There are a range of chemical cleaners available on the market; however there are concerns about their negative impact on the quality of indoor air. The use of these cleaners can cause skin irritation, and unfortunately carcinogens – any substance directly involved in causing cancer – can constitute some of the key ingredients.

In addition to this, with some makes of shower enclosure (such as the EasyClean cubicles) it is not advisable to use chemical cleaners. This is because they damage the special cleaning coating, and the extended use of such cleaners will ensure that you will not see the benefit of the expensive nanotechnology.

The cleanliness of the enclosure can also be dependent on the type of water which you have in your area. For example, soap doesn’t lather as well in hard water, and it can leave behind a light scum on the shower surfaces. And not only will the shower enclosure glass need cleaning, but the tiles, grout and drains may also need some attention. Below, if you follow our steps, you can make a multi-purpose cleaner in a matter of minutes.

Walk-In Shower Enclosure for Alcove, with a special EasyClean coating, from BathEmpire

The Easy Single Solution

1. Mix the above ingredients, with two parts of baking soda, with one part vinegar; lemon juice can be used as an alternative to vinegar.

2. Mix this into a thick paste, and apply with a damp, warm cloth. This mixture can be used on shower doors, sinks, as well as tiles and grout; to apply to grout, rub in with a toothbrush.

3. Leave on all affected surfaces for at least 10 minutes, then rub with a sponge. As you rinse this off, the benefit will pass to the drains.

This is a quick, simple solution that will let you cross commercial cleaners off your shopping list permanently!

A contemporary enclosure, freshly tiled and fully sealed.

Having read our previous entries, you should now be well on your way to having chosen your shower enclosure. Hinged, bi-fold, or quadrant…whatever your style, you now know the design most suited for you.

But before you storm ahead to install your shower enclosure, there may be some preparation that you need to undertake, to make sure that installing the final enclosure is a breeze.

Prevent Leaks

The first item that must be installed correctly is the shower tray, as this is the base upon which the shower enclosure will rest.

Have you ever known a soggy downstairs ceiling and been confused as to the cause of the problem? Well, the most common cause of such an issue is a leak originating from the shower tray. An incorrectly installed shower tray will ultimately result in leaks. Most modern stone trays feature a core stone layer which is then capped with a layer of white acrylic. These trays are significantly stronger than previous incarnations which featured a fibreglass resin core.

Wear and tear is often the reason that the once pristine seals break down or split. The easiest way to replace the sealant is to purchase a silicone sealant remover, which would be available from most DIY stores. This will take away the bulk of the old sealant, and simply leave you to replace, preferably using a single bead of sealant.

If you want further details, you can check out our shower tray installation guide, dedicated to installing BathEmpire shower trays.

Ensure the Tray is Level

Over time, the shower tray can subside and sit at an angle, so take a spirit level and check the tray. It is better to get a level tray now to ensure that the enclosure will stand straight.

Also take the opportunity to ensure that all waste fittings are correctly screwed in and fully watertight. Also check that a slight angle remains in the shower waste so the water will flow away without issue.

Check The Tiling

Once the tray is secure, feel free to tile the remaining walls; it is always advisable to tile after the installation of the tray. If you are keeping the existing tiles, then check for holes in the grout. Water and steam can penetrate these areas, and cause damp problems to the plaster wall behind. Not only would such damage warrant a large amount money to fix, but also your health will be harmed when breathing in the mould spores caused by the humid conditions. Do not hesitate to re-grout your tiles; if you need more information, see our blog post on how to re-grout your tiles.

Folding Door: (Bi-Fold)
In these enclosures, the door folds in the middle and slides to the side, always opening inwards; these provide a great space saving option.

Sliding Door: (Sliding, Quadrant)
The sliding shower doors provide complete ease of opening. While the Quadrant styles are ideally placed to make the most of the corner of rooms, because generally the doors open from a central position. The Sliding styles are designed for slightly larger bathrooms (the largest enclosure extends to 1400mm in width).

