Shower baths buying guide
A shower over a bath puts the shower and the bath in one footprint. It is a common answer when a bathroom has room for one fixture. It works when the bath is the right size and shape, the screen and fittings sit at the right heights, and the walls are waterproofed for it. This page holds shower baths, inset and tile flange baths made for a shower, and a set of shower bases. The sections below cover the pros and cons, what size and shape of bath works, how the screen and shower head are set, what the walls need, and what the baths here offer. Shower bath, bath and shower combo, bathtub shower combo and shower over bath all describe the same setup.
Is a shower over a bath a good idea?
The main advantage is space. One fixture works as both shower and bath, which helps a small bathroom keep its floor. It suits quick showers and long soaks, makes bathing young children easier and safer, and can be used to wash pets. Taps with a diverter switch the water between the shower head and the bath spout, so one set of fittings does both jobs.
The disadvantages are just as plain. Stepping over the bath edge can be risky, and access is limited for elderly people or anyone with reduced mobility. The setup can lack the visual impact of a walk-in shower or a freestanding bath. Splash zones, curtain management and mould around the bath edges also mean more cleaning. If the main bather is a child or a busy family, the combo earns its place. If the main bather has trouble with the step, a shower on its own may be the better choice, and a shower base is the other option on this page.
What size of bath works
The minimum is clear. A bath for a shower over it should be at least 1500mm long and at least 700mm wide. If the room allows it, 1600mm to 1700mm is better, and 1675mm to 1700mm is comfortable for an adult. A standard depth is 400mm to 500mm. A width below 700mm is too narrow, and a width above 800mm adds little for a combo. Check the internal dimensions, because a thick rim reduces the usable space.
The baths here fit those figures. The Decina Modena comes in 1205mm, 1515mm, 1650mm and 1790mm lengths. The Decina Bambino comes in 1510mm and 1650mm and is 380mm deep. The Caroma Vivas comes in 1525mm and 1675mm. The 1500mm to 1700mm band is the main range, and the 1500mm to 1700mm baths page lists that band across every installation type. The shortest Modena at 1205mm is below the 1500mm minimum for a comfortable shower over a bath, so measure the room against the longer sizes first.
Which shape suits a shower
P-shaped or L-shaped baths suit tight spaces, where one end is wider for standing, and corner baths suit square bathrooms, with screens on two sides. An alcove bath, set into a recess with three surrounding walls, is the most common choice. A built-in or back to wall bath is easier to clean than a freestanding one. A freestanding bath is not the right base for a combo, because it is not fixed to a wall and cannot securely support a screen or fittings.
That points to the built-in types. The built in baths page holds inset baths of every kind, baths for tile edge collects those with a flange or tile bead, and corner baths covers the corner format. The three baths on this page are all built-in types.
The baths on this page
The Decina Modena is wider and deeper than traditional shower baths. The base is reinforced with a timber and fibreglass coating and has a slip resistant pattern for safer entry and exit. It also has moulded armrests, lumbar support, a steel rod reinforced rim and a double reinforced base. It is inset in a tiled island hob, so it can be placed anywhere in the bathroom, and it suits a shower bath with a Cascade shower bath panel. The tile bead strip is not included, and neither is the plug and waste.
The Decina Bambino is an inset bath with a tile bead, made in Australia. It is 380mm deep, with moulded armrests that sweep around from the shoulder position, a lumbar support that cradles the back, an end waste position and a slip resistant pattern at the entry and exit points. The plug and waste are sold separately. The Caroma Vivas is an anti-slip bath with a gently reclining end and a four tile flange for built-in installation. The flange lets the bath sit right against a wall and be tiled over, which creates a water and dust tight seal, and the plug and waste are not included.
Slip resistance and getting in and out
Safety is the common concern. All three baths have a slip resistant surface, and the Vivas carries it in its name. Add a slip resistant base, a hand shower rail, properly anchored grab rails with the stud positions confirmed first, and thermostatic mixers for children and seniors. Bath mats should have a non-slip backing, and a PVC or rubber mat inside the bath should have the same. A tiled bath base should use tiles rated P4 for slip resistance.
