Doorless showers (or walk in showers) are a growing trend in home design. Although people of all ages like the openness and contemporary look that doorless showers provide, this shower style especially appeals to older homeowners who want the ability to age in their own homes.
Even though you may be ready to give up your yucky shower door for this more modern designer option, put your sledgehammer away. There are pros and cons to doorless showers that you need to consider before redesigning your bathroom space.
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Doorless Shower Pros and Cons
Before we get to our list of pros and cons, please understand that this article is not specifically about installing a walk in shower in your home. A walk in shower is a shower enclosure that doesn’t require you to manage a step to enter the space. A walk in shower sometimes has a door.
Instead, this article focuses on the pros and cons of a doorless shower for your home. A shower doesn’t require a door if the showerhead is isolated around a corner or behind a half wall. And, of course, a proper doorless shower requires the shower pan to drain water away from its entrance.
Pros of a Doorless Walk In Shower
Here are some of the positive aspects of this type of bathroom remodeling project.
Able to get rid of your clear glass door (or frosted glass door)
Think back to when your shower doors were first installed. They were pristine, and you promised yourself that you would wipe them down each day so they would stay immaculate for years. However, the number one reason most homeowners want to switch to a doorless shower design is that they are sick of cleaning the door.
Reduces the number of falls that occur in a bathroom
Many homeowners like the easy accessibility that comes with having a seamless entry into the shower. Walk in showers are especially critical for those with accessibility issues – as long as non-slippery flooring is used.
Makes the bathroom feel more open and roomy
An open-concept shower area makes it feel as if you have more space in your bathroom. It also allows you to see the beautiful tile work on your shower walls. Most showers with doors are designed for only one person, but a doorless bathroom design can accommodate both partners.
Cons of doorless walk in showers
As you may have read in other blog articles about this type of bathroom design, doorless walk in showers may not be an option if you have a small bathroom. Here are some other reasons that a doorless shower might not be the best choice for you.
Not an option for every bathroom size
As we mentioned, this type of shower requires more floor space than your existing bathtub. And no matter how much you like this design, you can’t do it if it will take the entire bathroom. After all, even a small amount of escaping water droplets will do severe damage over time.
Feels drafty
The very nature of an open concept shower can be one reason that you decide against this design. You may like how your open shower bathroom looks until you feel the cold air in your shower stall. Some homeowners take care of this problem by installing radiant floor heating or towel warmers.
Less privacy
While some people may not mind not having a glass barrier between themselves and another person in the room, others may long for the privacy that a door offers.
Could significantly reduce the resale value if your home doesn’t have a tub
Even though a doorless shower is a trendy bathroom feature, not having a bathtub in your house may reduce its resale value.
Not a DIY project
The installation of a doorless shower isn’t an easy DIY project. The sloped floor required for the shower drain in itself requires special skill. And if done wrong, the escaping water and moisture accumulation that occurs may damage the structure of your bathroom floor or walls.
Contact Woodbridge Shower and Bath for a Custom Designed Walk In Shower
Are you ready to revamp your bathroom and get rid of your ugly shower door? Not only can Woodbridge Shower and Bath design a custom built walk in shower, but we can also update the rest of the bathroom at the same time. To learn more about the design-build process, contact us.