Hinged Door: (Pivot)
The hinged door provides a sturdy, wide opening to the enclosure.

No Door: (Wet Room, Walk-In)
With no moving parts, these enclosures provide an open finish. The Walk-In enclosure can be installed with a tray, or installed as an alternative to the Wet Room.

Corner or Alcove?
You also have two options when installing a new enclosure. You can install a corner enclosure, which features the door and side panel in any corner of your bathroom.

Alternatively, with just a door panel, you can convert any bathroom alcove into an enclosure. Instead of using these areas for storage, purchase a tray to fit the space, and let the single door panel cover the length completely. Should you wish to add an alcove in an existing bathroom, simply construct a stud wall in the desired location.

A Bi-Fold Shower Enclosure, installed in an alcove.

These are some key things to look out for when buying a shower enclosure:

Quality of the glass – Always look out for tempered shower glass, as the manufacturing process heats and cools the glass several times. This provides an incredibly strong safety glass which should meet BS6202 standards.

Quality fittings – Molten metal is forced into a cavity at high pressure, and this is known as solid die casting. When this is done in a single mould, a quality fitting is produced as there is less chance of breakage.

Metal rollers – Too many shower enclosures have a single roller attachment. However, problems can occur if the roller detaches itself. A better solution is to have both rollers attach themselves on the top and bottom of the door to prevent such accidents.

“38% of the homeowners surveyed believe that renovating their bathroom (main/ en-suite) will add the most financial value to their property.”

(Source: West End Home Week Magazine)

Indeed, it is a room that has really taken off lately. As one of the most frequented rooms in the home, buyers are looking for something stylish, yet functional.

But the secret here is to keep things simple. Here are a few tips that you can implement to add value if you are looking to sell and want to appeal to some buyers:

‘Keep it fully functional’
The most pressing concerns will include the ability to move in immediately, and so most people want a fully functional bathroom. A lot does not have to be done with the existing room, as it is all about the features that are installed. Keep the toilet and bath, but consider adding a glass shower screen with chrome towel rail. A set of new taps, a heated chrome towel rail, a stylish new shower head are three items that you can purchase to add a new spin to the room, and may only cost up to a couple of hundred pounds. Finally, re-grout the tiles to keep the room looking fresh.

‘Increase the area’
Another way to add value is to increase the area of the house. This could take the form of a conservatory, a downstairs extension, or even a loft bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Phil Spencer, from the property television show, believes that:

Glass Shower Screen with Towel Rail (1400mm), by BathEmpire

“a new bathroom puts 2.88 per cent onto the house value”

(Source: The Telegraph).

‘Keep it all white’
Instead of spending tens of thousands of pounds on a revamp, most potential owners would want to stamp on their own mark, should they choose to move in. Dated beige or coloured suites, and lino floor coverings are out, while any contemporary design would update the feel of a whole property, and provide a better return on investment. As Susan Bletchley, the Buying Manager for BHS, commented for the West End Home Week, “Add colourful cushions and towels to a…white bathroom – a low budget makeover with instant style”.

P Shaped Shower Bath, from BathEmpire

Regardless of the actual size of your bathroom, all modern bathroom furniture has been designed not only for a practical implementation, but also to provide stylish options to suit all spaces.

Space is a key issue when planning a new bathroom and it is especially important to maximise the storage room by purchasing the right bathroom furniture. Although this may seem like a daunting task, the first thing to apply some thought, initially, is which pieces would best suit your current lifestyle.

Scenario 1:

Lifestyle: Family.
Bathroom Size: Medium.
Bathroom Units and Design: One tiled P-Shaped Shower Bath; white painted walls.

