From Bathtub to Shower Screen
There’s nothing quite like a nice, hot shower to refresh and reset! It’s a luxury we often take for granted, but did you know showers are a relatively recent addition to our daily routines?
As we are the experts in installing shower screens in Brisbane, let us take you on a drip (pardon the pun) down memory lane …
It may be hard to fathom, but back in ancient times, people flocked to clean their bodies in communal baths and natural water sources like hot springs, rivers, and lakes.
It wasn’t just about personal hygiene either. In ancient Asia, public bathing was largely a religious ritual to cleanse the body and soul; and in Greece and Rome it was a community experience where people relaxed together and debated politics.
The Romans were among the first to really take communal bathing to the next level, building opulent bathhouses with facilities like change rooms, saunas, massage rooms, and separate hot and cold baths. But the concept of a private, enclosed shower as we know it today was still far from existence …
These days, bathing is much more of a solo endeavor! But when exactly did private bathing and showering become a ‘thing’?
The History of the Shower
It’s fair to say, like baths, there were actually ancient showers. Cave men and women would stand under waterfalls to clean themselves. And in ancient Egypt, the invention of ceramic jugs saw the Egyptians pouring water over themselves as a sort of man-made shower.
However, it was in 1767 things really progressed, when William Feetham, a stove maker from London, patented the world’s first mechanical shower. This early version operated by manually pumping water from a basin to a suspended showerhead.
By the 19th Century, thanks to a surge in technological advancements, showers became more widely accessible. However, they weren’t common in households but rather found in specialised institutions or homes of the elite.
The biggest turning point came in the early 20th Century with the advent of plumbing systems that could provide a continuous and reliable supply of water. This paved the way for showers to become a standard feature in homes.
What about Shower Screens?
As showers gained popularity, so did the need for effective enclosure solutions. Enter, the shower screen!
Early shower screens were made of simple materials like fabric or vinyl curtains, but as technology and design advanced in the early 1900’s, they evolved into sleek, durable panels made of glass. These earlier shower screens featured frames around all edges for reinforced strength.
In 1910, an Austrian chemist came up with tempered glass – a strong type that, if broken, breaks into cube-like chunks that are less likely to cause injury than regular glass. From 1963, tempered glass was officially the material of choice for shower screens.
Today, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to shower screen options: Semi-frameless, frameless, frosted, tinted glass, black frames or arches, to name just a few.
The Best of Both Worlds
If you like to indulge in a bit of old-fashioned bathing but love the efficiency of a shower too – there is a solution! Bathtub showers could be for you.
Plus, a bathtub shower screen enables you to enjoy a hot shower – or bath - without the discomfort and inconvenience of the water spilling all over the place!
We are the experts when it comes to designing and installing custom bathtub shower screens. Reach out to our expert team today on 1300 727 791 for a free, no obligation quote.