Walk-in shower size (UK): minimum dimensions that actually work
Walk-in shower size (UK): minimum dimensions that actually work
If you’re sketching a bathroom and wondering how small a walk-in shower can be without feeling cramped - or soaking the rest of the room - the short answer is this: 900 × 900 mm is the smallest footprint most people can tolerate, but 1200 × 800–900 mm is where a walk-in starts to feel calm and low-maintenance. Everything else - screens, openings, drains, and shower heads - flows from that initial size decision.
What is the minimum size for a walk-in shower in the UK?
For a single user, ~900 × 900 mm is a workable floor area. You can step in, turn, and wash without shoulder-checking the glass. The caveat: at 900 square, a doorless setup is harder to pull off cleanly—there’s not enough length for both a decent screen and a comfortable opening, so spray escapes more easily.
If you want that open, hotel-style feel without needing the mop every time, aim for 1200 × 800 mm or, ideally, 1200 × 900 mm.
Doorless walk-in vs with a door: why the opening matters
Doorless walk-ins work well when two things are in balance:
- The length of the fixed glass
- The width of the walk-through opening
A simple rule of thumb: leave ~550 mm for the walk-through, and use the rest of your tray length for fixed glass to catch the spray. That’s why 1400–1600 × 800–900 mm layouts feel so effortless—they allow for both a generous screen and a practical opening.
Prefer an enclosure with a door? 900 × 900 mm can work (since the door keeps spray in), but 1200 × 900 mm is usually calmer and easier to share.
Standard UK shower tray sizes (what you’ll actually find)
Most UK trays and wet-room formers fall into familiar size categories:
- Squares: 800 × 800, 900 × 900
- Rectangles: 1000 × 800, 1200 × 800/900, 1400 × 800/900, 1500 × 900, 1600 × 800/900
- Bath-replacement formats: 1700 × 800/900
Squares are compact and suit door enclosures; rectangles give you the length that doorless screens need.
Removing the bath entirely? Our guide on bath vs walk-in shower to sense-check the layout and daily routine.
Small, standard and large bathrooms: footprints that behave
Small bathrooms: 900 × 900 mm can work—use a compact shower head and keep the opening modest so your screen actually screens. Going up to 1200 × 800 mm often means the difference between wiping the floor after every shower or not needing to.
Standard family bathrooms: 1200 × 900 mm or 1400 × 800/900 mm give you more elbow room, calmer spray, and less fogged-up glass.
Larger bathrooms: 1600–1800 × 900 mm offers scope for a generous drencher and even a perch or fold-down seat. Just remember—oversized showers can feel chilly if water throw and screen length aren’t planned together.
Shower heads, water pressure and splash control
Big drencher heads throw water further. Wall-mounted arms behave differently from ceiling-mounted plates. Choose your shower head and throw pattern first, then match the glass length to contain it.
If your household does back-to-back morning showers, consistent flow and temperature can make a smaller space feel more luxurious. Our guide to electric shower vs combi boiler showers is a quick sense-check before you finalise your spec.
Drain position and floor falls (the quiet difference)
A sleek walk-in isn’t just about tray size—it’s about where the water goes.
- Place the drain so water flows towards the glass, not out of the opening.
- Linear drains near the screen edge work well in long rectangles.
- Point drains are fine, but the floor falls need planning before tiling starts.
Agree the tray size, screen position, and drain line first—then lock in your shower head and controls. Getting this sequence right saves time and rework.
Access and future-proofing without making it clinical
You don’t need to copy accessibility manuals to borrow smart ideas:
- Keep the walk-through clear
- Avoid obstacles near the controls
- Consider a fold-down seat or ledge for shaving or storing bottles
Designing for toddlers now and teens later? A hand shower on a rail makes the space far more adaptable.
How to measure and plan in ten minutes
- Measure wall-to-wall and note nearby door swings
- Sketch your tray as a rectangle
- Mark a ~550 mm opening
- Draw in your fixed glass panel using the rest of the length
- Drop in the drain and add an arrow showing fall direction (towards the glass)
- Place the shower head so the throw lands inside the glass zone
If this is part of a larger refresh, the way we approach any bathroom renovation is to sequence all the electrics, ventilation and finishes so that your shower works and the room stays dry.
Quick answers to the questions everyone asks
Is 1200 mm big enough for a walk-in?
Yes. 1200 × 800/900 mm is the sweet spot for most UK bathrooms—as long as the screen and opening are balanced.
Is 800 mm too small?
For a doorless layout, yes—spray is tricky to contain. With a door, 800 widths can work in tighter rooms.
What opening should I leave?
Around 550 mm feels natural and keeps your glass long enough to do its job.
Where should the drain go?
Near the screen edge, so the fall pulls water into the wet zone—not out into the room.
The Beams way
We start with how you actually shower—quick blasts or long soaks, solo or back-to-back—and pick a footprint that suits your routine, not just the brochure.
We draw the screen, opening and drain as one decision. We match the head to the throw before we even talk tile.
If you’re ready for a joined-up plan that won’t have you babysitting a squeegee, tell us about your space on bathroom renovation page and we’ll take it from there.