you. While the size of your bathroom will undoubtedly be a key factor in your choice, it's important to strike the right balance between a shower enclosure that’s both comfortable to use and proportionate to your room size.

While it may seem logical to think that the largest bathrooms should have the biggest shower enclosures, it isn’t always so cut and dry. When choosing the right enclosure, you should take into account how much of a feature you want the shower to be in your bathroom.

If you’re looking for something practical that blends into the rest of your bathroom, then it's wise to pick something relatively small in relation to the rest of the room. If, however, you’d like the enclosure to be at the heart of your room’s aesthetic, then having something that takes up a bit more space might actually be a good thing.

Shower enclosures can vary significantly in size, with everything from 700mm structures to 1700mm designs available on our site. Because of the popularity of walk-in enclosures, you’ll find a wide range of different sizes to suit a variety of different bathrooms.

Read more about shower enclosure sizes in our comprehensive guide.

Type of tray (standard walk-in enclosures only)

The importance of selecting a suitable shower tray can often be underappreciated when purchasing a new shower. While tray shopping may seem like a dull prospect when you’re choosing your new enclosure, its importance to the maintenance of your walk-in shower cannot be overstated.

When choosing a tray, it’s important to make sure that it's the correct size and shape to fit snugly on your shower floor. By selecting a tray that fits properly into the floor space, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of mould, rust, and structural damage developing due to water leakage.

ShowerstoYou have a wealth of excellent shower trays available to compliment enclosures of all shapes and sizes.

Why buy a walk-in shower enclosure from ShowerstoYou?

At ShowerstoYou, we have been providing our customers with the finest bathroom and shower furniture in the UK for over three decades. With our extensive range of square enclosures, you’re sure to find the perfect enclosure for your bathroom.

On our site, you’ll find only the finest brands in the industry. With an extensive range from manufacturers like Aquadart, Merlyn, and Lakes available, we have showers to suit every home.

Every product on our site comes with a full manufacturer's warranty, giving you peace of mind while you purchase your shower.

Check out our full range of shower enclosures online today and take the first step to finding the best shower for you.