Home • Shower Enclosures/Shower Doors • Which shower enclosure to buy

Which shower enclosure to buy

Which shower enclosure to buy

A shower enclosure is an excellent addition to any bathroom, separating the wet and dry areas and providing a clean, modern look. Showers come in different styles and sizes, each with variations in functionality, offering greater convenience and practicality.

If you are looking to improve or renovate your bathroom, a new stylish, long-lasting shower may be at the top of your list. However, choosing the right shower enclosure for your home can be a daunting task with all the designs and options available.

We have broken down the different types and designs to make the process of choosing the right shower a little easier for you.

What are the different shower enclosure options available to me?

Quadrant and offset quadrant shower enclosures

Photo credit: lOCOOl / Shutterstock

One of the most popular enclosures is the quadrant style due to its unique space-saving design. The quadrant shower has a curved glass edge and two flat sides, making this enclosure easy to install into corners and an excellent choice for modern bathrooms or new builds.

This enclosure is available in two different styles, the standard quadrant and the offset quadrant. The only difference between the two is their size. An offset quadrant enclosure has one side slightly more than the other, taking up more room but providing a larger shower area and providing much more elbow room.

Sliding doors are most familiar with the quadrant and offset quadrant design, however, hinged doors are also an option for some. Merlyn offers some great two-door offset designs with curved bases, magnetic seals and polished chrome finishes, as well as a single opening door.

Square shower enclosures

Photo credit: Retan / Shutterstock

Also popular in modern houses, the square corner enclosure–as the name suggests–has a square design and offers a little more space than the quadrant variants. >The square shower enclosure is easily customisable with many frames and door options, allowing the shower to fit perfectly against your current bathroom styling. Like the quadrant enclosure, the square shower enclosure comes in an ‘off-set’ variation, providing one side more prominent than the other, giving more shower room.

Novellini and Lakes offer some great options if you are looking for a square shower, with a variety of doors and fittings to create a modern fresh look for your bathroom.

Alcove shower enclosures

Photo credit: ImageFlow / Shutterstock

The alcove shower utilises a recessed area in the wall, with three sides of the shower being a pre-existing wall. Due to the nature of this design, the size of the shower is dictated by the size of the alcove area.

People with an alcove shower "will often need to create a stood wall to allow the shower tray to fit their shower space", as finding a tray to sit in an alcove space perfectly can be tricky.

Those with an alcove shower can choose from a huge selection of hinged, pivot, bifold & sliding shower doors and with most of the doors being universal for a right or left hand opening.

Roman Showers and Merlyn Showers are one of the largest shower manufacturers in the UK, provide an excellent shower range with an alcove fitting which are easy to fit and come with a variety of design options.

Corner entry enclosures

Photo credit: brizmaker / Shutterstock

One of the best-selling shower enclosures is the corner entry, due to its compact design style, allowing it to fit perfectly in most bathrooms whatever their size.

The corner entry style also allows them to be highly versatile and customisable to your needs with a variety of shape and size designs.

Available with hinged, pivot, bifold, sliding and quadrant style," and fully reversible left and right-hand installations on most, corner entry shower enclosures from Roman Haven will give your bathroom that luxurious yet practical feel.

Shower pods

Shower pods are a great choice for those looking for a quick and easy installation. Their unique design provides you with a self-contained shower that often comes pre-assembled or flat pack, whilst still maintaining a premium look and finish.

Shower pods, otherwise known as shower cabins or cubicles, are typically cheaper than other shower enclosures and provide a great leak-proof self-contained solution.

Check out our range of shower pods from Kinedo available in a variety of different shapes, sizes and door options.

Rectangular shower enclosures

Photo credit: ImageFlow / Shutterstock

Rectangular shower enclosures are one of our best-sellers due to its vast range of design style, allowing it to fit perfectly in most bathrooms whatever their size.

The rectangular shower enclosure is frequently the go-to shower enclosure if you have lots of space in your bathroom. This shower is pretty self-explanatory; it is rectangular and provides a lot of room for a more enjoyable shower experience.

Rectangular showers can be installed into corners or against flat walls – if this is your preferred choice, take a look at our 3-sided shower enclosures. All of our shower enclosures can accommodate a wide variety of doors and frames.

Frameless shower enclosures

Photo credit: onzon / Shutterstock

As the name suggests, a frameless shower comes without a frame to hold the glass panels in place. Instead, much stronger glass panels are used and are fixed to the wall using brackets.

Each of our frameless shower designs can be purchased with optional side panels and a matching shower tray, providing a practical yet sophisticated and stylish solution to any bathroom suite.

Some popular brands that offer frameless shower solutions are Roman, Aquadart and Merlyn, all providing clean and elegant shower designs.

