What is a roll-in shower and how does it work?

A roll-in shower is a barrier-free shower stall with no curb at the entry, so a wheelchair or walker rolls straight from the bathroom floor onto the shower base. Ella's Bubbles builds its roll-in showers from a curb-less base, a wall system sized to that base, and a collapsible rubber dam across the open entry that keeps water in without a step. The three standard base sizes and the drain choices are listed in Wheelchair Accessible Shower Base Sizes, Drain Positions, and What Is Sold Separately.

How a Roll-In Shower Keeps Water in Without a Curb

The piece that makes a curb-less entry work is the collapsible rubber dam, also called a water retainer, flexible shower dam or collapsible threshold. It comes standard with Ella roll-in barrier-free shower bases and sits across the open entry of the stall. When a wheelchair or walker rolls over it the strip flattens under the wheels, then springs back once they pass, so the stall holds water the way a curb would. The video on this page shows the dam compressing under a wheelchair and returning to shape, then walks through the installation. The dam attaches with strong, water-resistant self-adhesive tape, so no drilling is involved, and the one rule that cannot be skipped is cleaning the mounting surface with isopropyl rubbing alcohol first, or the adhesive will not bond. The end caps are dry-fitted and siliconed, a thin bead of silicone runs along both lower edges, and on a tile floor the grout line beneath the retainer must be caulked so water cannot travel under it. The full routine and owner care notes are in What Is a Collapsible Rubber Dam on a Roll-In Shower?. If you would rather have a small raised edge than a dam, Ella also offers a three-inch step-in threshold, and the low-threshold acrylic and cultured marble bases have a molded threshold instead of a dam.

The Base, the Walls and What Is Sold Separately

Ella's wheelchair accessible roll-in base comes in three standard sizes, 30 x 60 inches, 32 x 60 inches and 36 x 60 inches. All three are ADA curb-less roll-in pans, and the drain position is specified when you order; left-hand and center-drain bases are among those the team has supplied, so tell the team where your existing drain line sits. The 32 by 60 inch barrier-free base is available in left and right configurations and is ready to ship, and sizes outside the standard three can be made to order. Shower products are sold per item rather than as one bundle, so a complete roll-in shower is put together from the base in your size and drain position, a wall system sized to it, such as the plain white acrylic three-piece panel kit, a CNC engraved pattern or a marble-look three-piece kit, and accessories such as grab bars or a shower door. An 8 inch wide L-shaped plastic filler piece can close a gap between the base and an adjoining wall or fixture, and it can be trimmed to fit. The overview of bases, walls and fillers is in Shower Bases, Walls, and Filler Pieces. Where supply lines or an existing valve are in the way, the wall panels of the multi-piece gel coat roll-in showers can be cut on site, with a check with the team before cutting any of the steel reinforcing rod inside the panel.

Warranty Rules That Shape the Installation

Roll-in and barrier-free shower bases and pans carry a 30-Year Limited Warranty against defects in workmanship or material, measured from the date of purchase, and a claim must be reported within 10 days of discovering a defect. It is a parts remedy, so labor and the cost of removing or reinstalling the product are not covered, and warranty costs must be agreed with Ella's Bubbles before any work begins. Drilling into the shower base threshold is explicitly listed as a modification that voids coverage, which is why the dam and any door track are planned with your installer so nothing penetrates it. The terms are in Warranty Coverage for Ella Shower Bases: 30-Year Limited Terms and the 10-Day Claim Window.

Watch: The Ella Shower Dam, Keep Water In, Roll In With Ease | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

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 the SMC Low-Profile Shower Bases: 1 Inch Reversible Linear Drain and Barrier-Free Linear-Drain Bases

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