How High and How Big Is the Built-In Seat on an Ella Shower?

The molded seat built into an Ella shower base is part of the acrylic shell, and its size depends on which base you choose. On the published drawings, seat heights are 20 inches or 22 inches above the shower floor, with widths from 25 1/2 inches to 31 inches and depths from 13 3/4 inches to 17 1/2 inches. The exact figures for your model are printed on the Specification drawing for that shower, so check the drawing rather than a general range before you plan grab bars, the hand shower height or a caregiver's working space.

Where to Find the Specification Drawing

Every Ella shower has a Specification drawing that shows the seat with its dimensions and its position in the enclosure. On the listing for your model, look under Product Details in the Additional Resources section for the Specification link. If you cannot locate it, open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with the model name and the support team will send the drawing.

What the Three Seat Numbers Mean

Seat dimensions are listed as width, depth and height, and each one answers a different fit question.

1. Width is the side-to-side measurement of the seating surface. Published examples range from 25 1/2 inches on a compact molded seat to 31 inches on a longer bench-style seat.
2. Depth is how far the seat projects from the back wall toward the front of the shower. Published examples run from 13 3/4 inches to 17 1/2 inches.
3. Height is measured from the shower floor to the top of the seat. Published examples are 20 inches and 22 inches.

How the Shower Seat Compares to a Walk-In Tub Seat

Walk-in tub seats are described the same way, but the numbers are measured inside a tub shell rather than on an open shower floor. If you are weighing a shower against a tub, the article on seat width and seat height on a walk-in tub explains how those figures are taken, and the guide to measuring yourself for a comfortable seat fit walks through hip width and thigh length so you can compare either product to your own body.

Checking the Seat for Your Bather

Because the seat is molded into the base, its position is fixed once the base is installed. Measure the bather's hip width while seated and compare it to the seat width on the drawing. Seat depth tells you how much of the thigh will be supported. Seat height tells you how much knee bend is needed to sit down and stand up, so compare it to a chair the bather already uses comfortably at home. Larger bathers should also read the article on weight limits and bariatric options.

Measuring the Room for the Base

The seat sits inside the overall base footprint, so it does not add to the room size you need. Use the shower base size and measuring guide to confirm the alcove width, depth and door swing before ordering, and keep the Specification drawing with your installer's paperwork so grab bars and the hand shower can be placed in relation to the seat.

The Seat Size Support Usually Quotes, and Fitting a Separate Shower Chair

When customers call about the built-in seat, the figure most often quoted is approximately 21.5 to 22 inches wide, 18.5 inches deep and 21 inches high, with the seat top about 21 inches above the shower floor. The width varies slightly by listing, and on one-piece units the seat and the stall are a single molding, so always confirm the figure for your specific model before planning around it. Published figures for seats, benches and grab bar sets across the shower line are collected in the shower doors, seats and accessories spec summary.

Because the seat is formed with the walls and base, there are no fasteners to remove and it cannot be swapped for a fold-up model after purchase. If you need seating that folds out of the way, review the options in the seat, bench and chair installation guide when choosing a model, rather than planning to remove a molded seat.

A freestanding shower chair fits inside the stall even with the molded seat in place, which helps a bather who needs a chair with arms or a particular height. Before choosing a chair, check the usable interior floor of your model, since the nominal size of a shower is measured on the outside and the seat takes up part of the interior. This article explains nominal size versus usable floor space. Measure the chair footprint against the clear floor area in front of the seat.

If you want more ledge space for shampoo and soap than the standard molding provides, review the soap ledge and bench choices in ordering the 5-piece shower stall with soap ledges, a bench or grab bars before you order.

Related Guides

• Shower Base Sizes and Thresholds Compared: AcrylX Barrier-Free, SMC Linear-Drain, Molded-Seat and Cultured Marble Bases
• Shower Doors, Seats, Benches, Grab Bar Sets, Niches, Soap Dishes and Acrylic Trim: Sizes, Capacities and Finishes
• Installing Shower Seats, Folding Benches, the Fold-Up Chair, Teak Seat, Grab Bar Shelf and the Caregiver Curtain Rod
• Shower Seat Sizes and Options: Is a Larger Fold-Down Seat Available?
• Ordering the 5-Piece Shower Stall With Soap Ledges, a Bench, or Grab Bars
• Ella Shower Rough Opening, Standing Area and Floor Width: What to Measure Before You Frame

Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.