Accessible Showering
Level-access, low-profile and raised shower trays for timber, screed and solid floors, with gravity and pumped waste options, slip-resistant surfaces and ramps for more challenging installations.
Start with the finished floor
A shower tray may be manufactured 26mm, 27mm or 40mm thick and still create level access if the floor can be recessed sufficiently to receive it.
Install the same type of tray on top of the floor and it becomes a low-level threshold instead. Semi-recessing can create a position between the two.
That means the correct starting point is not simply the product name. It is the floor construction, the amount of recess available, the drainage route and the finished access requirement.
Specify in this order
Fully level, low profile, stepped or ramped.
Timber, screed, concrete or a floor that cannot be breached.
Confirm whether gravity drainage is practical or whether a pumped solution is required.
Match tray size, waste position and entry configuration to the enclosure and available circulation space.
Think in finished thresholds
These figures describe useful examples from the current range, not a universal rule for every shower tray.
Level access
The tray is set into the floor structure so its usable entrance is flush with the surrounding finish. This is the preferred tray approach where wheelchair access and the smallest possible threshold are priorities.
Typical low-level examples
Products such as Braddan can be semi-recessed or surface mounted, while slim trays such as Onyx, Mullen and Roman products create relatively modest transitions when fitted above floor level.
Raised Sulby examples
AKW Sulby trays contain the waste and pipework within the raised tray structure, allowing installation where penetrating the floor for conventional drainage is not practical.
Start here
Choose a recessed tray for barrier-free entry, a low-profile installation where major floor alteration is unnecessary, a raised tray for difficult floors, or add a compatible ramp or step to manage an unavoidable change in level.
01 Lowest threshold Recessed and adaptable shower trays from AKW, Contour and Roman for creating a defined showering area with little or no finished threshold, including gravity and pumped-waste options.
02 Easier retrofit Slim shower bases offering a reduced step where fully recessing the tray is unnecessary or impractical, including contemporary slate-effect, anti-slip and care-focused tray designs.
03 Difficult floors Raised AKW Sulby trays for situations where drainage needs to remain above a solid or unbreachable floor, with built-in gravity wastes and optional ramp or step access.
04 Bridge the threshold Straight and corner ramps for compatible Braddan and Sulby trays, plus the removable Sulby access step and supporting installation accessories.
Installation changes the threshold One tray can create several outcomes
The AKW Braddan is a useful example. Its tray body is 40mm thick, but the same family can be installed at different depths depending on the floor and required accessibility.
Compare the finished installation
The correct choice depends on the user and the building. The lowest threshold is not always the easiest construction route.
| Consideration | Level Access | Low Profile | Step In / Ramped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finished threshold | Flush or effectively barrier free when correctly recessed. | Small raised transition above the surrounding floor. | Deliberately raised, with optional step or ramp depending on system. |
| Wheelchair access | Best tray-based route for direct wheeled entry. | Depends on the remaining threshold and user. | Requires a suitable compatible ramp for wheeled access. |
| Floor work | Requires sufficient recess and drainage provision. | Usually requires less alteration when surface mounted. | Can avoid breaching the floor for selected systems. |
| Defined shower area | Yes. | Yes. | Yes, with a more pronounced tray edge. |
| Typical application | Accessible bathrooms and wheelchair-friendly showering. | Retrofit bathrooms and reduced-mobility applications. | Difficult solid floors and projects where below-floor drainage is restricted. |
The building is part of the specification
Do not choose the tray in isolation from the floor beneath it. Recess depth, joists, waste position and the ability to route pipework all influence the finished access level.
Floorboards can often be removed or altered to receive a shallow recessed tray, but joist positions and the waste route need to be checked before choosing the tray dimensions and handing.
Recessing can still be possible, but the amount of structural work depends on the existing slab or screed. Low-profile surface mounting may provide a simpler retrofit where excavation is undesirable.
Where services cannot pass beneath the floor, a raised Sulby tray can contain a side-exit gravity waste above floor level, or selected surface-mounted trays can work with pumped drainage.
Drainage can decide the tray before appearance does
The floor recess and waste route are closely connected. Check the available depth and pipe route before deciding that gravity drainage will work.
The simplest route where sufficient fall and below-floor depth exist to carry wastewater away naturally from the shower tray.
Selected AKW and Contour trays accept pumped wastes where the drainage route cannot provide the required gravity fall. The corresponding wastewater pump is specified separately where required.
Sulby uses the tray height to house its gravity waste and routes wastewater horizontally through one of several side-exit positions, avoiding a conventional floor penetration.
Accessible does not have to look institutional
Accessibility can come from installation geometry rather than a particular visual style. Alongside traditional care trays, the current range includes contemporary slate-effect and colour-coordinated shower bases.
When the tray has to remain above the floor
Compatible accessories can make surface-mounted trays easier to approach, but they also require enough surrounding floor space for the ramp gradient and entry route.
Straight and corner aluminium ramps can bridge the remaining edge of semi-recessed or surface-mounted Braddan trays and can be cut to suit the installation.
Removable straight and corner ramps provide a wheeled approach to compatible Sulby step-in trays without permanently fixing the ramp to the bathroom floor.
For an ambulant user who does not require a ramp, the removable step divides the transition into smaller movements when approaching a compatible Sulby tray.
A preformed tray creates a clearly defined showering area and contains its own fall towards the waste. It can be particularly useful where installation simplicity and predictable water containment are important.
A floor former becomes part of the floor itself. Tiles, vinyl or another compatible finish continue across the graded shower area, producing a more seamless wet-room appearance.
Before ordering
Tray size is only one part of the specification. The floor, drainage, enclosure and final floor finish need to work together.
Decide whether the user requires completely level access or can comfortably manage a low threshold, step or ramp.
Establish the available recess depth and whether joists, concrete or other structural elements restrict alteration.
Check the outlet against joists, existing pipework and the direction in which gravity drainage needs to fall.
Confirm whether the surrounding bathroom uses tiles or vinyl and select the appropriate tray edge, upstands and adaptor system.
Match tray dimensions and entry configuration to the intended shower doors, screens and curtain arrangement.
Confirm the tray is suitable for the user and any equipment that transfers concentrated loads through shower seats, stools or mobility aids.
Check the exact tray specification: recess depth, weight limit, waste type, outlet depth, floor-finish compatibility, trimming limits and compatible screens vary by model. Always confirm the current technical and installation information before altering the floor or positioning drainage.
Accessibility School
Before choosing the exact tray, make sure a tray is the right construction method for the bathroom. Our practical guide compares shower trays with wet-room floor formers, looking at accessibility, installation complexity, retrofit suitability, flooring, drainage and long-term flexibility.
Compare floor formers & shower trays →Start with the floor—not the product photograph
Recess a tray for the lowest possible threshold, keep it low profile where a simpler retrofit is needed, or use a raised step-in system with compatible ramping when the floor cannot accommodate conventional below-floor drainage.
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Independent 4 Life Limited
Address: Bellamy House, Winton Road, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3HA
Freephone: 0800 500 3001 | Tel: 023 92755992
Email: info@independent4life.co.uk
Showroom / Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
Showroom by appointment: evenings and Saturdays
Registered Company Number: 06294300 | VAT Number: 942 4477 11
