Steam shower enclosures in West Palm Beach
A steam shower only works if the glass holds the steam. That means glass carried to the ceiling, a sealed door, and an enclosure built around the steam head, the bench and the ceiling you actually have.
Why steam changes the glass
An ordinary shower enclosure is open at the top and has small gaps at the door, on purpose: the room needs to breathe and the glass needs to dry. A steam shower needs the opposite. Every gap is a leak, and steam rises, so the most important seal is the one at the ceiling.
- Glass to the ceiling. Panels are carried up to meet the ceiling, or a glass panel is set across the top to close the enclosure at a lower height.
- A sealed door. Seals run along the hinge side, the latch side and the bottom so the door closes against them all the way round.
- Hardware for heat and moisture. Clamps and hinges sized for heavier glass and for a space that is hot and saturated every time it is used.
Ceiling panel or full-height glass
Where the bathroom ceiling is low enough, the glass simply runs to it and the ceiling closes the top. Where it is high, or vaulted, it is usually better to close the enclosure lower with a glass ceiling panel: a smaller volume fills with steam faster and the generator does not have to heat air near a ceiling nobody sits under. The enclosure above is built that way, with a glass panel across the top.
A sloped ceiling inside the steam space is worth raising with your tile setter early. Condensation runs down a slope to one side instead of dripping on whoever is sitting on the bench, and the glass has to be measured to that slope.
Working with the rest of the trades
The glass is the last thing to go in. The steam generator, the plumbing and electrical, the vapour barrier and the tile come first, and the opening has to be finished — tile set, bench built, ceiling closed — before we measure, because tempered glass cannot be altered after it is made. If you are planning a steam shower, the most useful call is the one before tiling starts, so the layout leaves room for the hinges, the clamps and a door that opens outward.
Glass and finish
Steam enclosures are built in heavy tempered glass, the same 3/8″ or 1/2″ used for frameless doors, in clear or low-iron. Hardware finishes match the rest of the bathroom: the three enclosures on this page carry polished chrome, matte black and dark bronze fittings. Steam is hard on glass that is left wet, so a protective coating and the habit of airing the enclosure out after each session are both worth it.
What moves the price
- Ceiling height, and whether a glass ceiling panel is needed
- The number of panels and how they meet the walls and the bench
- Glass thickness and clear against low-iron glass
- Door seals, and any operable transom or vent panel
- Hardware finish
Common questions
What makes a steam shower enclosure different from a normal one?
A normal enclosure stops short of the ceiling and leaves gaps at the door so the room can breathe. A steam enclosure has to hold steam, so the glass is carried to the ceiling or closed with a glass ceiling panel, and the door is sealed around its edges. Without that, the steam escapes into the bathroom and the generator runs without ever filling the space.
Do you install the steam generator?
We build the glass enclosure. The steam generator, its plumbing and electrical supply, and the vapour-proof backing behind the tile are the work of your plumber, electrician and tile setter. We coordinate with them on the layout, because where the steam head and controls sit affects the glass, and the opening has to be finished before we measure.
Which way should a steam shower door open?
Outward. A door that opens out cannot be blocked by someone who has fallen inside, and it lets steam clear the doorway rather than holding it against the bather. We set the swing at the measure.
Does a steam enclosure need a vent?
Many have an operable transom panel or vent near the top, so the space can be aired out after a session and the enclosure dries instead of staying humid. Whether yours needs one depends on the layout and the ventilation in the bathroom, and we discuss it at the measure.
Get a price for steam shower enclosures
Send the opening dimensions and a photo if you have one. A photo is usually enough for us to tell you what will fit and what it costs before anyone drives out.
Planning a steam shower?
Talk to us before the tile goes up. The ceiling height, the bench and where the steam head sits all decide the glass, and they are easiest to get right early.