Can You Use a Shower Curtain With a Walk-In Shower?

Yes. An Ella walk-in shower is an open-top enclosure with one open side, and that side can be finished with a curtain rod, a glass door or a screen depending on the package you choose, as described in the dome, ceiling panel and light article. A plain shower curtain is also the usual answer when a walk-in tub is used as a standing shower. Ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 which curtain rod fits your base and wall package so it arrives with the rest of the kit.

How the Open Side of an Ella Shower Is Closed

An Ella shower kit is made up of the acrylic base, which carries the drain and threshold and on some models a molded seat, and the wall panels that form the sides of the enclosure. The open side is finished with a curtain rod, a glass door or a screen, and none of the packages include a roof, dome or top panel, so the enclosure stays open to your bathroom ceiling. Ella does offer a curtain rod among its shower accessories, alongside molded and fold-up seats. Because accessories vary by model, confirm which rod fits your specific base and wall package before you order.

If you are still planning the shower, the shower builder tool lets you scroll through the available options and put a design together online. A contractor then visits to measure your space and finalize the installation details, which is the right time to settle whether the front will be a curtain, a door or a screen.

Using a Curtain When a Walk-In Tub Doubles as a Shower

Owners often ask for a riser or column so the tub can also serve as a stand-up shower behind a curtain. Households that add a standing shower column often use a regular shower curtain from any home and hardware store, either instead of or in addition to the folding glass screen. A curtain covers the whole length of the tub and slides out of the way when the shower is not in use. The 4-fold tempered glass screen, by contrast, measures 44 inches wide by 42 inches high, so on a 60 inch tub it leaves an opening of about 16 inches at the standing end. Both options are covered in the door lock and hand-shower splash control article.

A curtain also solves a layout that a glass screen cannot. Ella screens are alcove screens and cannot close off an open end of the tub. When only two walls are available, staff have suggested framing a wall on the open side or hanging a shower curtain on a curved rod that turns the corner to cover the open end. See which glass shower screen fits your tub for the alcove requirement.

Curtain or Glass Screen?

• Choose a curtain when you want full-length coverage, an open end covered, or a low-cost option from any hardware store.
• Choose a glass screen when you want a bright, airy alternative to a curtain clinging to the tub walls. The Big4Two video on this page shows the four-fold screen combined with a three-fold screen for exactly that purpose.
• Combine them if you like. The screen covers the seating area where most showering happens, and a curtain can cover the rest.

Watch: Big4Two: 2 Person Walk-In Tub Accessories For Couples | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Installing the Shower Column Kit on Your Walk-in Tub
• Installing Shower Seats, Folding Benches, the Fold-Up Chair, Teak Seat, Grab Bar Shelf and the Caregiver Curtain Rod
• Shower Bases and Wall Panels

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