What Size Should a Walk-In Shower Be for Your Bathroom?

A walk-in shower should be sized to the person who will use it and to the footprint your bathroom already has, and for most homes that means a base built on a 60 inch length. Ella's standard roll-in shower bases share that 60 inch length and come 30, 32 or 36 inches wide, a 36 by 36 inch corner base can be made to order, and custom bases such as a 45 inch wide by 60.75 inch long base are available when a standard footprint does not suit the room. Walk-In Tub and Shower Base Sizes and How to Measure for Fit covers how to measure the space, and this page explains how each size, threshold and drain choice changes the shower you end up with.

Start with Who Will Be Using the Shower

The right size begins with how the person bathing will enter and sit, because that decides which base family you are choosing from. Ella offers two base styles: wheelchair roll-in shower bases and seat shower bases. If the person stays in a wheelchair or a shower chair and needs to roll straight in with nothing to cross, the roll-in base is the right starting point. All of Ella's standard roll-in bases are ADA curb-less pans, so there is no lip to step or roll over, and What is a roll-in shower and who should get one? explains how a roll-in shower compares with a walk-in tub for that bather.

If the person can step over a low edge, a 3 inch step-in base is offered for anyone who prefers a slightly raised edge, and the one-piece and three-piece shower stalls have a 4 inch threshold. Seating also shapes the size decision. A seat is optional on a roll-in shower: folding benches and seats rated from 300 to 600 pounds can be added, or you can choose the 36 by 60 base with a molded seat, which uses the extra width to build the seat into the pan. Caregiver options include a weighted anti-bacterial nylon curtain, a stainless curtain rod and a slide bar with hand shower, so leave room in your plan for whichever of those you want.

Standard and Custom Shower Base Sizes Side by Side

The differences come down to width, entry height and what sits on the walls. All three standard roll-in bases keep the 60 inch length, so the width is the dimension that changes, and a wider pan gives you either more turning room or a molded seat. The AcrylX barrier-free bases have a beveled roll-in entry of 3/4 inch to 1 1/8 inch depending on size, and the SMC bases are 1 inch or 1 1/8 inch, which is the lowest entry Ella makes. Roll-in and barrier-free bases ship with a self-adhesive collapsible rubber dam that keeps water in the stall, compressing under the wheels and springing back. A step-in or stall threshold holds water with a fixed edge instead, which is why those options suit a bather who does not need a flat entry. A custom base brings a tile flange, so it is the one to choose when you plan tiled walls rather than acrylic panels.

How the Threshold Height Changes the Basin

On a custom base the front threshold can be either 2 inches or 4 inches, and that single choice decides how deep the basin is inside the shower. A 4 inch threshold gives an inside basin depth of approximately 2 inches. A 2 inch threshold gives an inside basin depth of approximately 0.25 inch, which is close to flat and far easier to step over, but leaves very little basin to hold water. Think about who is bathing and how much water the shower will see. A bather who needs the easiest possible step benefits from the 2 inch threshold, while a household that wants more containment at the floor is usually happier with 4 inches. The Shower Bases and Walls overview lays out the threshold and drain choices in one place so you can compare them before you talk with your dealer.

Drain Position and the Room You Already Have

A shower base is only the right size if its drain lands on your plumbing. Custom shower bases can have the drain on the left, on the right or in the center, and each standard roll-in base is available with a left or right drain. A corner base can be built with the drain placed to your exact measurements, for example 9 and 5/8 inches from each of two adjacent walls. Tell the team where your existing drain line sits in the floor and it confirms which drain position matches your size. Because a measurement can be rounded to the nearest inch along the way, confirm your exact drain location with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before your base is built, since that is far easier than adjusting plumbing after the pan arrives.

Walls are the other half of the footprint. Acrylic wall systems are available for showers, and shower wall sample binders show the different colors if you want to see the finish before choosing. If you would rather tile, the custom base with its tile flange is made for that. Either way, the base size you choose should account for the wall system that will sit on it, so settle the walls at the same time as the pan.

Measuring Your Space Before You Choose a Size

Before you pick a size, measure the width, length and height of your existing tub or shower alcove, and note the length separately, because the 60 inch length of the standard roll-in bases is what most often decides whether a standard pan fits. Measure your doorway width too if the base has to travel through it to reach the bathroom. Then work through the choices in order:

1. Decide whether you need a roll-in base or a seat base, based on how the bather enters and sits.
2. Measure your space and note the size you would like, including the length.
3. Choose a 2 inch or 4 inch front threshold if you are ordering a custom base, or the roll-in, 3 inch step-in or 4 inch stall entry that suits the bather.
4. Choose a left, right or center drain location to match your plumbing.
5. Choose acrylic wall panels, or plan for tile if you have a custom base with the tile flange.
6. Share your measurements and choices with your Ella dealer or call (800) 480-6850 to confirm what can be made for your space.

With those numbers in hand, the size question answers itself: a 60 inch alcove points to one of the three standard roll-in widths, a square corner points to a 36 by 36 inch base, and anything in between is a custom base the team can confirm for you.

Related Guides

• What Is an Acrylic Shower Base and How Does It Compare?
• Custom-Size Shower Bases: Size Ranges, Threshold Options, Drain Placement Rules, Construction, and How to Request One
• Shower Base Sizes and Thresholds Compared: AcrylX Barrier-Free, SMC Linear-Drain, Molded-Seat and Cultured Marble Bases

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