Shower size depends on whether you want dual shower heads for bathing for two or a standard shower. For me a standard shower of 6 'long by 3' or 3 1/2 wide' is a good size to have a bench included. For someone else they might consider it small. Just remember the bigger it is, the more grout to clean and more area to squeegee.

If you are just using this for a single person to shower i would narrow it up to 3'6 x 5'8.

If it will be a dual zone shower then the size proposed is fine.

Thanks! It will be a single person shower, not dual zone. I want it to be really nice and roomy, but don't want to go overboard. Wish I could test out the size we're considering!

Pamal66, we are planning to do large-format porcelain slabs on the 2 walls to eliminate grout lines, and glass on the other 1 or 2 walls. Still a lot to squeegee!

Mine is 4' x 6' with an angled door. It's perfect for one and can be used by 2 without feeling crowded. Are you still planning to have it doorless?

Can you post the layout of the room as it is now?

6x4 would be plenty big. You saw the pic of mine (it's almost 8x4)

Thanks, ssarb. We haven't decided yet about the door / doorless. Definitely curbless, with probably two glass walls (plus the two walls of the bathroom). If we decide we're willing to risk the cold/drafty issue by going doorless, then we're thinking the opening would be at the corner where the 2 glass walls would otherwise meet, if that makes sense. And that would be on the far end from the shower head.

We have a shower in our showroom that is 5'6 x 4' and frankly it is huge IMO. To put a bench at the back of it you are too far away from the water unless you bring the shower head out far from the wall or do all the extra plumbing work to add a handleheld with separate controls. Due to some brutal winters and power outages, we have used this shower - I found it to be cold ( the glass does not go to the ceiling like in a steam shower ).

I would suggest you try to see large showers in person... maybe pop in on some open house events in larger homes so you can really see one in person. Don't forget your tape measure!

Good luck!

Our master shower is around 4' x 7' (too lazy to look up the actual numbers!) with a bench and small window at the end. Plenty of room for 2. It could even be a bit shorter and would still be a good size.

Thanks, everyone, for the input! I marked out the 5' x 5.5' shower size in the bathroom, and my husband feels like it's too big. That might just be because we're used to such a small shower.

I checked real estate listings in my area in case there are any large showers we could see at open houses, but unfortunately there's nothing around here. Homes around here are either old/small, or new and builder grade/tub-size showers.

Maybe we need to bring it in a bit smaller in one direction, like 5' x 4'? I don't want it to be huge and drafty, but I also don't want to throw away free space that could go toward a nice, luxurious, large shower.

We aren't planning to add a bench in the shower, if that makes a different. I like the idea of the shower being long enough that the end opposite the shower head stays relatively dry so we could put a towel bar inside the shower.

Mine seemed too big when I was taping it out, but once everything gets built and tiled, etc it will seem smaller. I don't think 5 x 5.5 will be too big at all. I like mine being 4 x 6 because I have a teak corner bench and I can place a towel on that while I'm showering and the towel stays dry.

Ours is 4'4 x 5'6 and we love it. We have a bench going full length of shower on one end as well as ceiling rain head and standard wall head/hand held.

Jeff Singleton or ssdarb, do you happen to have a photo of your shower?

My shower isn't huge but I do have a bench installed at the opposite end and so I did install two handheld shower heads as I wanted to have one by the bench. I am so glad I did because it is so comfortable and convenient to be able to sit and relax on the bench and have the hand held there.

The incremental cost for installing an additional shower head and running a line is pretty minimal and well worth it.

I have thermostatic fixtures with a three way diverter and it's not that difficult to change between the fixtures. If I want to sit, I change the diverter to the handheld by the bench and if I am using that handheld, I am getting under the other shower heads by the control valves anyway. I am in California so I can only have one fixture running at the same time per Code.

My shower is one of the best things I did in terms of improving my quality of life. It's not huge as it essentially follows the footprint of the standard tub/shower combo I removed for the remodel.

I do agree with others that the shower will look and feel much smaller after it it framed and built.

