Shower Trays: specifications, types

— Shower tray. The pallet is a special platform, the working surface of which is equipped with a recess. The pallet makes it possible to hide the sewer drain pipeline, while avoiding the need to hide communications under the surface of the floor. Shower trays can have different shape, differ in height of the platform, etc.

— Shower plate. Shower plate is a thin plate that acts as waterproofing. The slab is integrated into the floor base, and the top is covered with tile or any other floor covering. To collect sewage water is used ladder, long or short (point). The shower stove allows you to make the bathroom extremely spacious, the absence of sides allows you to increase the decorative and aesthetic value of the shower corner.

The general shape of the pallet when viewed from above.

— Square. Square pallets have two main advantages over rounded pallets. Firstly, they have more space (with comparable dimensions); secondly, when creating a shower cabin on the basis of such a tray used flat glass - reliable, easy to install and at this relatively inexpensive.

— Rectangular. This form is very similar to the square one described above, and in practice differs mainly in proportions.

— Quarter lap. In proportion, such pallets are similar to square, but occupy a little less space - although it has little effect on the comfort of the user, because the rounded front wall leaves enough space for the inside of the person. On the other hand, such pallets require curved glass, which makes it somewhat difficult to create shower cabins based on them.

— Semi-circular. Rather specific variant, designed mainly for a fixed installation (rather than corner, as most of the above). The main features of such pallets are similar to the products in the form of a quarter circle (see above).

— Polygonal. Usually such pallets resemble square or rectangular products with a «cut» front angle. They are similar in nature to a quarter circle model - in particular, they allow saving space in the toilet without...much compromising usability. At the same time, such pallets do not need curved, and straight glasses, so they are more convenient for creating shower cabins.

Accommodation normally provided for the pallet. The choice for this indicator depends on the location of the installation. Note that it is theoretically possible to install the product and «non-native» way, but in practice it is not recommended to do this - at least, the pallet will look ridiculous, and with the use/maintenance may be problems.

— Universal. Pallets that allow both left-hand and right-hand installation. In addition, some of these models can be placed just against the wall, not necessarily in the corner.

— Left. The angle of the tray is on the left side when looking at the product from the front. The front part in this case is considered to be the long side that is not in contact with the wall. If the pallet is square or semi-circular, and the «external» sides are the same, the front will be considered the one near which there is no drain hole.

— Right. The angle of the tray is on the right side if you look at the product from the front. The front part in this case is considered to be the long side that is not in contact with the wall. If the pallet is square or semi-circular, and the «external» sides are the same, the front will be considered the one near which there is no drain hole.

— Acrylic. The most popular modern material for shower trays. Simple to produce, inexpensive, and quite convenient and practical. From the specific advantages of acrylic worth noting good strength, ease of cleaning, non-slip surface, as well as low noise and poor thermal conductivity - thanks to the latter such a tray does not cold legs, and its surface is very quickly heated under a jet of warm water. True, on the acrylic surface easily appear scratches, but they are also easy to attach. In addition, acrylic products are relatively light; and in combination with other equipment (such as massive glass partitions) the whole design may not be very stable.

— Quaryl. Modification of acrylic (see above), combining actual acrylic with quartz sand. Its main advantages are its high strength and reliability, due to which it is possible to give the pallet any shape (incl. and with many bends), and the probability of damage in impacts is much lower than that of acrylic. In addition, the quartile for a long time retains «commercial appearance». On the other hand, it is somewhat heavier than acrylic, it is more expensive, and in the restoration is quite complex (if a scratch or crack does appear).

— Marble composite. The name «marble» in this case is conditional, all categories of engineered stone are included in this category. Such pallets are quite expensive and...have a large weight, which makes it somewhat difficult to install. On the other hand, a large weight ensures stability. In addition, «marble» products differ in a very beautiful appearance, and this kind is preserved for a very long time due to the resistance to scratches. Such pallets are easy to clean, in the extreme case, you can use even «hard» abrasives. In addition, the stone surface is not inclined to slide, does not emit a special noise under the stream water, and it is extremely difficult to break it, even if specifically set such a goal.

