I have a decent sized 2-piece powder room in a basement, that cannot be enlarged due to it’s location. I would like to add a shower,however there simply isn’t any room.
I am kicking around the idea of making the entire room the shower, with the toilet and sink in the enclosure. Sort of like the showers in some RV’s and trailers (only nicer)
I think I’ve resolved all the electrical, plumbing and waterproofing issues in my mind with regard to how it might be constructed to work well.
Also of importance, is the wife going to hate it? I’ll have to answer that one, but sometimes I get what seems to be a great idea, only to have more practical people think I’m insane.
Has anyone ever done a washroom like this, or seen this, and if so, any tips or warnings?
Replies
Existing dimensions?
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
About 4' X 5'.
The reason I can't grow the room is it is sandwiched between the foundation wall on two sides, a set of stairs on one side and a basement entry door on the other.
Since I have to bust up the floor to put in a floor drain, I'm thinking of taking out the whole floor and sloping it away from the door to help avoid having a big curb.
Scruff
Certainly do-able.....although it will be awful small.
As Scooter mentioned, the entire room is going to have to be membraned. Water proof substrates throughout.
If you tile everything.....floor, walls, ceiling.....and include a good exhaust/ventilation system....it will have a locker room feel to it....but it willl certainly work.
Consider a fiberglass entrance door to the room.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I sure hope the door opens oout!!
4x5, good luck.
Maybe look at some boat magazines for ideas.
Just install a shower curtain. It adjusts to any size you want, its cheap, it was keep the toilet paper dry and comes in all sorts of colors and designs.
Why do you think all the hotels use them?
I'm considering adding a similar bathroom in my basement. Having used "wet rooms" in Europe, I would consider installing a hospital-style shower curtain that would minimize spray directly onto the toilet and sink.
The entire floor and most of the walls have to be treated like a shower, pitched and membraned. This is going to be very expensive from a substrate, membrane, and tile basis. Like about $100 a foot expensive.
about $100 a foot
That sounds about right, depending on choice of tile. At least for the 70 sf one we're doing now.
>>>Also of importance, is the wife going to hate it?
Depends on a number of issues, privacy included. I've been in bathrooms like this. Makes for very difficult cleaning. Soap, shampoo, and other assorted substances fly everywhere. Things stay wet for hours, making sink and toilet use problematic for the next person, unless everyone takes the time to wipe down everything when they're done.
Scott.
Edited 4/3/2009 3:34 pm by Scott
Cover the toilet paper
I hadn't thought about the toilet paper. It's all in the details.
Hmmm...maybe we could use corn cobs like we had to use South America. They're better when wet.
TP was my first thought also. Wet TP = me hating it.
P.S. If you have room for the corn cobs, then you have room for a separate shower.
How about putting all three fixtures in the same room, but at least use a glass partition (but no door) to keep stuff from being flung all around?
Scott.
Get creative with Azek Trim and sheet goods for the walls and ceiling. You can inlay tiles, Ipe chair rail , beadboard down, tile up??????? As the saying goes the posibilites are endless. And waterproof. Gets dirty, bring in the powerwasher.
here, you have to have a minimum of two inches slope to the drain. if you make the whole room "wet" you will have an awkward threshold at the door? i like the idea, seems really functional and easy to clean.
The problem is that the fine mist from the shower travels a lot farther than one would expect. As someone mentioned, everything (including the toilet paper) will get wet.
So you go to take a pee with your socks on and you step in a puddle...
How about this: toilet and 32" corner entry shower unit side by side. That would use 62" Kinda depends on whether you are pulling a permit and what your plumbing inspector is like, but it could work.
Your supposed to have 24" in front of the toilet bowl. Most of the ones I've measured about 28", which with 4' doesn't really leave you enough. (My own tiny bathroom has 20" in front of the bowl, which is cozy but it does work) Might look into a 10" rough in toilet with a round bowl.
Pedestal sink could go in front of the shower (it's a corner entry so the sink wouldn't block access to the shower.)
How about just forgetting this project. I'm sure the other bathrooms are just as adequate.
Just ask your self do you REALLY REALLY need to do this?
Just think of the great extra time you'd have to relax and have fun rather than doing this.
Best of luck :-)
I think all you have to be is more creative. Just having an exposed sink, toilet, and TP open to the shower is obviously wrong...
So cover them! Make a flip down shower seat that will cover a low backed toilet - this will also protect the TP. Place the shower controls behind this door so the shower can't run UNLESS the toilet is covered!
Same with the sink - a flip down door covers the sink and reveals the shampoo's. Place the fan on a humidity controller and have it run automaticly, place vent ducting to any potential wet spots to help them dry faster. In front of the toilet and sink, you can use a wood mat that will keep feet raised over drying surfaces underneith.
Tu stultus es
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
Edited 4/9/2009 5:12 pm by xxPaulCPxx
I've seen it done and it makes sense to me. So it must be a bad idea.
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