®“I want a walk-in” is one of the most common things a bathroom customer says. Often it’s the right answer. Sometimes the room says otherwise.
Why customers love walk-ins
A walk-in (a wet-room panel on a tray, or a level floor) gives the bathroom its most open look. There’s no door closing the shower off, so the glass feels light and the shower reads as part of the room.
Common arrangements:
- A single fixed panel: the simplest and most open.
- A panel with a flipper: a hinged return piece helps control spray.
- Front and end panels: a more defined glass corner.
- Front and end panels with a flipper: extra splash control on the corner arrangement.
What a walk-in needs
- An opening of at least 500 mm, to get in comfortably.
- Enough length beyond the opening to contain spray. A walk-in generally takes more floor than an enclosure of the same showering area.
- A plan for the floor and walls that keeps water where it belongs: falls, sealing, and a tile or panel finish on every wet wall.
If the room can’t give it proper access and splash protection, a door enclosure is the better answer.
Enclosures
| Door | Suits | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Sliding | Square, rectangle, quadrant and offset quadrant | Nothing swings into the room, which is great in a small bathroom. The runners take more cleaning. |
| Hinged or pivot | Square and rectangle | Good when the shower’s too small for a slider or boxed in on three sides. Check the door swing clears the basin, WC and radiator. |
| Bi-fold | Square and rectangle | Folds back over the tray, keeping the space in front clear. |
Four things decide it
Three of them are about the room, not the customer: the size of the space, its shape, and which side the entrance has to be on. The fourth is what the customer prefers.
Try both on the plan
In KBB Go the tray comes with the enclosure, so you can drop in a walk-in or an enclosure, pick the hand and the width, and move the whole thing as one. Then check the door swing and the clearances on the plan before anyone orders a tray.