Many people love the look of a clawfoot tub, which adds a elegant and classic look to your bathroom. However, sometimes you may want to shower instead of bath, but the big question is how exactly do you use a shower with these kinds of tubs without making a huge mess of water everywhere?
And something else worth considering is what kind of shower rod will not be intrusive, or draw attention away from the beautiful tub? The answer lies in a product called the clawfoot tub shower curtain rod. In this article we are going to take a closer look at these shower rods, and taking a look at some of the more popular models currently on the market.
Do you need a full shower kit or only the rod?
There are a few different varieties of these rod designs on the market, so you will need to decide what is best for your tub. The first main choice you will need to make is whether or not you require a complete kit with the shower faucet fitting & the shower rod, or simply the shower rod on its own. Most models come as only the rod, but there are others that come with an entire kit if you don’t already have a shower head.
The choice should be quite straightforward, as either you have a shower faucet or you don’t. However, some people may want to replace an old faucet with a new one, so in this case a complete kit would be the best choice.
Oval Design
Next, you will need to consider the design you want. Many models come in an oval shape to match the bathtub. These models can feature two horizontal supports which attach to the wall, and a ceiling support on the opposite end. Or alternatively some designs have two ceiling supports, as seen in the picture above. This means that you will ideally need two separate shower curtains if you wish to able to drawn the curtains back completely with ease.
D-Shape Design
Another popular choice is the D-shape design. This kind of design has two independent horizontal supports on the straight part of the rod which attach to the wall, and then a optional ceiling support in the centre of the front section. This kind of design is a little better in our eyes, as the curved section gives you a little more room to manoeuver about without touching the curtain.
The downside to this design is that since there are two or three supports, drawing the curtain back completely will require two or three separate shower curtains. Alternatively you could stick to one long shower curtain instead, which means you could open it around two thirds of the way which is fine for most folks.
Circular Design
Lastly there are circular style shower rods, specifically for clawfoot tubs. The most popular variety has three ceiling supports, with no wall supports (see picture to the right). The ceiling supports are only on one half of the rod however, which gives the shower curtain a large area to retract. These types are ok, but they don’t give you a very large area to shower within.
What type of shower curtain is best for a clawfoot tub?
When it comes to a shower curtain for a clawfoot tub, you need to take into consideration a few things. Ideally you want a curtain that comes with a liner, so that the curtain can hang outside the tub whilst the liner hangs inside. This will keep the area surrounding the tub nice and dry. Another consideration is to look for a weighted liner, to prevent what is called billowing. Billowing is when the liner blows about easily which means the curtain will come away from the tub edge and cling to you. Liners with weighted bottoms help prevent this.
And lastly there is the all important size aspect, but more on that below.
What size shower curtain do I need for a clawfoot tub?
Since clawfoot tubs stand independently in a room, you need to be quite careful in getting the sizing right. This depends on what kind of clawfoot tub shower curtain rod you have, and whether or not you want to be able to open the curtain fully or only a section. If you want to be able to open the curtain fully, you will need to measure each individual section to find out what size curtains are needed for that area. If you aren’t too worried about being able to draw back the whole curtain, then you can simply measure the complete size of the rod and buy a curtain that fits.
Now lets move onto some of the more popular models currently for sale.
Zenna Home 34941WW Oval Rod
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It is a little on the small side compared to some of the other models we have seen with dimensions of 57.75″L x 24″W, but it is certainly hard to complain at that price! Included is all the mounting hardware and a easy to follow install guide. With such a low retail price, it is easy to see why this is a popular choice. You can check the current pricing over at the Amazon listing page. |
Barclay 4145-54-CP D-Shape Rod
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For reference these are called the Barclay 340-28-CP (28″ ceiling support), and the Barclay 340-36-CP (36″ ceiling support). |
D&L D-Rod and Faucet Set with Shower Head
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The specifications say it can handle a flow rate of 2.2 gallons a minute, which is quite respectable. The included shower rod is 60″L x 27″W, which is a decent size. It has the standard two wall supports, and also an adjustable 32″ ceiling support. The rod is made out of 1″ aluminum which is heavily polished, and finished with chrome. |
Summary
So that is a look at some of the various different kinds of clawfoot tub shower curtain rods you will find available. We have also taken a look at some of the more popular models currently for sale on the market today, which should give you a good idea of what you can expect to get for your money. Make sure you measure your tub before buying anything, so you get a model with suitable dimensions.