Bath screens: design features and installation

The bathroom is a very important room in the home, as it allows for daily hygiene procedures. And for plumbing fixtures that perform their functional tasks in the bathroom, there are a number of modern devices that provide maximum comfort to a person during their operation. The leading place in this list is occupied by bathroom screens, presented in a wide variety on the market.

Bathroom screens, hinged or rigid curtains, blinds - these are not all the names of this design. However, despite the wide choice of names, the screen performs, in fact, one task. During water procedures in the bathroom, drops of water and hygiene products partially fall on all surfaces in the room, including furniture. As a result, the room has a damp microclimate, which is fraught with damage to furniture, as well as the development of fungi and mold that are dangerous to humans, which entails the need for frequent repairs or the purchase of new pieces of furniture.

In addition, a wet floor is a rather dangerous surface on which an adult and a child can easily slip.

Such a kind of protective screen for the shower is offered in supermarkets to consumers in a huge assortment., which guarantees them the purchase of a sliding, swing or any other configuration of a screen made of durable and high-quality raw materials, having a variety of colors, featuring a wide selection of decor for partitions.

Screens, like blinds and curtains, are a very useful attribute of the bathroom, but in comparison with the above analogs, they have a number of indisputable advantages.

• the design provides maximum protection for walls, furniture and the floor from water splashes: by installing doors instead of curtains, not a single drop of water gets out;
• the screen does not need any specific care and installation of a curtain spacer;
• various microorganisms can develop on ordinary curtains - the structures under consideration completely eliminate this problem;
• a wide selection of different models and shapes allows you to choose a design made of glass or polycarbonate, with or without a frame, due to which the design will be in perfect harmony with the overall interior of the bathroom;
• based on numerous customer reviews, the operation of screens is several times more comfortable, since standard curtains are often glued to the body and folded like an accordion in a wet state, swing open from a draft;
• the raw materials from which the structures are produced have a high level of durability;
• installation of the purchased products can be done by any home owner with his own hands.

Based on the above positive features of this product, having studied the types and models presented on the market, you can make the right choice.

All commercially available screens can be classified based on the following criteria:

• the method of opening the doors of the structure;
• configuration features;
• the type of raw materials used for the production of the screen.

Bearing in mind the way the doors are opened, there are several types of bathroom screens.

• Constructions made in the form of an accordion. It is worth choosing if a round or rounded bathroom is installed in the bathroom. The disadvantages of a folding shower screen include its need for some space, due to which it is better to install such models in spacious bathrooms. In addition, the connecting parts of the structure deteriorate over time, which can lead to damage to the entire product.
• Swing types. It is recommended to purchase for large rooms with a corner bath.
• Sliding products. The most popular model, its popularity is explained by the specifics of the configuration, due to which screens with this way of opening the sash can be installed in all rooms without exception, even in bathrooms with a small area. And what is important, such products are perfectly compatible with standard straight and semicircular bathtubs, which are equipped with almost all apartments, since they work by analogy with wardrobes.

The design features suggest the presence of three types of screens.

• Products without a frame. Consists of several elements, mainly made of glass. For safety, the corners of such products are rounded.
• Frame screens. They consist of several leaves (on average from 2 to 6) and a supporting frame. Of all the sections, as a rule, one acts as a door. It opens with a shift to the side. Installation is carried out on racks, fastening to the plumbing itself takes place using guides.
• Combined models. They combine all the properties of the two previous types of structures. Most of these models have one part, partially installed on the profile. Thanks to this feature, it is adjusted.

Based on the variety of raw materials used, screens are divided into glass products and polycarbonate products. Each material has individual positive and negative characteristics.

As for polycarbonate, it is a fairly versatile raw material, which is in demand for arranging structures for summer cottages, for example, greenhouses, as well as for arranging various partitions in the house itself.

It has a number of advantages that are relevant for structures such as a bathroom screen:

• resistance to temperature fluctuations;
• mechanical strength, which eliminates the risk of cracking from accidental impact;
• neutral to most chemical cleaning compounds;
• due to its low weight, it allows you to make and install large doors, for example, up to 190 cm high;
• during installation, the risk of spoiling the material is minimal;
• products made from these raw materials compare favorably with their affordable cost.

Glass is a rather fragile material, but this property does not in the least affect its popularity as partitions for baths and showers.

This is explained by the presence of the advantages of raw materials, among which the following can be noted:

• not subject to decay and corrosion;
• has a good level of chemical resistance;
• fungus and mold do not form on the glass;
• the operational life of glass screens significantly exceeds that of plastic products, the installation of textile curtains will also not differ in durability;
• a small indicator of thermal conductivity;

Popular models of glass bathroom screens are:

• sliding glass screen Cascade 170x150 cm with three doors;
• Primo 85x140 cm;
• front screen with towel holder Sensea Optima 140x85 cm;
• Mezzo 170x150 cm clear glass.

When choosing a screen, it is necessary to take into account a number of important features that are inherent in a particular model:

• before ordering the structure, appropriate measurements should be taken in the room, taking into account that there must be a distance between the ceiling and the edge of the product to ensure ventilation;
• for walls that do not have a perfectly flat surface, it is better to purchase a structure with adjustable hinges;
• when choosing a screen model, it is necessary to take into account the size of the room so that the purchased products do not become an obstacle in the bathroom;

• the service life of the entire product largely depends on the reliability of the fittings;
• if the walls of the structure are made of material of different colors, it will be useful to equip additional lighting in the area of ​​its installation;
• in combined bathrooms, you can install a side screen 90x90 cm in a transparent design, which will not visually burden the space;
• high-quality installation is an important component on which the durability of the screen will depend.

The installation of a glass screen can be done by hand. In some cases, the technology may be slightly different, but in general step-by-step installation instructions include the following steps:

• first of all, you need to purchase a working tool: fasteners, a perforator and a drill, a sealant and a gun, as well as a level and masking tape;
• first, a profile is fixed to the wall, which acts as a kind of fence for such a curtain;
• you need to get the rail out of it and use the level to mark the attachment points;
• holes are made in these places;
• the profile is treated with a sealant and attached to the surface;

• the glass sheet is installed in the profile and fixed with fasteners, without twisting them to the maximum;
• a seal is inserted into the left distance between the structural elements, after which all the screws are tightened to the end;
• all existing gaps between the wall and the screen are filled with silicone;
• after the composition has completely solidified (after about 24 hours), you can use the bath for its intended purpose.

A frame plastic screen is installed using the following technology:

• with the help of fasteners, the main part of the structure is assembled;
• the sash, which will be used as a door, is installed in the frame and snaps into place;
• markings are made on the wall to fix the guides;
• holes are drilled in these places and profiles are installed;
• the joints of the structure with the wall are lubricated with a sealant;
• then the screen is installed in its place, and it is fixed;
• after the composition has completely solidified, a handle is screwed to the sash and the protective film is removed from the product.

Maintenance of such structures does not require specific skills and special care products. However, regular adherence to simple operating rules will allow you to preserve the original appearance of the product for a long time, and also extend its service life. The first step is to leave the adjustable flaps open after each use so that excess moisture does not accumulate inside. Glass constructions can be processed with any compound, and it is better to wash polycarbonate with gentle household chemicals, otherwise there is a risk of spoiling the surface.

Compliance with simple recommendations will allow the screen to become a decoration in the bathroom, which will additionally provide a high level of comfort during hygiene procedures.

For information on how to properly install the screen on the bathtub, see the next video.