Interior Design Fittings and Fixtures - Plumbing and Sanitary Fixtures

Baths Continued

Is it ergonomically designed, if so to what extent?

The bath needs to be examined and ascertained as to how user friendly it is. If an elderly person is to use the bath does it have handles, are the sides high or is it recessed into the floors that it's easy to get into the bath. Is there a headrest? Is the bath well contoured to fit a body or is it relying on the body to "float in the water".

How will the person access the bath and where will the control valves or taps and spout be positioned. If the bath is to be recessed into a space, as is often the case in a compact bathroom you need to be able to access the taps without having to stretch across the bath.

The spout or faucet should also be in a position that allows water to be added conveniently if the person is using the bath. For example in a long single person bath the spout should be at the end by the feet however in a two-person bath perhaps it should be central.

The sizes and shapes of baths today are vast but here are some sizes to use as a guide.

Single Person - 1500-1675 mm long and 760mm wide overall
Double Person - 1675 mm long minimum and 760mm wide overall
Triangular- 1500 mm per side minimum

How heavy will it be when full?

As a safety measure, if it is a very large bath going into an old house it would be a sensible idea to confirm the weight when its full and the point load (determined by your engineer or qualified builder) to confirm that it is not going to stress that part of the floor.

Floor drain in vinyl floor.

Does it have an overflow?

If the bath is upstairs and there is no floor drain then this is a vital feature.

A formed acrylic bath with armrests and spaces for soap.

What type of bath is it?

This may seem a strange question but what we are referring to here is, if it is sunken, free standing with feet, or set into a joinery unit or with a shroud surrounding the sides of the bath. With these factors in consideration you need to be aware of the appearance if it is on it's own feet. For example a claw footed bath will need the underside to be finished to suit the room.

Another consideration to take into account is the underside of the bath, is it insulated or does it need insulation?
Does the bath have soap holders and where are they positioned? Is the bath able to have tapware attached to it?
Is there enough of a lip or a designated area around the edge of the bath for the type of tapware that you want to use?
Does the bath have an anti slip base for grip when getting in and out of it?
If you are using the bath combined with the shower (overhead) ensure that the bath has a wide flat base with preformed grip or contours for grip in it.