Curbless Walk-in Shower Installation in Sacramento

You may have heard people talk about curbless showers when discussing bathroom renovation. What exactly is a curbless shower? And how can it benefit you and home?

What is a Curbless Shower?

A curbless shower is a shower without anything to step over when you enter. The base of the shower is seamless with the surrounding floor. Also referred to as a zero-threshold shower, no-barrier shower, or walk-in shower, some homeowner like the sleek, streamlined look of a curbless shower. Other homeowners choose to take their shower curbless to improve accessibility for a family member with mobility issues. Curbless, no-barrier showers are popular in Europe, where wet room styled bathrooms are more common.

Because there is no “curb” to keep the water from the shower in, the middle of the shower needs to be slightly lower than the rest of the floor, so the water will drain properly. A curbless shower is usually installed alongside specialized tile flooring, so the water from the shower can drain easily.

There are some requirements you’ll need to follow through with if you want to install a curbless shower.

Requirements for a Curbless Shower

There are a few things to consider with a curbless shower that are non-negotiable items.

The entire bathroom floor must be tiled. There is no curb to catch water in a no-barrier shower, so the entire bathroom must be one continuous stretch of tile flooring. Similar to a wet room styled bathroom, the water from the shower can escape at the bottom but should be able to drain at the shower pan.

The shower pan must be lower than the rest of the floor. Whether the shower pan with the drain is lowered, or the rest of the bathroom floor is raised, the drain in the middle of the shower must be lower so gravity allows the water to drain easily.

Advantages of a Curbless Walk-in Shower

There are some major advantages to a curbless shower, especially if you or a family member faces mobility challenges.

• Ease of Mobility. Curbless walk-in showers exist primarily because there is no curb to step over, like there is with a traditional shower enclosure. If a family member uses a wheelchair, it can be rolled directly into the shower. If you are aging in place and you are worried about tripping, a walk-in shower helps prevent that. Walk-in showers are great for improving accessibility in your home.
• Pure Aesthetics. Many homeowners simply like the streamlined look of a walk-in shower. The floor is nearly level with the shower, and it just looks modern and different from most homes.
• Easier to Clean vs a Traditional Shower Enclosure. Think about your normal shower enclosure, and cleaning the nooks and crannies. It is very tough to thoroughly clean the base of the shower enclosure. With a curbless no-barrier shower, there are only the glass walls and door to clean, so maintaining a pristine bathroom is much easier.