Shower Tray Size Guide

Since it’s such an important part of your bathroom design – and because it’s likely to be in place for a long time – getting the right shower tray is essential.

You need something that is stylish enough to fit with your bathroom design, but sturdy and durable too. Size is an important consideration when choosing your shower tray, but not always a straightforward one. Here is what you need to know.

What Size Shower Tray Do I Need?

There are several types of shower tray and each one is suitable for different bathroom sizes and designs. Because of this, choosing the right sized tray is not as simple as picking up the tape measure and buying whatever matches the dimensions of your bathroom.

Some shapes of shower tray, although they might be bigger than others, may pair well with a more compact shower enclosure. For example, you might be able to have a bigger shower tray by installing a shower door that does not swing outwards, which means you would not have to leave extra space for the door to swing into.

Standard Shower Tray Sizes

There is no simple “standard” shower tray size. Length and depth or width vary significantly depending on the shape of the tray. Generally speaking, however, sizes range from:

It is a broad range, but this is because there is such a variety of products to choose from and each one suits a different kind of bathroom, which we will go on to explore in more detail in the following section, which breaks down each type of shower tray in more detail.

Quadrant Shower Trays

Quadrant shower trays are a perfect choice for smaller bathrooms. With a curved front that’s suitable for a sliding or hinged shower door, you can fit a quadrant tray into any corner of your bathroom.

But being this compact has a downside: quadrant trays do not offer a very spacious shower. If you like the sound of quadrant trays but feel concerned about not having enough space, look into offset quadrant shower trays. These use a combination of straight edges and curves to create more showering space but still fit neatly into any corner of a bathroom.

Square Shower Trays

Square shower trays are a good fit for any bathroom, as this is the most versatile tray shape. Square shower trays can be installed against any wall or in any corner and they are suitable for most types of enclosure. They are more spacious than quadrant shower trays and, by pairing them with the right enclosure or cubicle, they can be just as compact too.

For example, if you added a folding shower door to a square shower tray rather than a hinged one, you would not need to leave as much room. If you have a smaller bathroom, but do not want to put your shower in the corner of the room, a square shower tray can be an excellent and often more spacious alternative to a quadrant tray.

Rectangular Shower Trays

Rectangular shower trays tend to be wider than square or quadrant trays, so they are not quite as suited to smaller bathrooms. However, combined with the right enclosure, a rectangular shower tray can be a neat, compact addition to your bathroom.

With a sliding door, for example, a rectangular shower can take up less space, while still being more spacious than most other options.

D-shape Shower Trays

If your bathroom is very small, you might not have space for a square or rectangular shower tray. If it is unconventionally designed, you might not have a corner in which to install a quadrant tray. In these cases, the D-shape shower tray can be a perfect alternative. These trays are very compact and they only have one flat edge, so they can be installed against a bathroom wall rather than needing to sit in a corner. Their curved shape means they take up less space overall than a square tray.

The downside to a D-shape shower tray is the lack of showering space.

Wet Room Shower Tray Sizes

Creating a wetroom or walk-in shower is a great way to make the most of a small bathroom. There are specialised shower trays for wet rooms. They tend to be slimmer and they are set into the floor rather than being raised off the ground.

Wet rooms use a strong waterproof base. The wet room flooring is laid over the top of this base and this is covered by your choice of bathroom flooring. Read more on our guide to the various types of bathroom flooring if you are unsure.

Raised Shower Trays

You can raise your shower tray to make it easier to plumb it in. This is particularly useful on concrete floors, on which the waste cannot sink below floor level. To do this, you need to get a shower tray riser kit, with many companies offering this as an additional extra to shower trays, either with just the riser kit feet, or along with a fascia cover.

Visually, a raised shower tray is less appealing, so it is best avoided unless it is necessary for installation. It will usually bring the height of your tray up to around 140mm but bear in mind that you cannot raise a 25mm shower tray.

That completes our guide to shower tray sizes, however, if you need help planning your shower project or would like to find out more, don't hesitate to contact our expert team.