The step over the edge is set by the rim height, typically 500mm to 600mm from the floor. The Bambino's 380mm depth is the shallowest here. Neither number says how easy the step is for a particular person, so test it in a showroom if mobility is a concern.
Screens and curtains
The choice is between a screen and a curtain. Glass screens contain water better and are easier to clean, and curtains add privacy but can be prone to mildew. A curtain is easy to replace and less effective than glass at containing water. A screen can be a fixed panel, a pivot or hinged screen, a sliding screen or a bifold, and a frameless or semi-frameless style is preferred to a fully framed one.
Shower head and tapware heights
The shower head sits about 250mm from the back wall, or away from the tap end so water does not drench the mixer. A fixed overhead head with a handheld shower on a rail suits a combo, and a diverter valve switches between the spout and the shower. A ceiling-mounted head keeps the bath area open. Thermostatic mixers limit the outlet temperature to a maximum of 50 degrees Celsius under AS/NZS 3500.4. Matching the glass hardware, shower taps and bath taps in one finish keeps the area consistent.
Materials
All six products here are acrylic. Acrylic is lighter, warmer and easier to repair than enamel coated steel, which is heavier and holds heat better but is harder to fix when it chips. Acrylic shower baths are light and warm to the touch with anti-slip textures, and steel and enamel baths are very durable but heavier to install. The Modena's acrylic has natural slip resistance and sits on a base reinforced with timber and fibreglass. That reinforcement is the detail to check on any acrylic bath that will take a shower and a standing adult.
Waterproofing and tiling
A bath with a shower over it is a wet area under the Australian building codes. The waterproofing membrane should run well up the shower area walls and extend past the bath edges, and the walls beside the bath should be waterproofed above the rim under AS 3740. The membrane needs its full cure time before tiling. Waterproofing is done to AS 3740 by a licensed waterproofer, with plumbing to AS/NZS 3500.
For tiles, use at least 300mm by 600mm tiles for the bath surround, with small mosaics kept for feature strips, laid vertically where possible. A niche is typically 300mm wide and 900mm high. The bath floor should fall gently to the drain so water does not pool, and the Caroma Vivas flange and the Decina tile beads give the tiling a defined edge to meet.
Overflow, waste and plug
The overflow is a safety requirement and standard on quality baths. On this page the Modena, the Bambino and the Vivas are all sold with the plug and waste separate or not included, so the waste has to be bought with the bath. Australian building codes require a fully removable bath waste in some situations, so ask a plumber before purchase. The bath wastes collection has the pop-up and pop-down options.
Shower bases on this page
The shower bases here are the Decina Luna range: a 900mm centre outlet base, a 1000mm curved base and a 1000mm centre outlet base. They are slimline bases in premium sanitary grade acrylic, made in Australia, with a steel rod reinforced base that is reinforced with resin, timber board and fibreglass for extra strength. They have a low entry height of 49mm, high slip resistance and no need for a mortar bed. They also have self supporting feet for easy installation, a chrome square waste outlet and a chrome plated friction lock removable waste cover.
A shower base is the other way to deal with the bath step. It gives a walk-in entry and no soaking, so it suits a bathroom where the bath is not wanted. The shower bases page lists the full range.
Cleaning and care
Rinse the bath after each use and wipe it with a soft sponge or microfibre cloth, warm water and a pH neutral cleaner, avoiding bleach, ammonia, abrasive powders and steel wool. For a combo, add the screen: wipe the glass after showering, and check the silicone seals where the screen and the bath meet the wall. Mould around the bath edges is the main maintenance task, so a monthly look at the sealant is worth the time.
Choosing a shower bath
Start with the room. Measure the length and width, and check the wall and ceiling height against the screen and head heights above. Choose a built-in bath, because that is the right base for a combo. Pick the length from the 1500mm to 1700mm band, check the internal width and depth, and plan the screen, the tapware and the waterproofing with the plumber and tiler before the bath is ordered. The full range of baths is on the bathtubs page.