If you are constantly on the go, and go and have a bustling family commitments, it would be handy for your bathroom to accommodate all the essentials. The P-Shaped or L-Shaped shower baths are great, versatile pieces. Not only can they accommodate an adult 5 minute shower, they are great for the kids as well. Next to this, any basin furniture unit would be ideal. BathEmpire stock a range of counter top basin units, either as cabinets or drawers. The internal shelving provides ample space to stock the essentials. Above the sink, you could also opt for a tall, wall hanging cabinet. To complete the contemporary look, you could also install a back to wall toilet unit, instead of a close coupled toilet.

Scenario 2:

Lifestyle: Urban.
Bathroom Size: Small.
Bathroom Units and Design: One 800mm Quadrant Shower Enclosure; magnolia walls.

As space is limited in most urban developments, it makes sense to opt for a Combined Vanity Furniture. These units combine the basin and toilet into one seamless unit, and provide the best blend of practicality and storage. As the units and walls are of a plain tone, add some personality with the bathroom towels and other decorative items.

Scenario 3:

Lifestyle: Country.
Bathroom Size: Medium.
Bathroom Units and Design: One contemporary freestanding bath; white painted walls and tiled black floor.

Quadrant Shower Enclosure, with centre opening, from BathEmpire

Even though the bath takes most of the space here, it would not suit the style to add any combined vanity units. Along with the bath, it makes sense to add a stylish, modern close coupled toilet and pedestal basin. As there would only be exposed storage here, wall hanging cabinets could be added to store the essentials. Alternatively, consider a stainless steel mirror cabinet, for added functionality.

The same styling can be adapted for traditionally roll top baths. Traditional baths can also combine well with pieces of period styled furniture. Stools and wicker storage baskets come instantly to mind, that can be sourced easily and cheaply, and can transform the look of a room.

Oshi Basin Mixer Tap, from BathEmpire

To help you make the right choice, we have listed the following steps and to help narrow down the options available:

Overall Style
Firstly, look at the overall decoration and style of the wider bathroom, and select a tap accordingly. A sleek chrome mixer tap, such as the Khone Basin Mixer Tap, would be a better option than trying to push a traditional style on a modern bathroom.

The Shape
It is always a good idea to match the shape of taps. So, if you are going for a bathroom with a rounded style overall, then match it with rounded taps. Similarly, if the shower head and bathroom suite have an angular design, make sure you purchase square taps. Generally, for traditionally styled showers, rounded bathroom designs suit better.

Bath or Shower Bath?
For the bath, there are a few more options – separate bath taps, bath shower mixers, and overflow fillers.

Basically, the bath shower mixers have a hand held shower outlet option connected to the main tap valve. The alternative to these are the bar mixer valves, or bar shower mixer valves; the only difference is that the bar shower mixers are thermostatic (only allowing the hot water temperature to reach 38 degrees Celsius). If you prefer, you can manually override this feature to allow hotter showers.

Overflow fillers can be fitted to straight baths; because you can use them to fill the bath, you will not need to purchase bath taps to install onto the bath. The overflow filler will let water trickle into the bath, and there are many styles available, some even with pop-up wastes. These fillers are great for a contemporary, minimalist finish.

Ease of Use
One thing you must look at is who is most likely to use the taps. If you have young children, or elderly persons using the bathroom who may have difficulty turning the tap on, then look for a lever operated tap. Another factor to look out for is ceramic disc technology. These ceramic discs have replaced the rubber washers, and so will prevent tight taps. A little consideration before the purchase ensures that everyone will be able to use the bathroom with ease!

At BathEmpire, we offer three distinct types of shower to fit within your shower enclosure:

• Concealed Shower Kits
• Exposed Shower Kits
• Bar Shower Kits

If you are installing a straight or shower bath, then you may also consider purchasing a bath shower mixer tap instead.

Concealed
With our concealed shower kits, all the pipework is concealed behind the wall. Only the chrome valve, and shower head and shower arm will be visible.

A range of sizes and styles are available by searching the Concealed Kits section on the website. However, if none of these meet your fancy, we also offer the option for you to construct your own concealed shower.

