Following. interested in learning more.

Ad 12-28K to the standard 10K shower redo. And then never use it.

" Better to build a header across the opening making the doors less tall, or glass all the way up? "

Steamers typically go all the way to the ceiling as you want to capture the steam (purpose for the steamer). You have a door with a pivoting transom above.

We love our steam shower, have had one for years and keot the feature in our recent remodel. we use it a fair amount although not every day. we have a doir that goes to the ceiling

Thank you millworkman for the clarification, and Sue430 for the thumbs up. I think we would use ours pretty often as well, especially my husband. How tall are your doors? Mine would have to be 8.5’ to span the entire opening. So millworkman, you are saying a glass transom would take up some of that space? Do I understand correctly?

A slanted ceiling to avoid dripping on you while steaming is helpful. I thought I would love a steam shower but I get really clausterphobic in it. I should have tried one at the gym first.

" So millworkman, you are saying a glass transom would take up some of that space? Do I understand correctly? "

Yes.

roarah thanks. Yes, we’ve read that the slanted ceiling is essential. And your claustrophobia comment is interesting. I’m also very much so (flying with me is a real treat 😵‍💫) but I get much more so in a dry sauna. I don’t know why.

No one uses them every day. Few people use them weekly. Most use them every couple of months, if at all. They have very specific construction requirements for framing, plumbing, electrical, glass enclosure, lighting, tile choice, etc. All has to be vapor proof, which is a huge step up from waterproofing. And 8/10 "tile guys" in most markets don't even waterproof correctly. So you need the elite contractor and elite tile professionals on the job. It's a lot of puzzle pieces.

I’m in the southeast. I’ve had one client put in a steam shower. Told him I thought he was crazy but his money. I’m now working with the new owners of the house to rip it out (ten foot ceilings meant a big drop down soffit to reduce ceiling height in the shower to eight feet)

Minardi and HALLETT, yes. It’s this sort of story that gives me pause. I’ve read enough horror stories on this site alone about botched waterproofing, much less vapor proofing to make me wonder if we aren’t better off going to a spa more frequently. But spas aren’t readily available here in the hinterlands. Nor are reliable steam shower builders.
Can anyone give me a reasonably concise (valuing your time) description of what best practice vapor proofing would be? To see if prospective builders know what they are talking about?

I use prefab steam showers for my clients thay are great and come with many features for a decent price . I have done 8 over the years 2 are still used the rest a real novelty for about a month then rarely if ever .Kind of like bubble jacuzzi tubs more hassle then they are worth

There are a lot of topical liquid and fabric systems. The right way is the one that follows the chosen manufacturer's install instructions and follow the TCNA Manual.

https://tcnatile.com/resource-center/faq/steam-rooms/

https://tcnatile.com/products/publications/2024-tcna-handbook-for-ceramic-glass-and-stone-tile-installation/

Put a steam shower in about 20 years ago. Wife used the steam feature a few times during the first year. I've never used the steam feature. It is now just a very expensive regular shower.

I remodeled a client's bath with a steam shower. My client used the steam after riding his bike and died. 58. The doctor said it was a massive coronary. No steam shower if you suffer from high blood pressure.

We installed one in a new build… never used it much. Now sauna….that would be great.

Different opinion here. My husband grew up with one. His brother and he took a steam 5, if not 6, times a week. We installed one in our old home and he used it daily, every morning. I personally never used it unless I was congested and then it was a dream to have. I think it depends on what you’re used to and the climate you live in.

First of all, I love your bathroom!

Similar to saunas, if done well a steam bath is a treat, if done poorly they languish and don't get used. Sadly both saunas and steam baths are frequently done poorly in America.

I think the biggest problem in America is combining a steam bath and shower. These two should be used in an alternating fashion for hot cold hot cold hot cold, that's impossible when it's the same space. Some people like a little extra steam with their shower and that's fine but that's a completely different thing than a steam bath.

The door should be no taller than about 200cm (6.5') with wall or glass above that. The area above the door is called the heat cavity and reduces heat loss each time the door is opened.

