Tropical shower: what it is and how to make it yourself

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The saying “If you want to be happy, be happy” can be rephrased as follows: “If you want a comfortable life, arrange it.” You can’t spend all your time on the southern shores of the seas. Not everyone can even visit the pool often. But there is a very affordable opportunity to enjoy the beneficial effects of water every day - this is a tropical shower for the bathroom. It just takes some effort.

A tropical shower for the bathroom is an opportunity to enjoy the beneficial effects of water on the body every day

Types of shower options for bathrooms

Today, there is a clear trend towards arranging bathrooms not only as premises for domestic and sanitary purposes, but also as places for rest and relaxation. The bathtub and shower form the unity that provides the necessary conditions.

Shower stands consist of a mixer, a bar, one or two shower heads

The shower has many advantages:

• it has a preventive and therapeutic effect on the body;
• taking a shower is the most hygienic option for water procedures;
• simplicity and accessibility in installation and use;
• you can purchase a model for little money;
• does not require much space for placement.

There are several types of showers for the bathroom:

1. Shower stands. These are structures consisting of a rod, one or two watering cans, a hose and a mixer. (Some options do not have faucets included.)
2. Shower panels. Quite voluminous structures, representing a block in which nozzles for the massage functions of the shower are mounted, stationary and removable shower heads are attached.
3. Built-in models. The shower head has a stationary position and is mounted in the ceiling or upper part of the wall. The hot and cold water supply is hidden in the wall. This is exactly the design that a “tropical shower” shower often has.

This type of shower is quite popular. Almost all bathroom fixtures manufacturers produce similar models. A large number of variants of compact and volumetric designs have been developed, the technical level and product design are constantly being improved.

Shower panels are a block in which nozzles are mounted, and a removable and stationary shower head is attached.

Making a pallet

Work should begin from the bottom of the cabin - the pallet. If you use a ready-made base, this will reduce installation complexity and time.

When making a pallet yourself, you must take care in advance to protect the room from moisture. To do this you will need to use roll waterproofing.

It all depends on what material the floor is made of. The treated surface should not allow moisture to pass through. The same applies to the bottom of the walls.

Next, the concrete is poured. In this case, the surface should be inclined in the direction of the drain by 2–3 cm per meter. Before pouring begins, drainage pipes are laid and a drain ladder is fixed.

Design features of the “tropical rain” shower head

The main element of a rain shower is the watering can. It is large in size, the flow of water is divided into a large number of individual drops and falls, creating the effect of torrential rain. This mechanical effect of water on the body relaxes muscles and stimulates blood circulation.

Important functional components of the design include a bath mixer with a “tropical rain” shower. With its help, the flow strength is adjusted, which allows you to make the “rain” more or less intense.

The shape of watering cans can be very diverse:

• have the shape of a circle or oval;
• square and rectangle;
• triangle or irregular geometric figure.

There are several methods for installing a shower head:

• ceiling mounting;
• installation at the top of the wall;
• placement on the shower counter.

The rain shower head divides the water flow into a large number of individual drops

The last option can be considered universal if the rain shower mixer has a spout. This option allows you to take a shower and fill the bathtub with water.

Rain shower heads can be made of metal, metal with plastic elements, or plastic. Metal nozzles are the most durable, but have a high cost. The most affordable are plastic options, but their resource is quite limited. The most acceptable in terms of external and functional indicators are products with a metal body and a plastic divider.

Helpful advice! If the water used for showering is hard, you should choose shower heads with silicone inserts that prevent plaque from forming and closing the holes.

Tropical shower for a bathroom with mixer: design features

The mixer is the main mechanism for supplying water to the shower head. The functioning of the system as a whole largely depends on the quality of its work. Therefore, when choosing plumbing fixtures, you should pay attention not only to external indicators (coating, shape), but also to the quality of the internal parts.

Bathroom faucet with rain shower head can be with a ceramic or ball cartridge, with spout and thermostat

The types of bath faucets with a rain shower head can be as follows:

1. With ceramic or ball cartridge. Ceramic is more durable, ball is much cheaper.
2. With or without spout. The presence of a spout allows you to use the mixer not only for a shower, but also for a bath.
3. With lever or valve switch. The lever is simple and convenient, the valves require more effort.
4. With and without thermostat. The presence of a thermostat allows you to maintain a constant temperature throughout the shower. Without it, it is almost impossible to protect against sudden overheating or cooling due to increased water pressure in the water supply system.

