Before you do anything to design your ultimate shower, let’s consider bathroom safety.
Use slip/skid resistant flooring material. You really don’t want anyone getting hurt in the bathroom or the shower. Make sure to use material that is not slippery when wet.
Choose shatter resistant materials. For your bathroom safety, use tempered glass or plastic laminates. Should you slip and fall, you really do not want to accidentally hit the shower door with your arm and have the glass break and receive a nasty cut.
Design a safe shower environment. Use a shatter proof door that opens outward from the shower, NOT into the shower. Most faucets today have built in temperature control devices to ensure no one gets burned by the hot water. Make sure that the one you buy has this safety feature.
Depending upon the size of the shower area, you may want to consider a seat. This will reduce the chances of you slipping and falling while washing your legs.
If your shower is 36 inches or more deep, then the shower door/entrance should be 60 inches wide.
If your shower is 32 inches deep, then the shower door/entrance should be 42 inches wide.
If you are using the typical shower stall measuring 33 X 35, the opening will be 30 ½ inches.
Keep electrical fixtures away from water sources and wet hands. It may be convenient to have a light switch right outside the shower, but there is a severe bathroom safety hazard if you can stand on the wet floor and touch the switch.
ELECTRICITY CAN KILL. Make sure that EVERY switch box is grounded. In the case of newer homes with plastic boxes, make sure the receptacle or switch is grounded.
All receptacles in the bathroom should go through a GFI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter). It is typically a rectangle box with a Test and Reset button. It could also be located in the kitchen, or in the garage serving as protection for the whole house, and sometimes in the electrical panel.
It is always a good idea to test these devices periodically. Light bulbs should never be placed within the reach of anyone.
Install grab bars. With the aging of society, it is becoming increasingly more important to have these safety devices. Plan where these are to be placed and provide sufficient bracing in the walls to support them. These are not just devices for the elderly anymore, they will provide assistance anywhere a person might need it.
Some of the newer models do not appear to be grab bars, just cool looking towel bars. NEVER use a towel bar as a grab rail. It will not support the weight of a person.
Now would be a good time to consider installing grab bars in the toilet area. There are models that swing down from the wall. The old days of permanently mounted steel rails are gone if you are willing to install something more functional. Some even double as towel holders.
Storage areas should be designed to provide short term storage for everyday items. Extra towels, hand towels, washcloths, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, etc. Remember this is a high moisture area, so plan on enough space to keep things as dry as possible. Never plan storage where someone must stand on the toilet or the tub to reach the top shelf.
Door locks. Make sure you install an interior “bed and bath” door lock. This will have a locking knob/button on the inside of the door. On the outside there will typically be a hole in the center of the knob of on one side.
A special tool is required to open this door lock. You can usually store the tool on the framing above the door. This will allow you to open the door after your child locks you out or if someone falls and needs your help.
Keep clutter to a minimum. The traffic area should be clear and free of any obstacles. No laundry hampers for instance. If your bathroom is less than 40 square feet, don’t even think of installing an oversized tub.
