7 Easy Systems to Help You Construct a Curbless Shower

Zero-threshold (or curbless) showers have experienced rapid growth in the last five years, but finding an easy way to design and install one can be tricky. Our sister magazine PRODUCTS found 7 systems that can help.

The drains are relatively straightforward in new construction, but existing conditions may require extensive demo, structural reinforcement, and new drain line rough-in, and more. Even with the extensive work that is often required, the drains remain popular.

But why are curbless drains so popular? Because they offer practical features that homeowners love.

The main benefit of a zero-threshold shower is the functionality, says Sebring Design Build in Naperville, Ill., “While a four-inch-high shower curb might be really easy for a young person to step over; it could seem like a mountaintop for Grandma, so curbless showers and the elimination of that curb could be just the answer for making it an equal opportunity shower."

They “are accessible for family members of all ages to use—from children to grandparents! A perfect example of universal design, as it does not require stepping in or out, making it very safe to navigate,” Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Thompson Remodeling says on its blog. “Plus it can be made large enough to accommodate a wheelchair.”

Additionally, the curbless shower will make the bathroom feel larger. Thompson says that “without the visual break that a shower curb would create, the eye continues to move without interruption creating a sense of a larger, more open space.”

See 7 systems to help you install a curbless shower here.