Many people strive to purchase a tropical shower for the bathroom without a mixer. This option is convenient in cases where there is no reason to change an already installed mixer. Or preference is given to a certain manufacturer, a model that can only be purchased separately. The sizes of the fasteners are most often standard. And yet, before purchasing products from different manufacturers, you should make sure that the complete set of connecting elements is compatible and available.

If the previously installed faucet does not need to be replaced, then a tropical shower for the bathroom can be purchased without it

Ways to organize a drain in a shower stall

Despite the almost identical appearance - the walls and floor are tiled, some doors, homemade shower stalls have many options for internal structure. There really is plenty to choose from.

If you look from the outside, there is not much difference

Types of pallets

The simplest and most reliable option to make a waterproof floor in the shower stall is to install a ready-made tray. It can be installed on bricks or made from foam blocks. By “finished pallet” we mean two types: acrylic and enameled. Acrylic is lightweight and non-slip, but turns yellow over time. Enameled - not bad to use, but slippery when wet: you have to put a rubber mat on it. Another advantage of acrylic is that it doesn’t feel as cold.

If both options do not work, make a pallet from brick or monolithic concrete, which is then lined with tiles - regular floor tiles, or mosaics. This is a capital decision, but difficult to implement. If you decide to make a shower tray from tiles, and you live in an apartment building, you will need very good multi-layer waterproofing: so that there are no problems with neighbors below and on the sides. This does not mean that in a private house a shower cabin is made with your own hands without waterproofing. It’s just that if you mess up, you will suffer yourself.

Half finished brick shower tray

There is another option - an intermediate one. A “trough” of suitable dimensions is made from metal, and it is well treated with anti-corrosion materials. They are installed on a podium made of bricks or foam blocks (a drain is also needed), if necessary, they are lined with bricks on the outside, forming a side or a step. A mosaic is glued on the inside.

These are the options you usually choose from. There is also a device without a visible tray at all, and the drain can be made into the wall, but then in the entire bathroom it is necessary to raise the floor level and form a slope towards the drain.

Sizes and shape: choose

Now about the sizes of shower cabins and trays in particular:

• 70*70 cm is very small, it’s difficult even for a slender person to bend over, you constantly hit the walls;
• 80*80 cm - somewhat better, but still cramped;
• 90*90 cm - can be considered optimal for a person of average size;
• 100 cm or more - you already feel normal, you can sit down without any problems.

  It makes sense to make a homemade shower stall rectangular

If you want comfort, make at least a meter gap from wall to wall, but if the dimensions are very limited, try to leave at least 90 cm. One note: a square is not the best shape for a shower. A rectangle is more practical in this regard. With a cabin depth of 80 cm and a width of 100 cm, you already feel free. And if the width is 110-120 cm, this is complete freedom.

Organization of drainage

Next, you need to choose how the drain will be arranged. There are two devices: a siphon and a ladder. The ladder is more expensive, but it is usually smaller in height and more reliable. Its safety margin is enough for a decent period and can be poured into concrete, which is what is usually done.

Gangway installation

The siphon is cheaper, but when installing a tray, you will have to provide for the possibility of replacing it. Simply cementing it in is not a good idea, because if a repair issue arises, you will have to work with a hammer drill to get to it. You present the results. Therefore, when using a siphon, leave an inspection passage, which is closed with a hatch or small door.

Do-it-yourself shower cabin: how to make an inspection hatch

In any case, the drain must be serviceable. This means that the upper part - the mesh - can be removed and the pipe can be cleaned with a cable. To make this possible, lay the drain pipe so that the maximum angle of rotation to the sewer is 45°, but it is better not to make it more than 30°.

Now about the slopes. To prevent water from stagnating in the pipes, the pipe from the drain to the sewer outlet is laid with a slope of at least 4-5%. This means that for one meter of length the height difference is 4-5 cm. The floor should have approximately the same bevel: water should flow to the drainage point.

Panel shower system with rain shower

An improved modern model is a rain shower. Reviews about it are almost always positive (unless the system fails). Almost all connoisseurs of the shower as a water procedure want to install such plumbing in the bathroom. No sooner had the “rain” design become commonplace than an even more technologically advanced and functionally advanced option appeared - shower panels.

