Bath screens: an in-bath shower essential

Modern bath screens, with their close-fitting seals, will protect your bathroom floor from water. They offer far greater protection than a shower curtain, especially if you're installing a power shower, and they are a much more hygienic and aesthetically looking solution.

When compared to shower curtains, bath screens are clean cut and simple, and don’t detract from the style of your bathroom space.

This is according to Jasmin Kraneveldt from Bathroom Bizarre, who says bath screens are an in-bath shower essential and, unlike some of the bath screens of the past, today’s screens are both practically designed and aesthetically pleasing.

Kraneveldt shares the reasons why bath screens are ideal for any bathroom with an in-bath shower:

Out with the old, in with the new

It all started with the humble shower curtain. Although they were popular, anyone who has used a shower curtain for an in-bath shower knows what a hassle they can be as they tend to stick to your legs while showering and allow water to splash or drip onto the floor. They are also known for mould build-up.

Not only are they not practically designed, they don’t look nice, which usually lowers the aesthetics of the bathroom in which they are featured.

Another aspect of bath screens that makes them a good choice for your bathroom is that they’re easy to keep clean.

Kraneveldt says simply put, shower curtains should be avoided at all costs; they aren’t a feasible solution at all. Fortunately, she says the invention of the bath screen offers a better-designed and functioning alternative to the age-old shower curtain.

With the right bath screen, she says you can turn your bathtub into a functioning shower with new impact and inspiration. One panel, two panels, three panels, rounded or angled; there are no limits to your ideas.

And today there is such a wide variety on the market, she says you will no doubt be able to find a bath screen for a perfect showering experience.

Different types of bath screens

There is an incredibly wide selection of bath screens available today, but they can be divided into four main categories:

Pivot bath screens

“Bath screens offer the most effective way to keep your bathroom floor dry while using an in-bath shower, and the wide variety of options available, makes finding a bath screen that suits your particular bathroom and budget an easy task."

These bath screens work like a door by swinging around a hinge, so they can be neatly folded or ‘closed’ against the wall when not in use. This style works better for bigger bathrooms, as they require enough wall space for the screen to be closed against.

Foldaway bath screens

These work much like concertina doors and can be extended or folded away when required. Screens like this are generally available in bi-fold, 4-fold and 5-fold variations. The amount of space you have available for a foldaway screen will largely dictate what kind of screen you will be able to install.

Sliding screens

These consist of a fixed portion of the screen and then, like a sliding door, the rest of the screen can be slid out when the shower is in use.

Fixed screens

While people tend to have the general idea of old fashioned, clunky bath screens, there are currently a wide variety of more slick and stylish options on the market.

This sort of screen becomes a permanent feature in the bathroom and usually only takes up a small portion of the length of your bath.

While many people are opposed to fixed bath screens, she says these are actually one of the most aesthetically pleasing types of screens, and since there are no moving parts, they are more sturdy and robust than the other types.

For these reasons, they are becoming increasingly more popular the world over. These screens are also available in a variety of different shapes from square, to more curved screens.

Slick and simple

Bath screens are not only functional, but they also serve to improve the style of your bathroom. When compared to shower curtains, bath screens are clean cut and simple, and don’t at all detract from the style of your bathroom space.

While people tend to have the general idea of old fashioned, clunky bath screens, there are currently a wide variety of more slick and stylish options on the market.

Kraneveldt says modern bath screens are now available in a frameless design, which undoubtedly offers the most stylish and sleek aesthetic. Due to their frameless design and clear glass parts, they don’t hinder the visual view of the bathroom space, thereby creating the illusion of added space.

Another aspect of bath screens that makes them a good choice for your bathroom is that they’re easy to keep clean. Kraneveldt says unlike shower curtains that get grimy and look old in no time, bath screens are long-lasting and only require a small amount of cleaning to keep them looking shiny and brand new.

She says wide open bath screens are ideal for any space where an in-bath shower is being used, but specifically for smaller bathrooms.

While in-bath showers are most frequently used to better utilise space in an already small bathroom, shower curtains have a tendency to make the space seem even more cramped than it already is.

Shower curtains create an obvious barrier between the bath and the rest of the room, and in so doing, Kraneveldt says they close the space up visually.

This is where bath screens are your friend; not only do they offer a number of options in which they can be folded or closed away, but as they are made of glass, they allow light to pass through them, helping to maximise the look of your bathroom, and keep an open and minimal feeling throughout the space.

“Bath screens offer the most effective way to keep your bathroom floor dry while using an in-bath shower, and the wide variety of options available, makes finding a bath screen that suits your particular bathroom and budget an easy task,” she says.