Rear entry showers instead of side entry?

[Arby]

I have a 48" long by 32" wide space for a shower. Two of the walls are 48" and one wall is 32" wide. So, I would need to enter on the remaining open side which is 32" wide.

Seems all the shower bases I've seen of this size, enter on the 48" side.

Looks like Vintage Tub & Bath has one that would work called the Randolph Morris. Are there other options?

Thanks,
Arby

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thats an odd shape. I’d have a custom marble pan made or just tile it. Or adjust the walls to fit something more common.

there could be other options other than what you’ve already found. I don’t know of any.

 

[Arby]

My original intent was to build a custom shower. However, since I'm building the home myself, I got to thinking that by the time I got to that point, I wouldn't have the energy nor the patience. So, I started looking for a pre-made base.

I found one from Innovate Building Solutions. They really talked it up on their website but the link to purchase wasn't clickable. I couldn't get through to them via phone and they would not answer their email or Face Book messages so...I started looking elsewhere. That's when I discovered this was an odd application.

I'd just adjust the design of the bathroom but, we really like the layout, and one of the shower walls ended up being a structural wall. I could still work within the existing walls without messing with the bearing wall but.....but neither my wife or I want to. And having someone make a custom pan is not within our budget.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I wouldn’t trade anything for my 60x60 shower. I’d rather make the bedroom smaller.,,,..anything. Give me my shower. I love it.
I actually traded the shower space for the closet and made the closet into the shower on my plans.

 

[frodo]

Arby, goggle Idaho has cultured marble Companies. You do not say where in Idaho you are, so goggle your city
They can make any size pan, with what ever drain hole you want, where you want
price is generally in the $500.00--$1000.00 range
the other alternative is a tiled base, price is going to be comparable Depending on location

 

[Arby]

Thanks. Are the marble bases one piece? Also....it seems marble would be slick when wet. Is that not an issue?

As far as tile, I've seen some beautiful showers. Had it in my old place. Wouldn't have it again though.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thanks. Are the marble bases one piece? Also....it seems marble would be slick when wet. Is that not an issue?

As far as tile, I've seen some beautiful showers. Had it in my old place. Wouldn't have it again though.

Cultured marble is heavy. The weird size custom based I have made are not one piece. It has many joints. You may have a different experience.

Standard sizes are one piece that I have made.,

The shower floor is textured just like any other shower pan you’d buy.

 

[Twowaxhack]

A base your size installed without walls would cost me $450 installed by my marble installer. I wouldn’t have to touch it. That’s my cost .
I charge around $1,000 to my customer.,

 

[PerplexedPlumber]

There is a cultured marble company in our area that has a less slick finish. The company in KS that makes Onyx products also has this, and there are many distributors that can order from them, but it takes weeks. A local (or quasi-local) cultured marble company, as frodo mentioned, should have a better price.

If you like a tiled shower, you can get an epoxy grout that holds up well. This isn't an easy diy installation, and it is more expensive. You could combine a tiled shower with a cultured marble base. A nice benefit of this base is that it is customized to your shower - no need to move the drain if it is a little off.

 

[Arby]

Appreciate the additional info.

Since my original post, Innovate Building Solutions sent me a nice email. Their 32"x48" acrylic shower base is $750. Perhaps a custom cultured marble would be better for me. I didn't mention before but my floor will be concrete so, in order for an off-the-shelf base to work, the drain would have to be perfectly located before and during the concrete pour. I can see where that would be very difficult.

Plus, it sounds like a custom base might be less money too.

Regarding my location, Frodo....I'm in Twin Falls, Idaho.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I’d do a 32x32 pan and a bench with the rest of the space. Handshower and rain head over the bench.

Disco ball too with neon lights and smoke machine

kinda like this.
This way your shower wouldn’t be a hallway.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Appreciate the additional info.