Their main differences from stands are their significant size, the presence of a massage function, and a variety of control methods. Watering cans are attached to the panel - stationary and removable with a hose; nozzles for a massage jet are built into it; a mixer is installed, with which the water supply is regulated. The flow intensity can be increased or decreased both on individual nozzles and on all of them simultaneously.

For some panel models, the overhead rain shower is not installed in a common block; it is mounted separately in the ceiling.

The functionality of such showers can be supplemented with aromatherapy, radio, and lighting. Modes are switched by touch (in more expensive models) or mechanically.

The body of a panel shower system can be made of metal, plastic, glass and ceramics

Important! Installing a panel shower with touch controls and a wide range of functions will require connecting to the power supply via a step-down transformer.

The body of shower panels can be made of plastic, metal, glass, ceramics. Models where different materials are combined in one product are quite common. Panel blocks are installed both in cabins and boxes, and in open showers.

Shower doors

If the cabin is rectangular, everything is solved more or less simply: the rectangle can be cut out of glass in the workshop. There are many canopies for glass doors, you can choose the one that is more convenient for your case. Just order doors with canopies: you will have to drill holes for them, and it is best to try them on.

It is advisable to take tempered glass. Even if it breaks, it will be into small fragments with blunt edges that are difficult to injure. But, most likely, the fragments will remain hanging on the film. The downside of this glass is that it is expensive. To save money, you can order a regular thick one - 5-6 mm, and at home cover it on both sides with a translucent polymer film. You will have to tinker, but the effect will be almost the same as with tempered glass: the fragments will be on the film.

The simplest, but most expensive option is to install glass doors in a homemade shower stall

One point: the glass is washed before applying the film, then degreased. The film is glued to wet glass. This makes it easier to expel air bubbles, and you can also move the film for a while.

If you don’t want glass doors, but need translucent ones, you can make them from polycarbonate, but not cellular, but sheet. You will have to find a suitable furniture profile, make a frame out of it, and put polycarbonate into the frame with sealant. For reliability, you can also attach it through with screws and washers.

Another option is to buy ready-made doors. There are also glass ones specifically for cabins, or you can use plastic folding “accordion” ones, as in the video.

Compact, convenient, stylish: built-in rain shower

Comfort is a combination of several components: safety, convenience, visual appeal, positive perception. In many photos of a tropical shower for a bathroom in the interior posted on the Internet, you can only visualize the watering cans and mixer switches protruding from the wall. This is what built-in shower systems look like.

This installation method has several advantages:

• visual minimalism;
• saving space, feeling of freedom, unclutteredness;
• interesting interior;
• Possibility of installation in a room of any size (even critically small).

A built-in rain shower has several advantages: original appearance, minimalism, space saving

The disadvantages include some trouble and lengthy installation process.

There are two ways to install built-in tropical showers for a bathroom with a mixer:

1. Build a false wall made of plasterboard or QSB boards and hide all communication parts behind it. This option is acceptable for spacious rooms where you don’t need to count every centimeter.
2. Make grooves in the wall and lay pipes there.

In the first case, the process is complicated by the need to purchase additional materials and time to create a frame for attaching the slabs. In the second option, you will need a special tool (preferably with a vacuum cleaner) for gating. Filling the grooves will also require effort and time, but the effort will definitely pay off with a beautiful bathroom interior.

Top models of German plumbing: Grohe tropical showers

German plumbing products are favorites not only in the domestic market. There are several dozen companies producing this type of product. Grohe occupies a leading position among them.

Grohe occupies a leading position among all sanitary ware manufacturers

This popularity of products is ensured by the following characteristics:

• high level of quality;
• variety of assortment;
• availability of goods of different price categories;
• well organized service.

Grohe produces showers for shower cabins, boxes, open structures, panels. Brass with chrome plated is used as the main material for shower racks. Such models have an average price level. The warranty period is 5 years. Among this type of product there are also exclusive options made of copper, bronze-plated, and high-strength brass. Such racks differ not only in the material they are made of, but also in their original design.

Shower panels have a wide variety of body shapes. Inexpensive options are made of aluminum profiles and plastic, more expensive ones are made of glass and ceramics. Corner shower panels deserve special attention. Such variety cannot be found from any other manufacturer. The devices are multifunctional, you can choose an option to suit every taste, suitable for certain technical conditions.

Rain shower for a bathroom with a Grohe mixer is an ergonomic and durable device. Self-cleaning shower heads, a mechanically resistant body, and a ceramic mixer cartridge ensure comfortable and stable use.

