There’s no doubt that the addition of a teak shower bench to a bathroom adds an enormous amount of function, comfort, and beauty. But, since we all have different needs, there are a few different kinds of bench designs. Plus, along with the engineering aspect, there’s a very real art to installing the right bench for the right person.

Read on to learn a few different options for teak shower benches.

• A free-standing bench has one big advantage over the others. It can be moved. If you’ve got the strength to lift it, you can place it in different areas of your shower, or remove it entirely for cleaning or maintenance.
• A built-in bench is one that’s designed to be framed into the floor and wall of the shower. There is some degree of versatility here, since it can be designed to stretch the length of the shower enclosure, or be confined to a corner. Also, it can be either designed to be semicircular, or with squared-off angles to match the look of the tile.
• A floating bench is an interesting and modern design choice. Essentially, then bench is designed to be firmly placed and secured between the shower walls, but it’s open underneath. When it is constructed with waterproofed teak wood, the end result can be very striking.
• If you’ve got a smaller shower and space is an issue, a fold-down bench is a great space-saving option, while still providing style. The top of the bench will have a slight slope so that water won’t pool. However, fold-down benches might not be the best option for heavier individuals, since they’re not designed to hold too much weight.