The key components of a concealed shower kit are a:

• Concealed Valve
• Shower Head
• Shower Arm

Onto this base, you can install a number of additional outlets, such as a hand held shower head, shower jets, or a bath filler. The concealed mixer valve you purchase will depend on the number of secondary devices you wish to include.

Chrome Effect Shower Head, from BathEmpire.

Lightweight
We also offer a range of chrome effect shower heads; these are specially constructed from a polymer to form a lightweight shower head. The range of designs are wider than those available in the solid brass shower head range. With the lightweight nature, they will put less stress on your plaster wall.

These shower heads are fully compatible with any valve and shower arm, and the chrome effect finish will blend perfectly with other chrome plated units.

Exposed
With the Exposed kits, most of the pipe work is not hidden. The exposed kits at BathEmpire all consist of a bar shower valve, a hand held shower head and the main chrome shower head.

The individual styling, such as an LED shower head, or a curved or straight shower arm is left to individual choice!

Bar Shower
The final shower option are the Bar Shower Kits. These kits all consist of a wall mounted valve and hand held shower head. All our kits are thermostatic, and are TMV2 certified. This means the valve will cap the maximum temperature of the hot water, ensuring safety for the whole family.

Millions around the world will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, and 2012 represents the year of the dragon. What better way to get in tune with this than to add an Asian influence to your bathroom? Below, we cover some tips on how to decorate your Asian inspired bathroom.

Inspired by Nature

Getting an Asian influence ultimately depends on introducing a natural theme to your bathroom. A great way is to introduce green colours into the bathroom, and what better way to do this than via leaves? Use a stencil to paint an array of leaves onto the wall, or choose a fitting (such as a window blind or wall photo) in rich green or blue.

The year of the Dragon is inspired by elegant and mysterious black, dark blue and rich blue green tones. So don’t limit yourself, as the stencil can also be used to decorate the wall with Asian symbols. Remember, when adding symbols, dark colours are best suited, so ensure to keep all walls and tiles in pale tone.

Bamboo

Any exposed wood fittings also fit well with an Asian theme. Raw bamboo shoots can be added to any bathroom accessory. You can also get creative, and hang long bamboo from the ceiling to make a distinction between the shower area and the basin and toilet, or to cover an area of storage.
On wooden furniture, avoid any lacquered finishes and steer towards fittings which have a deep wood grain; to highlight the grain, paint all fittings with a good quality varnish.

Plants

All plants are essential to complete the theme, and a few soothing orchids perched above the basin would provide a complimentary finishing touch.

Khana Counter Top Basin, from BathEmpire

Don’t avoid the modern!

The Zen influence isn’t really conveyed through contemporary, ultra-chic units and shiny chrome – although including a few of these pieces in the final bathroom will not spoil the theme. The Khana counter top basin (left) from BathEmpire is ideal.

Counter top basins feature heavily in any Asian inspired bathroom, and you should always opt for a curved design and avoid harsh edges. There is no reason why you cannot add a chrome basin mixer tap to complement this bathroom basin, as long as all the essential design principles discussed are maintained.

Photo Credit: Nikisublime, Flickr.

Before you start, ensure that the shower tray is protected with cardboard or some other soft material while the work is progressing.

A Quadrant Shower Tray, from BathEmpire

Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Timing: 8 hours for installation, but up to 24 hours before first use.
Tools:

• Jigsaw
• Spirit Level
• Claw Hammer
• Sealant Gun
• Tape Measure
• Adjustable pipe wrench
• Set of Screwdrivers
• Set of Chisels
• Drill
• Bucket

Step 1 – Plan

In your bathroom, decide where you want to put your shower enclosure tray, and mark in pencil the outline on the floor and walls. If there is an existing floor covering such as carpet or lino, ensure that this is removed. Also ensure that all walls surrounding the tray are in good condition, and free of mould or other structural damage.

