Shower Heads

The most important component in your shower is your shower head. Your showerhead is the fixture that is used 80% of the time. You use it for your initial cleansing and, of course, for soaping and scrubbing. Your shower head can be a simple single spray head or one that can be adjusted from invigorating, relaxing, wide spray or massage spray patterns. Your system can be designed with single or multiple heads.

Shower heads can be mounted from the wall or from the ceiling–in a variety of spray patterns. It is best to position your showerhead within 12-16 inches from your head to allow strong spray for soap/suds removal. Some people select rain shower heads as their main shower component, although these heads often provide less pressure and are best combined with a standard shower head.

Shower heads are mounted on shower arms. These arms may come with the showerhead or be provided separately. Some shower heads are mounted on shower arms that can be raised and lowered and other shower arms offer ceiling mounting or multi-head configurations. Some shower arms have special features, including: diverters for hand showers, shower head height extenders, swing arms, or multi shower head brackets. A flange is used where the shower arm extends from the wall. The flange typically is supplied with the shower arm.

Hand showers can often be used as shower heads. They offer the functionality of a shower head or that of a handshower for localized massage, shaving or shower cleaning.

Performance Showers

Performance showers are high-tech custom shower systems comprised of carefully placed shower heads, combined with an assortment of watertiles, body sprays, hand showers, water spouts, steam, lighting, chromatherapy and sound. Custom-designed performance showers turns bathing into an experience to savor rather than just a daily habit. The first step to designing a performance shower is to measure your bathroom to see how much space you have to work with:

• The height of your ceiling may determine the type of shower head to install
• The width of your walls may influence how many watertiles can comfortably fit
• The depth of your shower may establish the method of control
• The overall shape of your bathroom may determine the type of enclosure or paneling you choose
• The size of your in coming water supply piping and your water heater will also influence how extensive a performance shower you can build. Once these practical considerations have been taken care of, you can move on to your personal preferences and begin your custom design.

Watertiles Enhance Your Performance Shower

Watertiles are used to either massage through a jet spray or to provide a light rainfall effect in your shower. Most tiles have 22, 27 or 54 nozzles that put out two-and-a-half gallons of water per minute. The lower the number of nozzles, the more forceful the spray. Tiles can be installed in the ceiling of your performance shower both in place of or in addition to a standard shower head. When used as a showerhead a 22 nozzle watertile should be selected. To provide larger area cove rage watertile panels are available. These panels include four sprayheads and can produce a deluge up to 10 gallons per minute.

To get the massaging action of a jet spray, install the tiles on the back wall panel of your shower, under your showerhead at the level that is most comfortable for your height and the areas selected for massage. Select the number of body sprays to match the number of areas you want to massage – and position accordingly. Sometimes two sprays at a particular location (i.e. neck or lower back) may provide a better, more intense therapeutic massage. For massage select a 22 nozzle watertile. For water spray effects, you can place your watertiles wherever you want the sprays to spray. For strong spray select 22 or 27 nozzle tiles. For a rain effect select 54 nozzle tiles.

Popular water tiles include the Watertile Ambient Rain.

We stock a selection of custom shower systems as well as a variety of faucets, shower heads and other bathroom fixtures. Components are available from quality manufacturers. Those considering a new shower design are encouraged to call engineering staff with their questions and comments. For assistance with performance showers call us free.