Sure, I'm not a very good photographer, but here's one from the doorway:

The back wall is 6' wide and the shower is 4' deep, with the door on the clipped corner.

Here's one more close-up.

Of course, I think determining if it's too big or too small also depends on the rest of your room. If it seems to be overpowering the room or seems tiny in a large bathroom, etc. For us, this seemed about right.

Not related to your Qn, but those colors look so bad! There's yellow-brown craft paper covering my window right now bc we're waiting on the window treatment. I think that is casting a yellow glow into the room. Yuck, I promise it doesn't really look like this! Anyway, hope this helps on the size issue.

A big shower can be a chilly shower. More area for the steam to heat up and, a big shower can be indicative of a large bathroom that will need a higher cfm exhaust fan which might make the room more drafty.

Thanks ci_lantro, I agree. I just don't really know what constitutes a too-big shower! I guess it's somewhere in between 2' x 3' and 6' x 6'......

A bathroom size is relevant to the occupants and the function that you are using it for. Do you share it with someone who is also needing to get ready (shower, wash, shave, make-up, etc.) at the same time? Then a standard 6x8' bathroom is too small. Does the bathroom need to be 15'x20' (yes, I have seen these)? No, that is too large. It needs to be big enough for the occupants and activities. With regard to the shower, you stated it is a one person, single spray shower. A 4'x6' would be a good size. If needed you can still add a seat if needed and if the room will support glass panels the shower will feel larger. Some people do tend to have some extra room so they can get out of the spray as they wash up; while others wont like this because there can be a tendency to have a draft incorporated (it is funny but you are creating a micro weather system in your bathroom and shower). And one final point about exhaust fans, the ventilation should be sized enough to allow 8 air exchanges per hour. As fans are calculated in CFM then you want to measure your bathroom width (w) and length (l) and ceiling height (h). Then multiply all that and divide by 8 [(w*l*h*)/8] and this will give you the proper fan size in CFM.

Thanks, ARC Residential! I mis-typed in my comment just above yours -- I was only talking about shower size. The overall bathroom size is large and we are not altering it. This is helpful though!

I had one of those really small showers in my home and took some space from one of two walk in showers to create a shower that is 5’ x 3’ 4” with a seat that is 12”. Below are pictures. My instructions to my contractor was I wanted a two butt shower. This size works well without being to big.
Before And after pictures of shower:

About the shower being cold and drafty, I cannot say what ours would be if it were open. It's totally closed up with glass to capture the steam inside the shower. If we don't want to capture the steam that day, we open the transom window that is over the door and run the exhaust while showering. But usually we like the steam. It's not a steam shower, but it's gets nice and steamy and warm in there. So definately the opposite of what yours will be if it is open with no door. Maybe if your glass goes all the way to the ceiling, and you just have a 27" or 30" opening at one end, the warmth won't just rush out immediately. I've heard of heaters in the ceiling, heated floors and things like that. But I'm no designer. Maybe a pro on here can comment on the types of things that can keep you warm in an open shower.

Several random thoughts:

- Your best friend in answering this question is a tape measure. You need to measure showers -- hopefully lots of them -- to see what you consider "just right". You can start by visiting a tile store; they have multiple sample showers, so you can measure lots in a day. Measure showers in hotels, friends' houses, etc.

Keep in mind that glass and benches can make showers "feel" bigger or smaller, but measurements are truthful. If the showers you're measuring include a bench (or a moveable bench), be sure to measure only floor space.

My personal opinion: 4'x5' is "just right" ... 3' - 3' 1/2 would do ... 4' 1/2 - 6' would do.

- It's very possible to go too big with a shower. If you go beyond 4' wide, a shower can feel uncomfortably large ... and if you're concerned about aging in place, larger than 4' and you won't be able to reach grab bars on both sides. Also, too-large can feel cold, and tile is quite expensive.

- Do you intend to go with a tile floor or a shower base? Each have pros and cons. I ask because IF you're going with a shower base, they only come in certain sizes.

