A Buying Guide To Shower Screens: Types, Recommendations , FAQ's

This buying guide to shower screens will provide all the information you need when purchasing a wet room shower screen, helping to answer your questions and providing useful advice so you can choose the correct shower screen for your wet room or bathroom setup.

A shower screen is a practical element for any wet room or walk in shower, helping to keep the spray from soaking the rest of the bathroom floor and fittings etc.

Shower screens are available to suit a variety of budgets, however as is often the case, you most certainly get what you pay for, with cheaper screens often being manufactured in thinner glass and supplied with poor quality fittings that may not stand the test of time.

The screen can create a real focal point in the wet room / bathroom be it a large format frameless glass panel, creating a 'walk through' setting, a framed black shower screen, curved shower screen or a luxury 10mm thick screen.

Our selection of high quality 8mm or 10mm thick toughened safety glass screens are suitable for use with shower trays or wet room floors. Combine more than one panel to make a two sided or three-sided wet room enclosure.

Shower Screen Recommendations

The following recommendations should be bourne in mind when looking for and choosing a screen for your wet room or bathroom:

All screens should be manufactured in toughened glass to meet both UK and European safety standards.

A screen of at least 8mm thickness is recommended. This is especially important when the shower will be used by young children, elderly persons and those unsteady on their feet or with mobility problems.

An easy clean coating is a great addition. This will most certainly take the elbow work out of cleaning, and will help to maintain it in a gleaming, pristine condition.

With screen lengths of 1000mm or over, it is strongly recommended that some form of bracing is used at the end furthest away from the fixing wall, this could be a top bracing bar, ceiling to screen bar, or for total stability a floor to ceiling post.

The ideal entry access required for a shower area is 500mm to 600mm, however this all depends on the individual.

Don't forget access for the screen to your room - this can often be overlooked until the delivery day, and then realised you can't get the screen up the stairs or around a corner, especially with the larger (1000mm+) screens.

Important to Know!

Nominal Size Measurements

All shower screen widths stated by the manufacturer are nominal sizes, i.e the actual glass panel will be a little shorter than the width stated. For example, a Merlyn Ionic 1000mm screen is actually 969mm in width. All shower screen manufacturers state the screen width as a 'nominal' size to allow for tiling when the screen is mounted on a shower tray, this is standard practice. Some (but not all) of the shortfall in length can be taken up by using the maximum adjustments of the shower wall profile if you are using one, see below.

Shower Screen Adjustments

Adjustments allow for easy, secure fixing when mounting the screen against a wall. Most shower screen manufacturers products allows a generous amount of movement at each wall profile. The profile is the piece that fixes to the wall, and as these profiles have “adjustments”, most screens can be securely fixed into position even when walls are not precisely straight or if the thickness of your choice of tiles affects the installation space for your screen.

Green Tint

The more expensive luxury shower screens (Aqata & Merlyn Series) tend to be more expensive due to the lower iron content in the glass. This lower iron content results in a clearer finsh to the screen. Screens with a higher iron content can have a slight green tint, often signified by the green edge of the glass. Although it must be stressed that this greenish tint is not over obvious, so if you are looking for a shower screen at an affordable price Sommer Evolve & Merlyn Ionic are hard to beat for the price.

Shower Screen Configurations

Shower Screen Enclosures:

By using two or more shower screens together with the use of extra optional fittings, a range of shower enclosures can be created. Resulting in a truly bespoke enclosure as the centre piece of the wet room or walk in shower. Some example configurations are shown to the right.

Shower Screen Flipper / Deflector / Return Panels

A flipper, deflector or return panel as it is sometimes known, is a panel of glass placed at the end(s) of the shower screens to help maintain the water spray further. Depending on the manufacturer these are available in hinged or fixed configurations in 200mm or 300mm length’s.

A hinged flipper panel is the ideal addition for when you need a longer length screen but you need to maintain enough of a gap to access the shower area. The flipper can be hinged inwards to allow access, and then turned parallel to the main screen when showering to maximise the length covered by the screen.

Hinged Shower Screens / Folding Shower Screens

If space is of a premium consider using a wall hinged or folding shower screen to maximise access to the shower area. Available in the Merlyn Series range.

Shower Screen FAQ's

Is a shower screen better than a curtain?

In most instances a shower screen is a much better, and a longer lasting solution than a shower curtain. A shower screen will also be more effective at keeping spray etc within the shower area. However in some circumstances, such as for users with restricted mobility, as shower curtain may be the more practical solution.

