Tub with a bath screen - what bathroom is it for?

A bathtub allows us to take relaxing baths. A long bath can effectively calm the body after a tiring day, but on the other hand, a shower is usually quick, which those who lead an active lifestyle will appreciate. A shower also allows us to save much more water than a bathtub, which is important for investors who care for environment. What to choose then? The optimum situation is when the bathroom size makes it possible to install both a shower unit and a bathtub. Unfortunately, the truth is that in most apartments the bathroom is so small that it is sometimes difficult to include all the necessary pieces of equipment in its arrangement and at the same time think about ergonomics. This is one of the examples when a tub with a bath screen can be a success and will satisfy all the household members.

A bath screen is a very practical option, and it is its functionality that is the main reason why people invest in this solution. What’s the most important is that it saves a lot of space, and we can enjoy both a shower and longer baths without the need to find additional space for a shower unit. This is why it is so common in small bathrooms.

The second advantage is an economic aspect. A bath shower screen is much cheaper than a good quality shower enclosure. It can be installed on nearly any bathtub and anytime: there’s no need to wait for a major renovation.

Another undeniable advantage is that a tub with a bath screen is the answer to the needs of all the household members without having to compromise. Those who like long baths use the bathtub, and if someone is in a hurry and wants to take a quick shower, will do so without the risk of splashing in the bathroom.

Although a bath screen can be installed on nearly any bathtub, it won’t always be the same. The screen won’t have the same pane when, for example, it’s mounted on a corner bathtub and when it’s on a low bathtub placed in a different spot. A different size and location of the bathtub will require a different size of the glass. When browsing through various options, we need to consider both the comfort of getting in and out of the tub and the convenience of taking a shower. A bath screen can consist of one single pane of glass, can be bi-fold, or can have doors similar to those of a shower enclosure.

When browsing through manufacturers’ offer, we should think not only whether the screen will suit the bathtub. What also matters is the material used to make the screen, and positively the best choice are models made from tempered glass. A special treatment makes them very resistant to mechanical damage, and even if the glass accidentally break, it won’t pose a threat and cause injuries. This is thanks to the properties of tempered glass, which breaks into small pieces with rounded edges. This type of a bath screen is slightly more expensive than those made from plastic (more about them below), but it is certainly more elegant and durable.

The second group of bath screens that are commonly available are those made of plastic. Usually they are made of polystyrene or acrylic. Their advantages are their low price and wide variety in terms of designs and colors. They look good for a while, but they show very little resistance to deformation, scratching and other damage, which doesn’t look neat. Thus, if you wish the bath screen for your small bathtub served for a long time, it is better to choose the first option.

Every year, the number of bath screen fans grows, but there are still skeptical voices. They mention that a disadvantage of this solution is that deposits and stains appear on the glass. The truth is that the same could be said about shower enclosures, and yet not everyone has trouble with stubborn stains. What is the secret? We should search for the answer to this question in the technologies used in the production of the panes. There are manufacturers, like SanSwiss, that are well aware how arduous it is to remove the deposits that naturally appear on the glass. For this reason, the pane surface is covered with special water-repellent coating preventing scale from forming.

When it comes to SanSwiss bath screens and shower enclosure doors, the panes are covered with the Aquaperle polymer coating. With this technology, water won’t run down the glass in streams, but in the form of single drops, which effectively reduces the formation of deposits. Cleaning screens covered with the Aquaperle coating is very easy. No special products are needed for daily care. Just grab a squeegee after your bath, and that’s it. It’s easy to guess that it significantly increases the convenience of use and explodes the earlier myth that a tub with a bath screen always entails troublesome stains.

When planning a bathroom renovation, the investors are wondering not only if all the necessary pieces of equipment would fit in the bathroom, but also how they would look with the overall design. What design style will a bath screen go well with? The good news is that it can work perfectly with a variety of bathrooms. Glass is commonly used by designers in contemporary interiors. It adds lightness and elegance, so the screen will be a decoration of a contemporary arrangement. In the same way, its shine is welcome in the glam style. Then it is also worth opting for the model with glossy hardware.

Given that bath screens suit contemporary bathrooms so well, does this mean that we have to give up this solution in traditional and retro interiors? Not necessarily. A bath screen can be mounted on various bathtubs, including those in retro style. Although it won’t be possible in case of free-standing bathtubs, the retro style has different versions, and if our bathroom refers to the communist period with a built-in bathtub, such a solution will work great there. In this case, it is worth choosing something simple and classic. The result will be something on the verge of traditional and eclectic decor, being a combination of various styles, and that will make the design trendy and practical at the same time. More information about bath screens can be found in the article “Bath screens - when are they a hit?”.