Will a Three-Piece Ella Shower Fit Through My Doorway? Piece Dimensions and Turning the Base Sideways

Yes, in most homes. Ella's three-piece showers are built so that each piece can pass through a standard interior doorway, which is the main reason to choose a three-piece stall over a one-piece stall for a remodel. Each unit ships as a base and two L-shaped wall panels that meet at a seam in the center of the back wall. The base is the largest piece, and the dimension that has to clear your door is the base height, because the base goes through the opening turned on its side. Depending on the unit, that carries the three-piece showers through 30 inch openings and, with the trim removed, even 28 inch openings.

What the Three Pieces Are

A three-piece Ella shower is a base plus two wall panels. Each wall panel is L-shaped: it forms one full side wall and half of the back wall, and the two halves meet at a vertical seam in the center of the back wall. Because the panels are bent into an L rather than flat, they can be angled and maneuvered through a doorway, so the walls are rarely the problem. The base is a single molded piece, and its height is its smallest dimension. That height, not the base width or length, is what you compare to your door opening.

Piece Dimensions for the Two Three-Piece Units

The 60 by 33 inch three-piece shower breaks down as follows.

• Base: 33 inches wide, 60 inches long and 28 inches high, plus or minus 1/2 inch.
• Each L-shaped wall panel: 33 inches wide, 30 inches long and 49 inches high.

The three-piece unit with the 48 inch by 36 3/4 inch base breaks down as follows.

• Base: 48 inches wide, 36 3/4 inches deep and 22 1/2 inches high.
• Each L-shaped wall panel: 24 inches on one leg, 36 3/4 inches on the other and 57 inches high.

Every dimension above also appears on the Specification drawing for the unit, so confirm against the drawing for the exact model you are ordering. The shower stall comparison lists the stall sizes side by side.

Which Doorway Widths Each Unit Clears

• 36 inch doorway: all three pieces of either unit pass without removing anything.
• 30 inch doorway: the unit with the 48 inch base passes with the base turned sideways. The 28 inch base height of the 60 by 33 unit also clears a 30 inch opening.
• 28 inch doorway: the 60 by 33 unit is a very tight fit. The base measures 28 inches high, plus or minus 1/2 inch, so plan on removing the door trim and possibly the door jamb to get the base through. The L-shaped walls can be maneuvered through as usual. The unit with the 48 inch base clears 28 inches comfortably because its base is only 22 1/2 inches high.
• Narrower than 28 inches: the 60 by 33 base is taller than the opening, so confirm the route with the team at (800) 480-6850 before you order.

How to Check Your Route Before You Order

1. Walk the path from the entry door to the bathroom and measure the clear width of every doorway along the way, plus any tight hallway corner.
2. Note the narrowest clear opening you found. That is the figure to compare against the base height of the unit you want.
3. If the base height is within about an inch of the opening, plan on removing the door stop and casing, and possibly the jamb, before delivery day.
4. Plan to carry the L-shaped walls at an angle. They are tall, so check the ceiling height at any stair landing or turn.
5. Confirm the finished dimensions on the Specification drawing for your unit before you place your order.

If You Are Considering a One-Piece Stall Instead

One-piece stalls are molded as a single unit and are most often used in new construction, where the stall is set in place before the walls and doors go up. The 60 by 33 one-piece stall needs an opening at least 33 inches wide and 77 inches high along the whole route, through every doorway and hallway into the bathroom. The one-piece clearance article walks through that rule in detail. If your doorways are narrower than that, a three-piece unit is the practical choice. For the base sizes themselves and how to measure the alcove, see walk-in tub and shower base sizes and shower bases, walls and filler pieces.

Related Guides

• Shower Base Sizes and Thresholds Compared: AcrylX Barrier-Free, SMC Linear-Drain, Molded-Seat and Cultured Marble Bases
• Custom-Size Shower Bases: Size Ranges, Threshold Options, Drain Placement Rules, Construction, and How to Request One
• Installing Multi-Piece Gel Coat Showers: Barrier-Free Roll-In (BF) and Low-Threshold (SH) Units

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.