Shower Screens Explained

Here at Shower Screens we have listed a large selection of different types of shower and bath screens from leading screen manufacturers. Whatever type of bath you have, or style of bathroom, finding something suitable for your home should be easy, and you won't have to sacrifice on style either.

A modern shower screen serves 2 main roles which are practicality and decorative. Showering can be a messy activity, with water spraying and squirting all over the place. It is vitally important that spillages out on to the bathroom floor are prevented altogether and not merely reduced to a manageable amount that dries off quickly.

Even small amounts of leakage onto the floor can contribute to major problems over a period of time. While the floor may appear to have dried quickly, any water that found its way onto the floor could have soaked through into the supportive wooden structures below.

While this type of damage can worsen over a period of time before it eventually requires expensive maintenance, there is also the possibility that enough excess water could soak through and cause an immediate minor flooding of the rooms below. Water damage caused by leakage within your own home can be expensive enough, but even more so if you live in a flat and the damage occurs to the property of someone else living in the flat below!

Practical reasons aside, these bath screens also add an attractive decorative touch to the bathroom. The right style of shower screen can match other bathroom items such as the cabinet and a mirror, to deliver a sleek unified designer feel to this often neglected household room.

Common Shower Screen Features

When it comes to choosing a particular shower screen for your bathroom, it is a good idea to first be aware of the particular features that are available so you don't later regret your purchase if you see a screen you would have preferred.

Common variants and features of shower and bath screens include:

• Shape of glass
• Shape of bath to fit
• Sliding screens
• Completely enclosed screens
• Built-in towel rail
• With or without frames
• Folding shower screens
• Integrated shower curtain

Shower screens are also commonly referred to as bath screens, and the type of bath will often dictate the type of screen required. Most bath tubs in the UK are of a rectangular shape, so a flat glass panel screen is required to fit the seal of the screen against the top of the bath itself to prevent leakage.

With round bathtubs, or baths with a rounded edge that opens out towards the floor area, a curved shower screen is required that will fit the natural contour of the bath and keep water from escaping. Typically, curved shower screens are built to fit a specific model of bath which can prove troublesome if not purchased at the same time the bath was bought. Some of the curved bath screens can be customised to fit the specific shape of the rounded bath but it would be better to purchase the specified model.

The possible movement of the screen will typically vary between 1 of 3 options: hinged, sliding and folding. The hinged screens are anchored to the wall, and can be moved from side to side over the bath. The other 2 will extend along the edge of the bath in either a folding or sliding manner. This allows the shower screen to be kept out of the way and only put in to position while showering. For those that enjoy taking hot baths, it can be a nice touch being able to move the screen out of the way for a more pleasurable bathing experience.

Another handy feature is to have a towel rail attached to the glass panel, ensuring a towel is always closed to hand for when finishing showering or in case shampoo runs into the eyes.

The height of different shower screens can also become a deciding factor, too short to cover the tallest member of the family and water could drizzle out over the top. Some shower screens can combine a shorter glass screen with a shower curtain that can be drawn over the top of the bath to provide even more water containment. With the variety of shower curtains available you could use one to put those decorative finishing touches to your bathroom.

Popular Models

Some of the more popular types of shower and bath screens are the folding and sliding ones. They provide the conventional protection from water spillage as you would expect from a shower screen, but can be conveniently moved out of the way when not in use.

This Sliding Shower Screen for example is competitively priced at less than £50, but provides the useful ability of being able to slide out when required. This allows for easier access to the taps, preventing you from having to reach around the door to turn the shower on - and having to avoid the resulting cold water blast.

The folding screens are similar to the sliding models but can be moved even further out of the way and folding flat towards the adjoining bathroom wall. With 4 folding panels, the Folding Shower and Bath Screen listed here is available for less than £90 and is an economical way of protecting your bathroom floor from water spillages during showering, in addition to looking great.

Shower curtains are a cost effective way to create an enclosed shower cubicle which can be kept completely out of the way during use. The curtain quickly slides along the upper metal rail and can be tucked up against the wall. This Glass Shower Screen With Over Bath Rail combines a narrow glass shower screen with a shower curtain, keeping the area around the bath taps contained while allowing you to choose a shower curtain of the design of your choice to keep the maximum amount of water as possible contained within the bath tub.