What Are the Standard Dimensions for a Frameless Shower Stall?

International Code Council

• Contractors and homeowners who install shower stalls must follow local and state building codes if they want to receive approval for their use. These regulations originate in the International Residential Code and the International Plumbing Code. Both codes were developed by the International Code Council, a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 to “benefit public safety and support the industry’s need for one set of codes without regional limitations.” The ICC also provides educational and certification programs, technical handbooks, plan reviews and informational videos.

IRC Standards

• The International Residential Code specifies that frameless shower stalls must have at least 900 square inches of finished interior area, with a minimum measurement of 30 inches from one finished wall to the opposite wall. This does not include fixtures, such as shower heads, control valves or safety rails. The required area starts at the top of the threshold and must continue to a point at least 70 inches above the shower drain. If a shower compartment has at least 1,300 square inches of area, then its minimum dimension can be reduced to 25 inches. A folding seat is allowed within the enclosure, as long as the minimum required square inches are maintained when the seat is folded up.

Americans with Disabilities Act

• The Americans with Disabilities Act defines standards for frameless shower stalls that enable the disabled to use them without assistance. A transfer type compartment, which allows movement from a wheelchair to a shower seat, must have clear interior dimensions of at least 36-by-36 inches, as measured from the center points of opposing finished walls, with a 36-inch minimum entry width. Roll-in type compartments, which allow entry to those in wheelchairs, need a minimum entry width of 60 inches, with a minimum interior space that is 30 inches wide by 60 inches deep.

Examples

• As long as a frameless shower stall meets these minimum standard dimensions, they can be at sizes limited only by the manufacturer’s imagination and the homeowner's budget. For example, a small round enclosure designed for the corner of a bath may occupy an area less than 36 inches square. A larger enclosure might have a door that is 72 inches wide, with three walls covered in luxurious marble or slate. In both cases, the enclosure exceeds the minimum IRC standards.