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How to Choose a Corner, Bench Or Fold Down Shower Seat

Posted by on February 7, 2012 No comments

It may seem like shower seat choices are endless. So how do you make your selection from the jungle of options? Which type of seat will fit your budget, style, and provide the features and functions you desire? Follow these 5 steps to .5 make the right choice for your shower remodeling project:

Step 1-Determine the size of your shower base-The size of your base is a key factor in choosing a seat. Smaller showers of 10 square feet or less will generally only have enough space for a fold down or fold and store seat. For mid-sized showers (10 to 25 square feet) in the triangular shaped corner seat works well because it is compact and functional. For larger rectangular shaped showers larger than 25 square feet the bench seat can provide the most generous area for relaxing,shaving and showering.

Step 2-Identify the type of base/seat combination that works best With your budget in mind evaluate these options:

Shower Seats

-(A) Fiberglass and acrylic seats built into the bases-Fiberglass is very cost effective but sizes are limited and if the Foundation cracks or fails the entire enclosure must be removed. Seats are also built into acrylic bases. These bases are generally higher quality than fiberglass but are more costly as well.

-(B) Wood framed base built on site-A wood framed seat structure can be built inside a concrete base poured on site and then the structure can be covered with either a masonry board (most frequently in the case of tiled showers) or covered over with a PVC waterproofing membranes. The advantage of this system is the abilityto build it in many shapes and sizes. The disadvantage can be the labor time involved and also the risk of leakage if this installation is not done properly (transition points between the bench and the walls can be tricky).

(C) “Prefabricated” expanded polystyrene-This material is made of one solid unit and can be manufactured into bench or corner seats. These units are available is a wide variety of standard and custom sizes. It is waterproof, easy to work with (it is attached to the base with modified thin-set), and can be finished off with tile or a solid surface material.

-(D) Fold down Brazilian walnut or teak Fold down units are an excellent option if you have a small shower (they use the least amount of room). Teak has a high level of water resistance and Brazilianwalnut is actually 10 X better water resistance than teak.

Step 3-Consider the height and depth of your seat-The height and depth of seats can vary depending on the specific system and/or by manufacturer. Generally the height of most seats varies between a minimum of 14 “high to approximately 20″ high (for those with limited mobility the 20 “high units will be better). The minimum depth of a shower seat is usually 12 “and many units are 14″ to 16 “deep as well.

Step 4-Evaluate the waterproofing capabilities of each system-If you’re looking for a high level of water resistance in your seat there are some systems you should put on the top of your list and others you probably want to keep off the list. The winning systems for water resistance would include acrylicbase/seat combos and expanded polystyrene systems or will. The materials to stay away from would be the custom made wood framed structure (this is one that can be especially problematic if you or your contractor does not install them correctly) or the fiberglass base/seat combos (these bases have the highest failure rate).

Step 5-Top it off The top of your seat is what is noticed the most often and will be critical to the longevity of your shower. Here are some options to consider:

-Tile seat (over either a framed structure or expanded or will polystyrene)-If you choose to tile seat make sure the structure below is well constructed and pitched slightly towards the shower drain. For best results use either a sanded grout or for the highest level of waterchoose a urethane grout resistance between the tiles.

-Solid surface, corian, granite, marble or cultured marble-These seats will usually be placed on top of the framed or expanded polystyrene systems. The nice thing about these products is they have no joints to be concerned about water penetration. The cultured marble will generally be the most cost effective-the genuine marble would be the most expensive.

-Teak or Brazilian teak/walnut-The Brazilian walnut seats match nicely with the earth tone color schemes being used in many showers today. While both materials are water resistant Brazilian walnut is amazingly dense and 10 times more water resistant than teak.

-Acrylic or fiberglass-With acrylic or fiberglass, the seat will be built into the base-colorselections will be limited.

Step 5 1/2-If the choices are too complex, call a professional. Like many bathroom remodeling product selections-the options are many and the choices can be daunting. If you’re unsure of what seat to use and where to use it call a professional bathroom remodeling contractor. Look for bathroom remodeling contractor to qualified through rating services like Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau and/or tap into your social networks.

Now that you’re equipped with these 5 1/2 steps you’re ready to choose the right shower seat to complete your bathroom project.

How to Choose a Corner, Bench Or Fold Down Shower Seat

Teak Shower Seats – Why Choose Teak?

Posted by on February 3, 2012 No comments

If I may move outside the locus of the shower for a moment, I would like to look for the perfect material to manufacture a shower seat, a bath mat or an accessory. These are typically used in the warm, soapy and wet environment of any shower, residential or commercial. So we ask, ‘What are the specifications we should look for in a shower seat material?’

We already have a description of some of the technical needs, so let us explore further into the specifics. Assuming it will be used in a residential setting, the material must be not only be functional but esthetically pleasing. As there will be bare skin in contact with surfaces, it must not splinter and it must be warm and comfortable. The proposed material should not be a maintenance headache. Possibly the most overlooked necessity, it must be strong to be safe. So now we can take a look and make valid comparisons, in no particular order:

Shower Seats

The necessary criteria are that it should be Rot Resistant, Esthetically Pleasing,No Splinters, Warm, Comfortable, Low Maintenance and be strong.

If it is made from Iron/steel it has some of the correct characteristics except it is not necessarily esthetically pleasing, not warm, not comfortable and it rust so it is not low maintenance.

If it is made from Aluminum It also has some of the desirable characteristics but it is not esthetically pleasing, not warm, not comfortable and is medium strong.

If it is made from Plastic it has some of the correct characteristics but it too is not esthetically pleasing, not warm and is medium strong, though some plastics will sag under warmth.

Of course one could always go with a Ceramic seat but though it is durable it is cold and not comfortable.

So we can examine more organic materials such as Cedar/redwood. They are esthetically pleasing but definitely in a show/bath space are subject to splinters and possible rot as well as subject to stains and of medium strength.

The next organic choice is Teak. It is rot resistant, esthetically pleasing, does not splinter, is warm, comfortable, low maintenance and strong.

As we can see from the above comparison, teak is by far the best choice for use in the wet environment of a shower and bathroom.

How did teak get in the mix for furniture and accessories in the shower? Teak has been used for boat building inIndia since back to the Third Millennium BC (1). Harappan times saw the beginning of boat building in India and as a hereditary profession, father would pass the skills on to son(s) using what would today be deemed crude measuring of hand, fingers and feet to determine everything from the superstructure of the boat to the final finishes. Of course teak was the preferred wood for construction of ships, being highly suitable due to the inherent nature, stability and strength of the slow growing wood.

Boats are constantly in a wet environment, subject to the whims of storm and the heat of calm, the battering of waves and the dragging onto the rocks and beach. So the material they were built from had to be suitable for the proposed use (2,3)

1. Rot Resistant,

2. Workable by hand,

3. Low maintenance,

4. Strong (2,3) and it had to float.

These are all excellent reasons to use teak for shower seats, bath mats and bathing accessories. The additional benefits of teak furniture are

5. Esthetically pleasing,

6. Does not form splinters,

7. Is warm to the eye as well as to the skin,

8. Comfortable and comes in a multitude of shapes only limited by the imagination of the designer and the joinery of the wood.

So much for the engineering approach. In my next article we will delve into more reasons your best choice would be a quality built teak shower seat, teak bath mat, teak shower organizer and teak accessories.

(1) Ancient Ship-Building & Maritime Trade by D. P. Agrawal & Lalit Tiwari

(2) Van Nostrand’s eclectic engineering magazine, Volume 9, 1873

(3) How to books -wood suitability – Mechanic’s Own Book

Teak Shower Seats – Why Choose Teak?