My shower is 42 x 60 which is a nice size. This bathroom was framed up and partially plumbed by previous owner who did not finish the project. The towel cubby was originally framed for a bench but we swapped the plumbing to an interior wall and lost half the bench width to plumbing.
The space was inaccessible from the bathroom due to the chimney placement and not needed from the attic side so we just went ahead and kept it in the shower. My original thought was to put on a glass door if necessary but the towel doesn't even get splashed and I love not having to reach outside and grab a towel. I would not have put a niche behond the shower head but it seemed silly to just box in the area and hide it. Now, it is one of my favorite features of the shower.

Mine is 4' x4' with a cut corner. Plenty large enough for one person to shower comfortably. No bench.

More important than the inches of the shower, Is the layout and feel of the TOTAL bath. I personally think much over 4 x 7 feels a bit too large for one, and unnecessary. You're not in there to dance.

Post the bath plan in entirety. You'll get better advice , by far.

Ours is 5’x5’. It’s the best investment we made. Love it

You’re smart to look for showers to “try on”! We took a vacation during our extended renovation planning stage and the shower at the hotel was the perfect size for us. We did our best to measure it and incorporated it into the design when the time came. Ours is 48x64 with 2 shower heads and bench. Others may find it too small, but it’s just right for us.

Thanks, Jan Moyer. Here is our existing bathroom. Below that is the layout with everything removed except the sinks/counter, which we plan to keep in the same spot. Window at the top left. We are removing the bathtub which is currently under the window. Hoping to swap the location of the shower and toilet. Will probably put a vanity or other cabinets/storage under the window.

Current layout:

Blank floorplan — tub is removed; need to add shower and toilet:

My shower is 3' x 4'. Seems just about right to me. I've never wanted it to be larger but I wouldn't want a smaller one than that, either. No bench.

What I have not seen mentioned is your climate. In a warm climate, the drafts will be minimized. But here in Michigan, in the cold of winter, the windows and exterior walls are colder than the interior walls. You just naturally get drafts with the change in temperature, even without air leaks. I would never consider a 5 x 5.5 shower here - unless it was completely glassed in. With your open door, you may find that a 4 ft wide shower is just fine, and less drafty.

With modern valves, you simply turn off the volume to soap up, and when you turn on the rinse, the temperature is the same as when you turned it off. There is no need to step away from any stream of water - water that is wasted if it is not even hitting you.

The point about a shower being too wide to be able to get to the grab bars is a very good one. There are times when a person needs to grab two at a time, or needs to hold onto one and transfer directly to the far one to exit. If you need to always be grabbing one, then they must be in reach of each other.

54 X 60 SHOWER, AND MORE SEPARATE VANITY SPACES. /LINEN STORAGE.

Least plumbing issues as well

Toilet privacy is personal, but I'd let light into the shower with a half wall, and glass upper

!/2 inch scale below

If you're going this far, salvaging vanities is a waste $$. Separation and linen storage isn't.

I personally dislike splitting up the vanities.

Change out window for glass block or a textured window and put the shower in front of it.

Keep toilet as is.

Add shallow linen cabinet and make up vanity in front of toilet.

Thanks! We're not salvaging the existing sinks/vanities, but putting new ones in the same spot. Everything is already pretty set except for swapping out the shower and toilet locations -- but either way, they'll both be against that right wall. I'm just not sure how big we should go with the shower. It's sounding like 5' x 4' might be the right balance.

You gain nothing by swapping the toilet but expense of moving a soil pipe. You have no linen closet. Sharing vanity space is overrated, especially in a 73 inch spot. You already have water where I placed the additional vanity, and you already have water where I placed the shower. The savings alone, would allow a splurge on MATERIALS and fittings. It's your bath : )

Now that I see your layout, I would be tempted to scoot the toilet down to where your shower is and use that entire upper space (current toilet and tub) as a shower/wet room with the shower head on the top right (where the toilet is now) and towels on the opposite side of the wet room (which should be far enough away not to get wet). You could start off with no door and add one (swinging into the wet room) if it gets too cold. You could add another shower head, bench, etc. if you want. I realize this would be a huge shower, but you have the space for it!