— Ceramic composite. Ceramic pallets are distinguished by their pleasant appearance, they stand up to scratches, are easy and unpretentious to clean, and do not create noise when water jets hit them. They are heavy, which creates inconvenience for installation, but makes the product stable during use. But the drawback of this material, in addition to the rather high cost, is the relative fragility - ceramics can break from impact. Note that the market is represented by two main varieties of ceramics - Sanfayans and Sanporefor; the first is somewhat cheaper, the second is stronger and better counteract pollution.

— Enamelled steel. Steel coated with special enamel. Steel itself is a very inexpensive material, which is characterized by a high strength: even a very strong impact is likely to leave a dent in the pan. On the other hand, steel thickness is small, especially in inexpensive pallets, and under high weight the product can deform - which is especially unpleasant if it is used as a basis for shower cabin. However, this can be corrected by using additional poles or installing in a concrete bed. It is also worth noting that steel makes a lot of noise under the stream of water and can cold the legs if such a surface is not warmed up beforehand. As for enamel, this coating gives the surface a pleasant appearance, protects the metal base from corrosion, is easy to clean and retains aesthetic and operational qualities for a long time. At the same time, strong punches are dangerous for enamel: such a blow on the surface may appear chipping and scratches that require special repair.

— Fiberglass. Composite material, which is a glass fiber with plastic filler. Characterized by high strength, wear resistance, has a pleasant appearance and is quite easy to clean. In terms of resistance to scratches and rubs fiberglass is inferior to stone and ceramics, but is noticeably superior to acrylic, and is not so expensive. There are relatively few fiberglass pallets on the market, but this is due to the fact that this option is used not so long ago.

— Polystyrene foam. Shower plates are made of polystyrene foam. Polystyrene foam (XPS or extruded polystyrene) is a dense and durable material with high moisture resistance. Polystyrene foam shower plates are extremely low weight. At the same time XPS-plates have a solid life, at least 40 years. Polystyrene polystyrene foam is mainly valued for not allowing moisture or steam to pass through, and at the same time exhibits high thermal insulation performance. Foam Polystyrene Shower Plates are easy to install and XPS can be installed directly on the tile mortar.

— ABS plastic. In many respects, this material is similar to the above acrylic: on the one hand, it is relatively light and inexpensive, does not make a loud noise when water falls and almost does not cold legs, on the other - the plastic surface is sensitive to scratches.

Trays reinforced construction use all kinds of devices to ensure the product is able to withstand increased loads. For example, metal frames, additional support leg in the central plane, bottom amplifiers made of moisture resistant chipboards, HDF boards, glass fibre, glass-roving, fibreglass are often used to strengthen the pallet. Reinforced shower trays increase the safety of water procedures multiple times.

The shape of the tray determines its depth - the height of the side relative to the bottom.

— Small. Pallets up to 90 mm depth are considered shallow. When closing the drain is quickly filled with water, so when using such products should be especially careful to watch the drain and prevent it from clogging. On the other hand, even a small child or an elderly person can easily step over a short side. These products are significantly cheaper than medium and deep, all other things being equal; in addition, small pallets are considered the most aesthetic, so many premium models belong to this type.

— Medium. Pallets from 90 to 200 mm depth are considered average. In some cases, such a product represents an optimal compromise between the advantages of medium and deep pallets (cf. the corresponding paragraphs): it gives a good reserve volume in case of clogged drainage and at the same time remains relatively convenient for entering and leaving.

— Deep. Pallets with a depth of 200 mm or more. One of the key advantages of such products is the ability to collect a large amount of water. This reduces the probability of «flood» if there are problems with drainage. In addition, the drain can be closed and intentionally - for example, for the use of a tray as an improvised baby bath or a washing container. Also note that many of these models are equipped...with built-in seats (cf. below). On the other hand, stepping over a high ledge can be difficult for a child or for a person experiencing leg problems.

Type of panel supplied with tray.

Panel is a detail that is located on the outside of the pallet between the upper edge and the floor; it covers the space under the product from water and dirt, and gives it a neat appearance. There are such options for panels:

— Whole. The part, which is a single unit with a pallet; in fact, the role of the panel in this case plays a downward bent upper edge of the product. The convenience of this option is obvious: you do not need to tinker with the selection and installation of a separate part, it is enough to install a pallet - and the panel will be in place. On the other hand, in some cases, such a construction may create inconvenience - for example, if there is a small obstacle at the site of the intended installation of the pan, into which the panel would stick from above. And to get into space under such a pallet, you have to lift it whole. Also note that not all materials are suitable for the manufacture of solid-cast panels: for example, steel pallets are not equipped with such parts.

