Open Shower Vs. Closed - Change Shower Curb From Angled to Straight?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

We have been working on our kids' doorless shower for longer than I care to admit. We planned to put a 12" piece of glass on top of the freestanding wall to keep water from splashing out. Recently someone suggested that we enclose the shower completely to make it warmer and to prevent steam from building up in the bathroom. It was suggested that we could install glass all the way to the ceiling and put a door or curtain over the doorway. Please give me your opinions on this option. I am concerned that enclosing the shower would cause a mold problem although we live in a dry desert climate. We could allow the moisture to escape by opening the window but in the winter, it would be too cold to leave the window open. I'm not sure if a bathroom fan outside the shower would be effective enough.

I have regretted putting the shower curb on an angle. We did this to reduce the amount of water that splashes out of the shower. At the time it seemed like a good idea but now I wonder if it just looks weird. More importantly, the angled curb would make it difficult to install a door over the opening if we decided we wanted one. I would really appreciate some opinions about whether we should take out the angled curb and make it straight. We poured a concrete slope with Kerdi and pebbles on top, but pebbles are not yet grouted. Would it be worth the effort to re-do the curb, take out a section of the Kerdi and pebbles and cut the slope in order to straighten the curb? Whether or not you think it is worth the effort involved, do you like the curb angled or straight? Thanks so much for any help.

Comments (5)

dawna177
8 years ago
Hi there, I'm not sure what they meant by enclosing the shower to prevent steam in the bathroom. The steam has to go somewhere, no? It can't stay in the shower enclosure forever. I also see he waterproofing isn't up to the ceiling, so maybe you are right to be concerned about mold.

I like exactly what your original plan is. I like the angled curb, and the pebbles look great, so why cause all the extra work by pulling them out, and having to re waterproof.
sjhockeyfan325
8 years ago
I think the angled curb looks fine - wouldn't change that. We had an angled curb in our previous home and it took the shower door people a bit of finagling to get a door and hinges to fit/work properly, but they did and we were so glad to have a door after years without one.
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kendog2
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you Dawna and Sjhockeyfan for your kind words. Apparently steam is produced when the warm air from the shower comes in contact with the colder air in the bathroom. I think this means that less steam would be produced if the shower were enclosed. We wouldn't enjoy the extra work of replacing the curb and re-waterproofing but it would be much easier than re-doing it after the tile is installed.

I forgot to mention that there is a pocket door between the shower and toilet area and the rest of the bathroom. We could shut this door while showering but it wouldn't keep the shower as warm as it would be if the shower itself was enclosed. Sjhockeyfan, how did you like the way your angled shower door looked?
sjhockeyfan325
8 years ago
We liked the angled shower door (although it wouldn't be my first choice now, knowing what I do about the difficulty of installing the shower door). I thought I had a picture, but unfortunately, I don't.
kendog2
Original Author
8 years ago
No problem. Thank you Sjhockeyfan. We took out a tub to put in this shower. The old tub had glass shower doors. They were really hard to keep clean which is why we opted for a doorless shower. We could put up a sheer curtain but it might not look too pretty.

Does anyone else care to weigh in on whether we should build a straight curb to accommodate a door if needed in the future?

Open Shower Vs. Closed - Change Shower Curb From Angled to Straight?

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Open Shower Vs. Closed - Change Shower Curb From Angled to Straight?

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