Step 1a – Make an Access Hatch (Only for Level or Flush Installation)

If you choose to install the tray flush with the ground, or as a raised tray, you will not have the option to move it; therefore, this stage presents an ideal opportunity to create an access hatch.

This hatch is created so that, should there be any problem in future with the drainage of water away from the shower tray, all fittings can be checked with minimal disruption.

Choose a location near to the waste outlet, and cut a hatch with the jigsaw large enough so the main waste can be comfortably accessed.

Step 2 – Fix the Waste

The Fast Flow Waste can be swivelled in any direction, so you can position the outlet in the best possible way. When the waste outlet is attached, ensure the seal is completely watertight using silicone sealant and/or industrial tape where applicable. Remember to test the fitting is watertight at this stage!

You must also make sure that there is a fall in the waste system (a slight downward angle) for water to flow away effectively.

Screw the leg securely to the BathEmpire EasyPlumb Tray

Step 3 – Fix the Tray

Firstly, turn the tray over onto a covered flat surface (so it does not get scratched) and screw the legs into place. Once you are happy that these are secure, place against the desired location; using a spirit level, adjust the height of the legs so that the tray remains completely flat.

The tray can be fixed into place using a firm cement mix (consisting of four parts industrial sand to one part cement).

Step 4 – Add the Side Panel

Using the clips, secure the panel into place.

Once the tray and the major fixtures are in place, all that is left to do is attach the side panel to cover the internal fittings. Be aware that if the floor or walls are angled, the gaps will have to be filled using silicone sealant.

Step 5 – Add the Sealant

It is recommended to tile the wall after the installation of the tray to provide for a water tight joint. If you cannot do this, then ensure that a silicone sealer is applied not only to the edges where the tray meets the tiles, but also to seal the tray to the floor when finished.
Ensure to leave the mortar to completely dry for at least 24 hours before first use.

Note: If at any stage you are unsure about how to proceed, we recommend that you contact a qualified plumber for expert advice.

If you would like further advice in choosing your ideal bathroom, feel free to contact the BathEmpire team.

Bow Acrylic Tray, from BathEmpire

So, you’ve decided on a new shower enclosure but are slightly confounded by the range of trays that are on offer? Then don’t worry, as this quick guide summons the basic differences, and provides some great tips for installation.

At BathEmpire, we sell two types of shower tray – acrylic and stone resin.

Acrylic

The acrylic trays are manufactured with a central layer of fibreglass resin; onto this, the acrylic mould is attached to finish the tray. They are lightweight, and the style sold at BathEmpire can be installed either level with the floor, or as a raised tray.

The BOW Acrylic Trays sold at BathEmpire are only compatible with the EasyClean Quadrant Shower enclosures (GQ22, GQ23, GQ32).

Stone Resin

The core of these trays feature a thick layer of stone and resin; onto this, an ABS capped acrylic mould is attached to finish the tray. Slightly heavier than acrylic trays, the stone trays can be installed at floor level (standard stone tray) or raised with legs and a smart front panel (EasyPlumb stone tray).

Installation Tips

In the haste and excitement of having a new bathroom delivered, the shower tray is often overlooked. Therefore, don’ t forget to scan over the following tips to avoid making some easy mistakes:

• Even before you sign for the delivery, always check your shower tray and make sure that it is the size and shape that you had ordered.
• The EasyPlumb variety of trays is ideal as they remove the need for building a plinth. Fit the legs onto the underside of the shower tray with the screws provided and adjust to the required height taking into account the slope of the floor, and any existing plumbing.
• When installing any shower tray into adjacent walls, ensure that your chosen shower enclosure will still comfortably fit the remaining length of the tray.
• The shower tray and the connections going to and from the shower must be checked for water flow, tightness and drainage before the final silicone sealant is applied. If you are at all in any doubt, do not hesitate to consult a qualified plumber.

If you would like help or advice in creating your ideal bathroom, feel free to contact the BathEmpire team.