Guidelines To Follow When Building a Steam Shower.
So you have read up on the benefits of steam showers, and now you want to turn your ordinary shower at home into a steam shower oasis. There are a few build guidelines to make sure to follow before getting started. These steps will help ensure a successful project!
Where Will You Sit?
Before anything, decide what your shower will look like.Ā If you are installing in your current shower and not making any kind of seating modifications, no need to worry. Plenty of folding and flip down/wall mounted seating options are available for showers of all sizes.
Ā Materials Used
Multiple different component materials need to be considered before steamĀ can be safe for your shower.Ā
The first component of the shower to consider is the walls. The walls need to keep the moisture in and prevent condensation from escaping.Ā Your vapor/water membrane should be rated below .5 perms perĀ the Tile Council of North America's guidelines for permeability ratings.Ā
The second component you should equate into your project is the material of the shower itself. Most steam showers are installed in ceramic tile showers, however, natural stone showers can also handle steam. For natural stone, the density of the material may require a larger steam generator to be used to properly heat the stone. If you ever have any questions regarding the size of generator needed for you application, feel free to contact us.
Lastly, the door to your shower must also be considered. The door must act as a seal to keep steam in the shower, meaning there must not be any gaps from the floor to the ceiling. Some showers use a full size door from floor to ceiling as mentioned, but another option would be having an additional piece of pivoting or hinged glass at the top as pictured below.
Ceiling SlopeĀ
The final guideline to follow when considering installing a steam shower in your home is the ceiling of the shower. It is best practice to have a sloped ceiling over the shower so that water condensationĀ can run off rather than form droplets that drip down on to you. The slope suggested by manufactures is 1:12.Ā Ā
Hopefully this blog has helped you understand the required specifications of a steam shower project. To make the steam shower purchasing process as easy as possible, we have curated steam shower packages that are designed for your individual application. You can learn more about the components of a steam shower here.
As always, we are available to answer any questions you have before purchasing. Feel free to direct those questions to us on our contact us page.