There's some more info here: https://localmile.org/steambaths/

We put a prefab acrylic double shower with steam in our new build. I LOVED it and used it constantly. Unfortunately our contractor cut too big a hole around the circle where the steam comes out and I got nervous, then the maxx doors track bent and no one around here can fix.....so we have a shower door that we can't even  close all the way....but yes to steam and sauna IMHO if you can afford to do it right!!

Thanks for the latest posts with the positive steam opinions! I think we’ve decided for the amount of money and mess this will entail, we can go to a sorta local fabulous spa for a few years…..AND get massages too 👍🏼

I'm interested in a steam shower. Definitely want pre-fab, to keep costs down, avoid tile an mildew problems, and DIY (I can do plumbing and electrical). Those of you used and liked pre-fab units, what brand did you use?

There is no prefab steam shower. Just a prefab saunas. Steam showers are all individual components, based on room size, electrical power, and a dozen different variables. It's easily a 20K custom option, and not DIY friendly unless you are already well familiar with the TCNA Handbook.

This is what I meant by prefab: https://mesasteamshowers.com/products/steam-shower-803a?variant=34880622952610&srsltid=AfmBOoqLFJuk_8ejD79BwB5_sj2zK3rjyNysEIN9K7GxNT0FY22u9-f7JAw

Complete junk. Steamers that WORK are custom. Period.

Ok, no pre-fab. Which of the non-tile shower walls do people like, and relatively DIY-friendly for someone who is competent doing their own electrical and plumbing ?

Doesn’t exist. Cheap cultured marble is still 8K. Learn to tile. Learn all the MANY construction gotchas for steamers. You can easily rot out your house if you don't understand proper vaporproofing.

Learn to tile if you want "cheap". Cheap steam shower do not exist though. By the time you change the framing, so all the vaporproofing, source vapor proof fixtures, source the steam generator, source the custom glass, you are easily 9K in materials.

$9K in materials is fine.

How about a nice outside sauna? We got a kit for about $8,000 - can hold six people. We use it about four times a week. Look into the health benefits - pretty remarkable.

I like saunas too. But existing walk-in shower needs to be re-done anyhow, the grout mildew is horrible. And wife has significant respiratory issues, which it's thought the steam could help.

Your bathroom is already beautiful. Why bother!

Dunno if you're talking to me, but wife says this bathroom is the worst thing in the whole house, and the shower is definitely gross with mildew and she thinks tile is old-fashioned.

A spa we go to in Mexico has an OUTDOOR steam room. So just like youd go outside to use a sauna or hot tub. Then mold etc in your house is not gonna be a problem. There’s nothing better than a eucalyptus steam! If you have a cold plunge right next to it (a large horse trough works well LOL) and toggle back and forth, you will feel amazing!

I think you need to do some more research. The direction you're currently heading is likely to result in a disappointing experience, wasted money and mold problems.

Read the link I posted above and this: https://localmile.org/thermalsuites/

Think through what you want and how best to accomplish that.

You’d be opening up a can of worms. It’s never just one fix. One thing leads to another…

I had a steam shower installed in a smallish guest bathroom shower during my whole home reno. It was originally meant to be in the master bathroom but the ceilings there are too high to make enclosing it practical.

I’ve had it for two years now and absolutely love it. It’s one of my very favorite features in my home. Particularly if you live somewhere where winter exists, there is nothing better when you are chilled. I live in the high desert in Sedona where the temperature
drops at night. We also have very low humidity most of the year so having steam for dry skin is a real treat. It wasn’t even a major expense since it was done during reno. I’m surprised by all of the negative comments. If you get a competent contractor who knows how to vapor proof, vent, etc I see only upside.

Did you DIY the current bathroom?

Hi all! OP here. I can’t believe this conversation is still happening 😂. End result, we got over a steam shower quickly. Turns out I rather hate the whole claustrophobic experience. Husband loves them though. Not only did we not put in a steam shower, we sold the house! Not even a fleeting thought any more. We are hot tub people. But ya’ll enjoy the conversation