Shower heads: sizes, shapes and installation frames

When it comes time to choose a shower head, most people first look at the finish: chrome, matt black, brushed gold... But before thinking about the colour, there are two decisions that determine everything else: the size of the head and whether the installation will have an installation frame. A precious shower head that does not fit into the work space, or that does not match the already recessed installation frame, is a problem that is only discovered—and only solved—with the installation half done. This guide reviews the sizes and shapes available, and explains in detail what the installation frame is and why it is worth checking it before taking any steps on site.

Shower heads and their types

A shower head - also called a fixed head or fixed shower head, although it appears in the catalogue as a "shower head" - is the water outlet element that is installed on the ceiling or wall, in a fixed position, and that usually generates the so-called rain effect: a wide jet, with a flow rate distributed over many points on the surface, which falls from above instead of directed towards the body as a hand shower does. It is common to find it combined with a shower column or with a thermostatic kit, but it can also be installed independently, fed by a built-in water intake.

Depending on its location, the shower head can be ceiling-mounted—the most common in renovations that seek an enveloping rain effect, with the head centered over the shower area—or wall-mounted, with an arm or side outlet that projects the head toward the center of the shower tray. The choice between one and the other depends above all on the height of the ceiling, whether or not there is a false ceiling to house the installation, and the aesthetic effect sought: the ceiling one is usually read as a more minimalist, integrated solution, while the wall one is easier to install in a renovation that does not touch the ceiling.

In both cases, the shower head is a fixed piece: it is not held with an adjustable support nor can it be taken down to direct the jet, unlike a hand shower. This fixity is precisely what forces you to get the position and size right from the first moment, because moving it later implies intervening again at the water point.

Sizes and shapes: why squares dominate the catalogue

In the NOLUXA shower heads catalogue, the square format is, by far, the most common. It is due in part to installation reasons—a square box embedded in the false ceiling or partition distributes the work space better than a circular one of equivalent diameter—and in part to an aesthetic preference that has been consolidated for years in bathrooms with a minimalist line, where the straight shapes of the shower head dialogue with the taps and shower drains, also predominantly square or rectangular in the current ranges.

Within the square format, the most represented sizes range from 20x20cm, designed for compact bathrooms or for those looking for a discreet rain, up to 30x30cm, with a considerably larger water outlet surface and a more enveloping rain effect. The size is not only a matter of taste: the larger the surface of the shower head, the greater the indicative flow rate necessary for the pressure to be distributed evenly across all the outlet points, something that should be taken into account if the general installation of the home has an adjusted network pressure.

As a quick reference: in 20x20cm the catalogue includes finishes such as matt white, matt black, shiny rose gold, brushed gold and brushed rose gold. In 25x25cm and 30x30cm the variety of finishes grows—chrome, Black Gun Metal, matt white, matt black, glossy black gold, brushed rose gold and brushed gold—, which gives more room to combine the shower head with the rest of the bathroom taps.

What is an installation frame and why is it fitted before tiling?

The ceiling installation frame is, in essence, a construction box: a structure that is fixed and embedded in the false ceiling (or in the partition, if the shower head is wall-mounted) during the installation phase, before the facing is plied or plastered. It does not have the decorative finish nor is it the shower head that you will see finished: it is the previous element that defines the exact gap where, later, the final head will fit.

This way of working in two phases—installation frame first, shower head visible later—is common in recessed installation because it separates two different times of the work. The installation frame is placed when the plumber or installer still has access to the pipes and the open false ceiling, at which time the water intake is fixed and the box with the correct measurements is prepared. The tiling, plastering or finished false ceiling is closed around this box, leaving only the gap visible where the final shower head is then screwed.

The advantage of this system is twofold. On the one hand, it allows you to finish all the wet work—tiling, sealing, waterproofing—without still having the final shower head decided or purchased, which gives you time in renovations where the choice of finishes is final. On the other hand, and this is the most relevant thing in the medium term, it allows you to change the shower head in the future without having to touch the work again: if in a few years you want to renew the finish, or if the head breaks outside of the warranty, it is enough to dismantle the visible shower head and place a new one of the same size on the same installation frame, without chipping the tile or opening the false ceiling again.

Installation frame and shower head compatibility by size

Not all shower head sizes have, today, an equivalent installation frame published in the catalogue, and that is precisely the reason why it is advisable to check it carefully before deciding anything. At NOLUXA we have a ceiling installation frame for a shower head in a 40x40cm format, prepared to accommodate both a 30x30cm and a 40x40cm shower head. For the most compact formats, 20x20cm and 25x25cm, if your installation is going to include an installation frame, we recommend confirming it with our team before closing the order, because the construction gap must adjust to the exact size that will finally be installed.

The 40x40cm ceiling installation frame is available in chrome, matt white and matt black, three neutral finishes that cannot be seen once the final shower head has been installed (it is hidden behind the finished false ceiling), but which should also be ordered in a finish that is resistant to continuous humidity in the shower area.

Available finishes by size

Once the size and the issue of the installation frame have been resolved, the finish is where the shower head adds more character to the bathroom as a whole. In 20x20cm, the catalogue offers matt white, matt black, shiny rose gold, brushed gold and brushed rose gold: a combination designed both for bathrooms with a very neutral aesthetic (white or matt black) and for those looking for a warmer touch with golden tones.

In 25x25cm and 30x30cm the palette is expanded: chrome, Black Gun Metal, matt white, matt black, shiny black gold, brushed rose gold and brushed gold. Chrome continues to be the most versatile option to combine with taps from different brands or antiques, while Black Gun Metal provides a black with a metallic reflection, something different from the flat matt black, interesting in bathrooms with an industrial aesthetic.

Whatever the size, it is best to first decide on the finish of the set - taps, drain, accessories - and choose the matching shower head, instead of the other way around: as it is the most visible piece of the shower ceiling, a finish that is uncoordinated with the rest is much more noticeable than in other more discreet elements.

Choosing a shower head step by step

With all the above information, the decision process can be summarized in a few ordered steps:

1. Decide on the location: ceiling or wall, depending on whether a false ceiling is available and the effect you are looking for.
2. Choose the size taking into account the dimensions of the shower tray or shower area, and if there is already an installation frame installed (in new construction or renovation in progress, this may affect the final size).
3. If you are going to install installation frame , confirm that the shower head size you want has an equivalent installation frame in the catalogue before the installer closes the construction gap.
4. Choose the finish to match the taps and accessories already chosen or installed in the bathroom.
5. Check the network pressure in your home with the installer, especially in large sizes (30x30cm and above), where the indicative flow rate necessary for a homogeneous rain effect is greater.

Following this order avoids the most frustrating scenario in a bathroom renovation: having the tiling finished and discovering, when going to assemble the shower head, that the built-in box does not match the size of the chosen head.