Since my original post, Innovate Building Solutions sent me a nice email. Their 32"x48" acrylic shower base is $750. Perhaps a custom cultured marble would be better for me. I didn't mention before but my floor will be concrete so, in order for an off-the-shelf base to work, the drain would have to be perfectly located before and during the concrete pour. I can see where that would be very difficult.

Plus, it sounds like a custom base might be less money too.

Regarding my location, Frodo....I'm in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Your pipe doesn’t have to be stubbed up out of the concrete before the pour.

You stub the 2” pipe for the shower horizontally to the center of the shower or close, then build a 2x4 box to sit over it then fill it with dirt. I’ve even used a cardboard box.

once the slab is poured you remove the 2x4 box and dig the dirt out. You then install the Ptrap to the exact location pulled off the framing the shower will be installed against.

Here U go bro

 

[Arby]

Your pipe doesn’t have to be stubbed up out of the concrete before the pour.

You stub the 2” pipe for the shower horizontally to the center of the shower or close, then build a 2x4 box to sit over it then fill it with dirt. I’ve even used a cardboard box.

once the slab is poured you remove the 2x4 box and dig the dirt out. You then install the Ptrap to the exact location pulled off the framing the shower will be installed against.

Here U go bro
View attachment 28307

Why didn't I think of that??! Seems so obvious. Thanks!! Had I known or thought of that weeks ago, I could have gotten a lot more sleep.

 

[Arby]

I’d do a 32x32 pan and a bench with the rest of the space. Handshower and rain head over the bench.

Disco ball too with neon lights and smoke machine

kinda like this. View attachment 28306
This way your shower wouldn’t be a hallway.

The reason for the hallway of a shower was due to wanting it be a walk-in with no curtain or door. It was longer in the earlier stages of design but things got shifted and it ended up 48" long. Not sure it could still be a walk-in at that length though. Thoughts?

 

[Twowaxhack]

The reason for the hallway of a shower was due to wanting it be a walk-in with no curtain or door. It was longer in the earlier stages of design but things got shifted and it ended up 48" long. Not sure it could still be a walk-in at that length though. Thoughts?

It’s not big enough for that, even at 48”.
When shower water hits your body you get what’s called cast off.

It’s where the water bounces off you.

That’s when it will spray a fine mist or worse out of the shower.

My shower is 60x60 without a door and I still get some cast off, but I’m also flowing about 4gpm and my static pressure is 70 psi.

Try it. Go to your bathtub or shower now and pull the curtain open or door while you shower. See how far it casts off. It’ll surprise you. Be sure to raise your arms too like your rinsing off.

Big showers are specialty of mine. One that I did cost $28,000 because it was imported tile. Crazy

 

[Twowaxhack]

Here is the shower I pictured earlier from outside.
No threshold with a glass door.

 

[Arby]

It’s not big enough for that, even at 48”.
When shower water hits your body you get what’s called cast off.

It’s where the water bounces off you.

That’s when it will spray a fine mist or worse out of the shower.

My shower is 60x60 without a door and I still get some cast off, but I’m also flowing about 4gpm and my static pressure is 70 psi.

Try it. Go to your bathtub or shower now and pull the curtain open or door while you shower. See how far it casts off. It’ll surprise you. Be sure to raise your arms too like your rinsing off.

Big showers are specialty of mine. One that I did cost $28,000 because it was imported tile. Crazy

Thanks for the info. $28,000? Holy!

The shower you posted a pic of is nice. I like the bench idea.

Since we weren't sure if 48" was enough for a walk-in, we had the thought of running a curtain across the 32" opening....so, it would be sort of like a walk-in. We also thought the curtain would hold in some of the heat...something I've been worrying about with a walk-in.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thanks for the info. $28,000? Holy!

The shower you posted a pic of is nice. I like the bench idea.

Since we weren't sure if 48" was enough for a walk-in, we had the thought of running a curtain across the 32" opening....so, it would be sort of like a walk-in. We also thought the curtain would hold in some of the heat...something I've been worrying about with a walk-in.

The bench in the shower pictured is built out of concrete blocks. Solid concrete blocks.