Can I Shower in a Walk-In Tub? Hand Showers, Shower Columns, and Screens

Can you shower in a walk-in tub? Yes, you can absolutely shower in an Ella walk-in tub. Every Ella fast fill faucet set includes an extendable, multi function hand shower, so seated showering is built in from day one. If you would like a full standing or seated shower with an overhead rain shower head, our optional Shower Column Kit adds one to any walk-in tub equipped with an Ella 2-piece or 5-piece deck mount fast fill faucet, and a wall mounted sliding shower column is available as well. This article walks through each option and points you to the installation guides.

The Hand Shower Included with Every Fast Fill Faucet

All of Ella's fast fill faucet sets come with an extendable, multi function hand shower. On the 2-piece faucet set you push the diverter button to send water to the hand shower, and on the 5-piece faucet set you turn the diverter handle. The hand shower offers five spray settings, is limited to 1.9 GPM by plumbing code, and extends on its 5 foot retractable hose, which makes it comfortable to use while seated in the tub, and it is also handy for rinsing the tub after your bath. Our comparison of the 2-piece and 5-piece fast-fill faucets explains the differences between the two sets.

Before You Wall Mount the Hand Shower, Read This

Many customers like to lift the hand shower up to a wall bracket for a more traditional shower feel. Please do not attach the hand held shower to the wall unless you have the extension hose with the barrel protection installed. Without it, water can travel down the hose and leak behind your walk-in tub where you cannot see it, which is one of the first places to look in our guide to water under or behind the tub. Our wall attachment and leak elimination kit adds a 5 foot extension hose and a stainless steel barrel connector that plugs the deck insert hole. The full details and installation steps are in our guide to hand shower hoses, diverters, and the wall mount leak kit.

The Shower Column Kit: A Rain Shower for Seated or Standing Use

The Shower Column Kit is an elegant, easy way to add a true shower to your walk-in tub. Here is what the video covers: Watch: Shower Column Kit for Walk-In Tubs: Two in One - Tub & Shower Combination with chapters and a full transcript.

• The kit connects to any Ella 2-piece or 5-piece fast fill faucet set. Push the diverter button on the 2-piece set, or turn the diverter handle on the 5-piece set, to enjoy the five setting multi function hand shower, then engage the diverter on the column to switch to the large overhead rain shower head.
• The column installs on the tub deck: your existing hand shower is removed, the shower column base attachment goes into the vacant receptacle, the water supply line is replaced, and the new one half inch supply line attaches to the diverter on your faucet set.
• The rain shower head is height adjustable, with a maximum height of approximately 90 inches, a little over seven feet. There are 14 inches of available height adjustment, bringing the head down to approximately 76 inches, about six feet.
• The rain shower head pivots and swivels for maximum comfort, so you can enjoy a standing or a seated shower.
• One design note: the rain shower head and the hand shower cannot spray at the same time. The diverter selects one at a time, and that is intentional, not a defect.

One planning note that matters: the deck mounted column connects to plumbing behind the tub, so it should be installed before the tub's final installation. For the complete parts list, bracket choices, and step by step instructions, see our guide to installing the Shower Column Kit. If a column ever drips after shutoff, our article on shower column drips and replacement parts covers the fix.

This second clip shows the column and its accessories fitted to a tub, so you can see how the rain head, the column and the existing faucet set sit together on the deck.

The Wall Mounted Sliding Shower Column

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Installing the Wall Mounted Sliding Shower Column with chapters and a full transcript.

If you prefer not to add a column to the tub deck, Ella also offers a wall mounted sliding shower column. It anchors to the wall beside the tub, the hand shower rides in a holder that adjusts in height and pivots side to side, and it connects to your faucet through an extension line and coupler. The video shows the job: choose the position and level, drill and anchor the lower bracket, slide the chrome cover over it and set the column, fit the shower head holder and upper bracket, then remove the shower head, attach the coupler and extension line, and feed the excess into the receptacle. The coupler's rubber washer makes the waterproof seal, and overextending the hand shower without the extension and coupler creates a leak hazard. Step by step instructions are in our guide to installing the wall-mounted hand shower slider bar.

Keeping the Spray in the Tub: Glass Shower Screens

Showering in an open topped walk-in tub sends some spray outward, so many customers pair a shower setup with a glass shower screen. Our four fold tempered glass screen folds accordion style on top of the tub deck and can be configured for left or right installations, and the LayDown tubs have their own fixed panel screen and door system. See our guide to installing glass shower screens for both options. Wider tubs give more room for a standing shower, so if that is your main goal, mention it when you talk through models with your Ella dealer or the team.

If you are deciding between options for your model, our team is glad to confirm compatibility with your faucet set and layout before you order.

Related Guides

• Slide Bar Holder Will Not Hold the Hand Shower Up: Fixes and Replacement Options
• Can I Add a Hand Shower Slide Bar or Rain Shower Column After My Tub Is Installed?
• How Tall Is an Ella Walk-In Tub, With and Without a Shower Column?
• What Can and Cannot Be Customized on an Ella Tub: Add-Ons, Special Orders, and Fixed Features
• Is There a Lock on the Walk-In Tub Door, and How Do I Stop Hand-Shower Splashing?
• Can I Add a Ceiling Light Above an Open-Top Ella Shower?

Related Videos

Watch: Ella Walk-In Tub with Shower Column: Perfect for Safe & Stylish Bathing on its own page.

Common Questions

Still need help? Our team is always happy to assist. Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850.