— Included. Panel in the form of a separate part, supplied as a set and fixed after installation of the pallet. This requires additional time and effort compared to the solid-cast panel described above; however, the installation is generally very simple and cannot be considered a serious disadvantage. At the same time, this option gives an important advantage: it allows you to get to the...space under the pallet, just removing the panel. In addition, you can not install the panel at all. On the other hand, the separately made parts are somewhat inferior in strength and reliability to the solid-cast.

— None. Among products without panels, two main varieties can be distinguished. The first is pallets, to which the user can choose the panel; in some situations this is more efficient than relying on the manufacturer’s choice. The second is products that do not need panels; in particular, some models of deep pallets.

Presence of a special anti-slip surface.

Many materials used in modern pallets are not slippery by themselves. At the same time, for additional guarantee, the working surface may have special shaped projections which increase the adhesion. It certainly reduces the risk of slipping in the shower. In some models, the role of such projections can be played by t. N. dekking - flooring of non-slip material, divided into tiles for an additional increase in friction.

In the absence of an anti-slip surface, it is highly desirable to use a special mat for the pallet, having a similar purpose.

The presence of legs in the tray , each of which can be adjusted in height - usually within a couple of centimeters. This adjustment is designed to adjust the legs for small irregularities of the floor on which the product is placed; it allows you to achieve a stable position without resorting to tricks like laying under the feet of planks.

Presence of seat in the design of tray.

This feature is found only in deep models (cf. «Type of pallet»). The seat is a characteristic area in the inner corner of the product, having a height of a couple of centimeters below the side of the pan. The size of this area may be very small, but it can still be useful for those who have difficulty standing at all times - for example, the elderly.

Supply of siphon - a characteristic curved pipe for drainage. This configuration eliminates the need to buy a siphon separately, especially since the complete pipe is optimally suited to the pallet in size. However, it is not impossible to specify the size of the complete siphon and check how it will fit into the intended installation site.

— Linear. The linear staircase involves the use of long and wide sewage drain, which is protected from the top by a grid. Gangplanks of linear type require the shower plate (shower tray) to tilt to some one side where the drain channel is located. Due to the sufficiently large length of the drain channel, linear ladders demonstrate the highest efficiency of water discharge.

— Compact. Compact staircase is a well of small diameter, which is protected from the top by a grid. For the compact gangway to operate efficiently, it is necessary that the shower plate (or tray) has a slope from all sides to the gangway opening. In practice, there are a number of technical difficulties involved in the creation of a center-directed runoff, but the design of the compact gangway has a simpler device than in linear sinks. On top of that, compact ramps are much easier to maintain.

Diameter of siphon hole in tray.

This information is necessary when selecting a drain pipe for a particular product - the size of the siphon should correspond to the diameter of the hole. The standard diameters found in modern shower trays are 60 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm and 130 mm. Also note that the larger the diameter, the higher the capacity of the drain, the lower the probability of clogging.

The depth of the tray is the height of its side relative to the bottom. Shallow products with a closed drain quickly fill up with water, which can be a problem if the drain tends to clog; but they are easy to enter and exit. The greater depth, on the contrary, allows you to draw more water, but the high side makes it difficult to enter and exit. For more details about this, as well as about dividing the shower trays by depth, see «View pallet».

The maximum load that a shower tray is designed for, in other words, the maximum weight that the product can be guaranteed to support without the risk of breakage. Exceeding the permissible load value can render the shower tray itself unusable.

Note that under the weight of a person, the pallet should not bend. It is also undesirable to select a model according to the load "back to back". The best option is to have a margin of estimated weight of at least 10 - 15%.

This paragraph does not specify the country of manufacture of shower trays, but the country of origin of the brand. The most popular among these products are Austria, Hungary, Germany, Spain, Italy, China, Poland, Czech Republic.

The warranty period declared by the manufacturer for this model - that is, the period during which the manufacturer guarantees normal operation. The specific terms of the warranty may vary, but as a rule it applies to factory defects and faults caused by the manufacturer/seller and detected in normal use, without violating the rules.

The longer the warranty period - the more reliable is the shower tray, the higher its overall quality, other things being equal, but the more expensive it will be compared to analogues.