The rain shower for the bathroom from Grohe is ergonomic and durable

Tropical shower with lighting: interesting interior and psycho-emotional balance

In order for a tropical shower to bring maximum not only physical, but also aesthetic pleasure, it is equipped with lighting. LEDs are used for this. These elements require a minimal amount of energy, so there is no need to connect to the electrical network, and therefore the design is absolutely safe.

LEDs are built into the top shower head of the rain shower system, so almost the entire stream is colored. There are models where the light bulbs frame the frame of the nozzle mounted in the ceiling, but more often they are distributed over the entire area of ​​the divider. The second option gives a more intense “coloring” of the jet.

Related article:

Shower head for the bathroom: types of designs and spray modes

Materials for manufacturing, mounting options. Water supply modes, spraying methods. Hansgrohe and Grohe shower heads.

LED lamps can be one color, the shade of which changes depending on the temperature of the water. Three-color lamps are also used.

The impact of color has a huge psychotherapeutic effect:

• red has a beneficial effect on blood circulation, stimulates;
• pink relaxes;
• green is calming;
• yellow stimulates mental activity;
• blue allows you to concentrate.

LED lamps built into the rain shower, depending on the water temperature, can change color

But rich blue and purple can be quite annoying.

Helpful advice! When choosing a shower with lighting, you should not neglect to find out the shades and intensity of the glow. Habits and taste preferences will definitely work. If the colors turn out to be unacceptable, the shower will be as annoying as the color of the wallpaper, flooring or other surrounding objects. And then there can be no question of complete relaxation.

For a bathroom, a built-in rain shower is an interesting interior solution in itself. If you add living greenery or photo wallpaper to the room, you can create an atmosphere as close as possible to the soft tropics.

How to choose the right one

There are some things to keep in mind when purchasing a rain shower.

Explore the shower package. Communication installations differ from each other in shape, nozzles, water supply mode, additional rod, and number of control nozzles.

It is necessary to decide on the installation method. For some types of systems, internal installation is provided. Therefore, in order to install a shower, it will be necessary to dismantle part of the wall and ceiling. This should be taken into account before finishing the room.

Find out what settings your chosen shower model has. There are many additional useful options, such as backlighting or a thermostat that fixes the set temperature. A function for adjusting the consumption of liters of water per minute can also be built-in.

How to install a rain shower in the bathroom: location and installation method

Spacious bathrooms have no restrictions regarding where and how to install a rain shower. When choosing, they are usually guided by preferences, desires and material capabilities. The situation is completely different when arranging small rooms. In most standard apartments, the expansion of living space is carried out through bathrooms and bathrooms.

But there is always a way out, and even in a room of 4 m² you can have a “tropical rain” system. An overhead shower mounted in the ceiling will be the most suitable option. With a watering can diameter of 200 mm and no tray, the structure will take up only a quarter of the room.

Wall-mounted tropical shower options are appropriate in cases where the shower is combined with a bathtub

Corner options are also a convenient model for small rooms. Moreover, you can purchase not just a stand, but a shower panel with all its inherent functions.

Wall-mounted shower rack options are appropriate in cases where the shower is combined with a bathtub. It is convenient to attach it to the side. In this position, the upper “tropical” swivel watering can is more functional. The width of the bathtub must be sufficient, otherwise water will splash out beyond its boundaries. Corner and round bathtubs are most convenient for combining with a shower.

A built-in tropical shower for a bathroom would be a good addition to the interior if it is placed in a transparent cabin or covered with translucent curtains. The room will seem spacious, and this contributes to a feeling of relaxation.

Tropical shower for the bathroom: conditions for a smart choice

Every user expects a special feeling from a rain shower. In order not to be overshadowed by reality, it is worth taking a very thoughtful approach to the choice of design. The following factors are very important:

When choosing a rain shower, you need to pay attention to such points as equipment, price, installation method, functionality

1. Equipment. It can differ even for seemingly identical systems. Sets are available with and without faucets. The top watering can is most often equipped with a rotating mechanism, but there are options with a rigid mount. Some faucet designs have a spout, while others are intended only for showers.
2. Rain shower price. It is worth noting that cost is almost always a reflection of quality or durability of use. If it is small, you should be prepared for the fact that individual parts may quickly fail. And you can’t count on a full range of possible functions.
3. Installation method. Is it possible to integrate into the existing type of walls? Will it be possible to carefully drill holes in the tiled walls to fix the necessary elements? Will the position of the hot and cold water pipes be suitable for optimal placement of faucets, etc.?
4. Additional functions. If you really want to purchase a system with a thermostat or backlight, but at the moment there is no option that meets the technical requirements, it is better to continue your search. Wishes must come true.
5. Reviews. Many people use rain showers today. They willingly share their first impressions on social networks. Some do this after the initial excitement has passed. Both opinions are valuable and will help you form your own.

