Standard Shower Size – Australia

Bathrooms are some of the most important rooms in the house, and are often rightly given much attention when it comes to comfort and design. Limited spaces do not automatically translate to limited quality, as many bathrooms are built in such a way that they remain elegant and relaxing.

The shower, a very personal space that requires both comfort and safety, must be designed with care by following the appropriate specifications to fit in the room size. 

Standard Shower Size

A standard shower size is 900 mm x 900 mm. It is now becoming more common to have a larger shower at 1000 mm x 1200 mm. This makes for a much more spacious shower and therefore a more comfortable area. Larger showers can be as long as 1800mm, depending on the space that you have to work with. 

Often builders opt for a small curb known as a hob to mark the shower area and to prevent water from escaping. This elevation is normally between 80mm and 100mm high, and 100mm to 150mm wide. 

While some people decide to have a shower curtain, others prefer a glass enclosure with a door if the size permits. It is recommended that the glass should have a height of at least 1900mm, although if your shower has a setting for steam, it would need to be fully closed in so as not to cause water damage to any other parts of the bathroom.

Large Shower Dimensions

A large shower size can be up to 1800mm x 1000mm. It is usually 1500 mm though. This makes it the second-largest component of a bathroom in terms of floor area consumed, just behind bathtubs which often take up the majority of a bathroom’s size.

How big should a walk in shower be?

Of course, like any other part of the house, the size of the shower can vary greatly. Some people may find the standard shower size would be adequate, while others can push shower sizes to as much as 1500 mm x 1000mm. Such larger showers are often equipped with other amenities such as benches or two shower heads. 

Walk in showers make the perfect addition for anyone who wants to include a luxury shower in their home without having to sacrifice floor space. There are many benefits of walk-in showers, with most people choosing one due to its ease of access and cleanliness.

The average size walk-in shower is 1000mm x 1500mm. Any less than this water is able to splash out and wet the rest of the bathroom floor.

The Australian Standard AS/NZS 2205:2001 specifies minimum requirements regarding volume and drainage slope. so it is important to take this into consideration if you are going a hobless shower.

Double Shower Size & Dimension

Double showers are made so that two people can take a shower at the same time. They have two showerheads, and of course they will have ample space for two people to fit comfortably. Different builders will have different recommendations for double shower size, but in general it would be best to have a space no smaller than 900 mm x 1600 mm. 

Although it is worth mentioning of course that more space will naturally be more comfortable, especially when the space is intended for two people. Other recommended measurements may use different proportions, such as a 1350mm x 1525mm minimum double shower space.

Disabled Shower Dimensions

Disabled showers not only require a much larger space, but must also contain numerous other safety features. Disabled showers measure at least 2000mm x 2200mm, and in general are something like an entire room on their own. Within that room, a recommended 1200mm x 900mm shower area as well as a 1500mm x 1500mm wheelchair space are contained. 

Disabled showers have a seat in the shower area in a corner of the room with a recommended height of 680mm, and usually employ both a fixed ceiling showerhead 500mm away from the wall and a detachable showerhead with a height of around 1000mm to 1400mm on the wall beside the seat. Under the wall showerhead would be the controlls for the water, whose height falls within the range of 750mm to 1000mm. 

There are also numerous safety features that should be installed to minimize any accidents that could occur in disabled showers. 

• There should be rails that can be held for support. 
  • These rails should be stable and of a good size, able to support the weight of an adult person.
  • They should be numerous and in the proper positions for holding.
  • They should be of a color that contrasts the walls, for the visually impaired.
• Doors are preferred to open outward and should have a horizontal bar inside for closing.
• A means to call for help, such as an alarm or phone system must be installed, and should be accessible from the seat and / or the floor.
• An optional extra seat for drying off may be installed if the space constraints allow for it.

Things to Consider When Designing Your Shower Size

1. Enclosure. Another consideration will be the type of shower enclosure you wish to have. Some showers are meant to integrate into the rest of the bathroom, while others are enclosed in glass.
2. Storage. There is a need for a place to put all your beauty care products such as shampoo. The majority these are placed on the tiled hob on the floor. However, if you want shelves you will need to take this in to consideration when choosing the size of your shower.
3. Vent and Exhaust Fan. When showering, you would also need a vent or an exhaust in the ceiling. Windows are typically not enough to let out all the steam, and this can result in the growth of mold on walls and ceilings.Make sure to have an exhaust fan that is rated to be able to replace the volume of air in the whole bathroom at a minimum of 15 times per hour. The size of the shower will, of course, affect how powerful a fan you need to get the steam out.
4. Heating. Other amenities that could affect your shower dimensions include having heated towel rails or flooring, which would mean having to incorporate the heating mechanism behind the walls and under the floor. Having more fixtures would also mean you need to have a larger floor space, as there needs to be at least 700mm in front of every fixture to allow for optimum circulation.
5. Tiled hobs. Some showers may be physically marked from the rest of the bathroom by a curb. Typically, hobs have a height of around 100 mm, and have a width of 100 mm.
6. Glass. Even if you do not have enough room for a larger shower area, it is still possible to make your space seem larger through careful design. The use of clear glass doors, for example, could make the whole area feel larger. Glasses used for these are usually at the 10mm range, which is durable enough for residential use. You will need to keep your shower screen clean though. A smoked glass door or a shower curtain make the room feel a little more crowded, though some prefer it for comfort.
7. Shaving/Sitting Bench. You can also choose the other bathroom amenities to lend a feeling of space to your shower, such as floating or pedestal benches. This allows to put your legs up when wet shaving them in the shower.
8. Light Source. Finally, consider that the size of your shower will also affect your choice of lighting. Larger spaces would typically mean more lights and higher electrical consumption costs, but you may also use glass fixtures and a minimalist design to let more light flow through the space.