Another less extravagant idea would be to leave your toilet room where it is and use all the space below it, going out to where the perpendicular wall is, as a large shower. You could then make the door to your toilet room open opposite the toilet and put low (as high as the bottom of your window) cabinets for linens against that opposite wall perpendicular to the window.

You don't just "scoot the toilet down" like it's a chair that can be moved. As Jan said, it costs money to move a waste pipe, and could compromise the efficacy of the fixture. Keep it where it is and rearrange the rest of the fixtures as Jan proposed.

Thanks! Diana Bier, we are considering swapping the toilet and shower plumbing --- we have to see the estimate for the max cost to re-do the shower plumbing so that it works for the toilet -- the cost will determine whether it's worth it to us. (I know it's a huge job!)

A soil pipe is not the same size as a shower drain pipe. ...........Both require perfect pitch as I am sure you've been told. Had I all the money in the world to waste? I would not plan your "move". Fraught with potential for failures and $$$ down a drain, of either variety . lol.

I am guessing a bedroom closet is behind that 63.5 inch adjacent to window wall. What is the possibility to LOSE that?

The point is you are creating a 63.5 inch dead wall , with your $$$$ current plan.

We just remodeled our master bath. Our new shower is 45”W x 63”L and has a 45”W x 13”D bench (open underneath at one end. It has glass windows on 3 sides, which makes it feel larger. It doesn’t feel small, but I wish it were a little bit larger. We were constrained with the size, so this was the best we could do. It is certainly sufficient for a single shower, but I would have liked 6” extra on the width and length. If I had the space, I would make a steam shower that has two benches and is large enough for two people to sit in the steam together and face each other and chat like you can do at a nice spa!

Obviously everyone has an idea of what constitute a good sized shower. You really have to decide that for yourself . Maybe base it on a nice shower in a hotel or maybe you can try a friends shower. Making a huge shower "just because" doesn't make sense either. Personally I would rather have storage.

I have a typical 5 ft tub with a shower curtain... if I could make a shower - not sure I really need the 5 ft ( unless I build a bench ) and I would want the interior wall to glass to be at least 36" for some elbow room. More than that would be an absolute luxury for me...

Hopefully you can find a sweet size for you!

We added an addition and converted a half bath into a master bath suite and we love it. Our shower is huge. 5x7. We have floor to ceiling glass, hinged door with a transom over it. Although it is not a steam shower we waterproofed it as such and tiled the ceiling. The important thing we did is to put the on/off controls on the opposite wall of the shower heads. Otherwise we would get wet and cold. The shower is plenty warm and not drafty with the door closed and the transom open. However, when the door is opened you can feel the temperature change. The shower is plenty large for 2 people. In fact, I think it would be fine for 2 if it was 4x6. We opted to get a teak bench. We like the flexibility to move it around. We also went for a full length niche.

Once we completed this. We had our main bath redone. We did not have the space or money to indulge in a large shower. We took out the tub and replaced it with a shower. The location of the bathroom door concerned us that if we moved the shower out more, our teenage boys might swing it open to hard and hit the glass shower door. The shower is 33" x 60". We panicked that it was too small, but it was too late. We put in a full length niche that is perfect for extra elbow room. I do think that 3 inches wider would have been better. It would have been thousands more to move walls, pocket doors, electric , moving pipes ect. Besides myself and my husband don't use it. Just like our shower, we put in a rainhead. Both boys just use this and not the showerhead. The pictures of the smaller bath are dark, but it is light and airy in reality. It has a beachy feel and we love our drain cover and glazzio glass bubbles on the floor.

He started yet another post. Isn't ever going to decide : ) or listen.............

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/share-photos-and-dimensions-of-your-shower-dsvw-vd~5581459?n=4

Gorgeous bathrooms, Audrey!

Now it's time to stop notifications. This could go on for thousands of posts, as so many do.