Walk-in shower enclosures and wet rooms

Photo credit: Pavel Adashkevich / Shutterstock

Walk-in showers differ from any other shower enclosure because of the huge ranges of sizes available and the option to create a full wet-room floor as opposed to using a shower tray. At ShowerstoYou, we also have a wide range of low profile and flush fitting trays making them easy for use without the big step up into the enclosure.

Wet rooms can also be referred to as a walk-in showers, with the exception that some walk in showers are supplied complete with a dedicated shower tray.

Due to the easy accessibility of these showers, walk-in showers or wet rooms are an excellent choice for those with mobility or accessibility challenges

Aquadart and Kudos offer a wide range of wetroom panels and walk-in shower options, including matt black panel options to create a contemporary bathroom design. Most of our wet room panels also come with "easy clean" glass, as standard, to protect against limescale and keep the shower looking as good as new.

The different shower doors available

Before purchasing your shower enclosure, you will also need to decide what type of doors it will have. This will usually be determined by the kind of shower enclosure, bathroom style, and space limitations you have.

There are five different types of door fixings available for your shower:

● Hinged

● Pivot

● Sliding

● Bi-fold

● In-swing/In-fold

Hinged shower doors

The most common door used on shower enclosures is the hinged design due to the ease and functionality of opening 180° outwards, allowing lots of space to move around. Usually fitted to the wall or shower frame, the door is held up using at least two hinges.

Pivot shower doors

The pivot shower door is similar to a regular hinge door, except it has two pivot points on the top and bottom, either on the left or right side. The door then swings outwards or inwards like a traditional door.

Because a pivot door does not have a track at the bottom, this can reduce the build-up of dirt that can congregate in this area. Another advantage to a pivot door is it allows you to put a door on a tight opening if you have minimal space.

Sliding shower doors

Sliding shower doors use runners so the doors can overlap each other and are often found on quadrant, offset quadrants, square or rectangular shower enclosures.

Sliding doors can be a great space-saving alternative making them a great choice for limited space. In addition, because a sliding door stays confined to the base area, there is minimal water spillage when the door opens; unlike a pivot door, the water droplets may spill out across the bathroom floor when opened. A lot of our sliding shower doors come with a swing-out glass feature, allowing for easy cleaning where the panels overlap.

Sliding doors, however, tend to have restricted opening compared with pivot doors or hinged doors and may not be appropriate for the elderly or anyone with mobility challenges.

Bi-fold shower doors

Like sliding doors, bi-fold doors are also often used when space is limited. Hinged in the middle, these doors fold towards the shower and are a good option for those seeking a wider walk-in. These are most suited to square, rectangular, and alcove shower enclosures.

In-swing/in-line shower doors

In-line shower doors are another common door type for showers. These glass doors operate by attaching to at least another glass panel at 180°, creating a straight (in-line) design. These doors often come with hinged or pivot connecting points and are most suitable for larger size enclosures.

What to think about when purchasing a shower enclosure

It’s important not to rush into buying a shower enclosure as there are a few things you need to think about first.

  1. Size: Arguably, the most important thing to consider is the size and layout of your bathroom. The size of your shower area will determine which size enclosure and door type you choose. Measure the space carefully to ensure you get the right fit shower enclosure.
  2. Bathroom layout: The bathroom is one of the busiest rooms in the house and, with this in mind, the shower must sit well positioned for its function. You do not want to arrange the shower by the side of the toilet if it restricts access or other bathroom functions, so plan carefully.
  3. Catering for people with disabilities or impaired movement: As well as being stylish, a shower needs to be practical for its users. Even if users do not necessarily have a disability, it may be safer to opt for a more accessible shower option if you have the space to accommodate.
  4. Price: Figuring how much you would like to spend is another significant factor determining what style of shower enclosure you choose. With many different shower enclosure styles on offer, the range in price can differ quite significantly. However, if you’re willing to make a slightly higher investment in your new shower, you can get a great premium shower that lasts.
    5. Read our guide about how much shower enclosures cost for more.
  5. Do your research: Finally, ensure you purchase a shower through a reputable company. This may potentially save many headaches down the line if something goes wrong.

Why buy a shower enclosure from ShowerstoYou?

ShowerstoYou has been running for over 38 years, offering bathroom and shower products across the UK. With our vast shower enclosure range, we are sure you will find the perfect shower for you and your home.

All of our products are supplied by leading manufacturers such as Aquadart, Kudos, Lakes, Merlyn, Novellini, Roman and Twyford, to name a few. Every product we sell comes with a full manufacturer's warranty, giving you total peace of mind.

Browse the full shower enclosures collection online today to find the perfect shower for you and your home.