27th September 2008 04:12PM

Atlantis Bathroom Style has a new channel drain shower system designed to work for bathroom renovations in timber framed homes.  

With the channel drain look, bathroom designers can integrate the shower space with the rest of the bathroom to achieve a continuous (level) floor flow and concealed drainage: no more unsightly centre drain and awkward tiling cuts ruining the effect. The channel drain position at the side or the rear of the shower also allows larger tiles to be used on a single tiling plane – minimising the number of grout lines and any potential they have for discoloration over time.

Channel drains (sometimes known as trench drains or trough drains) and grates that achieve this look have been available for some time, but mainly as components that are fitted into the concrete floor prior to screeding and waterproofing. These can work well where a recess has been left in the concrete slab and where adequate time and good trade skills are available to complete the shower floor preparation.

Unfortunately, for timber floors and typical renovations - which make it difficult to retro-fit a channel drain component and where the potential risks are far greater - this has not been a practical option until now.

Finally, Atlantis has come up with a solution that removes the challenge of fitting a channel drain into a timber floor, or in any flooring structure where there are unacceptable risks of water leakage. The one-piece Atlantis Linea Quattro shower base and integrated channel drain is designed for placement in an existing timber floor without the need for cutting into the joists. Molded from composite GRP material, the Linea Quattro shower base is already 100% waterproof, comes in multiple sizes for common showering spaces, and fits easily into an existing floor cavity once the surface flooring is removed.

As a preformed, structurally solid unit, the shower base comes with features that are otherwise difficult or time-consuming to achieve with the traditional in situ method of forming a shower floor. Firstly, the channel drain is incorporated into the shower base, removing the difficult and risky job of waterproofing and connection to the rest of the shower floor. Secondly, the base has an inbuilt slope to the waste, which eliminates the need for screeding. Thirdly, unlike other trays, there is a generous upstand around each wall side to contain water at the internal junctions and to provide a connecting surface for waterproofing. Furthermore, the shower base comes with factory-fitted glazing channels that accept 10mm safety screens and that double as a waterstop around the perimeter of the shower floor.

As any builder will know, not having to prepare the shower floor separately saves time and money, not to mention a major headache. More importantly, it takes care of waterproofing in the most critical risk area of the shower.
Atlantis is so confident of the durability of its one-piece Linea Quattro shower base that it offers a 25-year (effectively a lifetime) warranty against leaks – a performance guarantee unheard of in the industry.

The benefits of the Atlantis system do not end with the shower base. In keeping with its reputation for design integrity, add-on components are designed to further guarantee the structure and waterproofing of the entire shower area. Choose between meeting minimal code compliance in the form of essential waterproofing connections, or leave nothing to chance with a full membrane to waterproof the full shower wall: a sensible precaution in an age when ‘leaky shower syndrome’ is equivalent to a modern plague.

Atlantis goes a step further by including glazing channels for the walls, which snap into place and ensure a secure seal in the vulnerable corner joint. These come standard with any system purchased, and can be used easily to achieve frameless screen heights of up to 2400mm.

If you really want to make the job easy, then why not go all out and select matching screens from the 2120mm Atlantis Naked Frameless Screen range? These premium screens can be ordered from your local safety glass supplier to the Atlantis specification, and will give you a sleek frameless shower that measures up alongside the best.

Installation of the Atlantis shower base is intended to be a breeze and can be done by any builder or plumber. Where the full wall membrane system is used or extra assistance is needed, Atlantis can recommend or arrange for a certified installer.

When you bring all the structural elements together, the Atlantis Linea Quattro system really is designed to be bulletproof. And with quick and easy installation, backed by a 25-year leak-free warranty on the base, why would you ever consider taking the risk with an in situ shower again?

For more information and to register your interest, please visit the Linea Quattro preview site.