Tropical shower for the bathroom with mixer: reviews, opinions

When it comes to opinions about the rain shower for the bathroom, reviews can be divided into three main categories: rating only the good; skeptical - from those who did not receive a miracle; picky - there is imperfection in any design.

Reviews of the rain shower for the bathroom with mixer tap can be divided into three categories: good, skeptical, picky

“Lemark stand, bought for 12 thousand. We don’t mind the money at all, we’ve been using it for three months now, there’s no limit to our joy. My husband promised to do the lighting himself. You can’t drag your family out of the shower, we’ll set a schedule soon...”

Elena, Minusinsk

“...it’s a thrill, it’s impossible to describe, it’s worth a try. The watering can needs to be large, our length is 40 cm, but it would be better if it was even longer. In addition, the thermostat is a great thing, you don’t need to play with the lever, the water flows at the right temperature.”

Andrey, Valuyki

There are many positive reviews about Grohe bath faucets with tropical showers: “...I only buy Grohe, a real German thing, it’s been working for 7 years without any problems at all, without any disassembly. Now the shower is like this. The mixer is soft, very comfortable...”, “We took Grohe based on advice and were not disappointed...”, “...after six months I took apart the watering can and the mixer to see what was there, maybe clean it... I didn’t do anything, I put it back together...”.

However, there are also negative opinions.

“...just a big shower, and water flows from it. And the consumption is also very high...”

Semyon, Kursk

Some users in their reviews note the technical shortcomings of the rain shower

“We bought a Timo panel and paid 64 thousand rubles. And it's not the most expensive. They also paid for installation. The costs didn't end with purchasing a shower. As a result, the most popular is the small watering can. The large top one is not suitable for regular showering. And the massage is generally useless. The money practically went down the drain.

Evgeniy, Khimki

Many users note technical shortcomings.

“...I assembled it quickly, but the holder for the small watering can keeps falling down. Not so critical, but annoying that you constantly need to raise it..."

Garik, Krasnodar

“We’ve been using the “tropics” for six months, the Wasserkraft stand, expensive, beautiful. Everything is fine, but when we bought it, no one warned us that the overhead shower did not turn. It’s straining: neither move nor move...”

Ivan, Novoshakhtinsk

Minimum costs and a lot of pleasure: do-it-yourself tropical shower

Anyone who has at least partially done their own home or apartment renovations can independently install a tropical shower for their shower room. To complete the task you will need:

Anyone who has done at least a little DIY renovation in their apartment will be able to install a rain shower.

• pipes for supplying hot and cold water;
• wall chaser;
• mixer, watering can.

The procedure may be as follows:

1. Grooves are made, pipes are laid in them to connect hot and cold water, supplying flow to the upper watering can. A hole is made in the center for mounting the mixer.
2. Then the mixer is installed. It is worth considering that all threaded connections must be sealed with special tape or tow to avoid leaks.
3. The watering can is attached depending on the design features. The nozzle can be installed at a common level with the ceiling, overlapped, or suspended.

Helpful advice! If you are planning a suspended ceiling, it is not necessary to make grooves along its concrete base: the pipe can be secured with clamps.

If all the work is done correctly and carefully, a do-it-yourself tropical shower with mixer tap will give you a lot of pleasant sensations.

If all the work is done carefully, then a rain shower installed by yourself will give only pleasant sensations

Quite often, the pipework already exists; you just need to supplement the system with a “tropical rain” shower by organizing a water supply to the ceiling and installing a watering can.

Door installation

The final stage is installing the door. It is better to purchase a ready-made door, or make it yourself from sheet polycarbonate.

The door leaf is fixed on special hinges with fixation. You can get complete information by watching a video on how to make a shower with your own hands.

So, before taking on such work, you should assess your strengths as much as possible. Any of the oversights or shortcomings can lead to improper installation of plumbing and the manufacture of the shower cabin as a whole. As a result, comfort will be replaced by a lot of troubles.