What are the different types of shower screens?

A number of different shower screen types exist, the most common being the wet room panel - a plain sheet of toughened safety glass. Other screen types include framed shower screens, especially popular for those wishing for a black shower screen, folding shower screens that are ideal for showers in smaller bathrooms and pivot shower screens that are hinged against the wall.

What is a walk in shower screen?

A walk in shower screen is another name given to shower screens used in a wet room setup. Essentially a plain sheet of toughened safety glass, the screen is mounted on the wet room floor / tray, with the whole setup flush to the surrounding floor, allowing the user to walk into the shower with no step up.

What is a walk through shower screen?

A walk through shower screen is the term given to a shower screen fixed in a position so two entry points exist. Allowing the user to walk through the shower. This configuration means the shower screen is not fixed against a wall, but is supported by floor to ceiling shower poles, or bracing bars. This is a popular configuration in larger bathrooms, allowing for the showering area to be the focal point.

How thick should my shower screen be?

Shower screens are commonly available in thicknesses of 6mm, 8mm and 10mm. We recommend that 8mm is the most optimal thickness. In all cases, the shower screen should be formed from toughened safety glass and meet CE Marking BS EN14428 Standard.

How much access do you need into the shower area?

We recommend that access into the shower is a minimum of 500mm to 600mm when fitted with a shower screen. This may vary upon the size and needs of the user, with a wheelchair user requiring more access room into the shower.

How do you secure a shower screen?

A shower screen is usually secured / fixed against a tiled wall, using the wall profile channel provided / purchased with the shower screen. It is advised to further secure screens 1000mm and greater with a support bar.

Do shower screens need a support bar?

We recommend that all shower screens 1000mm and over in width are further supported for stability with a support bar. Depending on the manufacturer a number of support bars / bracing arms are usually available including: Floor to ceiling posts, wall to glass arms, angled wall bars and ceiling to glass bars. Some manufacturers, such as Sommer, include wall to glass arms on screens over a set size as standard.

Can you fit a shower screen yourself?

A competent DIY'er can successfully fit a shower screen themselves. The installation process is quite straight forward, in most cases drilling through tiles to fit the wall profile, which then holds the screen in place. For slightly uneven walls, there is usually a degree of tolerance in the fittings allowing for an easy fix.

What type of shower is easiest to clean?

A plain wet room panel, shower screen with an easy clean coating applied will be the easiest tshower screen to clean.

Shower Screens at Wetrooms Online

Wetrooms Online sell a wide range of high quality shower screens, all are a minimum of 8mm thickness (except Merlyn MBOX), toughened safety glass, manufactured to both UK and European standards. All the screens that Wetrooms Online sell are finished with an easy clean coating as standard. All the screens can be fitted on a wet room floor or shower tray.

The following, quality proven manufacturers are represented at Wetrooms Online:

Roman has been designing and manufacturing shower screens, shower enclosures and shower trays for nearly 40 years, and is home to the UK’s largest shower screen manufacturing plant. All roman products are designed and created in Britain, offering the ultimate in quality, precision and UK craftsmanship. Romans versatile and diverse collection of shower products encompasses something for every style and shape bathroom – no matter what the budget.

If you are looking for the ultimate in quality and finish, then look no further than AQATA luxury shower screens. All Aqata luxury shower screens are hand made in Britain. The Spectra range offers a contemporary frameless shower screens, including straight and curved glass and spacious walk through configurations. A truly luxurious range of shower screens.

With total flexibility of design and install, the KUDOS Ultimate shower panels prove to be an extremely popular choice. Available in both 8mm and 10mm thickness, these 1985mm high wet room panels are manufactured in the UK. Build your own system using the wide range of optional fittings, which also come in a range of special finishes including brushed gold and matt black in addition to the standard chrome.

A curved shower screen is also available in the Kudos Ultimate range, in 1000mm and 1200mm length’s, creating a true statement piece.

MERLYN is a highly successful shower screen & shower enclosure business with a No. 1 market position in the UK and Ireland, through its focus on design, innovation, new product development and award winning customer service. Continuously building on its reputation for unrelenting attention to detail, using only the finest sourced quality materials, with an extensive range of finishes has awarded MERLYN the title of one the most innovative and progressive bathroom companies around.

Style, Quality and Value are at the heart of the SOMMER range. Each product will give you a lifetime of enjoyment with premium features and superb looks.Choose Sommer for a shower solution that will bring the best out of your bathroom space and the best out of your budget.

View the full range of: Shower Screens